CD-Charts Position 1
Average Rating:

Offenbach - La Belle Helene / Minkowski, Lott, Beuron, Senechal, Naouri, Le Roux, Torodovitch, Chatelet Opera

starring: Felicity Lott, Yann Beuron, Michel Sénéchal, François Le Roux, Laurent Naouri

Release Date June 29, 2004
Some reviewers are fixated on the fact that Dame Feliciy Lott is too old and not beautiful enough to be Helen. But how many Brunnhildes could mount a horse without breaking its back? She makes good choices about how to present the role. What got lost here is how well everyone else fits their part. Especially, Marie-Ange Torodovitch is magnificent as Orestes. If you are going to quibble about beauty, Yann Beuron isn't handsome enough to be Paris, but he does a remarkably good job of being the sort of confident young punk that Paris should be, and his voice is great for his part. Michel Senechal is perfect for Menelaus as depicted here. Francois le Roux (Calchas) and Laurent Naouri (Agamemnon) are also good.

The staging is good, ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 2
Average Rating:

Gluck - Alceste / Robert Wilson · John Eliot Gardiner · Anne Sofie von Otter · English Baroque Soloists · Théâtre du Chatelet

starring: Anne Sofie von Otter, Paul Groves, Dietrich Henschel, Yann Beuron, Ludovic Tézier
directed by: Brian Large

Release Date March 27, 2001
When is a CD more visually exciting than a DVD? That's not a joke; the answer is this Chatelet production of Gluck's Alceste. I've watched glaciers - literally - for hours, and seen more action than this.Was Brian Large, the director, momentarily suffering a post-encephalitic syndrome such as Oliver Sachs reported in Awakenings? LSD could not make this staging meaningful. This Alceste makes Wagner's Rheingold seem like a Rossini romp. It turns "Remenbrance of Things Past" into a haiku. It makes the American election process seem cogent.

What do you get when you pop this disk into your player? Blue. Faded Levi blue. A blue backdrop with hazy blue stage lights, sectioned by various blackish pillars and cubes. A small blue cube gyrates ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 3
Average Rating:

Rameau - Platee / Agnew, Delunsch, Beuron, Naouri, Le Texier, Lamprecht, Minkowski, Paris Opera

starring: Paul Agnew, Marc Minkowski, Mireille Delunsch, Yann Beuron, Laurent Naouri

Release Date July 27, 2004
This is a stunning performance, however the quality of this Kultur release DVD is absolutely abysmal. The colours are very dark and murky, nothing at all like the photos on the cover. Others write that the TDK version has better colours, as well as more subtitle languages (this Kultur version only has English), and also interviews with the production crew. I've had to buy two copies then, because the opera is so wonderful it deserves to be seen in its full glory. I highly recommend if you would like this video, buy the TDK version (available from amazon.co.uk) instead!!

CD-Charts Position 4
Average Rating:

Offenbach - La Grande-Duchesse de Gerolstein / Lott, Piau, Beuron, Le Roux, Les Musiciens du Louvre, Minkowski (Theatre du Chatelet)

starring: Felicity Lott, Sandrine Piau, Yann Beuron, François Le Roux, Marc Minkowski
directed by: Laurent Pelly, François Roussillon

Release Date January 24, 2006
I think the great success of this production is owed to the stage direction of Laurent Pelly and the choreography of Laura Scozzi as much as the great performances of the principal players. I could imagine how tedious this light-hearted, three act farce could have been in the wrong hands. But, it was in the best hands!

The slapstick story moves right along with scene after scene of hilarious dance numbers and absurd costumes and scenery. Felicity Lott was supremely funny in the title role and gave a great singing and dancing performance. Equally demanding were the roles of Sandrine Piau as Wanda and Yann Beuron as Fritz, which both acquitted superbly. Le Baron Puck of Franck Leguerinel, Le Prince Paul of Eric Huchet and Le General Boum of Francois La Roux ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 5
Average Rating:

Orphée aux enfers

starring: Natalie Dessay, Yann Beuron, Jean-Paul Fouchécourt, Laurent Naouri, Martine Olméda
directed by: Yves-André Hubert, Ariane Adriani

Release Date
Natalie is the ultimate Euridice with marvelous acting and incredible singing. She generously sprinkles sparkling high G's throughout the show. If she couldn't sing she would have been a famous comedienne. The rest of the cast is delightful. Bethone's Cupid, Naouri's Jupiter, Beuron's Orphee, Olmeda'a Public Opinion, all singing the wonderful Offenbach music. The Fly Song, The Kissing Song...

I could do without the trasvestite dancers (maybe fast forward was invented for that)......but after all, its a French production.

I've converted Offenbach haters to Offenbach lovers with this video!!

CD-Charts Position 6
Average Rating:

La Belle Hélène [Region 2]

starring: Felicity Lott, Yann Beuron, Michel Sénéchal, Laurent Naouri, François Le Roux
directed by: Ross MacGibbon

Release Date
This is a wonderful production. Please note this is available as a Region-1 DVD Offenbach - La Belle Helene / Minkowski, Lott, Beuron, Senechal, Naouri, Le Roux, Torodovitch, Chatelet Opera for a lot less money. I Sure wish that Orphee aux Enfers was available as well!

CD-Charts Position 7
Average Rating:

Verdi - Falstaff / White, McGreevy, Hellekant, Jupither, Persson, Beuron, Gubisch, Mazzola, Aix-en-Provence

starring: Willard White, Geraldine McGreevy, Charlotte Hellekant, Miah Persson, Enrique Mazzola
directed by: Chloé Perlemuter, Herbert Wernicke

Release Date February 18, 2003
In response to another reviewer, I must first mention that the letterboxing worked fine on my non-widescreen TV. As to the opera itself, this is an interesting production, beautifully sung, with a clever scenic design. The cast is lively and engaging, and the same can be said for much of the staging; some moments, however, are oddly static. Willard White sings the title role, and sings it well. He is a virile, attractive man, and no attempt is made to make him the fat, ridiculous figure Shakespeare created and all the other characters constantly describe. Additionally, Mr. White plays the role very somberly, thus creating a curious depression at the center of this comedy. The Jamaican-born Mr. White is the only person of color on stage, and the accompanying booklet suggests the other characters' ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 8
Average Rating:

Alceste [Region 2]

starring: Anne Sofie von Otter, Paul Groves, Dietrich Henschel, Yann Beuron, Ludovic Tézier
directed by: Brian Large

Release Date
When is a CD more visually exciting than a DVD? That's not a joke; the answer is this Chatelet production of Gluck's Alceste. I've watched glaciers - literally - for hours, and seen more action than this.Was Brian Large, the director, momentarily suffering a post-encephalitic syndrome such as Oliver Sachs reported in Awakenings? LSD could not make this staging meaningful. This Alceste makes Wagner's Rheingold seem like a Rossini romp. It turns "Remenbrance of Things Past" into a haiku. It makes the American election process seem cogent.

What do you get when you pop this disk into your player? Blue. Faded Levi blue. A blue backdrop with hazy blue stage lights, sectioned by various blackish pillars and cubes. A small blue cube gyrates slowly overhead throughout the first act. A dozen ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 9
Average Rating:

Platée [Region 2]

starring: Paul Agnew, Mireille Delunsch, Yann Beuron, Vincent Le Texier, Doris Lamprecht
directed by: Don Kent

Release Date
When is a CD more visually exciting than a DVD? That's not a joke; the answer is this Chatelet production of Gluck's Alceste. I've watched glaciers - literally - for hours, and seen more action than this.Was Brian Large, the director, momentarily suffering a post-encephalitic syndrome such as Oliver Sachs reported in Awakenings? LSD could not make this staging meaningful. This Alceste makes Wagner's Rheingold seem like a Rossini romp. It turns "Remenbrance of Things Past" into a haiku. It makes the American election process seem cogent.

What do you get when you pop this disk into your player? Blue. Faded Levi blue. A blue backdrop with hazy blue stage lights, sectioned by various blackish pillars and cubes. A small blue cube gyrates slowly overhead throughout the first act. A dozen ... Read More: