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Esther

Corinne Winters, Yuriy Yurchuk, Bernard Richter

Format: Digital

The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and conductor Kirill Karabits, together with an outstanding cast led by Corinne Winters in the title role, present the world premiere recording of Thomas de Hartmann's lost opera "Esther". "Esther" was written and composed during the Nazi occupation of Paris, often by candlelight, when de Hartmann - a non-Jewish Ukrainian émigré - witnessed the horrors of the Holocaust. He recognized parallels between these events and the Biblical story of Esther, as dramatized in Jean Racine's play, from whose text he adapted the libretto.

"Esther" may well be the only major musical work composed during that time as a direct artistic response to the Holocaust. It has been a rewarding undertaking to bring this long-neglected work back to life, with the composer's manuscript extensively studied and a new modern performance edition prepared. This process required thorough study of de Hartmann's orchestral writing and stylistic language. "Esther" is a remarkable work that bridges opera and oratorio. The dramatic scope is characterized by long monologues, choral commentary and a triumphant closing ensemble. It is richly orchestrated and reflects the full spectrum of de Hartmann's artistic development - from his early training in Saint Petersburg and the influence of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakoff, Anton Arensky and Serge Taneyev to his later creative periods in Munich and France and his search for a deeply personal musical language. "Esther", the composer's largest and most ambitious late work, is a summary of his eclectic, polystylistic approach and a compelling rediscovery for contemporary performers and listeners.

This album is part of a Thomas de Hartmann series aimed at reintroducing the music of this composer.

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Tracklist

01 Esther, Act I, Scene 1: Déplorable Sion, qu'a tu fait de ta gloire? (Chantre, Choir) 03:55
02 Esther, Act I, Scene 1: Est-ce toi, chère Élise? (Esther, Elise) 04:17
03 Esther, Act I, Scene 1: Peut-être on t'a conté la fameuse disgrâce (Esther) 02:26
04 Esther, Act I, Scene 1: De mes faibles attraits le roi parut frappé (Esther) 02:21
05 Esther, Act I, Scene 1: Hélas ! durant ces jours de joie et de festins (Esther) 01:41
06 Esther, Act I, Scene 1: N'avez-vous point au roi confié vos ennuis? (Elise, Esther, Women's Choir) 04:37
07 Esther, Act I, Scene 1: Quand verrai-je, ô Sion! (Women's Choir) 04:01
08 Esther, Act I, Scene 2: O reine infortunée! (Mordecai, Esther, Elise, Women's Choir) 05:08
09 Esther, Act I, Scene 2: Laissez les pleurs, Esther (Mordecai) 01:30
10 Esther, Act I, Scene 2: Hélas! ignorez-vous quelles sévères lois (Esther, Mordecai) 02:55
11 Esther, Act I, Scene 2: Allez: que tous les Juifs dans Suse répandus (Esther) 00:51
12 Esther, Act I, Scene 2: O mon souverain roi (Esther) 03:30
13 Esther, Act II, Scene 1: Adonaï (Choir) 02:39
14 Esther, Act II, Scene 1: Venez. Partout ailleurs on pourrait nous entendre (Hydaspe, Aman) 04:03
15 Esther, Act II, Scene 1: Dans les mains des Persans jeune enfant apporté (Aman) 02:11
16 Esther, Act II, Scene 1: Vous serez de sa vue affranchi dans dix jours (Hydaspe, Aman) 03:37
17 Esther, Act II, Scene 2: Ainsi donc, sans cet avis fidèle (Ahasuerus, Asaph, Hydaspe) 04:51
18 Esther, Act II, Scene 2: O Seigneur (Aman) 03:06
19 Esther, Act II, Scene 2: Je vois, que la sagesse elle-même t'inspire (Ahasuerus) 02:17
20 Esther, Act II, Scene 2: Seigneur, je n'ai jamais contemplé qu'avec crainte (Esther, Ahasuerus) 03:35
21 Esther, Act II, Scene 2: O bonté qui m'assure autant qu'elle m'honore! (Esther, Ahasuerus) 04:00
22 Esther, Act II, Scene 2: Dieu d'Israël (Choir, Cantor) 04:01
23 Esther, Act II, Scene 2: Orchestral interlude 02:11
01 Esther, Act III, Scene 1: Danse Scythe 01:42
02 Esther, Act III, Scene 1: Danse Hellenique 04:33
03 Esther, Act III, Scene 1: Danse Assyrienne 05:21
04 Esther, Act III, Scene 1: Danse Parthe 03:42
05 Esther, Act III, Scene 1: Oui, vos moindres discours ont des grâces (Ahasuerus, Esther, Aman) 02:47
06 Esther, Act III, Scene 1: Esther, Seigneur, eut un Juif pour son père (Esther, Aman, Ahasuerus) 06:08
07 Esther, Act III, Scene 1: Notre ennemi cruel devant nous se déclare (Esther) 03:10
08 Esther, Act III, Scene 1: Mardochée? (Ahasuerus, Esther, Aman) 02:20
09 Esther, Act III, Scene 1: Mortel chéri du ciel (Ahasuerus, Esther) 01:31
10 Esther, Act III, Scene 2: Dieu fait triompher l'innocence (Choir) 04:34
11 Esther, Act III, Scene 2: Réjouis-toi, Sion, et sors de la poussière (Choir) 01:52
12 Esther, Act III, Scene 2: Réjouis-toi, Sion (Esther, Elise, Mordecai, Ahasuerus, Choir) 01:48
13 Esther, Act III, Scene 2: Que le Seigneur est bon! (Mordecai, Esther, Elise, Ahasuerus) 01:12
14 Esther, Act III, Scene 2: Que son Nom soit bén (Esther, Elise, Mordecai, Ahasuerus, Choir) 01:22