This double-disc release features Berlioz’s thrilling Symphonie fantastique with its sequel Lélio ou le retour à la vie. The concerts took place in September 2010 over Maestro Muti’s first subscription concerts as music director. Famed French actor Gérard Depardieu narrated Berlioz’s spoken text in Lélio, which also features the Chicago Symphony Chorus (Duain Wolfe, director), tenor Mario Zeffiri and bass-baritone Kyle Ketelsen. Below are excerpts from the recording. It can be purchased at the following links, as well as at the Symphony Store.
iTunes (Mastered for iTunes)
Performer Biographies
Riccardo Muti, Zell Music Director and Conductor
Gérard Depardieu, narrator
Mario Zeffiri, tenor
Kyle Ketelsen, bass-baritone
Chicago Symphony Chorus
Duain Wolfe, Chorus Director and Conductor
Producer: David Frost
Recording engineer: Christopher Willis
Mixing: David Frost and Silas Brown
Mastering: Silas Brown
Phillip Huscher’s program notes from the 2010 concerts