David Herculanum Flemish Radio Choir

• Félicien David (1810-1876)
• 1Introduction03:05
• Acte I Scène 1
• 2Gloire, gloire a toi04:56
• 3Oui, j'ai passé les mers00:53
• 4Marche01:44
• Acte I Scène 2
• 5Pour célébrer le jour00:28
• 6Du sang! Du sang!01:54
• 7Dans une retraite profonde02:54
• 8Votre dieu, votre foi01:36
• 9Le monde est conquis00:41
• Acte I Scène 3
• 10Quels sont les noms01:17
• Acte I Scène 4
• 11Noble Hélios, en ton absence02:31
• 12Réponds!00:21
• 13Tout est soumis à ma puissance01:55
• 14Déesse des plaisirs00:59
• Acte I Scène 5
• 15Buvons! Buvons encore à la reine01:12
• 16Les convives joyeux boivent00:40
• 17Bois ce vin que l'amour donne04:03
• 18Hélios! Obéis00:38
• 19Dieu! Quel monde nouveau02:47
• 20A toi, reine ou déesse!03:02
• 21Je veux aimer toujours03:23
• Acte I Scène 6
• 22Malheur! Malheur!01:54
• 23Un ange m'apparut02:32
• 24Rions de ce prophète03:09
• Acte II
• 25Prélude01:48
• Acte II Scène 1
• 26Seuls dans la nuit02:29
• 27Roi du ciel01:41
• Acte II Scène 2
• 28Gardes! Dispersez-la04:15
• Acte II Scène 3
• 29Non, je ne puis souffrir02:22
• 30Toi chrétien!01:17
• 31Oui, j'ai menti04:15
• Acte II Scène 4
• 32Me voilà libre enfin04:05
• 33Je veux aimer toujours02:14
• Acte III Scène 1
• 34Ô jour d'ivresse!01:30
• 35Ce palais...ce festin01:10
• 36Ô jour d'ivressse! (2)00:55
• 37Pas des muses02:40
• Acte III Scène 2
• 38Hélios!...Il est là...01:36
• 39Je crois au dieu02:16
• 40Qu'on l'emmène01:26
• Acte III Scène 3
• 41Suis-là donc01:59
• 42Parle, réponds, décide!01:15
• 43Hélios! Je t'appelle02:37
• 44Enfin tu crois à ma tendresse02:53
• Acte IV Tableau 1
• 45Prélude01:21
• Acte IV Tableau 1 Scène 1
• 46Oui, Satan est vainqueur00:54
• Acte IV Tableau 1 Scène 2
• 47Le proconsul!01:06
• 48Amis, marchons!02:31
• 49Allez, dans la nuit profonde04:16
• Acte IV Tableau 2 Scène 3
• 50Dieu ne m'a pas frappé03:01
• Acte IV Tableau 2 Scène 4
• 51Oui, j'ai mérité l'anathème02:34
• 52Ah! Malgré moi, j'oublie03:01
• 53Mon dieu! Ce pardon qu'il demande02:38
• 54Viens! La mort, qui nous purifie02:27
• Acte IV Tableau 2 Scène 5
• 55Ah! Malheur!02:03
• 56Ô terreur!01:32
• 57Eh bien! S'il faut que dans ce jour01:30
• Total Runtime02:02:11

Info for David Herculanum

Félicien David was already famous through his ‘ode-symphonie’ Le Désert (1844) when his opera Herculanum was first staged at the Paris Opéra in 1859. This ambitious work, later to gain him entrance to the Opéra-Comique and the Institut de France, also played a part in earning him the Légion d’Honneur.

Leaving behind the Middle Eastern inflections of his earlier scores, Herculanum is a remarkably strong composition (vast, intensely dramatic scenes), impressive in the diversity of its style (including Verdian influences) and its vocal variety (including the rare coloratura contralto voice often used by Rossini).

There is also a fantastic vein, as made popular by Boieldieu (La Dame blanche, 1825) and Meyerbeer (Robert le Diable, 1831); but the supernatural is used here to serve an openly stated mysticism: the eruption of Vesuvius brings a spectacular, cataclysmic ending, signifying the decadence of the ancient world and the triumph of Christianity.

Véronique Gens, soprano (Lilia)
Karine Deshayes, mezzo-soprano (Olympia)
Edgaras Montvidas, tenor (Hélios)
Nicolas Courjal, bass (Nicanor / Satan)
Julien Véronèse, bass-baritone (Magnus)
Flemish Radio Choir
Brussels Philharmonic
Hervé Niquet, conductor

The Flemish Radio Choir
was founded in 1937 by the Belgian public broadcaster of the day. Today it has become a choir of exceptionally high quality that counts both domestically and internationally among the top ensembles. The 24 professional singers rehearse under the baton of chief conductor Hervé Niquet in Studio 1 of the well-known Flagey building in Brussels, and perform throughout Flanders and Europe.

Hervé Niquet became the choir’s chief conductor in 2011. This internationally celebrated and flamboyant conductor is key to the choir’s success. Niquet, who refers to the choir as a diamond and ranks it among the top three in Europe, works on achieving a recognisable sonority and is planning a wide range of projects, from unknown French romantic music to contemporary premieres.

A first and important pillar of the Flemish Radio Choir’s programmes is the a capella concert, with which the ensemble tours between four and six times a year throughout Flanders. In addition, the choir regularly works with renowned national and international instrumental ensembles, such as the the Brussels Philharmonic, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, the Radio Filharmonisch Orkest, Les Siècles, Le Concert Spirituel, the Budapest Festival Orchestra and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.

Besides its close ties to regular partners in Flanders, the Flemish Radio Choir is increasingly expanding its presence on various international stages. The choir is a particularly welcome guest in France, and receives more and more invitations each year to both festivals and prestigious concert halls such as the Salle Pleyel and the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris.

The successful collaboration with the Palazzetto Bru Zane, which took the initiative to launch the prestigious CD series based on works composed for the Prix de Rome, continues. In the meantime, new series have been launched featuring portraits of composers and French opera (Joncières’ Dmitri and David’s Herculanum). With Evil Penguin Records, in a new series of five CDs, conductor Hervé Niquet leads the Flemish Radio Choir and Brussels Philharmonic in new recordings of iconic Requiems.

The Flemish Radio Choir also retains its unique status as radio choir: a considerable number of concert productions are recorded, as a result of which the choir has built up a unique collection of live recordings.

The Flemish Radio Choir is an institution of the Flemish Community. Its media partners are Klara and Roularta. The suits of the gentlemen members of the choir are provided by Café Costume.

Booklet for David Herculanum