and straightforward, but not irresistible, which the por- izes it. The word is that he is guiding her away from trayals of Hilde Gueden and Graziella Sciutti in earlier the Piaf material; I hope this is true, because she de- recordings certainly are. serves a long creative career of her own. Except for Ottavio's brief and anti -climactic recita- This release contains the four songs that have pro- tive following "Non mi dir," which is very often omitted pelled Mlle. Mathieu to the top in such a short space in performance, this recording is complete. The voices of time: Mon Credo, Qu'elle est belle, C'est ton mom, seem close upon the listener, at timesoverpowering the and Pourquoi mon amour. Listen to any one of them orchestra, but the overall sound isrich, and the bal- and you'll find out why she made it. The girlis ex- ances are generally judicious.Happily, there are several citing: there is a rough-hewn naturalness to her per- good recorded versions of this glorious , and so we are past the time when anysingle set can be desig- nated the unchallenged best. The present releaseis a distinguished performance, andI,for one, shall not part with it. George fellinek

Qs ® MOZART: Don Giovanni.NicolaiGhiaurov (), Don Giovanni; Claire Watson (), Donna Anna; (), Don Ottavio; ChristaLud- wig (mezzo-soprano), Donna Elvira; Walter Berry (bass), Leporello; (soprano), Zerlina; Paolo Mon- tarsolo (bass), Masetto; Franz Crass (bass), Commenda- tore; New PhilharmoniaOrchestra and Chorus,Otto Klemperer cond. ANGEL SDL 3700 four discs$23.16, DL 3700* $19.16.

MIREILLE MATHIEU: A BRIGHT NEW STAR IS BORN Her introductory American release for Atlantic reveals a vibrant and haunting natural talent

MIREILLE MATHIEu may well be the most enchanting French export since son et lumiere. She has a wonderful voice, fresh, young, and vibrant with a haunt- ing timbre. The material in Atlantic's just -released al- bum (her introductory recording on this side of the water) seems to have been chosen for her with an unerring ear for what she can do well and easily at the MIREILLE MATHIEU AND MAURICE CHEVALIER present moment. Although the similarities to Edith Piaf New pro and old pro: par id, the Stairway to Stardom are too often stressed, she possesses a distinct sound of her own. It is a happier sound than Piaf's (as well formances, and she gives the lyrics the kind of driving concentration that good singers seem to be born with. it might be, since Mlle. Mathieu is only nineteen years The musical arrangements of Paul Mauriat and Fran- old), and it communicates a much different experience Rauber admirably support Mlle.Mathieu, and from Piaf's dark visions. cois Born in Avignon in the south of France, where until the recording has been beautifully produced for Atlantic by Barclay Records in Paris. This is an album I am recently she worked in an office and helped her parents sure everyone, with or without a knowledgeof French, care for her twelve younger brothers, Mireille Mathieu Peter Reilly in the last year has become one of the biggest stars in will enjoy. France. She is managed by Johnny Stark, who is the (:) MIREILLE MATHIEU: Mireille Mathieu. Mireille French equivalent of ElvisPresley's Colonel Parker, Mathieu (vocals); orchestra, Francois Rauber and Paul and who also guided the career of that most indifferent Mariat cond. Mon Credo; Pourquoi mon amour; Qu'elle of French rock singers, Johnny Hallyday. Stark has an estbelle; Je Juts la;and eight others. ATLANTIC SD 8127 international star in Mlle. Mathieu, and I hope he real- $4.79, D 8127 $3.79.

MARCH 1967 77

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