French composer Ambroise Thomas (1811-96) is best known for just two of his many operas - Mignon and Hamlet. A pupil of Le Sueur at the Paris Conservatoire (of which he was later to become director), Thomas won the Prix de Rome in 1832, and in 1894 was the first composer to receive the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour. Hamlet was premiered in 1868, and the huge task of condensing Shakespeare's play into a five-act opera libretto was skilfully achieved by Michel Carre and Jules Barbier , although they had to omit some characters and scenes.
This performance was given last year at the Grand Theatre, Geneva.
Geneva Grand Theatre Chorus, Suisse Romande Orchestra, conductor Louis Langree