The Fairy Queen - Purcell

Starring: Thomas Randle, Yvonne Kenny Director: David Pountney Original UK Premiere: 1995 Dvd Release: 2nd July, 2001 Number Of Discs: 1 Format: PAL, Widescreen, Region 2 Encoding Subtitled In: Dutch, French, Spanish

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David Pountney & Quinny Sacks production of Henry Purcells The Fairy Queen caused something of a sensation when it hit the ENO stage in 1995. It has the feel of a decadent 17th-century masque re-invented with late-20th-century energy: half the principals & chorus are in cross-dressing costumes, female characters are played by men , & everything has an air of mad, hallucinogenic hipness about it. While Robert Israels wild sets dont appear to their full advantage on the small screen, Dunya Ramicovas costumes look fantastic . The very fine singing is recorded with excellent clarity: while this is obviously a live performance, there are remarkably few moments that go out of microphone range, & the balance with the orchestra is handled very sensitively. The ENO band, under the baton of Nicholas Kok, respond to Purcells wiry lines & spiky harmonies with glee, & sound like theyre having a ball, as do the singers. In particular Jonathan Best as The Drunken Poet is hilarious, & it is a wonderful testament to his acting skills that he is as funny close-up as he was from the auditorium stalls.,

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