Valery Gergiev is joined by two outstanding singers for his latest LSO Live release featuring Bartók's one-act opera. Despite being one of the greatest ever interpreters of the role of Bluebeard on stage, this is Sir Willard White's first complete recording of Bluebeard's Castle. His Judith is the outstanding young Russian-born, Berlin-based mezzo Elena Zhidkova. Sir Willard performs extensively around the world during 2009 including appearances at The Metropolitan Opera in New York and La Scala in Milan. Elena Zhidkova will appear with the LSO and Gergiev at the BBC Proms and make her debut at the Mariinsky Theatre. Bartók's only opera is a dark and intense work, involving only two characters. Bluebeard's young bride persuades him to open seven doors in his castle in order to let light into the grim interior. Behind each she finds increasingly disturbing sights, until behind the final door she discovers Bluebeard's former wives and learns her fate.

Reviews:

Disc of the Month 'Gergiev’s Bluebeard passes beyond shattering into a realm even more deeply disturbing’ Opera Magazine

Opera Choice of the Month 'Gergiev an his superlative forces and vocal soloists, supported by magnificent sound quality, present the enigmatic piece with great power' BBC Music Magazine

'All the restless qualities of the underlying and shadowy string themes are sketched in an appropriately unsettling way. Vitally for this score, the woodwind figures add their eerie colours and decorative dissonance to great effect, the clarinet making a particularly telling contribution – wonderful playing... Orchestral textures are remarkably clear and Bartók’s highly individual percussive effects make their full impact. Gergiev is most considerate to his singers, even at the most grandiose and loud moments' Classicalsource.com

ffff Télérama

La Clef ‘Elena Zhidkova possede des moyens immenses, a la mesure du rôle, tout en possédant la juvénilité nécessaire. Le vibrato est maîtrisé, les aigus triomphants, bref, une Judith idéale. A ses cotés, Sir Willard White est un habitué du rôle, dont il est, a l’heure actuelle, un des principaux défenseurs’ ResMusica (France)

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James Mallinson producer; Jonathan Stokes and Neil Hutchinson for Classic Sound Ltd sound engineers; ; Recorded January 2009, Barbican, London; DSD (Direct Stream Digital) recording