Susan Graham - D'amour l'ardente flamme

[paradiddleday]

As a mediocre chorister, I can never understand how the great ones like Graham can produce perfect long phrases while lying on their back or running up and down the stage! As this piece progresses, you can see her putting her whole soul into the interpretation--look at the perspiration on her neck and breast. Who says the great singers are all in the past?!! A worthy successor to Horne & Co!

[aosanshou]

Tiens! I don't find this song in my Faust Album(Carlo Rizzi). How can they skip this one.

[90lysander]

@aosanshou Rizzi conducted Gounod's Faust; this is Berlioz's.

[halynamyroslava]

!!!!!!!

Great thanks.

[gercat11]

Ah j'hésite : Crespin ou elle dans cet air?

Elle est plus dramatique, plus moderne et bien sûr le chant est d'une pureté merveilleuse.

Merci berlioz !, merci Susan et tant d'autres…

[MariaCaIIas]

at this point she is as close to perfection as an artist can ever hope to get....

[vivegedda]

Beautiful rendition but crespin remains number one

[silversheep1]

I have yet to hear an interpretation of this aria that I like better than Susan Graham's.

[ezayi]

There´s a video with Jessey Norman singing this and it is fabulous. I always liked her more than the others singing this aria. Now that I heard Susan, I definitely like her as much as Jessey. Better than Jessey and Susan singing it, I haven´t heard.

[Chekenbois]

Le temps s'est arrété pendant presque 9 minutes, et la vie reprend tranquillement, plus douce et plus profonde à la fois.

Voilà un maestro et une interprête qui aiment, entendent (et transpirent) si bien notre Berlioz. Ils sont assez rares pour le souligner.

Amis musicologues (français), comment pouvez-vous encore resister à cette incroyable musique ?

[ashleyalter1]

The best performance I've ever heard of this aria. Just beautiful in its vulnerability.

[Askade1]

Susan Graham and Antonio Pappano - what a combination and what a performance - outstanding!

[bellinianodoc]

A proposito di registi scemi... Quando si arriva alle parole "Ah, caresses de flamme", vertice emotivo di questo che è uno dei capolavori assoluti di tutta la letteratura operistica, cosa fa il bravo regista?? Fa correre il soprano del tutto gratuitamente, in modo che la poverina non può rendere a dovere quel punto cruciale.

Proprio dei talentacci questi registi, peccato solo una cosa: che non conoscono, non capiscono, nè quindi amano, la musica che pretendono di mettere in scena.

[ezayi]

Amen!.

Come non cantano, non sanno come un cantante si sente quando devono fare tutto quello che vogliono loro che alla fine non fa senso. E se lui o lei dice qualsiasi cosa, allora lui o lei e una Diva o Divo. Un perfetto esempio di quello che hai detto tu sono i registi in Germania. Qua ti vieni voglia di >:-/ ... tu sai che.

[bellinianodoc]

@ezayi

Be' se sei una cantante lirica hai tutta la mia solidarietà (oltre che la mia ammirazione). In effetti anche da qui, attraverso le registrazioni che arrivano, par di capire che in Germania la regia d'opera sia spesso quantomai "dadaista". Ricordo per esempio quel Fidelio con un Florestano che cantava la sua sublime aria con una mutanda in testa...

Detto questo, metterei la firma perchè la vita culturale in Italia fosse al livello di quella tedesca. Ciao!

[manrico29]

Voix superbe, merveuilleuse interpretation. Bravissima Susan !!!

[callistrate]

Un vrai metteur en scène devrait savoir s'effacer devant un tel master piece... surtout pour pondre cet oeuf pourri. La musique ici est TOUT. Il ne faut qu'un chef suprême dans la fosse et une interprête hors pair sur scène. Ce que nous avons là. Brava au tempo de Pappano et à la si magnifique Susan Graham.

[lemagnificat]

w7md - excellant translation, but the last line which is "Je voudrais un jour voir s'exhale mon ame dans ses baisers d'amour, is more like: Ah I want one day, to watch myself exhale my soul into his kisses of love," I think this is more powerful and the translation portrays more of Marguerite's demented state. I love, and prefer the Callas recording, but this is Magnificent. Brava Susnan Grahm!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[natachu444]

This kicks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[henson80]

Susan Graham est très bien dans ce rôle ! Bravo et merci pour cette video!

[LadyAnnuska]

I simply love her and this music!!! :)

[mandabean08]

is there anyone who can translate the lyrics to english for me? even if its rough? thank you!

[blancmuguet]

you might try this site :"the lied and Art Song texts page and Translations..." through Google. Bonne chance!

[w7md]

Loves ardent flame consumes all my days.

Ah, the peace of my being has left me for ever.

His departure, his absence are like a tomb for me

and far from his presence everything appears in mourning.

Now my poor head is soon going crazy,

my feeble heart stops, then immediately turns to ice.

His walk that I so admire, his gracious demeanour,

his mouth, smiling sweetly, the charm of his eyes,

his enchanting voice, which he uses to arouse me,

[w7md]

the caress of his hand, alas, and his kiss,

the flame of love, consuming all my days!

Ah, the peace of my being has left me for ever.

I am at my window, or outside all daylong

in order to see him appear, or hastern his return.

My heart beats and throbs when it thinks he is coming.

Through my tenderness, let me bring him back!

O flaming caresses! How I wish one day

to see my soul expire in his kisses of love!

Translation: Miki Swann © 2007

[pslogge]

a masterpiece, a masterclass,an oh my god situation! thank you so much S.Graham...to you too BPP

[torresarpi]

it touches your brain and your heart nd your guts I herd nothing so cionvincing..

[nclysander]

I love Graham, but is that a PENCIL??!! Another philistine of a production designer.

[tergeist]

Merveilleux ! Tout simplement merveilleux !

[30martin082007]

WOW!!! maravillosa Graham. Primera vez que oigo y conozco a Graham. Esta aria la habia oido en la voz de Maria Callas y me gusto mucho. Y, veo que esta interpretacion tambien es muy buena. Brava!!!

[YazooMusic]

Saw her sing Marguerite last night at the Met--great Robert Lepage production. Had to come hear her sing this aria again.

[ligiamonteiro0]

She's perfect! Everything about this video is so great: her posture on stage, her beautiful french, her perfect phrasing... I just love Graham!

[jasonsmoller]

@ligiamonteiro0 not to mention brilliant English horn playing!

[benjaminvox]

Brava! This is a fiendishly difficult piece, and everything is effortless in her performance.

[VieilEtang]

Les sous-titres sont pratiquement inutiles tant sa diction et son phrasé sont parfaits.Que dire de son jeu de tragédienne sinon qu'il est bouleversant. Un très très grand moment d'opéra pour une merveilleuse artiste au sommet de son art.

[Genauxbr]

astonishing !

[mariavelasco]

Bravissima!!!!

[normendez55]

Es la mejor versión que he escuchado de esta aria!

[Orosmann]

Exelente, fabulosa, realmente de otro mundo !!! Al fin una mezzo-soprano que le haga justicia a una de las arias mas bellas de todo el repertorio vocal universal. Exelente Pappano, ojala tuvieramos mas maestros como él en los fosos !!!

[rrreverb]

I love how she flips her hair at 2:30 !!

[tzitzimitzi]

What an amazing woman this is!!!

Her voice is...well,there are no words to describe her!!What is really original about Susan Graham is the humanity she puts in every performance!This above enything else is the reason why she leaves me breathless when she sings!!

[mltube]

Excellent! This must be the same production where Kaufmann sings Faust. Pappano is doing great job as well. Who is the Devil? If he is at least half as good as those two, I shall snap the DVD when it comes out.

[mloita]

The devil is José van Dam

[foropera]

Magnificent sense of the words, enunciation, vocal art. She seems to be very nearly a lyrical soprano to me.

[saraharias]

I always trust Susan Graham when it comes to Berlioz. There is no doubt, in my mind at least, that she is his best intepreter.

[saraharias]

O, dear. Missed the "r."

[DivaDeb1234]

What is that big pencil thing?

[mltube]

Devil left it after writing her mother's prescription.:-)

[willrobinson1229]

also, probably a phallic symbol for Marguerite's new passion

[willrobinson1229]

Someone previously mentioned that Susan Graham's singing was "never too sensual", which works so perfectly with this role of Margarite. Margarite is a sheltered innocent from another time period where young women were shielded from anything sensual and taught from childhood all of the religious virtues. I find Susan's interpretation absolutely perfect and vocally stunning. I can't say enough good things about this performance.

[rich23434565]

Truly exquisite music from Berlioz

[fer1179]

OMG this Romance is sooo touching!

[armida23dalila]

I love susan graham.she she can acting every character.ın this video when I listen it I feel love in my side.berlioz and graham!!

[marcocito]

Susan n'a pas seulement une magnifique voix qu'elle contôle parfaitement, mais elle chante avec une intériorité et une force qui nous laissent pantois.Elle chante très bien le français. Pellmeli trouve qu'elle n'est pas sensuelle à son goût.Ce rôle n'est pas celui d'une "pute"! C'est une chanteuse de bon goût qui n'affiche pas le côté exubérent et artificiel de certaines interprètes. Merci Bigpinkypig

[whtjp123]

Does anyone else think that maybe Saint-Saens copied some of this music in "Printemps qui commence" in his Samson et Dalila? Sounds very similar.

[DivaDeb1234]

Now that you mention it...there are some smiliar styles here in the orchestra and the melodic line. Good ear!

[trojaio]

marvelous music- fine singer- too slow!!!

[taewank]

Does anyone has "A Chloris", sung by Susan Graham?

[armenia3]

Oh, wonderful Berlioz - a musical treasure to discover when we think we've heard everything. Such heart ! Such originality. He was a great, great genius.

[tjfloyd]

Susan Graham is ne of the most serious, committed, intellinger singers of her generation. We are sooooo fortunate to have her!

[maritate]

Hi !

Could you tell me please from what opera is this beautiful aria?

It is the first time i heard it and the singer and I liked it very much.

[tjfloyd]

Berlioz's "Damnation of Faust"

[maritate]

Thank you for replying me back.

I have never heard that opera I am going to look for it.If you want to keep in touch...just write to me ok?

Marite

[pellmeli]

Pellmeli

She sings well and has a good voice. It's never very sensual for me. Maybe it's her Texas background!

[lyrictenore]

Beautiful aria. thnx. Have always loved this aria as well as Susan's voice