L'etoile (complete opera)

"What comes as a surprise about this sparkling opera-bouffe is not that all leading French composers have hailed it as a jewel of the repertoire-the unfailing verve, melodic freshness and vivacious orchestration of its score could not be denied-but that originally, in 1877, it had but a muted success and even met with some hostility.
Some critics attacked Chabrier because of his admiration for Wagner (a total irrelevance, since there is nothing remotely Wagnerian about the work), the orchestra grumbled because of the unusual subtleties expected of it, and audiences were taken aback by the black comedy of the plot (from an outrageous idea by Verlaine)-yet its twists are Gilbertian, and its parallels with The Mikado (produced eight years later) very striking. Even the perverse and crass obtuseness of the 1984 Lyons Opera production (from which this recording derives) in suppressing two dramatically essential passages and nonsensically reversing the order of numbers at the pedlar-hero's entrance in Act 1 fortunately fail to spoil enjoyment in this bubbly confection, which is served up with relish by a strong cast and with neatly pointed orchestral playing. The acoustic is a trifle dry, though only in the Overture is this conspicuous, and the work fits rather awkwardly on to two not very generously filled discs, with a break in the middle of continuous action; but for the sake of light music of such quality and wit one can overlook such flaws."
(Gramophone Aug 1988)

"Outstanding good recording" Rosette Penguin Guide