Opera

SAMUEL BARBER (1910-1981)

Vanessa

122:09

An opera in three acts (1954-57, revised 1964). Text by Gian Carlo Menotti

Act I

Scene 1

26:31

1

Introduction

1:26

2

Erika: 'Potage crème aux perles'

1:26

3

Vanessa: 'No, I cannot understand why. . .'

5:46

4

Erika: 'Must the winter come so soon?'

2:33

5

Erika: 'Listen!. . . They are here'

1:40

6

Vanessa: 'Do not utter a word, Anatol'

4:56

7

Anatol: 'Yes, I believe I shall love you'

2:04

8

Erika: 'Who are you?'

5:59

Scene 2

29:13

9

Baroness: 'And then?'

4:31

10

Vanessa: 'No, you are not as good a skater. . .'

3:13

11

Doctor: 'Under the willow tree. . .'

2:51

12

Vanessa: 'Erika, I am so happy'

4:01

13

Erika: 'Did you hear her?'

1:35

14

Anatol: 'Help, help! Save me from their talk'

2:54

15

Anatol: 'Outside this house the world has changed'

3:12

16

Vanessa: 'Hurry now!'

2:19

17

Chorus: 'In morning light let us rejoice'

4:37

Act II

21:12

18

Major-domo: 'The Count and the Countess of d'Albanie'

3:17

19

Doctor: 'I should never have been a doctor'

3:35

20

Vanessa: 'Here you are!'

1:35

21

Anatol: 'At last I've found you'

1:38

22

Anatol: 'Love has a bitter core, Vanessa'

4:41

23

Doctor: 'Nothing to worry about'

6:26

Act III

Scene 1

18:48

24

Vanessa: 'Why did no-one warn me?'

5:05

25

Vanessa: 'Why must the greatest sorrow. . .'

2:26

26

Doctor: 'There, look!'

3:06

27

Anatol: 'On the path to the lake'

3:00

28

Vanessa: 'Anatol, tell me the truth!'

2:40

29

Erika: 'Grandmother!'

2:31

30

Intermezzo

4:39

Scene 2

21:19

31

Anatol: 'By the time we arrive in Paris'

1:09

32

Doctor: 'For every love there is a last farewell'

2:23

33

Vanessa: 'And you, my friend'

2:50

34

Vanessa: 'Erika, before I leave, you must tell me'

4:22

35

Vanessa: 'To leave, to break, to find, to keep'

4:00

36

Erika: 'Goodbye, be happy, Aunt Vanessa'

2:57

37

Erika: 'No, I must never say that name again'

3:38

Also available as SACD CHSA 5032

Christine Brewer soprano - Vanessa

Susan Graham mezzo-soprano - Erika

Catherine Wyn-Rogers mezzo-soprano - The Old Baroness

William Burden tenor - Anatol

Neal Davies bass - The Old Doctor

Simon Birchall bass-baritone - Nicholas

Stephen Charlesworth bass - Footman

Leonard Slatkin