Purcell: Dido and Aeneas.(Sound Recording Review)

[] Graham, Tilling, de Boever, Palmer; Bostridge, Daniels, Agnew: European Voices, Le Concert d'Astree Haim. Text, translations. Virgin Veritas 72435-4560521

The excellent period-instrument ensemble Le Concert d'Astree, under the baton of harpsichordist/conductor Emmanuelle Haim, is featured on a new recording of Dido and Aeneas that's high on spiritedness but short on gravity; in spite of some high-profile singers, the orchestra steals this show with vibrant playing, full of color and zest. The instrumental jam after Belinda's "Pursue thy conquest, Love" and the improvised introduction to the Second Woman's "Oft she visits this lone mountain" are delicious surprises that add considerably to the theatrics. It is often difficult to make the transition out of the fun "horrid music" for the witches (especially with dramatic thunder and wonderful shrieks and groans from the European Voices chorus) into the grove scene of Act II, but Haim and the orchestra set the perfect dreamy tone for Belinda's "Thanks to these lonesome vales." Similarly, the stand-alone orchestral pieces are detailed and full of character, especially the Act III witches' dance and the overture, whose allegro section sounds like the scurrying rats on Aeneas's soon-to-depart ship.

Haim has a lovely way of allowing the chorus's texts to unfold with flexibility and naturalness, but the solo singing, with the exception of Felicity Palmers truly terrifying Sorceress, is pale in comparison. Palmer has been all over this piece, having made her opera debut as Dido with Kent Opera in 1971 and sung the role of Belinda on Raymond Leppard's 1977 recording for Erato (which features a majestic and moving Tatiana Troyanos in the title role). Here she dominates the witches' scenes with a huge, dramatic sound, ...