Immerse yourself in the dramatic world of Gaetano Donizetti's "Les Martyrs," a powerful opera that weaves together themes of faith, love, and martyrdom. Originally conceived as "Poliuto," this tragic tale of Christian martyrdom is based on Pierre Corneille's neoclassical tragedy "Polyeucte" and follows the life of the early Christian martyr Saint Polyeuctus. The opera is renowned for its rich musical score and intense storytelling, making it a standout piece in Donizetti's repertoire.
This 2015 release by Opera Rara captures the essence of Donizetti's genius, featuring a full performance of "Les Martyrs" spanning over two and a half hours. The album includes all four acts of the opera, complete with overtures, arias, choruses, and ballet sequences that bring the story to life. The intricate layers of conflict—both religious and romantic—are beautifully rendered, showcasing Donizetti's mastery of opera composition.
The album features a stellar cast of vocalists who bring depth and passion to their roles, accompanied by a meticulously crafted orchestral arrangement. From the stirring overture to the poignant arias and the dramatic choruses, every moment of "Les Martyrs" is a testament to Donizetti's ability to evoke powerful emotions and create unforgettable musical experiences.
"Les Martyrs" is not just an opera; it is a historical and cultural artifact that offers a glimpse into the religious and political tensions of its time. The opera's themes of faith, sacrifice, and love resonate deeply, making it a timeless piece that continues to captivate audiences. Whether you are a seasoned opera enthusiast or a newcomer to the genre, this album is a must-listen for anyone who appreciates the beauty and complexity of classical music.
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 1: OvertureGaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 1: "Amis ... silence ... Du silence !" (Chorus)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 1: "Arretons-nous, Polyeucte" (Nearque, Polyeucte)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 1: "Que l'onde salutaire, S'epanche sur mon front!" (Polyeucte)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 1: "Viens, suis-moi ..." (Nearque)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 1: "Que viens-tu nous apprendre?" (Nearque, The Christian, Polyeucte)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 1: "Eloignez de ces lieux, Ce garde, que Felix nous donna pour escorte!" (Pauline)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 1: "Jeune souveraine, O puissante reine" (Chorus)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 1: "Allez ! laissez-moi maintenant" (Pauline)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 1: "Toi qui lis dans mon coeur, o ma mere!" (Pauline)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 1: "Qu'ici ta main glacee, Benisse ton enfant!" (Pauline)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 1: "O Dieu tutelaire! O toi, notre pere!" (Chorus, Pauline)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 1: "Pauline! ... avec effroi et ne pouvant en croire ses yeux Mon epoux!" (Polyeucte, Pauline, Chorus, Nearque, The Christian)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 1: "Quel danger nous menace, et d'ou vient ta terreur?" (Nearque, The Christian, Polyeucte)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 1: "Objet de ma constance, Amour de ton epoux" (Polyeucte, Pauline, Nearque, Chorus)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 2: "Achevez ! Pollion, transcrivez ces edits" (Felix)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 2: "Dieux des Romains, dieux de nos peres, Je servirai votre courroux!" (Felix)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 2: "Viens, ma fille; je sais que ta pieuse haine" (Felix, Pauline)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 2: "Mort a ces infames, Livrez aux flammes" (Felix, Chorus)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 2: "Tout mon sang se glace, La mort le menace!" (Pauline, Felix, Chorus)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 2: "D'ou te vient, mon enfant, cette sombre tristess" (Felix, Pauline)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 2: "Deja l'on voit au loin, dans nos immenses plaines" (Callisthenes, Felix)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 2: "Severe existe! ... Un dieu sauveur, Des sombres bords un dieu l'envoie!" (Pauline)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 2: "Gloire a vous, Mars et Bellonne!" (Chorus)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 2: "Valeureux habitants de l'antique Armenie, Je viens dans vos cites, au nom de l'empereur" (Severe)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 2: "Amour de mon jeune age, Toi dont la douce image" (Severe)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 2: "C'est son pere!" (Severe)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 2: "Les dieux ont conserve des jours si precieux!" (Felix)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 2: DansesGaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 2: Danses (Pas de deux)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 2: "Danses" (Danse Militaire)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 2: "De Decius, notre souverain maitre" (Felix, Severe)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 2: "Soutenez-moi! Divinite supreme!" (Pauline, Severe)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 2: "Voila le proconsul, ce guerrier magnanime" (Polyeucte, Severe, Pauline)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 2: "O blasphemes nouveaux!" (Callisthenes, Polyeucte, Severe, Pauline)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 2: "Dieu puissant qui voit mon zele, Que ta foi regne en son coeur" (Polyeucte, Pauline, Severe, Callisthenes, Felix, Chorus)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 3: "Dieux immortels, temoins de mes justes alarmes" (Pauline, Severe)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 3: "En touchant a ce rivage, Tout m'offrait la douce image" (Severe, Pauline)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 3: "Ne vois-tu pas, qu'helas ! mon coeur Succombe et cede a sa douleur!" (Pauline, Severe)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 3: "C'est Polyeucte! ... mon epoux!" (Pauline, Polyeucte)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 3: "Mon seul tresor, mon bien supreme" (Polyeucte)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 3: "O mon fils! ... ce guerrier, cet ami si fidele" (Felix, Polyeucte, Pauline)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 3: "Oui, j'irai dans leurs temples! Bientot tu m'y verras" (Polyeucte)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 3: "Dieu du tonnerre, Ton front severe Emeut la terre" (Callisthenes, Chorus)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 3: "A tes pieds, proconsul, on traine la victime!" (Callisthenes, Severe, Nearque, Pauline)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 3: "Quoi! des dieux la voix sainte" (Severe, Callisthenes, The Priest, Pauline, Polyeucte, All)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 3: "Jusqu'au sein du sanctuaire, Le parjure qu'il profere" (Severe, Callisthenes, Felix, Chorus, Pauline, Polyeucte, Nearque)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 3: "Lui-meme a voulu son supplice" (Felix, Pauline, Callisthenes, Chorus, Polyeucte, Severe, Nearque)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 3: "Je crois en Dieu, roi du ciel et de la terre" (Polyeucte, Pauline, Severe, Felix, Callisthenes, Chorus)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Donizetti: Les Martyrs, Act 4: "L'arret est prononce, tous chretiens" (Severe, Felix, Pauline)Gaetano Donizetti, Sir Mark Elder, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Gaetano Donizetti, born in the humble surroundings of Bergamo, Italy, in 1797, rose to become one of the most celebrated and prolific composers of the bel canto opera style. Alongside Gioachino Rossini and Vincenzo Bellini, Donizetti's nearly 70 operas define the golden age of Italian Romantic opera. His musical journey began under the tutelage of Simon Mayr, who recognized and nurtured the young composer's talent, leading to his first opera, "Il Pigmalione," at the age of 19. Donizetti's operatic repertoire is vast and varied, with standout works like "Lucia di Lammermoor," "L'Elisir d'Amore," and "Don Pasquale" showcasing his mastery of melody and vocal expression. His influence extended beyond his contemporaries, inspiring the likes of Giuseppe Verdi. Donizetti's legacy endures, captivating audiences with his rich, emotive compositions that continue to be performed and celebrated worldwide.
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Gaetano Donizetti
