Although it is short and ideally suited to performance in academic settings or paired with other short operas,
Stravinsky
's
Le Rossignol
is not often recorded. The reason seems to be that the composer began the work, was sidetracked by the giant
The Firebird
, and returned to it only for financial reasons, having changed his style in a distinctly more modernist direction in the meantime. However, the opera, based on a tale by
Hans Christian Andersen
, deserves better treatment. For one thing, the work is held together by its title role of a bird who sings for the Chinese emperor. The opera depends on the quality of this singer (although there are colorful supporting roles that are done well here, too), and it gets royal (or imperial) treatment from soprano
Sabine Devieilhe
, who is in top voice and manages to catch the hint of seduction in the part, despite its vocal athleticism. Another strong point is the presence of the historical instrument ensemble
Les Siècles
under conductor
François-Xavier Roth
, with its distinctively clear and conversational brass and winds; these create textures that run through the work. It is worth recalling that
not only agreed to complete the work but returned to it once again to make a symphonic poem,
Chant du Rossignol
. The opera is performed here in an early French translation (which was the first version performed in the U.S.) from the original Russian; non-Francophones may wonder about this, but the job was done right, and an all-French cast here sings the music fluently. The bottom line is that this rather uncharacteristically charming
is well worth hearing, and this version rightly made classical best-seller charts in early 2025. ~ James Manheim