April 6, 2017
Naxos has released the next installment in the Orchestre National de Lyon’s Ravel cycle with the premiere recording of Antar. Ravel’s colorfully re-orchestrated selections from works by Rimsky-Korsakov have been revived and reconstructed alongside a new text (written by Amin Maalouf and narrated by André Dussollier) that symbolizes the romance and chivalric spirit of Antar, the warrior-poet, and his beloved Abla. Ravel’s fascination with the exotic is brought together with Debussy’s influence in the ravishing and enduring song cycle Shéhérazade, featuring mezzo-soprano Isabelle Druet.