Opera - The Masked Ball

Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901)


A Masked Ball 126:18
Melodramma in three acts
Libretto by Antonio Somma, English translation by Amanda Holden

COMPACT DISC ONE
1 Prelude 4:04

Act I
Scene 1
2 'Rest Gustavus, may sweet dreams restore you' 1:37
Oficers, Gentlemen, Ribbing, Horn, Henchmen
3 'The King approaches' 1:41
Oscar, Gustavus
4 'There shall I gaze in ecstasy' 2:03
Gustavus, Ribbing, Horn, Henchmen, Oscar, Officers, Gentlemen
5 'Go with the others and wait until I call you' 2:30
Gustavus, Oscar, Anckarstroem
6 'Please reflect upon your duty' 2:41
Anckarstroem
7 'The Lord Chief Justice!' 1:30
8 'She conjures from afar, thunder and lightning' 1:50
Oscar, Gustavus, Lord Chief Justice
9 'My friends, will you come with me' 0:49
Gustavus, Anckarstroem, Oscar, Ribbing, Horn
10 'We can all go and see her together' 2:06
Gustavus, Anckarstroem, Oscar, Ribbing, Horn, Henchmen

Scene 2
11 'Quiet. . . her trance must not be interrupted. . .' 3:47
Women, Children, Ulrike
12 'I'm first to be here!' 2:30
Gustavus, Women, Children, Ulrike
13 'Allow me to enter' 0:58
Cristian, Ulrike, Gustavus
14 'You can rest assured' 2:12
Ulrike, Cristian, Gustavus,Women, Servant
15 'What brings you here to me?' 1:26
16 'Step out towards the sunset' 1:20
Ulrike, Amelia, Gustavus
17 'Oh, help me, God in heaven' 2:05
Amelia, Ulrike, Gustavus, Voices
18 'Rise, great enchantress, speak to us all' 0:44
Ribbing, Horn, Men, Oscar, Gustavus
19 'Do you see the furious billows abating' 2:53
Gustavus, Oscar, Chorus
20 'Reckless stranger, your words are defiant' 2:29
Ulrike, Gustavus, Ribbing, Oscar
21 'Her crazy crystal-gazing' 3:29
Gustavus, Ulrike, Ribbing, Horn, Oscar, Chorus
22 'One thing you've yet to tell me' 4:09
Gustavus, Ulrike, Oscar, Chorus, Ribbing, Horn, Anckarstroem, Cristian

Act II
23 [Prelude] 2:04
24 'Here I am in this place of retribution' 1:25
25 'When I pluck these dark stems' 4:58
Amelia
26 'Here at last' 1:22
27 'You must know that I too have been aching' 4:03
28 'The sweetest words I ever heard' 3:22
Gustavus, Amelia
29 'Oh God! Someone is here!' 1:59
Amelia, Gustavus, Anckarstroem
30 'My friend, I ask you a personal favour' 0:57
Gustavus, Anckarstroem
31 'Do you hear how the menacing voices' 2:05
Amelia, Anckarstroem, Gustavus
32 'Stay close to me' 2:20
Anckarstroem, Amelia, Conspirators, Ribbing, Horn
33 'We interrupt their stolen kisses' 4:40
Ribbing, Horn, Anckarstroem, Amelia, Conspirators
78:24

COMPACT DISC TWO
Act III
Scene 1
1 'Your offence is not forgiven' 2:11
Anckarstroem, Amelia
2 'I go, but in compassion' 4:22
Amelia, Anckarstroem
3 'Stand up! I permit you to see your son' 1:59
4 'Shame on you, who defiled my beloved' 4:05
Anckarstroem
5 'We are gathered. Now hear me' 1:21
Anckarstroem
6 'I'm with you' 1:07
7 'Let us all by our shame be united' 0:48
Anckarstroem, Ribbing, Horn
8 'One indulgence I ask of you' 4:01
Anckarstroem, Ribbing, Horn, Amelia
9 'So which name has been chosen?' 1:17
Anckarstroem, Ribbing, Amelia, Horn
10 'Now Oscar may enter' 1:05
Anckarstroem, Oscar, Amelia, Ribbing, Horn
11 'Ah! I know that something wonderful' 2:52
Oscar, Amelia, Anckarstroem, Ribbing, Horn

Scene 2
12 'Perhaps she is safely home now' 2:35
13 'But if your light is lost to me' 2:36
Gustavus
14 'Ah! She is there. How can I see her' 1:30
Gustavus, Oscar

Scene 3
15 'The hall is filled with laughter' 2:10
Chorus, Ribbing, Anckarstroem, Horn, Oscar
16 'Why are you caring?' 1:59
Oscar
17 'The hall is filled with laughter' 1:49
Chorus, Anckarstroem, Oscar
18 'Ah! You are here!. . .' 4:24
Amelia, Gustavus
19 'This is how I embrace you!' 1:14
Anckarstroem, Gustavus, Amelia, Oscar, Chorus
20 'She is blameless: as death approaches' 4:20
Gustavus, Amelia, Oscar, Anckarstroem, Chorus, Ribbing, Horn
47:54
Dennis O'Neill tenor - Gustavus III, King of Sweden
Anthony Michaels-Moore baritone - Count Anckarstroem
Susan Patterson soprano - Amelia
Jill Grove mezzo-soprano - Ulrike Arvidson
Linda Richardson soprano - Oscar
Christopher Purves baritone - Count Ribbing
Brindley Sherratt bass - Count Horn
Roland Wood baritone - Cristian
Ashley Catling tenor - Amelia's Servant/Lord Chief Justice
Geoffrey Mitchell Choir
London Philharmonic Orchestra
David Parry
Recorded in:
Blackheath Halls, London
10, 11, 13, 14 & 15 July 2003
Producer(s)
Brian Couzens
Sound Engineer(s)
Ralph Couzens
Michael Common (Assistant)
Format: DDD
Bit Rate: 24 Bit / 96K