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Opera Rara 2023 release of Jacques Offenbach’s comic operetta La Princesse de Trébizonde with the London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) is conducted by French opera specialist Paul Daniel. This release marks the premiere studio recording of musicologist Jean-Christophe Keck’s new critical edition of the three-act Paris version from December 1869. It also includes previously unpublished extracts from the original two-act Baden-Baden version first heard in July 1869 which were found fortuitously by Keck in one ‘magic wardrobe’ within the Offenbach family estate.

Whilst regarded as the father of the operetta, most famous for writing the ever-popular Galop infernal immortalized as the French Cancan from Orpheus in the Underwold and the Barcarolle from The Tales of Hoffmann, Keck’s tireless unearthing of Offenbach rarities for Boosey & Hawkes’ complete ‘Offenbach Edition Keck’, has helped reposition the composer’s legacy as more than just one of fun and frivolity. Offenbach’s prolific output and mastery of his craft showed how mass appeal could go hand in hand with high-quality music making; and beneath the surface of even the silliest of plots could be reflections both philosophical and political. The travelling circus community of La Princesse de Trébizonde attain great wealth and status over-night yet rather than happiness associated with this social mobility, boredom quickly sets in followed by a yearning for their former life of simple play and entertainment.

Opera Rara, best known for its restoration and revival of bel canto operas, has also been a champion of Offenbach’s works since its founding in 1970. In February, the company brought out its latest Classics boxset: Celebrating Offenbach (ORB3) featuring remastered studio recordings of Robinson Crusoe (ORC7) and Vert-Vert (ORC41), alongside Entre Nous (ORR243), a selection of rare arias, duets and ensembles from more than twenty of the composer’s lesser-known works. Further Opera Rara recordings of Offenbach include Christopher Columbus (ORC2) and Fantasio (ORC51) which won an International Opera Award in 2015.
The LPO, Paul Daniel and a hand-picked cast of singers came together in September 2022 to give a one-off performance of La Princesse de Trébizonde at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall following a week in the recording studio. For both the performance and recording, Offenbach’s original dialogue was edited by Jeremy Sams:

‘Paul Daniel brought it all to iridescent life with elastic phrasing and masterly control of rubato that made room for moments of dreamy romance amidst the musical mayhem. The London Philharmonic Orchestra, a real luxury in comic operetta, was on magnificent form… A scintillating concert, then, and one that whets the appetite for Opera Rara’s recording of the work’ (Musical America).

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