L'Enfant et les Sortilèges & L'Heure Espagnole

Maurice Ravel wrote no full-length operas, but he composed two enchanting single-act works, presented here in vintage productions from England's Glyndebourne Festival. L'Heure Espagnole is a witty romp about a clockmaker, his unfaithful wife, and her lovers, while L'Enfant et les Sortilèges revolves around a naughty boy threatened by come-to-life furniture in his room, as well as insects and animals outdoors, until they perceive that his tantrums conceal a tender heart. The first was taped live before an audience, but the second, although based on the stage production, has been reworked for video, with more elaborate camerawork and even some primitive special effects. The performances are nicely done, with strong singing from the large cast and orchestral work by the London Philharmonic that revels in Ravel's colorful instrumentation (Simon Rattle is the conductor of L'Enfant, and Sian Edwards of L'Heure). But what really makes these presentations memorable are the sets and costumes by author and illustrator Maurice Sendak, which display his characteristic imagination and charm, matching the composer's musical élan in visual terms. It's a pity that the 1987 audio (in LPCM stereo here) and video qualities are mediocre—the full-screen images are often muddy, and the sound doesn't do the orchestration justice. Despite the technical flaws, however, these are delightful readings of Ravel's small-scaled masterworks. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)