Olivier Messiaen’s multi-movement works are carved out of large, sonorous blocks fashioned from material that radiates more than develops. This is especially true of his sole opera. Each of the eight tableaux depicts a scene from the life of St. Francis, revealing his steady progression toward grace. Messiaen’s plain-spoken libretto is more presentational than dramatic, while his music unfolds with monumental patience, evoking the mood of a pageant rather than a drama. Chant-like passages interweave with ear-tickling percussion flights and joyful modal excursions. Jose Van Dam yields nothing to his younger self in the world premiere Seiji Ozawa recording, and, if anything, sings with more insight. Dawn Upshaw makes a perfect Angel with her warm, translucent sonority and impressive French. As the Leper, Chris Merritt is less dramatically compelling than Ozawa’s Kenneth Riegel, but has the prettier voice. Kent Nagano’s stunning Hallé Orchestra outplays Ozawa’s Paris Opera forces on every conceivable level, and is gorgeously recorded to boot. It is safe to say that this live recording from the 1998 Salzburg Festival will rule as the benchmark St. Francois for years to come. Full texts, translations, and an in-depth interview with the composer are included with this seminal release. [12/11/1999]
