Ravel: L'Heure Espagnole, L'enfant et Les Sortilèges [Blu-ray]

For those of you interested in these works but uncomfortable with the price (as opposed to many other DVD operas at much less the cost),please do not hesitate to purchase this set. I would suggest forgoing the more expensive Blu-ray and just purchasing the DVD at the more modest price. The DVD sound and picture played on a Blu-ray player is excellent and compares to other actual Blu-ray opera discs I have.These 2 operas get their due in these inventive and well thought-out productions, with excellent staging by Laurent Pelly and superlative conducting by Kazushi Ono. The singers for "L'Heure" are all very good, and at times excellent, but for me, it's the production of "L'enfant et les sortileges" that is priceless. The concept, costumes, and integration of all the elements, besides the absolute magic of Ravel's orchestration and Collette's libretto make this a must have. If you love Ravel (and relatively speaking, there are so few works by him), you have to have this DVD.

the usual combination of L'heure espagnole et l'enfant et les sortileges. Both done very well; L'heure espagnole is actually funny, as intended to be. and the moving of the big clock (presumably containing big bodies) is done vey well, each time. L'Enfant is just a little bit below, l'enfant is not much of a child, but les sortileges are usually done intelligently. Both of them, together, are worthwhile.

I'm writing about "L'Enfant Sortilege" rather than the other opera on the disc. Magical stagecraft enhances this amusing concoction with extraordinary moments. A pastiche to savor with friends.

I love it!

Extraordinary performance in a unique setting

This pair of short operas written by Ravel and first performed in 1911 (L'heure espagnole) and 1925 (L'enfant ...) are here paired together in the most obvious of couplings. Both operas have a duration of about 55 minutes and together make for a most entertaining and enjoyable evening's entertainment.The L'heure espagnole is essentially a French farce involving the intentions of the leading lady to be unfaithful to her husband who is absent from their clock repair business for a short while. There are 3 possible lovers. The first is a pre-arranged poet who never gets beyond focussing on his own poetical feelings. The second is a banker who wishes to take advantage of the husband's absence but is obsessed by self-importance. Both of these two hide at points throughout the plot in grandfather clocks with much opening and closing of doors. The third is a muleteer of immense strength who is happy to carry the clocks, with the two suitors inside, up and down the stairs as asked seemingly as is they were mere straws. He has no intentions of having any relationship with the wife but it eventually occurs to her that he is the obvious choice and he is eventually led to the bedroom without either of the clocks to her clear satisfaction. The 'moral' of the story is that even a muleteer has his turn.There is an interesting, informative and illustrated 10 minute documentary which makes all this clear and also gives a considerable insight into the intricacies of the plot, the music, the staging and the acting and the way all of this must fit together with precision as with any fast moving farce.The music is a revelation as it so clearly shows that Ravel really had a most mischievous sense of humour which is wittily illustrated throughout by countless musical details. This is a very funny opera and is delivered with complete awareness of all the contributory factors by a very talented and committed cast. Laurent Pelly as Director also working with Jean-Jaques Delmotte on costumes makes an essential contribution without which none of this would happen. The conductor, Kazushi Ono obviously has a total understanding of all the requirements made upon him and he has been able to obtain superb results from all five singers who seem to be absolutely perfectly cast and who have clearly has a great time.Their singing/acting is uniformly beyond reproach but in addition, Alek Schrader as the self obsessed poet is very amusing, Stephanie d'Oustrac as Concepcion is young and attractive and is believably bored, frustrated and sexy. Elliot Madore as the muleteer is ideally naive, just simply nice and utterly obliging and a believable final choice. Paul Gay as the banker is appropriately pompous and Francois Piolino as the husband is believably inattentive to his wife's needs.Much the same can be said in terms of the production and performing standards of the supporting opera, the Bewitched Child. This is a more serious story in which an obnoxious and naughty child is made to face the error of his ways by all the things that he has mistreated and damaged magically coming to life and threatening him in their turn. Eventually he realises his errors and seems ready to be a much improved child.This story also lends itself to imaginative staging and costuming and equally requires fast moving scene changes. Many of the eleven strong cast take on multiple roles, 21 in all, and four of the previous cast take on, with equal flair, double roles in this opera too. All of this is achieved at the highest quality level. The short documentary is similar to the one accompanying the first opera giving much the same levels of insight.Once more, Ravel's musical imagination proves to be considerable and very wide-ranging although there are many touches of melody, harmony and orchestration that will relate to other works including the Daphnis ballet.The camera work is fully involving and draws the viewer into two fast moving plots. The imaging quality offers a very high standard of clarity and colour. The sound is equally excellent and is presented in DTS 5.1 surround and stereo. The two short documentaries are both worth watching and are both short and succinct.This is a perfect coupling of two short operas which make complete sense as a pairing. The productions and performances are of a standard that will make it very hard for future recordings to match, let alone improve on.I would therefore suggest that there is every reason to consider this disc as a most attractive purchase option............................................A note to the anonymous negative voter:The voting system is specifically only about reviews being 'helpful' or 'unhelpful'Goodness only knows what you find to be `unhelpful' about this review.A negative vote without reason is not helpful to anyone. It does not contribute in any useful way to discussion so no-one can learn from you.If you have a different view or find the review 'unhelpful' then explain, giving your reasons, and share your views in the comment option as intended.Your opinion might then add to the total useful advice.

I only have the DVD version, which contains, in addition to the two short operas, a nice broadcast delving into the creation and intentions of the first. At any rate, both are, in their very different ways, quite delightful in every respect: the music and singing, the sets and the action within the sets, and, the overall "flavor" of playful seriousness. Each of the two runs approximately one hour.....I enjoyed them most when watching on separate evenings..........since each has a "flavor" quite different from the other.......(while I have done so, it is clear from audience reaction that for the average viewer, combining both in your evening's entertainment does not result in a diminution of the pleasure inherent in each).I cannot speak to the pricing since I obtained my copy on-line from one of the best bargain centers therein.

This pair of short operas written by Ravel and first performed in 1911 (L'heure espagnole) and 1925 (L'enfant ...) are here paired together in the most obvious of couplings. Both operas have a duration of about 55 minutes and together make for a most entertaining and enjoyable evening's entertainment.The L'heure espagnole is essentially a French farce involving the intentions of the leading lady to be unfaithful to her husband who is absent from their clock repair business for a short while. There are 3 possible lovers. The first is a pre-arranged poet who never gets beyond focussing on his own poetical feelings. The second is a banker who wishes to take advantage of the husband's absence but is obsessed by self-importance. Both of these two hide at points throughout the plot in grandfather clocks with much opening and closing of doors. The third is a muleteer of immense strength who is happy to carry the clocks, with the two suitors inside, up and down the stairs as asked seemingly as is they were mere straws. He has no intentions of having any relationship with the wife but it eventually occurs to her that he is the obvious choice and he is eventually led to the bedroom without either of the clocks to her clear satisfaction. The 'moral' of the story is that even a muleteer has his turn.There is an interesting, informative and illustrated 10 minute documentary which makes all this clear and also gives a considerable insight into the intricacies of the plot, the music, the staging and the acting and the way all of this must fit together with precision as with any fast moving farce.The music is a revelation as it so clearly shows that Ravel really had a most mischievous sense of humour which is wittily illustrated throughout by countless musical details. This is a very funny opera and is delivered with complete awareness of all the contributory factors by a very talented and committed cast. Laurent Pelly as Director also working with Jean-Jaques Delmotte on costumes makes an essential contribution without which none of this would happen. The conductor, Kazushi Ono obviously has a total understanding of all the requirements made upon him and he has been able to obtain superb results from all five singers who seem to be absolutely perfectly cast and who have clearly has a great time.Their singing/acting is uniformly beyond reproach but in addition, Alex Schrader as the self obsessed poet is very amusing, Stephanie d'Oustrac as Concepcion is young and attractive and is believably bored, frustrated and sexy. Elliot Madore as the muleteer is ideally naive, just simply nice and utterly obliging and a believable final choice. Paul Gay as the banker is appropriately pompous and Francois Piolino as the husband is believably inattentive to his wife's needs.Much the same can be said in terms of the production and performing standards of the supporting opera, the Bewitched Child. This is a more serious story in which an obnoxious and naughty child is made to face the error of his ways by all the things that he has mistreated and damaged magically coming to life and threatening him in their turn. Eventually he realises his errors and seems ready to be a much improved child.This story also lends itself to imaginative staging and costuming and equally requires fast moving scene changes. Many of the eleven strong cast take on multiple roles, 21 in all, and four of the previous cast take on, with equal flair, double roles in this opera too. All of this is achieved at the highest quality level. The short documentary is similar to the one accompanying the first opera giving much the same levels of insight.Once more, Ravel's musical imagination proves to be considerable and very wide-ranging although there are many touches of melody, harmony and orchestration that will relate to other works including the Daphnis ballet.The camera work is fully involving and draws the viewer into two fast moving plots. The imaging quality offers a very high standard of clarity and colour. The sound is equally excellent and is presented in DTS 5.1 surround and stereo. The two short documentaries are both worth watching and are both short and succinct.This is a perfect coupling of two short operas which make complete sense as a pairing. The productions and performances are of a standard that will make it very hard for future recordings to match, let alone improve on.I would therefore suggest that there is every reason to consider this disc as a most attractive purchase option.

These are exquisite performances of two operas by Ravel. The staging is clever, imaginative and fully supportive of the libretto and music. If you have never come across these operas before they are to be highly recommended.

Muy buenas, tanto la interpretación como el montaje escénico.Son dos óperas que tienen muy pocas grabaciones en soporte de video y me parecen dos obras fundamentales en la historia operística del siglo XX.

Vous aimez les mises en scènes sans agressivité mais avec une jeunesse revigorante, de très grands chanteurs qui savent aussi jouer ô combien la comédie , la dérision malicieuse et géniale de RAVEL ? ALORS VOUS SEREZ CONQUIS PAR CETTE HEURE ESPAGNOLE!!!

Laurent Pelly donner en vie de façon merveilleuse à une pièce à travers laquelle Ravel et Colette ont célébré au plus haut l'amour maternel.