Purcell: Dido & Aeneas

Arrived sooner than expected & in very safe packaging.Thank you!

This opera has made Purcell one of my favorites. Malena Emman is great as Dido, the last scene brought tears to my eyes, even the chorus at the very end with the ladies attending Dido is very effective

There were many good points and many not so good. Although Malena Ernman, the Dido, sings very well and very musically, her physical "graphics" in an attempt to act the part become over- acted and actually achieve in making the character of Dido more than a bit grotesque and less noble. The antics, the facial expression the movements of her body, dotted rhythms that are expressed in convulsive movements: all this so detract from what could have been with better direction, a fine performance. Maltman is excellent both vocally and dramatically and the witches were effective. Adding the girls school was original although not greatly needed. Christie did not disappoint.

Had to just quickly write this as my experience was so different from the other two reviewers and I hate to think people would be put off buying this because of these two negative reviews.I attend about 50 live opera performances a year, and watch many more DVDs and all I can say is that for me this is one of the best acted productions I have seen in a long time. The central couple of Malena Ernman and Christopher Maltman are absolutely magnetic in their chemistry and subtle acting and both offer beautifully sung, totally committed vocal performances too. The witches are comical it is true, but they are meant to be - the music and text makes this obvious. Any appeal to this undermining the seriousness of the drama is ludicrous - this little miracle of an opera is a piece which contains everything and it would be disingenuous to smooth over Purcell's quirkyness (a factor which appears in virtually every piece of his), or the spirit of the age.The production mixes modern and old but is visually arresting and should be acceptable to anyone who isn't completely reactionary about costumes and sets - as if that is what opera is about! To me opera is about telling a story (check) with beautiful music (check), with excellent acting (check) and the best possible musical interpretation (check). William Christie and Les Arts Florissants are exemplary in the pit. All in all then one of the most recommendable opera DVDs on the market.Just to explain the school girls - Purcell's opera was originally written for them.

Questa messa in scena dell'opera di Purcell filmata all'Opera Comique è uno spettacolo affascinante, antico e tuttavia contemporaneo, in grado di soddisfare sia il gusto del raffinato intenditore sia chi per la prima volta vede un'opera.Direzione orchestrale, regia e messa in scena sono perfetti, così come gli interpreti, ovviamente Malena Ernman su tutti: la sua interpretazione in tutta l'opera, e specialmente nel famoso Lamento, è sublime.Un video che non può mancare a nessun amante della musica.Notevole anche la possibilità di poterlo seguire sottotitolato oltre che in italiano anche in inglese, lingua originale del libretto.Come extra solo una intervista alla regista Deborah Warner ed al direttore William Christie, comunque molto interessante.I soldi meglio spesi per qualsiasi DVD mai acquistato!

Fine and spotless traid.☺