CHARLES-SIMON CATEL (1773-1830): Les Bayadères.

Description: This 1810 "heroic opera" seems to both look back to the Mozart of The Magic Flute and La Clemenza di Tito and forward to the grand opéra of Meyerbeer, Halevy and others just as its eastern setting (India) is mysterious and romantic rather than exotic and stereotypical as in Gluck and Grétry. Large choruses and scenes for dancers yet leave room for refined and transparent orchestration for the principal singers. An important transitional figure rescued from obscurity. 2 CDs + Book. French-English libretto. Chantal Santon (soprano), Philippe Do, Mathias Vidal (tenors), André Heyboer (baritone), National Bulgarian Choir Svetoslav Obretenov, Solamente Naturali, Musica Florea; Didier Talpain.