Auber’s overtures, unlike many outwardly similar works of his contemporaries, utilize themes that later appear in the stage drama, in effect planting a seed in the listener’s mind that will sprout dramatically at a critical point in the action. Examples of this can be found in the four “grand opera” overtures (L’Enfant prodigue, Jenny Bell, La Sirene, and Le Premier jour de bonheur) featured here. As advanced as this might have been for its time, to our modern ears it all just sounds like some well written, festive, tuneful opera music–which can take on a wearying sameness if you play this entire disc at one sitting (I was reminded more than once of the ballet music from Gounod’s Faust). The disc also includes Vendome en Espagne and Le Dien et la bayadere, as well as the ballet music from La Muette de Portici. Even in light of the enthusiastic championing of Auber by the album’s producer, I still found corresponding works by the apposite Berlioz to be far more imaginative and exciting, and Meyerbeer’s to be more melodically distinctive. None to worry, fans of this prolific composer will be pleased with B. Tommy Anderson’s bracing and enthusiastic performances with the fully committed Gothenberg Opera Orchestra. The recorded sound is rather anemic, but decently balanced.
