French Arias

1	Le Domino Noir, opera: Je
2	Cinq Mars, opera: Nuit re
3	Roméo et Juliette, opera:
4	Cléopâtre, opera in 4 act
5	Don Carlo, opera: Sous ce
6	Don Carlo, opera: Au pala
7	La Damnation de Faust, fo
8	L' heure espagnole, opera
9	Don Quichotte, comic oper
10	Mignon, opera in 3 acts:
11	La Dame Blanche, opera: C
12	Sapho, opera: Où suis-je?
13	Les contes d'Hoffmann, op
14	Cendrillon, opera in 4 ac
15	Carmen, opera: Les tringl
French Arias
1.	Le Domino Noir, opera: Je suis sauvée enfin!...Ah! quelle nuit!...Flamme 6:37
	Composed by Daniel-François-Esprit Auber
	Performed by Magdalena Kozená, Les Musiciens du Louvre, Mahler Chamber Orchestra and Christophe Grapperon
	Conducted by Marc Minkowski
2.	Cinq Mars, opera: Nuit resplendissante 5:34
	Composed by Charles Gounod
	Performed by Magdalena Kozená, Les Musiciens du Louvre, Mahler Chamber Orchestra and Christophe Grapperon
	Conducted by Marc Minkowski
3.	Roméo et Juliette, opera: Depuis hier...Que fais-tu, blanche tourterelle 3:52
	Composed by Charles Gounod
	Performed by Magdalena Kozená, Les Musiciens du Louvre, Mahler Chamber Orchestra and Christophe Grapperon
	Conducted by Marc Minkowski
4.	Cléopâtre, opera in 4 acts: J'ai versé le poison 4:08
	Composed by Jules Massenet
	Performed by Magdalena Kozená, Les Musiciens du Louvre, Mahler Chamber Orchestra and Christophe Grapperon
	Conducted by Marc Minkowski
5.	Don Carlo, opera: Sous ce bois al feuillage immense 3:31
	Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
	Performed by Magdalena Kozená, Les Musiciens du Louvre, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Christophe Grapperon and Marina Lodygensky
	Conducted by Marc Minkowski
6.	Don Carlo, opera: Au palais des fées 4:30
	Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
	Performed by Magdalena Kozená, Les Musiciens du Louvre, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Christophe Grapperon and Marina Lodygensky
	Conducted by Marc Minkowski
7.	Damnation de Faust, La, for mezzo-soprano, tenor, baritone, bass, chorus and orchestra, ("légende dramatique") H. 111 (Op. 24): Autrefois un roi de Thulé 5:10
	Composed by Hector Berlioz
	Performed by Magdalena Kozená, Les Musiciens du Louvre, Mahler Chamber Orchestra and Christophe Grapperon
	Conducted by Marc Minkowski
8.	L' heure espagnole, opera in 1 act: Oh! la pitoyable aventure! 3:22
	Composed by Maurice Ravel
	Performed by Magdalena Kozená, Les Musiciens du Louvre, Mahler Chamber Orchestra and Christophe Grapperon
	Conducted by Marc Minkowski
9.	Don Quichotte, comic opera in 5 acts: Lorsque le temps d'amour...Ne pensons qu'au plaisi 6:53
	Composed by Jules Massenet
	Performed by Magdalena Kozená, Les Musiciens du Louvre, Jean-Marc Zvellenreuther, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Christophe Grapperon, Christophe Grapperon and Jean-Christophe Keck
	Conducted by Marc Minkowski
10.	Mignon, opera in 3 acts: Connais-tu le pays 5:32
	Composed by Ambroise Thomas
	Performed by Magdalena Kozená, Les Musiciens du Louvre, Mahler Chamber Orchestra and Christophe Grapperon
	Conducted by Marc Minkowski
11.	La Dame Blanche, opera: Chut, chut!...D'ici voyez ce beau domaine 4:33
	Composed by François-Adrien Boieldieu
	Performed by Magdalena Kozená, Les Musiciens du Louvre, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Christophe Grapperon and Jean-Christophe Keck
	Conducted by Marc Minkowski
12.	Sapho, opera: Où suis-je?...Ô ma lyre immortelle 7:27
	Composed by Charles Gounod
	Performed by Magdalena Kozená, Les Musiciens du Louvre, Mahler Chamber Orchestra and Christophe Grapperon
	Conducted by Marc Minkowski
13.	Les contes d'Hoffmann, opera in 4 acts: Une guitare...Ô rêve de joie...Voyez-la sous son é 4:04
	Composed by Jacques Offenbach
	Performed by Magdalena Kozená, Les Musiciens du Louvre, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Christophe Grapperon and Jean-Christophe Keck
	Conducted by Marc Minkowski
	Additional Notes: orchestrated by Keck, Jean-Christophe
14.	Cendrillon, opera in 4 acts: Ah! que mes soeurs...Reste au foyer, petit grillon 9:01
	Composed by Jules Massenet
	Performed by Magdalena Kozená, Les Musiciens du Louvre, Mahler Chamber Orchestra and Christophe Grapperon
	Conducted by Marc Minkowski
15.	Carmen, opéra-comique in 4 acts: Les tringles des sistres tintaient 4:19
	Composed by Georges Bizet
	Performed by Magdalena Kozená, Les Musiciens du Louvre, Edwige Parat, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Claire Delgado-Boge and Christophe Grapperon
	Conducted by Marc Minkowski

Barnes & Noble

Magdalena Kozená has quickly risen to the top rank of mezzo-sopranos -- a considerable feat, with the likes of Cecilia Bartoli, Susan Graham, Denyce Graves, Vesselina Kasarova, Anne Sofie von Otter, and other stars already gracing the world's great operatic and recital stages. Kozená has her own distinctive style, though, with a smooth, well-focused tone made sensual by a slight breathiness. She's a terrific musician, too, and her warm, emotive, yet elegant interpretive approach is perfectly suited to this generous program of French arias. Some of the selections are rarities, like the gorgeous "Nuit resplendissante" from Gounod's Cinq-Mars and the equally alluring "Reste au foyer, petit grillon" from Massenet's Cendrillon. But listen to a well-known number like "Connais-tu le pays" from Thomas's Mignon (a rarely heard opera, though the aria is justly famous) and revel in Kozená's seamless legato and the disarming naturalness of her phrasing. The disc's final selection is from Bizet's Carmen -- the ultimate mezzo role. It's an overtly sexy rendition, yet one that also seems to have the measure of the character's tragic destiny. With any luck, we'll be able to enjoy Kozená's portrayal of the entire role in the not too distant future. Orchestral support is superbly supple, thanks to Marc Minkowski, who established himself as a conductor of Baroque music on period instruments but has branched out into 19th-century French repertoire with considerable success. DG's recording sparkles, and the booklet includes complete texts and translations. Urgently recommended. Andrew Farach-Colton

Gramophone

This is a fascinating disc from one of the most promising voices today. Patrick O'Connor

BBC Music Magazine

This CD is both a surprise and a delight.... There's exquisite singing.... This is exactly what the French repertoire has been pining for. Christopher Cook