From the Vault: Christiane Eda-Pierre 18th Century French Arias

Soprano Christiane Eda-Pierre is a French lyric soprano of Martiniquan origin. Her limited discography includes Dardanus (Rameau) and Le Roi David (Honegger) on Erato, Die Entführung aus dem Serail (Mozart), Benvenuto Cellini (Berlioz), Béatrice et Bénédict (Berlioz), Missa Solemnis (Beethoven) and Mass in C minor (Beethoven) for Philips, as well as Les Illuminations (Britten) on the Arion label and Pour un Monde Noir (Chaynes) for Caliope. But perhaps her greatest recorded legacy is an LP titled Airs d’opéras-comiques with The Academy of St-Martin-in-the-Fields under the direction of Neville Marriner in 1979 for Philips. The tracks include arias from comic opera of André Grétry and François-André Danican Philidor. Although this recital would have been a perfect fit for Universal's "Classic Recital" series, no re-issue on CD or MP3 is available. But thanks to the generosity of YouTube user PopoliDiTessalia, you can sample the tracks below:

1. "Comme un éclair, la flatteuse espérance" La Fausse magie (Grétry)


2. "Tout dormait" Mélide ou le Navigateur (Philidor)


3. "Éprise d’un feu téméraire" Anacréon chez Polycrate (Grétry)


4. "Je crains de lui parler la nuit" Richard Cœur-de-Lion (Grétry)


5. "O ciel!...Quel espoir est pour moi?" La Belle esclave (Philidor)


6. "Plus d’ennemis dans mon empire" Céphale & Procris (Grétry)


7. "De la coquette volage" Les Femmes vengées (Philidor)


8. "Je ne le dis qu’à vous" La Fausse magie (Grétry)


9. "Ô toi qui ne peux m’entendre" Tom Jones (Philidor)