A new recording of Arthur Honegger’s 1935 composition, 'Jeanne d’Arc au Bûcher', has been released. The work, which reviews the French saint's life in flashback as she awaits execution, is directed by Lukáš Vasilek and features the Czech Philharmonic.
The composition, with a text by Paul Claudel, includes actors playing Jeanne and her confidant Frère Dominique, alongside solo singers and a full chorus. Honegger's score combines medieval modes, folk melody, Stravinskian neoclassicism, and jazz, with an orchestration that includes three saxophones, pianos, and the ondes Martenot.
French actor Audrey Bonnet takes on the title role of Jeanne, while Sébastien Dutrieux plays Frère Dominique. The recording also features the Prague Philharmonic Choir and Children’s Choir.