Les nuits d'été discography

Les nuits d'été (Summer Nights), Op. 7, is a song cycle by the French composer Hector Berlioz, setting six poems by Théophile Gautier. The cycle, completed in 1841, was originally for soloist and piano accompaniment. Berlioz orchestrated one of the songs in 1843, and did the same for the other five in 1856. The cycle was neglected for many years, but during the 20th century it became, and has remained, one of the composer's most popular works. Of the many recordings made in the 20th and 21st centuries, most are of the orchestrated version and are sung by a soprano or mezzo-soprano.

Single female voice

Recordings include:

• Janet Baker, mezzo-soprano. New Philharmonia Orchestra, conductor Sir John Barbirolli (EMI)
• Agnes Baltsa, mezzo-soprano. London Symphony Orchestra, conductor Jeffrey Tate (Philips)
• Régine Crespin, soprano. Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, conductor Ernest Ansermet (Decca)
• Victoria de los Ángeles, soprano. Boston Symphony Orchestra, conductor Charles Münch (Les disques de Pierre)
• Bernarda Fink, mezzo-soprano. German Symphony Orchestra, Berlin, conductor Kent Nagano (Harmonia Mundi)
• Véronique Gens, soprano. Orchestre national de l'Opéra de Lyon, conductor Louis Langrée (Virgin)
• Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, mezzo-soprano. Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, conductor Nicholas McGegan (Philharmonia Baroque)
• Jessye Norman, soprano. London Symphony Orchestra, conductor Colin Davis (Philips)
• Leontyne Price, soprano. Chicago Symphony Orchestra, conductor Fritz Reiner (RCA Victor)
• Eleanor Steber, soprano. Columbia Symphony Orchestra, conductor Dimitri Mitropoulos (Sony)
• Anne Sofie von Otter, mezzo-soprano. Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor James Levine (Deutsche Grammophon)

Single male voices

• Nicolai Gedda, tenor. Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, conductor Silvio Varviso (Bluebell)
• José van Dam, bass-baritone. Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana, conductor Serge Baudo (Classical World)