Purcell: Dido And Aeneas

Purcell (Artist), Haim (Artist), Graham (Artist), Bostridge (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 17, 2009)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: EMI Classics
• ASIN: B002N4DZ3A
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #300,434 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

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4.0 out of 5 stars a voice teacher and early music fan, July 7, 2010

By 

George Peabody "Ariel" (U.S.A.) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Purcell: Dido And Aeneas (Audio CD)

DIDO'S DYING AGAIN!!!!

Purcell's 'Dido & Aeneas' was first performed at a girl's school in 1689. The librettist was Nahum Tate, playwright and poet with university connections. In this version Tate and Purcell reshaped Virgil mainly for artistic effect: they turned a familiar work of literature into convincing and highly original opera. From the moment the overture begins, the music spins a tale of tragedy and violence. The desertion of Dido by Aeneas and her subsequent death is related in Book IV of Virgil's 'Aenid.

Aeneas' daliance with Dido distracts him from what supposedly is his purpose: the foundation of Rome. Ordered by Jove, he finally sails from Carthage to fulfill his destiny, and by her own hand Dido dies. Tate represents Aeneas' Rome obligation as an illlusion, 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' mechanical obedience to orders(which are false), are what signify.

As to the performance on this disc, I must say that its got some merit, that being the renditons of Ian Bostridge as Aeneas (a brief part vocally speaking) and David Daniels as the Spirit(an even briefer part), and I would have wished for more singing from them. I'm really not taken with Susan Graham in the role of Dido; she has a large dramatic operatic voice, a bit much for Purcell, although one cannot deny her vocal skills. Camilla Tilly as Belinda was very luke-warm in her portrayal. The outstanding female singer herein has to be Felicity Palmer for she brought a malevolent maturity to her role as the Sorceress!

Thie album is a re-release of a 2003 disc; the accompanying 51 page booklet includes pertinent information and the text is in English, French and German.

If you want a totally outstanding performance of this work, you must go to Christopher Hogwood's 1992 recording with Bott-Kirkby-Ainsley-Chance. Dramatically and vocally superb as are most of Hogwood's endeavors.