Marina Rebeka, the greatest legato of our times. (Charpentier: Depuis le jour)

LOUISE (1900)
Roman-musicale in four acts by Gustave Charpentier.
Above is the famous aria “Depuis le jour... où je me suis donée! ” sung by the soprano role of Louise in the beginning of the third act. Louise sings of her bliss and satisfaction with her new existence just outside of Paris - with her lover Julien, whom she truly adores.
Louise is sung by Marina Rebeka, and conducting is Michael Balke with the Sinfonieorchester St. Gallen. Recorded at the Tonhalle St. Gallen, Switzerland in 2019. This aria comes from Marina's new album titled “Elle”, released today (20/3/20). “Elle” is Marina's fourth studio album, which celebrates some of the most well-known arias of the female repertoire. The album was released by Prima Classics, a company founded by Marina herself, and is available on all digital streaming services and in physical forms. I wholeheartedly suggest you listen to this incredible new album, as it presents to us some of the best singing we have heard in decades.
I hereby present two links and the libretto for the aria -
[Official 'making-of' film of “Elle”]:
primaclassic.com/video-the-ma...
[Official overview of the release]:
primaclassic.com/marina-rebek...
[Libretto]:
Depuis le jour
Où je me suis donnée
Toute fleurie semble ma destinée
Je crois rêver sous
Un ciel de féerie
L'âme encore grisée
De ton premier baiser!
Quelle belle vie!
Mon rêve n'était pas un rêve!
Ah! je suis heureuse!
L'amour étend sur moi ses ailes!
Au jardin de mon coeur
Chante une joie nouvelle!
Tout vibre
Tout se réjouit de mon triomphe!
Autour de moi tout est sourire
Lumiére et joie!
Et je tremble délicieusement
Au souvenir charmant
Du premier jour D'amour!
Quelle belle vie!
Ah! je suis heureuse! trop heureuse...
Et je tremble délicieusement
Au souvenir charmant
Du premier jour D'amour!
[DISCLAIMER]: I do not own any of the material that I share on this channel and nor do I pretend to. Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that otherwise might be infringing. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED.

[@thomasjohnson7948]

Wow. Marina Rebeka was unknown to me. She just tiptoes through these moments with such Sublime Elegance! She is amazing.

[@jordipanadesribera6890]

PERFECT AND WONDERFUL.

[@jmiller05]

I think is this one of the hardest arias in the lyric repertoire and this is exquisitely sung. All the dynamics are there, the phrasing, pianissimo, femininity.... gorgeous.

[@NLidar]

...and the breath control she displays here was something unheard of for decades

[@jmiller05]

@@NLidar Breath control is the essence of singing. But most singers nowadays can't make it through a single like without running out of air.

[@CallasAfrica]

Been looking for a modern performance to listen to after that Fleming performance at the Met Gala that set the standard... this comes very close... I love it..

[@aetion]

Wonderful execution. Thanks for sharing and for the excellent infos.

[@NLidar]

My pleasure to upload such a great singer

[@manolis.799]

A bright and shining light in today’s operatic drought. The natural beauty of her voice amplified by a solid and firm technique, I am only excited for what’s to come

[@NLidar]

Pianissimi for the ages

[@jmiller05]

An actual singer! Not an operatic 'actress' who thinks they're a singer.

[@NLidar]

@@jmiller05 Excuse me, but when in the last 15 years have you seen a good actress grace the opera stages? :D

[@jmiller05]

@@NLidar ha, I think my inverted commas told you everything. There are so many singers now who think they can act, and they have as about as much theatricality as my last shit. Have you seen DiDonato on stage? Horrible, just horrible.

[@arnoldamaral7406]

@@jmiller05 She & Garanca are horrible singers & actors my friend. Arnold Bourbon Amaral

[@claudineshafa5546]

Quelle merveille de chant. Quel phrasé. Une diction parfaite.

[@micheladessanti4278]

Dolcissima e pura

[@eternalmariacallas2283]

Bravo!!!!!!!!

[@amartirenaten]

Wonderful! ♥️

[@arnoldamaral7406]

This is very good . the Cotrubas rendition is great as well. Thank you my friend. Arnold 💙

[@elisabetaploscaru7224]

And Virginia Zeani.

[@draganvidic2039]

She sort of stands out with her bright chiaroscuro timbre today. Her voice carries very well, better than you might think. High notes are really penetrating.

[@NLidar]

She was piercing when I saw her as Violetta at La scala... Unfortunately the performance of Norma I was scheduled to see was was cancelled because of the coronavirus. Anyway, her sound live was quite big and what was most surprising to me is that her pianissimi high notes were just as piercing as her forte high notes - something reminiscent of La superba...

[@draganvidic2039]

N. Lidar I’m not surprised

[@mugrad25]

@@NLidar ive heard that about her

[@chriggsiii]

@@NLidar Who's La Superba? I'm familiar with La Stupenda (Sutherland), La Divina (Callas), La Regina (Tebaldi) and La Stella (Sills, real confusing for Stella fans!), but La Superba? To me, her pure penetrating sounds remind me a little of Welitsch, even though their reps are totally different.

[@michaelcummings7191]

@@chriggsiii La Superba was Caballé.

[@agungpolo3849]

Fabuleuse, comme toujours !

[@LohengrinO]

Divine singing

[@MaestroFriedrich]

so pretty

[@jasonhurd4379]

One of only a handful of renditions of this number that actually sounds like a young girl in love. This singer's technical mastery is impressive, but without drama and characterisation, singing is just a meaningless vocalise. Miss Rebeka takes us into Louise's heart and soul, and for a few moments we too look out over the roofs of Paris, intoxicated by young love.

[@NLidar]

You set the scene just as good as the composer and the singer!

[@jasonhurd4379]

@@NLidar 😊

[@arnoldamaral7406]

@@jasonhurd4379 Simply beautiful my friend Absolutely beautiful. 💙🍷🇫🇷🎼🎶🎵 Arnold Bourbon Amaral

[@vinemp]

YEAHS! (Appunto.)

[@celloguy]

She’s at her best in French repertoire! Best since Fleming. Some slightly weird French (E.g. the first word) but the line is superb.

[@claudineshafa5546]

Absolutely perfect diction from first word to last one. Nothing weird. It is exquisite.

[@vinemp]

​@@claudineshafa5546It's probably the atypical clarity of the mixed vowel [u] : it tends to not sit right on the ears of the uninitiated...and at such a slow tempo...

[@claudineshafa5546]

Not only in French repertoire!

[@celloguy]

@@claudineshafa5546perfect diction? This doesn’t sound remotely close to being a native speaker… it’s acceptable, but perfect it ain’t. Hence, some slightly weird French.

[@claudineshafa5546]

​​@@celloguyAre you a native speaker in french !!!

[@dianaaljadeff2983]

One of my favourite opera arias.I heard many performances of this aria from Grace Moore to Dame Kiri Te Kanawa Monserrat Caballe Ileana Cotrubas and Renee Fleming to name a few and this one is marveleus too with dinamics and a beautiful performance.

[@elisabetaploscaru7224]

And Virginia Zeani.

[@brianwalworth9627]

J)

[@elisabetaploscaru7224]

Virginia Zeani is the best!