This is one of the most beautiful opera's Bizet ever wrote. The music is sweepingly gorgeous. While it might not be as popular as 'les Pecheurs de perles' or 'Carmen' it never really got a chance. Bizet had started it early in his career and had tried unsuccesfully to have it staged at the Theatre-Lyriqe and then at the Opera. He eventually scrapped the whole thing. An unfinished version was eventually found in the Library of the Paris Conservatoire and completed. Howard Williams completed this recorded version. Since the piece was never preformed during Bizet's lifetime we'll never know how great it could have been.
We are more fortunate than the people of Bizet's lifetime in that we get to hear 'Ivan IV' for it is a true opeartic masterpiece. There is never a boring section. While it may not be as good as Carmen it is as good if not better than 'Les Pecheurs...' and 'la jolie fille de Perth'. In fact speaking of 'la jolie fille de Perth', Bizet took a stunning opening duet from Ivan and used it for the prelude to 'La jolie...' Though the prelude is beautiful, as a duet it is stunning. But that is not the only stunning portion of the opera. It keeps going from there. The dramatic end to act 1 where Marie is discovered kidnaped by her brother then the dark and chilling opening of act 2 which opens with Ivan hanging several prisoners and then it's rousing serenade and the haunting numbers of the act 2 finale and I could keep going. Each number is brilliant and inspiring and addicting and everything an opera should be.
I recommend with complete confidence that you add this opera to your collection whether you are a Bizet fan or just an opera fan for 'Ivan IV' will not disapoint you.
Thanks to the favorable reviews from Brett Farrell and B.Cathey, among others, I took a chance and ordered this. I am most grateful to these people for bringing it to my attention. It is wonderful! I received it today and have listened to it twice already. Gorgeous music, beautiful voices, superb sound. Much better than the old EMI excerpts, which seem now to be of an entirely different opera altogether. I thought I had everything, but...! I recommend it 100%.