Customer Reviews

Purcell: Dido & Aeneas /Bott * Kirkby * Ainsley * Thomas * Chance * Baird * Priday * Stowe * Lochmann * AAM * Hogwood

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When you pick up an opera recording, you should be getting something fun or moving and exciting. This is, after all, about the most expressive art form we have. But too often, you get something stuffy by people who act as if opera is so fragile that if they aren't careful they might break it. This recording is the exception. From Dido's laments to the witches' cackling to wavering Aeneas' cares, everything is true and beautiful. If you want to marvel at Purcell's craft, there are other recordings, but if you want to feel like the story is taking place in front of you with superb storytellers going back to a traditional telling, this is a must have.

This recording proves that baroque opera and ancient music is blooming today! We'll probably never find out exactly how Dido and Aeneas originally sounded but Hogwood here clearly has done a wonderful effort!

Bott might not erase the memories of Baker in this role but she's certainly a remarkable Dido. I was immediately struck by her crystal-clear, beautiful high mezzo voice and heartfelt singing. Ainsley has a warm, yet heroic tenor voice ideal for Aeneas. Little can be said about Kirkby who is the leading baroque soprano of our times. Her own Dido is equally great as her Belinda here.

The choice of a bass as the Sorceress sounds rather bizarre but according to the detailed accompanying booklet it is historically correct. In any case David Thomas copes well with his role's demands. The same goes for the choice of a boy as the first Sailor. The role of the spirit is luxuriously cast with Michael Chance experienced in these supernatural countertenor roles. Special praise must be given to the Chorus and Orchestra of the Academy of Ancient Music for their perfect performance.

The set is certainly pricey but the performance of Purcell's masterpiece stupendous!

This has to be the best recording of Purcell's greatest triumph. The cast is absolutely phenomenal. John Mark Ainsley, one of my favourite tenors to come out of that amazing school of English Early Music singers excels as Aeneas. A part usually performed by bass/bariton, Ainsely sings the low notes with ease and comfort (Ainsley, is more of an Haute-contre,a high-tenor)
Emma Kirkby as usual is Grand! Ms. Catherine Bott interprets the role of Dido with total understanding of the role she is interpreting, although, IMHO, the best interpretation of Dido was given to us by Emma Kirkby all those many years ago. Hogwood as usual triumphs with his AAM. Soloists/Orchestra/Conductor A+++++
A must have

GREAT CHORAL SINGING ON THIS DISC!
Joseph Kerman, in 1952, described this opera as a 'crystalline little opera' which attains 'dramatic perfection'. It was first performed at a girl's school in 1689. The librettist, Nahum Tate, was a playwright and poet with connections at universities and with writers of educational books.

The opera, from the moment the overture begins tells a story of tragedy and violence. The desertion of Dido by Aeneas and her subsequent death is related in Book IV of Virgil's 'Aenid'. Aeneas's dallience with Dido distracts him from what ought to be his purpose; the foundation of Rome. He sails from Carthage to fullfill his destiny and, by her own hand, Dido dies. Tate represents Aeneas's Roman objective as an illusion; his instructions to embark for Italy as a device by the Sorceress to achieve her malign objective: the destruction of Queen Dido and her kingdom. Therefore, this is the tragedy of Dido; her feelings not Aeneas's mechanical obedience to orders (which are false; he is as much deceived as Othello), are what signify.

The Sorceress is sung by a bass, and the chorus of witches contains tenors and basses as was usual at the time. The first sailor is sung by a young boy who could be a midshipman in those days. The spirit of the Sorceress is given to a countertenor, a voice with traditional connotations of the supernatural. The 'alto' line of the choruses is given to countertenors and high tenors, which makes the low tessitura of, for example, the opening of 'Haste,haste to townn'; 'Destructions Our Delight', and the final 'With Drooping Wings' more plausible.

This disc presents a wonderful rendition by Christopher Hogwood and The Academy of Music'. The soloists are skilled and all performers are dramatically 'into' their role. Emma Kirkby (Belinda) and Catherine Bott (Dido) make an excellent dramatic duo and John Mark Ainsley portrays a 'yummy' Aeneas. The accompaniment, including the special sound effects, is tastefully done. I do have 2 other renditions of this opera that are quite good, but I much prefer this one!

This is generally considered to be Purcell's greatest work, but even so evidence shows that the version we have is not complete. But scholarship generally shows that any artwork is less definite in form than we think.

In any case, this story of love between the Queen of Carthage and the refugee Aeneas their tragic love is wonderfully done in this early opera or music-drama or whatever you want to call what this is. Whatever it is it is exquisite.

And this recording is wonderfully done. There are other good performances, but this is one of the best.

This is to me the best version, and Catherine Bott is the best Dido ever. What a lament! Emma Kirkby, Dido in Parrott's recording for Chandos, makes an outstanding Belinda; the rest of the cast, orchestra and recording are fine, and even the price is cheap, but this is over all Bott's triumph. If you did not get it last time around, buy it.