Cecilia And Bryn At Glyndebourne - Arias And Duets DVD

Advantages: Everything.
Disadvantages: Nothing.

...listen to for hours. Her suffering continues in subsequent acts, when she is captured, led around with a rope bound to her wrists, humiliated and sexually assaulted by Tolomeo and his army general, Achilla. When Tolomeo is finally struck down with a pistol by Sesto’s hand, Cornelia’s cold-blooded reaction to it contrasts chillingly with Sesto’s dazed befuddlement in that later scene. Equally touching is the anguish of her young son, Sesto, a trouser part acted and sung by the Austrian mezzo-soprano, Angelika Kirchschlager -- she of the angelic, light vocal who looks appropriately adolescent here -- who feels an overwhelming need to avenge the death of his father. He expresses this in the touching aria, ‘Svegliatevi nel core’. (In this scene, that giant, fractured sculpted stone facsimile of Pompey’s head seen on the DVD cover art dominates... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Stunning music with spine-chilling ending
Disadvantages: Might feel a bit long to Handel newcomers

...Glyndebourne, this is a production where the singers are just as good at acting as they are at singing. In particular the much lamented late Lorraine Hunt Lieberson is absolutely heart-rending in her commentary on Theodora's chosen fate. Whilst the high counter tenor voice of David Daniels may take some getting used to if you are not used to that sound, his on-stage interaction with Dawn Upshaw is one of the tear-jerking moments of the DVD. Handel writes some very virtuoso music for his singers and for me, this is vocalism of the very highest level. Sellars was involved in the actual film production of the DVD and it does show, with a real sense of when the full-shot of the stage is needed and when one needs to home in on a particular singer. Singing is not a particularly cinematic thing to watch and personally, I think this DVD captures... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Great cast, conductor and orchestra, top notch production
Disadvantages: None, to be honest

...Introduction I have always been a huge fan of opera - ever since the day a group of us were given a day's parole from grammar school and bussed to the old Glyndebourne Opera house to see Beethoven's "Fidelio". So I guess it is only logical that I often spend time trying to persuade friends and acquaintances to share my own operatic favourites: either dragging them along to performances or lending CDs and DVDs. Unfortunately many people seem to be put off by the "crazy plots" as they describe them. Well, yes, I do have to put my hand on my heart and admit that many operatic plots are a little far-fetched, but no more so than any movie such as "I am Legend" where Will Smith and a mangy German Shepherd in dire need of some Frontline treatment and a tin of Pedigree Chum manage to save Manhattan from a zombie invasion... Hmm. I guess... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful