Bertin: Fausto

In 1825, Louise Bertin, a student of Reicha and friend of Berlioz, tackled the Faust theme with the energy and self-confidence of a twenty-year-old young woman. She completely exceeded the audience's expectations and won over the critics with her boldness. Colorful orchestration, charming melodies, powerful choruses—everything seemed to promise that the work would be added to the repertoire. But the closure of the Théâtre-Italien after only three performances in 1831 prevented this, and the score lay dormant in the vaults of the Bibliothèque Nationale de France for 190 years. The leading role, originally intended for mezzo-soprano Rosmunda Pisaroni, was ultimately sung by tenor Domenico Donzelli. In this complete recording with period instruments, Christophe Rousset presents the work in its original form, which was never heard even during the composer's lifetime. Once again, Les Talens Lyriques and Palazzetto Bru Zane join forces for a thrilling rediscovery of French opera.