**** Excellent Album

“… The cast is a large one, yet there are no truly weak performances… The terrific orchestra is responsive to the bizarre libretto, the chorus is strong, and Fabrice Bollon’s conducting brings things together magnificently. CPO’s excellent sound balances the singers and the orchestra very well, which is no small achievement in an opera like this… This is one of his [Franck’s] finest works.”

Premiere Recordings category – Nominee

“… Franck mavens will certainly want this set and I believe many other lovers of opera, Wagnerians in particular, will find this an intriguing and worthwhile acquisition.”

Artistic Quality 8      Sound Quality 9

“This completely unknown major work is vintage Franck, composed in 1885, the same period as the great orchestral and chamber works on which his reputation now rests. The story is terrifically vivid–a bloody tale of murder, love, revenge and suicide set in Viking-era Norway. This world premiere recording of the composer’s original version belongs in the collection of everyone who loves this composer. Naxos and Fabrice Bollon deserve a huge round of applause for making it available in such a persuasive performance.”

“… Conductor Fabrice Ballon drives the 15 soloists, chorus and orchestra with unremitting urgency, maintaining momentum throughout the opera’s 162 minutes… I was delighted to finally hear Franck’s incandescent Hulda just as he had intended.”

Performance ***      Recording ****