Search - Gluck, Mcnair, Ragin :: Gluck: Orfeo ed Euridice

OUTSTANDING!

Sam | Seahurst, Washington | 11/18/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Gardiner's newest set for Philips could not be more sharply contrasted with the earlier recording he made for EMI in 1989. Then he was persuaded at the Lyon Opera to record the Berlioz edition, in French. But all along Gardiner has much preferred the tautness of the original, Vienna version in Italian, which here on Philips he presents with a bite and sense of drama both totally in period and deeply expressive; the element of sensuousness, not least in the beautiful singing of the counter-tenor, Derek Lee Ragin, in the title role, complements the Elysian beauty Gardiner finds in such passages as the introduction to `Che puro ciel.' Sylvia McNair as Euridice and Cyndia Sieden as Amor complete Gardiner's outstanding solo team. One's only regret is that the set does not provide as a supplement such numbers written for Paris as `The Dance of the Blessed Spirits.' This has now been reissued at mid-price as part of Decca's `Compact Opera Collection.' However there is no printed libretto, only a CD-ROM facility which carries full text and translation so you can print it out via your computer."

Delightful and sensitive performance

Tal Shahar | Florida | 11/08/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Great singing by the marvelous counter- tenor Ragin and soprano McNair

Sensitive conducting"