Listen on Presto Music. Free thirty day trial. Find out more.

Offer,Smetana: The Bartered Bride

Susan Gritton (Ma¡renka), Yvette Bonner (Esmeralda), Yvonne Howard (Ludmila), Diana Montague (Háta), Paul Charles Clarke (Jeník), Robin Leggate (Ringmaster), Timothy Robinson (Va¡sek), Neal Davies (Kru¡sina), Geoffrey Moses (Mícha), Peter Rose (Kecal) & Kit Hesketh-Harvey (Indian)

Philharmonia...

By almost any reckoning, this is the most popular of Czech operas, in the repertory of almost every opera house, so it is astonishing how few recordings have appeared in recent years; Košler's... — Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 More…

Release Date: 10th Oct 2005
Catalogue No: CHAN3128(2)
Label: Chandos
Series: Opera in English
Length: 2 hours 22 minutes

Building a Library

May 2023

English Choice

Usually despatched in 3 - 4 working days

This release includes a digital booklet

Chandos - Downloads at MP3 Prices

Special offer ends: 22/05/2024

Excerpt, Smetana: The Bartered Bride

Work length6:29

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Sir Charles Mackerras, Philharmonic Orchestra

Overture

Track length6:29

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Smetana: The Bartered Bride, Act I Scene I

Work length8:03

$2.10

$2.60

$3.20

Sir Charles Mackerras, Philharmonic Orchestra, The Royal Opera Chorus, Paul Charles Clarke, Susan Gritton

Time at last for celebration

Track length4:36

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Why do you look so downcast

Track length3:27

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Smetana: The Bartered Bride, Act I Scene II

Work length11:54

$5.25

$6.50

$8.00

Sir Charles Mackerras, Philharmonic Orchestra, Susan Gritton, Paul Charles Clarke

Jeník, what will happen if Mother's right?

Track length1:18

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Aria "Promise me that you would never"

Track length3:34

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Is it so unfair to want to know

Track length0:53

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Duet "Such a mother is a blessing"

Track length2:25

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Faithful love I vow to you

Track length3:44

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Smetana: The Bartered Bride, Act I Scene III

Work length10:01

$3.15

$3.90

$4.80

Sir Charles Mackerras, Philharmonic Orchestra, Peter Rose, Neal Davies, Yvonne Howard

Every detail has been sorted

Track length5:05

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Hold it! Are we not forgetting

Track length0:59

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Trio "Well, as I told you, he's kind and he's gentle"

Track length3:57

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Smetana: The Bartered Bride, Act I Scene IV

Work length6:44

$2.10

$2.60

$3.20

Sir Charles Mackerras, Philharmonic Orchestra, Peter Rose, Yvonne Howard, Neal Davies, Susan Gritton

Look! She's coming!

Track length4:51

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Fine then, say what you will

Track length1:53

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Smetana: The Bartered Bride, Act I Scene V

Work length4:39

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Sir Charles Mackerras, Philharmonic Orchestra, The Royal Opera Chorus

Introduction. Polka

Track length4:39

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Smetana: The Bartered Bride, Act II Scene I

Work length7:22

$2.10

$2.60

$3.20

Sir Charles Mackerras, Philharmonic Orchestra, The Royal Opera Chorus, Paul Charles Clarke, Peter Rose

So charge the glasses, lads

Track length5:04

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Furiant

Track length2:18

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Smetana: The Bartered Bride, Act II Scene II

Work length2:18

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Sir Charles Mackerras, Philharmonic Orchestra, Timothy Robinson

Ma. . . Ma. . . My mamma said

Track length2:18

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Smetana: The Bartered Bride, Act II Scene III

Work length7:31

$2.10

$2.60

$3.20

Sir Charles Mackerras, Philharmonic Orchestra, Susan Gritton, Timothy Robinson

Don't say you're the body

Track length1:28

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Duet "I know there's a girl for you"

Track length6:03

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Smetana: The Bartered Bride, Act II Scene IV

Work length12:35

$5.25

$6.50

$8.00

Sir Charles Mackerras, Philharmonic Orchestra, Peter Rose, Paul Charles Clarke

I have plenty of others

Track length0:48

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Duet "Just a word or two, my friend

Track length2:39

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Time and time again I encounter men

Track length3:32

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Think what it's worth, lad

Track length2:03

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

You'll go home to Moravia?

Track length3:33

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Smetana: The Bartered Bride, Act II Scene V

Work length3:50

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Sir Charles Mackerras, Philharmonic Orchestra, Peter Rose

Ah, my friend! Once you learn

Track length3:50

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Smetana: The Bartered Bride, Act II Scene VI

Work length4:25

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Sir Charles Mackerras, Philharmonic Orchestra, Peter Rose, The Royal Opera Chorus, Paul Charles Clarke, Neal Davies

Come now everyone, gather round

Track length4:25

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Smetana: The Bartered Bride, Act III Scene I

Work length4:01

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Sir Charles Mackerras, Philharmonic Orchestra, Timothy Robinson

I'm near now to despairing

Track length4:01

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Smetana: The Bartered Bride, Act III Scene II

Work length15:21

$4.20

$5.20

$6.40

Sir Charles Mackerras, Philharmonic Orchestra, Robin Leggate, Timothy Robinson, Yvette Bonner, Kit Hesketh-Harvey

"Roll up! Roll up ladies and gentlemen!"

Track length2:44

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Ballet

Track length6:01

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Oh, it looks so lovely!

Track length4:52

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Duettino "Mother doesn't matter, Mother wouldn't care!"

Track length1:44

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Smetana: The Bartered Bride, Act III Scene III

Work length3:39

$2.10

$2.60

$3.20

Sir Charles Mackerras, Philharmonic Orchestra, Timothy Robinson, Diana Montague, Peter Rose, Geoffrey Moses

Oh, I don't understand it!

Track length0:56

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Quartet "What? Dare he? Would he? You do what?"

Track length2:43

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Smetana: The Bartered Bride, Act III Scene IV

Work length4:57

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Sir Charles Mackerras, Philharmonic Orchestra, Susan Gritton, Neal Davies, Peter Rose, Yvonne Howard, Diana Montague, Geoffrey Moses

No! I don't believe you!

Track length4:57

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Smetana: The Bartered Bride, Act III Scene V

Work length4:31

$2.10

$2.60

$3.20

Sir Charles Mackerras, Philharmonic Orchestra, Peter Rose, Timothy Robinson, Yvonne Howard, Diana Montague, Neal Davies, Geoffrey Moses, Susan Gritton

Oh, Vašek! Don't run away!

Track length1:14

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Sextet "Think it over, Marenka, think it through"

Track length3:17

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Smetana: The Bartered Bride, Act III Scene VI

Work length6:21

$2.10

$2.60

$3.20

Sir Charles Mackerras, Philharmonic Orchestra, Susan Gritton

Oh, but the pain! The burning pain!

Track length1:48

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

We dreamed upon a moonlit night

Track length4:33

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Smetana: The Bartered Bride, Act III Scene VII

Work length4:31

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Sir Charles Mackerras, Philharmonic Orchestra, Paul Charles Clarke, Susan Gritton

Marenka mine, Marenka mine!

Track length4:31

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Smetana: The Bartered Bride, Act III Scene VIII

Work length4:54

$2.10

$2.60

$3.20

Sir Charles Mackerras, Philharmonic Orchestra, Peter Rose, Susan Gritton, Paul Charles Clarke

So then, young man

Track length1:18

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Trio "Be calm, oh my love"

Track length3:36

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Smetana: The Bartered Bride, Act III Scene IX

Work length4:50

$2.10

$2.60

$3.20

Sir Charles Mackerras, Philharmonic Orchestra, The Royal Opera Chorus, Diana Montague, Susan Gritton, Geoffrey Moses, Paul Charles Clarke, Peter Rose, Yvonne Howard

Tell us, Marenka, it's all up to you

Track length1:11

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

It's Jeník! What's he doing here?

Track length3:39

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Smetana: The Bartered Bride, Act III Scene X

Work length3:10

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Sir Charles Mackerras, Philharmonic Orchestra, Two Boys, Timothy Robinson, Diana Montague, Neal Davies, Yvonne Howard, Geoffrey Moses

Everybody get out of the way!

Track length3:10

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

About
Reviews
Explore

About

Artists

Philharmonia Orchestra & The Royal Opera Chorus, Sir Charles Mackerras

Reviews

2010

By almost any reckoning, this is the most popular of Czech operas, in the repertory of almost every opera house, so it is astonishing how few recordings have appeared in recent years; Košler's Supraphon set of 1981 is the only other digital recording. That well-cast version is in the original Czech; this one comes in a crisp translation by Kit Hesketh-Harvey of cabaret duo Kit and the Widow. Hesketh-Harvey, sporting a cheeky cockney accent, also takes the tiny role of the Indian in the Act 3 Circus scene.
What makes this version so successful? The brilliant conducting of Sir Charles Mackerras, of course, plus the scintillating playing of the Philharmonia; an exceptionally strong team of soloists, too. But it's the extra impact of having the comedy delivered in the vernacular that makes this stand out. Echoes of Gilbert and Sullivan can often be distracting when Donizetti or early Verdi are sung in English, but no so here.
Kecal, the marriage-broker, for example, has many patter numbers, and Peter Rose is agile and crystal clear, establishing himself as the key character in the story. Hesketh-Harvey gives the chorus some rapid tongue-twisters to cope with: the Covent Garden Chorus does so admirably.
The sparkling mood is set at the start, with Mackerras taking the Overture at headlong speed and the Philharmonia strings respond- ing with perfect clarity and precision, vividly caught in the warm, clear, well-balanced Chandos recording.
The chorus reinforces the mood, and the duet between the heroine MaSenka and her beloved Jeník instantly has you involved in the complicated story.
Susan Gritton is radiant, producing golden tone and rising superbly to the challenge of the poignant numbers when it seems that Jeník has betrayed her. Paul Charles Clarke as her suitor is less successful: the voice becomes strangulated and uneven under pressure though the characterisation is first-rate. Timothy Robinson as the stuttering simpleton Vašek and Robin Leggate as the Circus Master are superb. Peter Rose as Kecal is wonderfully fluent, matched by the excellent Esmeralda of Yvette Bonner, both defying the tradition of having actors in the roles of the circus artists. Strong casting, too, means the two sets of parents make a considerable impact.
Above all, thanks are due to Mackerras for the emotional warmth as well as highlighting the colour and energy of Smetana's masterpiece.

Offer,Smetana: The Bartered Bride

2 CDs

Downloads

Contents

Download queue