Poulenc: La Dame de Monte Carlo

This page lists all recordings of La Dame de Monte Carlo, by Francis Poulenc (1899-1963) on CD & DVD. Generally, more recent releases are listed first, but with priority given to those that are in stock.

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BBC Music Magazine

DVD Choice
December 2010

All recordings

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Poulenc: La Voix Humaine & La Dame de Monte Carlo

Poulenc:

La Voix Humaine

La Dame de Monte Carlo

Felicity Lott (soprano)

Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Armin Jordan

Two dramas for solo woman.

A young woman talks over the phone to her lover, whom we never hear; tomorrow he is going to marry someone else… Several times the conversation is interrupted as the line is cut, each time with dramatic effect; and behind this everyday banality, we realise that we are witnessing a veritable descent to the depths with this abandoned woman. Three years after La Voix humaine (his "sad and lovely child", as he used to refer to it with Denise Duval, its first performer), Poulenc was to conclude his collaboration with Cocteau by writing the short monologue that completes this CD: he musical style has not changed, but this time, the depths are those of the Mediterranean, in which the old lady of Monte-Carlo, "a dead woman among the dead" has decided to plunge for the last time… This title was released for the first time in 2001.

“The outstanding English lyric soprano of her generation performs Poulenc's tragic monodrama, plus its concert-hall successor. Excellent orchestral playing.” BBC Music Magazine, November 2012 ****

Harmonia Mundi - HMGold - HMG501759

(CD)

$11.75

In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day.

Un Frisson Français - A century of French song

Bachelet:	Chère nuit
Bizet:	Chanson d'Avril
Canteloube:	Brezairola
Caplet:	Le corbeau et le renard
Chabrier:	Les Cigales
Chausson:	Les Papillons, Op. 2 No. 3 (Gautier)
Debussy:	Colloque sentimental
Duparc:	Au pays ou se fait la guerre
Fauré:	Vocalise-étude
Franck, C:	Nocturne
Gounod:	Au rossignol
Hahn, R:	A Chloris
Honegger:	Trois Chansons de la Petite Sirène H 63
Lalo:	Guitarre, Op. 28
Messiaen:	La fiancée perdue
Paladilhe:	Psyché
Poulenc:	La Dame de Monte Carlo
Ravel:	Le paon
Rosenthal, Manuel:	La souris d'Angleterre
Roussel:	Réponse d'une épouse sage, Op. 35 No. 2
Saint-Saëns:	Danse macabre (song)
Satie:	Le chapelier

Susan Graham (mezzo soprano) & Malcolm Martineau (piano)

Undoubtedly ONYX’s highlight of the year is the first recital disc for 5 years by the great American mezzo Susan Graham. Beloved by audiences the world over, this outstanding recording is sure to be much in demand worldwide.

The unique programme provides a celebration of French song in an unusual way – instead of groups of songs by several composers Susan has opted for a single song by 22 different composers from Bizet to Poulenc. This is the programme she and Malcolm Martineau her regular accompanist took on tour in the USA and Europe in 2007/2008. Reviews were unanimous “confirms Susan Graham as the ideal package she is” (Music Web) “resistance is futile” (New York Times); superb, exquisite (Chicago Tribune)

Susan Graham is particularly at home in French repertoire, one of the few non-French singers recognised by the French themselves when they made her a Commandeur dans L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. Susan refutes the idea that all French vocal music sounds the same: "This programme has everything: loud, soft, high, low, fast, slow, romantic, acidic."

Includes some surprises- Saint-Saëns’ Danse Macabre for example, known by everyone as a orchestral showpiece but in fact first written as a song, but hardly ever performed as such; and some favourites such as Hahn’s À Chloris and Canteloube’s Brezairola, but far more discoveries such as the gorgeous Psyché by Paladilhe and Bachelet’s ecstatic Chère Nuit.

“With Susan Graham in radiant form and Malcolm Martineau not just an accompanist but an active partner in the project, "Un frisson français" offers a unique survey of French mélodie from the mid-19th century to the mid-20th: 22 songs… one composer. A rich collection in excellent sound: no one is likely to be disappointed.” Gramophone Magazine, November 2008

“The familiar here appears in unusual contexts and alongside a scattering of rarities. The performers are at one in their fluency, delicate rubato and avoidance of Anglo-Saxon archness, within an acoustic that combines intimacy and atmosphere.” BBC Music Magazine, November 2008 *****

“With Susan Graham in radiant form and Malcolm Martineau not just an accompanist but an active partner in the project, 'Un frisson français' offers a unique survey of French mélodie from the mid–19th century to the mid–20th: 22 songs…one per composer.
Martineau describes the plan as a 'tasting menu', starting with Gounod, to whom he ascribes the launching of the genre of French mélodie. Even Ravel said that Gounod was 'the true founder of the mélodie in France' and his song 'Au rossignol' ('To the Nightingale') is included in the first of five sections – 'founding fathers', including Bizet, Franck, Lalo and Saint–Saëns. It is fascinating to hear the original version with piano of 'Danse macabre', Graham marvellously biting.
Martineau describes the sequence as 'loosely chronological', and one beauty of the scheme is that rare and forgotten composers are included, such as Paladilhe and Bachelet who are represented in late–Romantic mélodies with night and nature dominating themes. The third group – including Ravel and Debussy – takes us into the 20th century. Especially fascinating is André Caplet's setting of 'Le corbeau et le renard' ('The Crow and the Fox') with elaborate piano accompaniment.
Only rare songs are chosen for each composer and perhaps Martineau chose some of them for the colourful accompaniments, as in Chausson's fluttering accompaniment for his picture of the butterfly in 'Le papillon'. The fourth section has childhood as a common theme and the climactic section has only one song, much the longest, Poulenc's 'La dame de Monte-Carlo', to words by Jean Cocteau. It is like an encapsulated version of the operatic monodrama La voix humaine with the singer on the verge of a breakdown.
A rich collection in excellent sound: no one is likely to be disappointed.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010

BBC Music Magazine Awards 2009

Vocal Finalist

Onyx - up to 50% off

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Onyx - ONYX4030

(CD)

Normally: $16.75

Special: $8.37

In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day.

Hommage a Francis Poulenc

Poulenc:

Le Bestiaire ou Cortege d'Orphee

Cocardes

Trois Poèmes de Louise Lalanne

A sa guitare

Tel jour telle nuit

Tu vois le feu du soir

La Dame de Monte Carlo

Felicity Lott (soprano), Graham Johnson (piano)

Disque Dom - FOR16730

(CD)

$12.00

Usually despatched in 4 - 5 working days.

Susan Graham - French Songs

Recorded at Verbier Festival, July 2009

Bachelet:	Chère nuit
Bizet:	Chanson d'Avril
Caplet:	Le corbeau et le renard
Chabrier:	Les Cigales
Debussy:	Colloque sentimental
Duparc:	Au pays ou se fait la guerre
Fauré:	Vocalise-étude
Franck, C:	Nocturne
Hahn, R:	A Chloris
Honegger:	Trois Chansons de la Petite Sirène H 63
Poulenc:	La Dame de Monte Carlo
Ravel:	Le paon
Rosenthal, Manuel:	La souris d'Angleterre
Roussel:	Réponse d'une épouse sage, Op. 35 No. 2
Saint-Saëns:	Danse macabre, Op. 40

Susan Graham (mezzo-soprano) & Malcolm Martineau (piano)

This series of TV programmes presents the very best of the 16th Verbier Festival with worldwide renowned artists such as Susan Graham, Martha Argerich, Yuri Temirkanov, Stephen Kovacevich, and Philippe Jaroussky.

Together with Malcolm Martineau on the piano, the Grammy Award-winning mezzo-soprano Susan Graham features a fascinating compilation of well-known French composers.

Both have also toured with the program - comprising nearly two dozen songs by as many composers - to great acclaim. The recital Graham and Martineau gave this past summer at the Verbier Festival in French-speaking Switzerland brought down the house.

Being Musical America’s 2004 Vocalist of the year, Graham is well-known as an expert in French melodies. The genre is known as a very tricky one, but she presents the songs with a fascinating jewel-like clarity and gleaming tone. Martineau is the perfect counter-part who adds some finely judged French seasoning.

Picture format DVD: NTSC 16:9

Sounds formats DVD: PCM Stereo, DD 5.1, DTS 5.1

Region code: 0

Booklet notes: English, German, French

Running time: 60 min

FSK: 0

“An hour of pure delight...Graham is utterly at home in this repertoire an performs it with élan...Martineau is the perfect partner throughout, perfectly jusging depth of tone, moving as one with Graham and displaying the same level of control...with a gentle smile, Hahn's sublime 'À Chloris' surpasses all that has come before.” BBC Music Magazine, Christmas 2010 *****

BBC Music Magazine

DVD Choice - December 2010

	Region: 0
	Format: NTSC
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Ideale Audience International Live at Verbier Festival - 3079128

(DVD Video)

$32.75

Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days.

Dame Felicity Lott & Graham Johnson

Fallen Women and Virtuous Wives

	I know where I'm going arranged Hughes Sweet Polly Oliver arranged Britten
Bliss:	The return from town
Brahms:	Mädchenlied, Op. 107 No. 5
Britten:	O Waly, Waly
Coward, N:	Spinning Song Alice is at it again A bar on the piccolo marina
Duparc:	Au pays ou se fait la guerre
Fauré:	Une Sainte en son aurèole
Grand:	What's a lady like me
Hahn, R:	O mon bel inconnu: 'C'est tres vilain d'etre infidele'
Haydn:	Die zu späte Ankunft der Mutter
Heuberger:	Gehen wir ins Chambre séparée) from The Opera Ball
Mozart:	Die Alte K517
Poulenc:	La Dame de Monte Carlo
Roussel:	Réponse d'une épouse sage, Op. 35 No. 2
Schumann:	Lied der Braut II, Op. 25 No. 12
Straus, O:	Warum soll eine Frau kein Verhältnis haben
Strauss, R:	Drei Lieder der Ophelia Op. 67
Walton:	Wapping Old
Weill, K:	Nanna's lied (Text: Bertolt Brecht) Und was bekam des Soldaten Weib
Wolf, H:	Ich hab in Penna einen Liebsten (No. 46 from Italienisches Liederbuch)

Dame Felicity Lott (soprano) & Graham Johnson (piano)

"Her purity of tone and sureness of stage presence, at the most touching of moments, reassert her reputation as one of the great Straussians of our time" The Observer

“Flott-lovers should flock to lay their hands on this very live recital, focusing on Flott as chanteuse. …Hahn and Poulenc are exquisitely eloquent, and her risqué Walton and Coward - from 'Wapping Old Stairs' to 'The Bar in the Piccola Marina' are tours de force of stylish enunciation and comic timing,” BBC Music Magazine, September 2005 ****

“…it shows the soprano in full enjoyment, and we catch the audience's pleasure in a murmur of general good humour.” Gramophone Magazine, December 2005

Wigmore Hall Live - WHLIVE0004

(CD)

$11.50

Usually despatched in 3 - 4 working days.

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Poulenc: La Dame de Monte Carlo

Recommendations

All recordings

Poulenc: La Voix Humaine & La Dame de Monte Carlo

Un Frisson Français - A century of French song

Hommage a Francis Poulenc

Susan Graham - French Songs

Recorded at Verbier Festival, July 2009

Dame Felicity Lott & Graham Johnson

Fallen Women and Virtuous Wives

Poulenc: Oeuvres complètes (Complete works)

édition du 50e anniversaire 1963-2013