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ADD Great Performances 8.110140-41 Also available: 2 CDs GOUNOD Roméo et Juliette Eidé Norena • Charles Hackett • Angelo Bada • Chorus and Orchestra of the , New York • Louis Hasselmans Recorded in 1935

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Ward Marston

Great Opera Performance In 1997 Ward Marston was nominated for the Best Historical Album Grammy Award for his production work on BMG’s Fritz Kreisler collection. According to the Chicago Tribune, Marston’s name is ‘synonymous with tender Charles loving care to collectors of historical CDs’. Opera News calls his work ‘revelatory’, and Fanfare deems him ‘miraculous’. In 1996 Ward Marston received the Gramophone award for Historical Vocal Recording of the Year, GOUNOD honouring his production and engineering work on Romophone’s complete recordings of Lucrezia Bori. He also (1818-1892) served as re-recording engineer for the Franklin Mint’s issue and BMG’s Sergey Rachmaninov recordings, both winners of the Best Historical Album Grammy. Born blind in 1952, Ward Marston has amassed tens of thousands of opera classical records over the past four Romeo et Juliette decades. Following a stint in radio while a student at Williams College, he became well-known as a reissue producer Opera in Five Acts (1867) in 1979, when he restored the earliest known stereo recording made by the Bell Telephone Laboratories in 1932. In the past, Ward Marston has produced records for a number of major and specialist record companies. Now he Broadcast from the Metropolitan Opera House, , 26 January 1935 is bringing his distinctive sonic vision to bear on works released on the Naxos Historical label. Ultimately his goal is to make the music he remasters sound as natural as possible and true to life by ‘lifting the voices’ off his old 78 rpm recordings. His aim is to promote the importance of preserving old recordings and make available the works of great Juliette ...... Eidé Norena musicians who need to be heard. Stéphano ...... Gladys Swarthout Gertrude ...... Henrietta Wakefield Roméo ...... Charles Hackett Tybal ...... Angelo Bada Benvolio ...... Max Altglass Mercutio ...... Giuseppe de Luca Paris ...... Millo Picco Gregorio ...... Paolo Ananian Capulet ...... Louis D’Angelo Friar Laurence ...... Léon Rothier Duke of Verona ...... Arthur Anderson

Orchestra and Chorus of the Metropolitan Opera • Louis Hasselmans Note: In this performance, Gounod’s original Act 4 Scene 2 including the ballet is entirely omitted. Gounod’s original Act 5 therefore becomes Act 4 Scene 2. The Naxos historical label aims to make available the greatest recordings in the history of recorded music, in the best and truest sound that contemporary technology can provide. To achieve this aim, Naxos has engaged a number of respected restorers who have the dedication, skill and experience to produce restorations that have set new standards in the field of historical recordings.

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Producer’s Note CD 1 79:16

Almost anyone today who owns a cassette or VCR recorder has probably taped radio or television programs, for it 1 Prologue: Vérone vit jadis deux familles rivales… Act II 27:40 has become as simple as inserting a tape into the machine and pressing a button. Recording “off the air” was not (Chorus) 7:20 always such an easy matter. During the early 1930’s, one could purchase an apparatus for recording broadcasts that 9 Entr’acte et chœur: 3:37 attached to an ordinary record player and used pre-grooved discs. That method yielded almost unlistenable Act I 32:46 O nuit! sous tes ailes obscures… recordings of little value today. Fortunately a more sophisticated recording process was also developed which used 2 Introduction: L’heure s’envole… 9:56 (Roméo, Mercutio, Chorus) a lathe to cut grooves into highly polished aluminum discs. Radio networks began using the system to record (Chorus; Juliette, Paris, Tybalt, Capulet; selected broadcasts for their archives and the pleasure of a few prominent celebrities. Before long, studios began Mercutio, Roméo) 0 Cavatine: L’amour, l’amour!… 5:02 making custom recordings and for the first time one could pay to have a broadcast transcribed. Aluminum discs (Roméo) were soon supplanted by lacquer coated discs which yielded less noise and captured greater frequency response and 3 Ballade de la reine Mab: 2:42 dynamic range. This type of disc remained the standard format for “off the air” recording until the introduction of Mab, la reine des mensonges… ! Scène et chœurs: Hélas! moi, le haïr! 8:29 magnetic tape. (Mercutio) (Juliette, Roméo, Chorus, Gregorio, Gertrude) The Metropolitan Opera Company began its regular Saturday afternoon broadcasts in December 1931, but only a few fragments survive from the first years. By 1934 recording these broadcasts was becoming more common and 4 Récitatif et Scène: 3:37 @ Duo: Ô nuit divine! je t’implore! 10:33 a surprising number of complete or nearly-complete performances exist from the 1934-35 season. Unfortunately Eh bien! que l’avertissement me vienne de Mab… (Roméo, Juliette) most of the original aluminum discs on which these broadcasts were captured are no longer available; most (Roméo, Mercutio, Chorus; Juliette, Gertrude) transfers emanate from tape dubs which, more often than not, were poorly made years ago from the original discs. In the case of this performance of Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette, a complete set of 78 r.p.m. twelve inch 5 Ariette: Ah! Je veux vivre dans le rêve… 3:59 Act III 11:30 aluminum discs has been preserved by Charles Hackett’s son. This transfer is made directly from those discs, (Juliette) and although the noise level is at times high, the sound quality is excellent for a broadcast transcription of this Scene 1 vintage. The distortion heard during forte passages is absolutely typical of recordings made on these early 6 Récitatif: Le nom de cette belle enfant? 0:52 aluminum discs. The outer edges of many of the discs have corroded, causing occasional but severe scraping (Roméo, Gregorio, Gertrude, Juliette) # Entr’acte et scène: 4:10 sounds which I have attempted to attenuate. In order to preserve as much of the original sound as possible, I have Mon père! Dieu vous garde! used no excessive filtering or digital noise reduction and have used CEDAR technology only to remove clicks, and 7 Madrigal: Ange adorable… 5:07 (Roméo, Fr. Laurence, Juliette) pops. Additionally, I found that each side varies in speed between its beginning and end from about 78 down to (Juliette, Roméo) 76.5 r.p.m. I have endeavored to adjust the speed to keep the pitch reasonably constant throughout the performance. $ Trio et quatuor: 7:20 8 Finale: 6:32 Dieu qui fis l’homme à ton image! Quelqu’un! C’est mon cousin Tybalt (Fr. Laurence, Juliette, Roméo, Gertrude) (Juliette, Roméo, Tybalt, Mercutio, Paris, Capulet)

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CD 2 70:02 Act III families to keep the peace and banishes Romeo.

Act III (concluded) 23:03 Act IV 46:59 Scene 1 Act IV

Scene 2 Scene 1 21:18 # Romeo greets Friar Laurence in his cell, as dawn Scene 1 breaks. Juliet approaches, accompanied by her nurse, 1 Announcements 1:51 4 Duo: Va! Je t’ai pardonné… 10:59 and asks the friar to marry her to her lover. 4 It is night in Juliet’s chamber, and she forgives (Juliette, Roméo) Romeo for any injury to her family. They sing of their 2 Chanson: 4:28 $ With simple ceremony the friar pronounces the love on this, their wedding night. Romeo hears the lark, Depuis hier je cherche en vain mon maître! 5 Quatuor: Juliette!—Ah! le ciel soit loué! 3:50 words of marriage over the couple, and all join in heralding the dawn. Romeo seeks a kiss, before he must (Stéphano) (Gertrude, Capulet, Juliette, Fr. Laurence) seeking a blessing on their union. go, and climbs down from Juliet’s balcony. She remains gazing at his departure, praying that angels will guard 3 Finale: Ah! Ah! voici nos gens! 17:45 6 Scène: Mon père! Tout m’accable! 6:29 him. (Stéphano, Gregorio, Chorus, Mercutio, Tybalt, (Juliette, Fr. Laurence) CD 2 Roméo, Benvolio, Paris, Capulet, Duke) 5 Gertrude hurries in, anxious at Lord Capulet’s Scene 2 25:41 Act III approach. Capulet enters, accompanied by Friar Laurence, and announces Juliet’s proposed husband, 7 Announcements 5:08 Scene 2 Count Paris, Tybalt’s ineluctable choice. The four express their own reactions to this news. 8 Le sommeil de Juliette 2:50 2 In a square before the Capulets’ palace, the Montague page Stephano, seeks Romeo, regretting that 6 Alone with Friar Laurence, Juliet seeks his help. He 9 Scène et Duo: 17:43 Juliet, beautiful as she is, should be in such a nest of gives her a phial containing a drug that will induce in C’est là! Salut! Tombeau sombre et silencieux! vultures, a dove who will soon find freedom in love. her the appearance of death and allow her to escape. (Roméo, Juliette) 3 Gregorio emerges from the palace, seeing Stephano Scene 2 as one who had been among the intruders of the day before. Stephano taunts him and they fight, interrupted 8 Juliet is duly found dead and taken to the family by Mercutio and then by Tybalt, who draws on him. tomb, where she sleeps. Romeo rushes in and tries to separate them. Tybalt turns on Romeo, challenging him, and Romeo half draws his 9 Romeo, who has not received Friar Laurence’s sword, before returning it to its scabbard. He has no letter warning him of the plan for Juliet’s escape, quarrel with Tybalt, but Mercutio resents his friend’s approaches the Capulet tomb, lamenting her early apparent submission to the enemy and engages with death. He takes a phial of poison and drinks from it, Tybalt. Mercutio is wounded, and is carried off, dying. falling to the ground, as Juliet begins to recover. He is Romeo cannot restrain himself and draws on Tybalt, amazed at her recovery, seemingly from death, and they who falls, wounded and dying. Romeo’s friend express their joy in each other. Romeo then reveals that Benvolio urges him to make his escape. Lord Capulet he has taken a fatal poison and is dying. Their wedding appears, horrified at the death of his nephew Tybalt, night is recalled, but now disturbed by the nightingale, who, as he dies, seeks a promise of revenge. Montagues not the lark, as Juliet seizes a dagger and stabs herself, and Capulets cry out for vengeance. They are so that they die together, with a final kiss. interrupted by the Duke, who calls on the feuding Keith Anderson 8.110140-41 4 9 8.110140-41 110140-41 bk Gounod EC 28|03|2003 2:30 PM Page 8

Synopsis 7 Romeo professes his love for Juliet, seeking to kiss (1818-1893) this shrine of beauty, a request she refuses, before Roméo et Juliette CD 1 eventually accepting his protestations. Charles Gounod, one of the great nineteenth-century Norena, Sayão, Micheau and Freni, while Roméo has 1 In a prologue, the chorus tells of the feud between 8 Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin, is heard approaching, and masters of operatic melody, had a huge early success been sung by Jean de Reszke, Ansseau, d’Arkor, the Capulets and Montagues and of the ill-fated love of Romeo only now learns that Juliet is the daughter of with , based on the dramatic poem by Goethe, and Crooks, Thill, Luccioni, Björling and Kraus. Romeo and Juliet. Lord Capulet. Romeo has resumed his mask and hurries spent the rest of his career trying to match it. He came Roméo et Juliette was not recorded during the away, but Tybalt has recognised him by his voice, to closest with a work based on a play by another great 78rpm era, even though many of the singers mentioned Act I Juliet’s distress at learning the ominous identity of her poet, Shakespeare. His setting of Roméo et Juliette was above made important individual discs, so we must rely professed lover. Romeo re-appears, and Tybalt vows composed in 1865-67 with the help of the librettists on Saturday-matinée broadcasts from the Metropolitan 2 The curtain rises on a ball given by the Capulets, revenge. Capulet, however, insists that the ball should Jules Barbier and Michel Carré, who had served him Opera in New York, where it was a repertoire piece for where all is pleasure. Tybalt addresses Count Paris, continue, whoever the young man is. well with other including Faust. To make many years. If we want to hear how it was performed in ready to fall in love with Juliet, who now appears, Shakespeare’s tragedy suitable for the lyric stage, much the heyday of French style, there is only one choice, this delighted at the celebration. Old Capulet urges his Act II of it had to be cut; the result was that the two star- broadcast from the l934-35 season. Change was in the young guests to dance, an activity for which he is now crossed lovers loomed even larger in the opera than they air at the Metropolitan, as the long-serving manager too old. Among the guests are Mercutio and Romeo, [9 The scene is Juliet’s garden, where Romeo hides, had in the play. Gounod rose to the occasion with a Giulio Gatti-Casazza was about to retire, but the masked, like the rest of the company, and anxious to while Mercutio and his friends call to him from outside. series of marvellous duets for the tenor and structure he had built up, with its fine chorus and avoid discovery. who took the title rôles – like other operatic composers orchestra and its excellent supporting singers, was still 0 Romeo declares his love, as Juliet is seen at her who tackled Shakespeare’s text, he could not resist in place. The cast of our Roméo includes one legendary 3 Mercutio, in answer to Romeo’s claim to have had a window, preparing for bed. having a final duet in the Tomb Scene, which meant the character singer, the tenor Angelo Bada, who had dream, sings his ballade of Queen Mab, flying in her story had to be adjusted. Otherwise his librettists stuck actually come over from with Gatti-Casazza in nut-shell chariot through the night, who brings false ! Juliet now appears on her balcony, musing sadly on reasonably closely to the original. The tenor was given 1908, and another, the Léon Rothier, who had been dreams, of ambuscades and glory to soldiers and of her love for Romeo, who is overcome as he hears her. much superb declamatory music as well as a at the Met since 1910. One of the protagonists, the kisses to lovers. He declares himself, and she receives his protestations. magnificent aria; and the soprano was allotted one of illustrious Giuseppe de Luca, had adorned the They are interrupted by the approach of Gregorio and the waltz-songs which were de rigeur in French opera at Met stage since 1915 (his reward for such loyalty was to 4 Romeo feels uneasy in the house of the Capulets, the other Capulet retainers, seeking the intruder. the time. This song, the opera’s only other hit number, be disposed of on Gatti’s departure, a decision which and Mercutio jokingly attributes his mood to his love Gertrude asks Gregorio what is happening, and he tells unless you count the baritone’s Queen Mab song, was a deeply upset him, although he returned for the 1940-41 for Rosaline. Now Romeo sees Juliet, and falls in love her of the intrusion of Montagues into their house. late addition; Gounod originally intended Juliette’s rôle season). The new generation is represented by the with her at first sight, a fickle change that his friends Jokingly, he suggests that the Montague was in search to be more declamatory like that of Roméo, but found mezzo Gladys Swarthout, a dull singer on her studio had foreseen. Juliet and her nurse talk of marriage. of her, an approach that she would deal with in her own himself with a relatively light soprano, Marie Miolan- records but more sprightly when heard ‘live’. What way. They wish her good night, and Gertrude calls to Carvalho, for the première. He therefore capitulated to makes this recording special, apart from the still vibrant 5 Juliet dreams of the love that she will experience Juliet to come in. her request for something brilliant in Act I and allowed de Luca and the sonorous Rothier, is the singing of the some day, however transitory it may be. her to omit her big aria in Act IV Scene 1. Since then tenor and soprano and the superbly stylish conducting. @ Juliet calls to Romeo, asking him to fix a time when Juliette has usually been sung by a lyric soprano and so Granted, in an ideal world both Eidé Norena and 6 Captivated, Romeo asks the name of this beautiful they may meet and be united in marriage. Romeo this aria has generally been cut, as on this recording. Charles Hackett would be able to ‘retake’ a few notes child and Gregorio, instead, addresses himself to the declares again his love, while Gertrude is heard calling The first performance took place in the Théâtre- (better still, they would be recorded at a slightly nurse, Gertrude, who moves to go to supper, with Juliet. Juliet. The lovers bid each other farewell, until the Lyrique, Paris, on 27th April 1867 and within three younger age) but there is enough wonderful singing Romeo begs the latter to stay for a moment. morrow. months the opera had been heard in London with Patti here to make the pulse beat faster. She characterizes and Mario. By the end of the year it had been staged in Juliette as a real teenager: her singing is full of wide- New York and other major centres. Famous exponents eyed wonder and hope until the tragic dénouement. He of Juliette have included Melba, Farrar, Heldy, Féraldy, declaims Roméo’s music with a beauty of legato tone 8.110140-41 8 5 8.110140-41 110140-41 bk Gounod EC 28|03|2003 2:30 PM Page 6

and an amplitude of phrasing which is rarely heard , she became a byword for style in the Franco- training was as a boy soprano at the Cathedral. From début was made on 25th November 1915 as Rossini’s today. Their duets are the highlights of the performance, Belgian repertoire – from 1928 she lived in Paris and 1898 he sang the small operatic rôles in which he Figaro. In a career lasting more than half a century he which is as it should be. In the pit, the masterly Louis was a favourite at the Opéra. She had only a few seasons specialised; by 1905 he was at Covent Garden and by sang everywhere with great success, taking part in more Hasselmans knows exactly when to exert control and at the Met. She died in Lausanne, Switzerland, on 19th 1906 at . In 1910, by which time he had begun premières and making many records. Some of his when to give the singers their heads. Listen to how November 1968. Norena made beautiful records of his thirty-year stint at the Met, he sang at the Paris interpretations of the standard arias are virtually beautifully he and the orchestra phrase the opening bars French and Italian repertoire. Opéra. A master of make-up and characterization, he definitive. He can also be heard on a Met broadcast of of Act II. The big moments are finely handled and the made many guest appearances at other theatres and was La Bohème from 1940. final peroration, though spoilt by the usual crass Gladys Swarthout was born at Deepwater, Missouri, Dr Caius in Toscanini’s Falstaff at Salzburg in 1935. He applause of the Met audience, is magnificent. An on Christmas Day 1900 and studied in Chicago, where can be heard on a number of studio recordings and Léon Rothier, born in Rheims on 26th December 1874, incidental pleasure is the commentary of Milton Cross, she made her début at the Civic Opera in 1924. Her Met broadcasts. began his career as an orchestral violinist in his home with his inevitable mention of the afternoon’s sponsor. début came on 15th November 1929 as La Cieca in a city before taking up singing seriously and studying at matinée of La Gioconda and in thirteen seasons she Giuseppe de Luca was the all-rounder among the great the Paris Conservatoire. He made his début at the Louis Hasselmans, born in Paris on 15th July 1878 into sang 22 rôles. Her good figure made her an asset in of the Golden Age, equally effective in comic Opéra-Comique in 1899 as Jupiter in Gounod’s a prominent musical family of Belgian extraction, made travesty rôles and in the 1930s she became a popular and tragic rôles. Born in Rome on Christmas Day 1876, Philémon et Baucis and the following year took part in his mark as a cellist, taking a first prize at the film star, renowned as one of America’s best-dressed he was an excellent boy soprano and sang in a church the première of Louise. He left the Opéra-Comique in Conservatoire in 1893. He was principal of the Concerts women. Her most famous stage rôle was Carmen. The choir, making his operatic début at ten. His teachers 1907 and sang in various French theatres before starting Lamoureux and a member of the celebrated Quatuor last years of her career were affected by heart trouble were Bartolini, Persichini and Cotogni. In 1897 he his thirty years at the Met. As late as 1949 he gave a Capet before turning to conducting. From 1909 to 1911 and in 1954 she retired to Florence, where she died on made his adult début in Faust at Piacenza and by 1900 recital at Town Hall, New York. He died in that city on he was at the Opéra-Comique, and again in 1919-22, in 7th July 1969 at her villa, La Ragnaia. he was at the San Carlos, Lisbon. He sang in the 6th December 1951. Among his recordings are two Montreal in 1911-13 and at the Chicago Civic Opera in premières of , and – less scenes from Un ballo in maschera with Caruso. 1918-19. He was a close friend and colleague of Gabriel America, land of baritones, has produced few of luckily – ; the last two of these were Fauré. In 1913 he conducted the first Paris performance quality but Charles Hackett was undoubtedly one of at La Scala. From 1905 he sang in South America, from of Pénélope and four years later Fauré dedicated his them. Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, on 4th 1906 in Russia and from 1907 in London. His Met Tully Potter First Cello Sonata to him. Hasselmans first conducted November 1889, he began as a boy alto, studied in at the Met on 20th January 1922 (Faust) and stayed for and Florence and started his adult career as a fifteen seasons, giving 378 performances of fourteen lyric tenor, appearing in Pavia (1915) and (1916- French operas including the Met premières of Pelléas et 17). In 1917-18 he was in Buenos Aires and he made his Mélisande, L’heure espagnole and . He Met début in Il barbiere (with de Luca as Figaro) on died at San Juan, Puerto Rico, on 27th December 1957. 31st January 1919, staying until 1921 and returning in 1934 for five more seasons. In between he sang at La Eidé Norena was born Karolina Hansen at Horten, in Scala and in Monte Carlo, Paris, London (taking part in Norway, on 26th April 1884, and studied with Ellen Melba’s farewell evening, as Roméo to her Juliette in Gulbranson in Oslo. Having started as a concert singer the Balcony Scene) and Chicago. During this time his in 1904, she made her operatic début in Oslo in 1907. In voice gained a little in power but kept its tone. He 1909 she married the actor Egel Naess Eidé and began retired in 1940 and taught at the but calling herself Kaja Eidé. She sang mainly in Oslo and died all too soon in New York on New Year’s Day Stockholm before undergoing further studies with 1942. He made a number of records, not all featuring Raimund von zur Mühlen and belatedly starting an material worthy of him. international career as Eidé Norena. Although her début rôle at La Scala (1924), Covent Garden (1924), the Paris Angelo Bada was born in Novara on 27th May 1876 Opéra (1925) and Chicago (1926) was Gilda in and died there on 23rd March 1941. His only vocal 8.110140-41 6 7 8.110140-41 110140-41 bk Gounod EC 28|03|2003 2:30 PM Page 6

and an amplitude of phrasing which is rarely heard Rigoletto, she became a byword for style in the Franco- training was as a boy soprano at the Cathedral. From début was made on 25th November 1915 as Rossini’s today. Their duets are the highlights of the performance, Belgian repertoire – from 1928 she lived in Paris and 1898 he sang the small operatic rôles in which he Figaro. In a career lasting more than half a century he which is as it should be. In the pit, the masterly Louis was a favourite at the Opéra. She had only a few seasons specialised; by 1905 he was at Covent Garden and by sang everywhere with great success, taking part in more Hasselmans knows exactly when to exert control and at the Met. She died in Lausanne, Switzerland, on 19th 1906 at La Scala. In 1910, by which time he had begun premières and making many records. Some of his when to give the singers their heads. Listen to how November 1968. Norena made beautiful records of his thirty-year stint at the Met, he sang at the Paris interpretations of the standard arias are virtually beautifully he and the orchestra phrase the opening bars French and Italian repertoire. Opéra. A master of make-up and characterization, he definitive. He can also be heard on a Met broadcast of of Act II. The big moments are finely handled and the made many guest appearances at other theatres and was La Bohème from 1940. final peroration, though spoilt by the usual crass Gladys Swarthout was born at Deepwater, Missouri, Dr Caius in Toscanini’s Falstaff at Salzburg in 1935. He applause of the Met audience, is magnificent. An on Christmas Day 1900 and studied in Chicago, where can be heard on a number of studio recordings and Léon Rothier, born in Rheims on 26th December 1874, incidental pleasure is the commentary of Milton Cross, she made her début at the Civic Opera in 1924. Her Met broadcasts. began his career as an orchestral violinist in his home with his inevitable mention of the afternoon’s sponsor. début came on 15th November 1929 as La Cieca in a city before taking up singing seriously and studying at matinée of La Gioconda and in thirteen seasons she Giuseppe de Luca was the all-rounder among the great the Paris Conservatoire. He made his début at the Louis Hasselmans, born in Paris on 15th July 1878 into sang 22 rôles. Her good figure made her an asset in baritones of the Golden Age, equally effective in comic Opéra-Comique in 1899 as Jupiter in Gounod’s a prominent musical family of Belgian extraction, made travesty rôles and in the 1930s she became a popular and tragic rôles. Born in Rome on Christmas Day 1876, Philémon et Baucis and the following year took part in his mark as a cellist, taking a first prize at the film star, renowned as one of America’s best-dressed he was an excellent boy soprano and sang in a church the première of Louise. He left the Opéra-Comique in Conservatoire in 1893. He was principal of the Concerts women. Her most famous stage rôle was Carmen. The choir, making his operatic début at ten. His teachers 1907 and sang in various French theatres before starting Lamoureux and a member of the celebrated Quatuor last years of her career were affected by heart trouble were Bartolini, Persichini and Cotogni. In 1897 he his thirty years at the Met. As late as 1949 he gave a Capet before turning to conducting. From 1909 to 1911 and in 1954 she retired to Florence, where she died on made his adult début in Faust at Piacenza and by 1900 recital at Town Hall, New York. He died in that city on he was at the Opéra-Comique, and again in 1919-22, in 7th July 1969 at her villa, La Ragnaia. he was at the San Carlos, Lisbon. He sang in the 6th December 1951. Among his recordings are two Montreal in 1911-13 and at the Chicago Civic Opera in premières of Adriana Lecouvreur, Siberia and – less scenes from Un ballo in maschera with Caruso. 1918-19. He was a close friend and colleague of Gabriel America, land of baritones, has produced few tenors of luckily – Madama Butterfly; the last two of these were Fauré. In 1913 he conducted the first Paris performance quality but Charles Hackett was undoubtedly one of at La Scala. From 1905 he sang in South America, from of Pénélope and four years later Fauré dedicated his them. Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, on 4th 1906 in Russia and from 1907 in London. His Met Tully Potter First Cello Sonata to him. Hasselmans first conducted November 1889, he began as a boy alto, studied in at the Met on 20th January 1922 (Faust) and stayed for Boston and Florence and started his adult career as a fifteen seasons, giving 378 performances of fourteen lyric tenor, appearing in Pavia (1915) and Genoa (1916- French operas including the Met premières of Pelléas et 17). In 1917-18 he was in Buenos Aires and he made his Mélisande, L’heure espagnole and Don Quichotte. He Met début in Il barbiere (with de Luca as Figaro) on died at San Juan, Puerto Rico, on 27th December 1957. 31st January 1919, staying until 1921 and returning in 1934 for five more seasons. In between he sang at La Eidé Norena was born Karolina Hansen at Horten, in Scala and in Monte Carlo, Paris, London (taking part in Norway, on 26th April 1884, and studied with Ellen Melba’s farewell evening, as Roméo to her Juliette in Gulbranson in Oslo. Having started as a concert singer the Balcony Scene) and Chicago. During this time his in 1904, she made her operatic début in Oslo in 1907. In voice gained a little in power but kept its tone. He 1909 she married the actor Egel Naess Eidé and began retired in 1940 and taught at the Juilliard School but calling herself Kaja Eidé. She sang mainly in Oslo and died all too soon in New York on New Year’s Day Stockholm before undergoing further studies with 1942. He made a number of records, not all featuring Raimund von zur Mühlen and belatedly starting an material worthy of him. international career as Eidé Norena. Although her début rôle at La Scala (1924), Covent Garden (1924), the Paris Angelo Bada was born in Novara on 27th May 1876 Opéra (1925) and Chicago (1926) was Gilda in and died there on 23rd March 1941. His only vocal 8.110140-41 6 7 8.110140-41 110140-41 bk Gounod EC 28|03|2003 2:30 PM Page 8

Synopsis 7 Romeo professes his love for Juliet, seeking to kiss Charles GOUNOD (1818-1893) this shrine of beauty, a request she refuses, before Roméo et Juliette CD 1 eventually accepting his protestations. Charles Gounod, one of the great nineteenth-century Norena, Sayão, Micheau and Freni, while Roméo has 1 In a prologue, the chorus tells of the feud between 8 Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin, is heard approaching, and masters of operatic melody, had a huge early success been sung by Jean de Reszke, Ansseau, d’Arkor, the Capulets and Montagues and of the ill-fated love of Romeo only now learns that Juliet is the daughter of with Faust, based on the dramatic poem by Goethe, and Crooks, Thill, Luccioni, Björling and Kraus. Romeo and Juliet. Lord Capulet. Romeo has resumed his mask and hurries spent the rest of his career trying to match it. He came Roméo et Juliette was not recorded during the away, but Tybalt has recognised him by his voice, to closest with a work based on a play by another great 78rpm era, even though many of the singers mentioned Act I Juliet’s distress at learning the ominous identity of her poet, Shakespeare. His setting of Roméo et Juliette was above made important individual discs, so we must rely professed lover. Romeo re-appears, and Tybalt vows composed in 1865-67 with the help of the librettists on Saturday-matinée broadcasts from the Metropolitan 2 The curtain rises on a ball given by the Capulets, revenge. Capulet, however, insists that the ball should Jules Barbier and Michel Carré, who had served him Opera in New York, where it was a repertoire piece for where all is pleasure. Tybalt addresses Count Paris, continue, whoever the young man is. well with other operas including Faust. To make many years. If we want to hear how it was performed in ready to fall in love with Juliet, who now appears, Shakespeare’s tragedy suitable for the lyric stage, much the heyday of French style, there is only one choice, this delighted at the celebration. Old Capulet urges his Act II of it had to be cut; the result was that the two star- broadcast from the l934-35 season. Change was in the young guests to dance, an activity for which he is now crossed lovers loomed even larger in the opera than they air at the Metropolitan, as the long-serving manager too old. Among the guests are Mercutio and Romeo, [9 The scene is Juliet’s garden, where Romeo hides, had in the play. Gounod rose to the occasion with a Giulio Gatti-Casazza was about to retire, but the masked, like the rest of the company, and anxious to while Mercutio and his friends call to him from outside. series of marvellous duets for the tenor and soprano structure he had built up, with its fine chorus and avoid discovery. who took the title rôles – like other operatic composers orchestra and its excellent supporting singers, was still 0 Romeo declares his love, as Juliet is seen at her who tackled Shakespeare’s text, he could not resist in place. The cast of our Roméo includes one legendary 3 Mercutio, in answer to Romeo’s claim to have had a window, preparing for bed. having a final duet in the Tomb Scene, which meant the character singer, the tenor Angelo Bada, who had dream, sings his ballade of Queen Mab, flying in her story had to be adjusted. Otherwise his librettists stuck actually come over from Italy with Gatti-Casazza in nut-shell chariot through the night, who brings false ! Juliet now appears on her balcony, musing sadly on reasonably closely to the original. The tenor was given 1908, and another, the bass Léon Rothier, who had been dreams, of ambuscades and glory to soldiers and of her love for Romeo, who is overcome as he hears her. much superb declamatory music as well as a at the Met since 1910. One of the protagonists, the kisses to lovers. He declares himself, and she receives his protestations. magnificent aria; and the soprano was allotted one of illustrious baritone Giuseppe de Luca, had adorned the They are interrupted by the approach of Gregorio and the waltz-songs which were de rigeur in French opera at Met stage since 1915 (his reward for such loyalty was to 4 Romeo feels uneasy in the house of the Capulets, the other Capulet retainers, seeking the intruder. the time. This song, the opera’s only other hit number, be disposed of on Gatti’s departure, a decision which and Mercutio jokingly attributes his mood to his love Gertrude asks Gregorio what is happening, and he tells unless you count the baritone’s Queen Mab song, was a deeply upset him, although he returned for the 1940-41 for Rosaline. Now Romeo sees Juliet, and falls in love her of the intrusion of Montagues into their house. late addition; Gounod originally intended Juliette’s rôle season). The new generation is represented by the with her at first sight, a fickle change that his friends Jokingly, he suggests that the Montague was in search to be more declamatory like that of Roméo, but found mezzo Gladys Swarthout, a dull singer on her studio had foreseen. Juliet and her nurse talk of marriage. of her, an approach that she would deal with in her own himself with a relatively light soprano, Marie Miolan- records but more sprightly when heard ‘live’. What way. They wish her good night, and Gertrude calls to Carvalho, for the première. He therefore capitulated to makes this recording special, apart from the still vibrant 5 Juliet dreams of the love that she will experience Juliet to come in. her request for something brilliant in Act I and allowed de Luca and the sonorous Rothier, is the singing of the some day, however transitory it may be. her to omit her big aria in Act IV Scene 1. Since then tenor and soprano and the superbly stylish conducting. @ Juliet calls to Romeo, asking him to fix a time when Juliette has usually been sung by a lyric soprano and so Granted, in an ideal world both Eidé Norena and 6 Captivated, Romeo asks the name of this beautiful they may meet and be united in marriage. Romeo this aria has generally been cut, as on this recording. Charles Hackett would be able to ‘retake’ a few notes child and Gregorio, instead, addresses himself to the declares again his love, while Gertrude is heard calling The first performance took place in the Théâtre- (better still, they would be recorded at a slightly nurse, Gertrude, who moves to go to supper, with Juliet. Juliet. The lovers bid each other farewell, until the Lyrique, Paris, on 27th April 1867 and within three younger age) but there is enough wonderful singing Romeo begs the latter to stay for a moment. morrow. months the opera had been heard in London with Patti here to make the pulse beat faster. She characterizes and Mario. By the end of the year it had been staged in Juliette as a real teenager: her singing is full of wide- New York and other major centres. Famous exponents eyed wonder and hope until the tragic dénouement. He of Juliette have included Melba, Farrar, Heldy, Féraldy, declaims Roméo’s music with a beauty of legato tone 8.110140-41 8 5 8.110140-41 110140-41 bk Gounod EC 28|03|2003 2:30 PM Page 4

CD 2 70:02 Act III families to keep the peace and banishes Romeo.

Act III (concluded) 23:03 Act IV 46:59 Scene 1 Act IV

Scene 2 Scene 1 21:18 # Romeo greets Friar Laurence in his cell, as dawn Scene 1 breaks. Juliet approaches, accompanied by her nurse, 1 Announcements 1:51 4 Duo: Va! Je t’ai pardonné… 10:59 and asks the friar to marry her to her lover. 4 It is night in Juliet’s chamber, and she forgives (Juliette, Roméo) Romeo for any injury to her family. They sing of their 2 Chanson: 4:28 $ With simple ceremony the friar pronounces the love on this, their wedding night. Romeo hears the lark, Depuis hier je cherche en vain mon maître! 5 Quatuor: Juliette!—Ah! le ciel soit loué! 3:50 words of marriage over the couple, and all join in heralding the dawn. Romeo seeks a kiss, before he must (Stéphano) (Gertrude, Capulet, Juliette, Fr. Laurence) seeking a blessing on their union. go, and climbs down from Juliet’s balcony. She remains gazing at his departure, praying that angels will guard 3 Finale: Ah! Ah! voici nos gens! 17:45 6 Scène: Mon père! Tout m’accable! 6:29 him. (Stéphano, Gregorio, Chorus, Mercutio, Tybalt, (Juliette, Fr. Laurence) CD 2 Roméo, Benvolio, Paris, Capulet, Duke) 5 Gertrude hurries in, anxious at Lord Capulet’s Scene 2 25:41 Act III approach. Capulet enters, accompanied by Friar Laurence, and announces Juliet’s proposed husband, 7 Announcements 5:08 Scene 2 Count Paris, Tybalt’s ineluctable choice. The four express their own reactions to this news. 8 Le sommeil de Juliette 2:50 2 In a square before the Capulets’ palace, the Montague page Stephano, seeks Romeo, regretting that 6 Alone with Friar Laurence, Juliet seeks his help. He 9 Scène et Duo: 17:43 Juliet, beautiful as she is, should be in such a nest of gives her a phial containing a drug that will induce in C’est là! Salut! Tombeau sombre et silencieux! vultures, a dove who will soon find freedom in love. her the appearance of death and allow her to escape. (Roméo, Juliette) 3 Gregorio emerges from the palace, seeing Stephano Scene 2 as one who had been among the intruders of the day before. Stephano taunts him and they fight, interrupted 8 Juliet is duly found dead and taken to the family by Mercutio and then by Tybalt, who draws on him. tomb, where she sleeps. Romeo rushes in and tries to separate them. Tybalt turns on Romeo, challenging him, and Romeo half draws his 9 Romeo, who has not received Friar Laurence’s sword, before returning it to its scabbard. He has no letter warning him of the plan for Juliet’s escape, quarrel with Tybalt, but Mercutio resents his friend’s approaches the Capulet tomb, lamenting her early apparent submission to the enemy and engages with death. He takes a phial of poison and drinks from it, Tybalt. Mercutio is wounded, and is carried off, dying. falling to the ground, as Juliet begins to recover. He is Romeo cannot restrain himself and draws on Tybalt, amazed at her recovery, seemingly from death, and they who falls, wounded and dying. Romeo’s friend express their joy in each other. Romeo then reveals that Benvolio urges him to make his escape. Lord Capulet he has taken a fatal poison and is dying. Their wedding appears, horrified at the death of his nephew Tybalt, night is recalled, but now disturbed by the nightingale, who, as he dies, seeks a promise of revenge. Montagues not the lark, as Juliet seizes a dagger and stabs herself, and Capulets cry out for vengeance. They are so that they die together, with a final kiss. interrupted by the Duke, who calls on the feuding Keith Anderson 8.110140-41 4 9 8.110140-41 110140-41 bk Gounod EC 28|03|2003 2:30 PM Page 10

Producer’s Note CD 1 79:16

Almost anyone today who owns a cassette or VCR recorder has probably taped radio or television programs, for it 1 Prologue: Vérone vit jadis deux familles rivales… Act II 27:40 has become as simple as inserting a tape into the machine and pressing a button. Recording “off the air” was not (Chorus) 7:20 always such an easy matter. During the early 1930’s, one could purchase an apparatus for recording broadcasts that 9 Entr’acte et chœur: 3:37 attached to an ordinary record player and used pre-grooved discs. That method yielded almost unlistenable Act I 32:46 O nuit! sous tes ailes obscures… recordings of little value today. Fortunately a more sophisticated recording process was also developed which used 2 Introduction: L’heure s’envole… 9:56 (Roméo, Mercutio, Chorus) a lathe to cut grooves into highly polished aluminum discs. Radio networks began using the system to record (Chorus; Juliette, Paris, Tybalt, Capulet; selected broadcasts for their archives and the pleasure of a few prominent celebrities. Before long, studios began Mercutio, Roméo) 0 Cavatine: L’amour, l’amour!… 5:02 making custom recordings and for the first time one could pay to have a broadcast transcribed. Aluminum discs (Roméo) were soon supplanted by lacquer coated discs which yielded less noise and captured greater frequency response and 3 Ballade de la reine Mab: 2:42 dynamic range. This type of disc remained the standard format for “off the air” recording until the introduction of Mab, la reine des mensonges… ! Scène et chœurs: Hélas! moi, le haïr! 8:29 magnetic tape. (Mercutio) (Juliette, Roméo, Chorus, Gregorio, Gertrude) The Metropolitan Opera Company began its regular Saturday afternoon broadcasts in December 1931, but only a few fragments survive from the first years. By 1934 recording these broadcasts was becoming more common and 4 Récitatif et Scène: 3:37 @ Duo: Ô nuit divine! je t’implore! 10:33 a surprising number of complete or nearly-complete performances exist from the 1934-35 season. Unfortunately Eh bien! que l’avertissement me vienne de Mab… (Roméo, Juliette) most of the original aluminum discs on which these broadcasts were captured are no longer available; most (Roméo, Mercutio, Chorus; Juliette, Gertrude) transfers emanate from tape dubs which, more often than not, were poorly made years ago from the original discs. In the case of this performance of Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette, a complete set of 78 r.p.m. twelve inch 5 Ariette: Ah! Je veux vivre dans le rêve… 3:59 Act III 11:30 aluminum discs has been preserved by tenor Charles Hackett’s son. This transfer is made directly from those discs, (Juliette) and although the noise level is at times high, the sound quality is excellent for a broadcast transcription of this Scene 1 vintage. The distortion heard during forte passages is absolutely typical of recordings made on these early 6 Récitatif: Le nom de cette belle enfant? 0:52 aluminum discs. The outer edges of many of the discs have corroded, causing occasional but severe scraping (Roméo, Gregorio, Gertrude, Juliette) # Entr’acte et scène: 4:10 sounds which I have attempted to attenuate. In order to preserve as much of the original sound as possible, I have Mon père! Dieu vous garde! used no excessive filtering or digital noise reduction and have used CEDAR technology only to remove clicks, and 7 Madrigal: Ange adorable… 5:07 (Roméo, Fr. Laurence, Juliette) pops. Additionally, I found that each side varies in speed between its beginning and end from about 78 down to (Juliette, Roméo) 76.5 r.p.m. I have endeavored to adjust the speed to keep the pitch reasonably constant throughout the performance. $ Trio et quatuor: 7:20 8 Finale: 6:32 Dieu qui fis l’homme à ton image! Quelqu’un! C’est mon cousin Tybalt (Fr. Laurence, Juliette, Roméo, Gertrude) (Juliette, Roméo, Tybalt, Mercutio, Paris, Capulet)

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Ward Marston

Great Opera Performance In 1997 Ward Marston was nominated for the Best Historical Album Grammy Award for his production work on BMG’s Fritz Kreisler collection. According to the Chicago Tribune, Marston’s name is ‘synonymous with tender Charles loving care to collectors of historical CDs’. Opera News calls his work ‘revelatory’, and Fanfare deems him ‘miraculous’. In 1996 Ward Marston received the Gramophone award for Historical Vocal Recording of the Year, GOUNOD honouring his production and engineering work on Romophone’s complete recordings of Lucrezia Bori. He also (1818-1892) served as re-recording engineer for the Franklin Mint’s Arturo Toscanini issue and BMG’s Sergey Rachmaninov recordings, both winners of the Best Historical Album Grammy. Born blind in 1952, Ward Marston has amassed tens of thousands of opera classical records over the past four Romeo et Juliette decades. Following a stint in radio while a student at Williams College, he became well-known as a reissue producer Opera in Five Acts (1867) in 1979, when he restored the earliest known stereo recording made by the Bell Telephone Laboratories in 1932. In the past, Ward Marston has produced records for a number of major and specialist record companies. Now he Broadcast from the Metropolitan Opera House, New York City, 26 January 1935 is bringing his distinctive sonic vision to bear on works released on the Naxos Historical label. Ultimately his goal is to make the music he remasters sound as natural as possible and true to life by ‘lifting the voices’ off his old 78 rpm recordings. His aim is to promote the importance of preserving old recordings and make available the works of great Juliette ...... Eidé Norena musicians who need to be heard. Stéphano ...... Gladys Swarthout Gertrude ...... Henrietta Wakefield Roméo ...... Charles Hackett Tybal ...... Angelo Bada Benvolio ...... Max Altglass Mercutio ...... Giuseppe de Luca Paris ...... Millo Picco Gregorio ...... Paolo Ananian Capulet ...... Louis D’Angelo Friar Laurence ...... Léon Rothier Duke of Verona ...... Arthur Anderson

Orchestra and Chorus of the Metropolitan Opera • Louis Hasselmans Note: In this performance, Gounod’s original Act 4 Scene 2 including the ballet is entirely omitted. Gounod’s original Act 5 therefore becomes Act 4 Scene 2. The Naxos historical label aims to make available the greatest recordings in the history of recorded music, in the best and truest sound that contemporary technology can provide. To achieve this aim, Naxos has engaged a number of respected restorers who have the dedication, skill and experience to produce restorations that have set new standards in the field of historical recordings.

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ADD Great Opera Performances 8.110140-41 Also available: 2 CDs GOUNOD Roméo et Juliette Eidé Norena • Charles Hackett • Angelo Bada • Giuseppe de Luca Chorus and Orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera, New York • Louis Hasselmans Recorded in 1935

8.110203-04

8.110140-41 12 CMYK N 8.110140-41 Charles ADD AXOS Historical 2 CDs GOUNOD Playing h DISC PROHIBITED. BROADCASTING AND COPYING OF THIS COMPACT TRANSLATIONS RESERVED. UNAUTHORISED PUBLIC PERFORMANCE, RIGHTS IN THIS SOUND RECORDING, ARTWORK, TEXTS AND ALL (1818-1893)

2003 HNH International Ltd. Time Roméo et Juliette 2:29:18 8.110140-41

Juliette ...... Eidé Norena This recording is taken from a memorable broadcast from the Stéphano ...... Gladys Swarthout Metropolitan Opera. Leading the Gertrude ...... Henrietta Wakefield performance is the French-born Roméo ...... Charles Hackett conductor Louis Hasselsmans, who had a complete command of the GOUNOD: Tybalt ...... Angelo Bada style required to yield up all the © Benvolio ...... Max Altglass riches of Gounod’s score. The two 2003 HNH International Ltd. lovers are sung by Eidé Norena, Mercutio ...... Giuseppe de Luca whose light and flexible voice, Paris ...... Millo Picco technique and sensitive acting, made her unrivalled, and Charles Gregorio ...... Paolo Ananian Hackett, a tenor gifted with a

Capulet ...... Louis D’Angelo beautiful lyric voice and Roméo et Juliette Roméo et Juliette Friar Laurence ...... Léon Rothier handsome stage appearance. He declaims Roméo’s music with a Duke of Verona ...... Arthur Anderson beauty of legato tone and an Chorus and Orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera, New York amplitude of phrasing which is rarely heard today. Their duets are Conducted by Louis Hasselmans the highlights of the performance. CD 1 79:16 CD 2 70:02 GOUNOD: 1 Prologue 7:20 1-3 Act III (Scene 2) 23:03 2-8 Act I 32:46 4-6 Act IV (Scene 1) 21:18 9-@ Act II 27:40 7-9 Act IV (Scene 2) 25:41 MADE IN #-$ Act III (Scene 1) 11:30 E.C.

Archivist & Restoration Producer: Ward Marston 8.110140-41 Note: In this performance, Gounod’s original Act 4 Scene 2, including the ballet, is entirely omitted. Gounod’s original Act 5 therefore becomes Act 4 Scene 2. www.naxos.com A detailed track list can be found in the booklet

AXOS Historical Cover Image: Design by P. M. Chaperon (1823-1906) for the Paris Opéra N (not used in the staging) (Private Collection)