Crit. Ed. Roger Parker. Par PUCCINI GIACOMO. The Critical Edition of MANON LESCAUT is the first volume of the series THE OPERAS OF GIACOMO PUCCINI - CRITICAL EDITION - in collaboration with Archivio storico Ricordi and Fondazione Simonetta Puccini. It makes available the three main versions of the opera that have survived in various sources: an 1893 version, with the original Act I finale, the first version of Manons Act IV aria, and the uncut version of the final duet in Act IV; a 'midcareer'version imagined by Puccini in the first decade of the new century, when he sanctioned the almost complete omission of Manons Act IV aria; and finally the last version that Puccini lived to approve, with Manons aria restored, albeit with a revisedliterary text. The edition consists of two volumes of full score. The first volume is introduced by a preface to the Puccini Critical Edition and an historical introduction; the second volume ends with a detailed description of the operas many sources and alengthy critical commentary which discusses numerous problematic details in the musical text. / Opéra-opérette / Date parution : 1905-07-06/ Répertoire / Opéra

The Richard Wagner Complete Edition presents the composer's entire output for the first time in a reliable form. The conductor Michael Balling, in the early years of the 20th century, attempted to make Wagner's work more accessible for research and performance, but the edition only reached 10 volumes - some with grave shortcomings - and was discontinued after Balling's death in 1925. A further attempt at a complete edition by Otto Strobel was abandoned at the preliminary stages.This third attempt at a complete edition will be the first scholarly, critical edition, based on an evaluation of all the accessible source materials and the latest findings of serious Wagner research. As the edition is also intended for practical performance, the musical text has been kept free of philological insertions - these are listed in the appendices of each volume in the Critical Commentary. Numerous, partly unpublished works - some relatively unknown - and variant versions are published here for the first time. The edition presents authentic texts for Wagner specialists and researchers and critically based performing materials. Contrary to widely held opinions, even the well-known works of Wagner are not necessarily available in reliable editions. The genesis, history and performances directed by Wagner himself are extensively documented so as to present as complete an image as possible of Wagner's compositional intentions. / Opéra

Opera In Three Acts. Par SAINT-SAENS CAMILLE. Today, 'Samson et Dalila? is undoubtedly one of the best-known of Camille Saint-Saëns's thirteen operas, being more present in the repertoire of international stages than most other French 19th century compositions. During Saint-Saëns's lifetime, the opera was already regarded as the pinnacle of his dramatic stage works. The fact that the work's genesis and first performances nonetheless posed substantial difficulties is shown in this edition by Andreas Jacob and Fabien Guilloux (libretto edition). A detailed recount of this complex history, based on meticulous comparisons of all libretti and other musical sources, is the great merit of this critical edition. The edition contains the full score, edited versions of both original libretti, a historical Foreword (Fr/En/Ger), a Critical Commentary (Eng), facsimile pages of 'Livret de mise-en-scène? from the first Paris production, and a musical appendix containing the 'Air de Ballet? (which was inserted before the Bacchanale in act 3 for performances at the Paris Opéra). The underlaid text in the score is presented in two languages and contains the libretto text by Ferdinand Lemaire as well as the text of the Weimar premiere by Richard Pohl (1877), a performance that was initiated by Franz Liszt./ Répertoire / Chant et Orchestre

Saariaho's L'armour De Loin is an opera in five acts and was premiered in Salzburg in August 2000, with additional productions being staged at the theatre Bern in Switzerland. The story is based on the life of Prince of Bleye , one of the first great troubadours of the 12th century, and follows his glowing passion for a woman from the East of whom he has only heard is the central theme of the libretto. Libretto written by Amin Maalouf. This is the Vocal Score of Saariaho's remarkable opera. / Chant Et Piano