CD-Charts Position 1
Average Rating:

Offenbach - Orphée aux Enfers / Mesplé, Rhodes, Berbié, Sénéchal, Burles, Trempont, Capitole de Toulouse, Plasson

Search: Entracte
by: Jacques Offenbach, Michel Plasson, Mady Mesplé, Jane Rhodes, Orchestre et Choeurs de Capitole de Toulouse, Les Petits Chanteurs à la Croix Potencée, Jane Berbié, Michel Sénéchal, Charles Burles, Michel Trempont, Hugues Brambilla, Roger Trentin, Henry Amiel Michèle Command, Michèle Pena, Danièle Castaing Jean-Philippe Lafont, Bruce Brewer, Jean-Claude Bonnafous André Mallabrera

Release Date September 04, 2001
This is a great recording of Orphee but sadly it is the only recording I know that is the complete extended version. There is so much great music that he added that often goes neglected. (Offenbach later expanded his most popular work for various reasons but primarily for reasons economic)
Plus I love the cover to this opera. I don't know if it's legal but I blew it up and hang it in my home. (I did the same with the cover to 'Robinson Carusoe').
My favorite addition is the extended ending to act 1. I always loved how grand it was but it's twice as grand in this recording. There is even a childrens choir towards the end.
I recommend this version of Orphee second only to the Marc Minkowski one.

CD-Charts Position 2
Average Rating:

Offenbach: Les Contes d'Hoffmann / Araiza, Ramey, Lind, Norman, Studer, von Otter; Tate [Highlights]

Search: Entracte
by: Jacques Offenbach, Jeffrey Tate, Francisco Araiza, Samuel Ramey, Dresden Staatskapelle, Leipzig Radio Symphony Chorus, Anne-Sofie von Otter, Eva Lind, Jessye Norman, Ricardo Cassinelli, Georges Gautier, Cheryl Studer, Felicity Palmer

Release Date January 18, 1994
This is a great recording of Orphee but sadly it is the only recording I know that is the complete extended version. There is so much great music that he added that often goes neglected. (Offenbach later expanded his most popular work for various reasons but primarily for reasons economic)
Plus I love the cover to this opera. I don't know if it's legal but I blew it up and hang it in my home. (I did the same with the cover to 'Robinson Carusoe').
My favorite addition is the extended ending to act 1. I always loved how grand it was but it's twice as grand in this recording. There is even a childrens choir towards the end.
I recommend this version of Orphee second only to the Marc Minkowski one.

CD-Charts Position 3
Average Rating:

Offenbach: Contes D'hoffmann V.15

Search: Entracte
by: Hagano, Lyon National Orchestra

Release Date August 12, 2002
This is a great recording of Orphee but sadly it is the only recording I know that is the complete extended version. There is so much great music that he added that often goes neglected. (Offenbach later expanded his most popular work for various reasons but primarily for reasons economic)
Plus I love the cover to this opera. I don't know if it's legal but I blew it up and hang it in my home. (I did the same with the cover to 'Robinson Carusoe').
My favorite addition is the extended ending to act 1. I always loved how grand it was but it's twice as grand in this recording. There is even a childrens choir towards the end.
I recommend this version of Orphee second only to the Marc Minkowski one.

CD-Charts Position 4
Average Rating:

Gounod: Roméo et Juliette

Search: Entracte
by: Alfredo Kraus, Michel Plasson, Choeur et Orchestre du Capitole de Toulouse, Catherine Malfitano, Gino Quilico

Release Date November 13, 2001
This Romeo & Juliette is the first of the two digital EMI recordings of the opera conducted by Plasson. The second one features Alagna and Gheorghiu which is also very good. In my opinion this 1984 recording is the better one between the two. This Romeo & Juliette featured Alfredo Kraus whose stylish reading is hard to beat and his high notes were still very secure.Catherine Malfitano's Juliette was young and fresh, is much more preferable to Gheorghiu's too mature sound Juliette.

CD-Charts Position 5
Average Rating:

Contes d'Hoffmann (I) - Gedda, Schwarzkopf, Angele

Search: Entracte
by: Offenbach

Release Date January 13, 2008
This Romeo & Juliette is the first of the two digital EMI recordings of the opera conducted by Plasson. The second one features Alagna and Gheorghiu which is also very good. In my opinion this 1984 recording is the better one between the two. This Romeo & Juliette featured Alfredo Kraus whose stylish reading is hard to beat and his high notes were still very secure.Catherine Malfitano's Juliette was young and fresh, is much more preferable to Gheorghiu's too mature sound Juliette.

CD-Charts Position 6
Average Rating:

Planquette: Les Cloches de Corneville

Search: Entracte
from: Angel Records

Release Date August 05, 2002
While composer Robert Planquette may not be the best known composer, his LES CLONCHES DE CORNVILLE is worthy of attention. While it may not be performed very often today, we do have this EMI recording that was released in the 1970's, one of many French operettas released by EMI. This recording of LES CLOCHES DE CORNVILLE is the product of Paris' Opera Comique under the direction of Jean Douissard and includes luminary French singers such as soprano Mady Mesple, tenor Charles Burles, and baritone Bernard Sinclair. The liner notes mention that the plot is similar to two other popular French works MARTHA and LA DAME BLANCHE.

This particular recording has a number of wonderful highlights including a rousing overture that could easily ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 7
Average Rating:

Massenet - Don Quichotte / Berganza, van Dam, Fonday, Vernet, Todorovitch, Papis, Rivenq, Barbier, Capitole de Toulouse, Plasson

Search: Entracte
by: Jules Massenet, Michel Plasson, Teresa Berganza, José van Dam, Choeurs et Orchestre du Capitole de Toulouse, Alain Fondary, Marie-Ange Todorovitch, Christian Papis, Nicolas Rivenq, Jean-Claude Barbier, Vicente Pradal, Robert Gonella, Gerald Thomas

Release Date September 04, 2001
Michel Plasson conducts a sumptuous account of Massenet's charming Cervantes-based opera, with Jose van Dam singing gloriously as the Don, producing consistently firm and velvety tone. Alain Fondary as Sancho Panza is equally strong and firm vocally, shadowing and matching his master instead of contrasting, never indulging in exaggeratedly comic effects. Teresa Berganza as Dulcinee adds to the sensuousness of the performance, with the Toulouse acoustic bringing out the richness and beauty of Massenet's orchestral writing. No one will be disappointed, but the deleted 1977 Decca set still has clear advantages.