Acis & Galatea

Product Description Christopher Hogwood conducts the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment in Wayne McGregor's new production of Handel's opera. The cast includes Danielle de Niese and Charles Workman, and The Royal Opera and The Royal Ballet appear in a rare and beautifully crafted collaboration. Filmed with High Definition cameras and recorded in true surround sound. Press Reviews "Vocally, the star of the show is Matthew Rose, whose pitch-perfect Polyphemus conveys the bruised vulnerability of the inarticulate and ugly...The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment play suavely, with exquisite work from the uncredited sopranino recorders. " (BBC Music Magazine) "The most compelling moments...tend to be when the OAE, Christopher Hogwood, Handel and the singer are permitted to possess centre stage (both metaphorical and literal)...As usual, Danielle de Niese looks and glides around the stage like a million dollars. " (Gramophone) Cast Danielle de Niese; Lauren Cuthbertson (Galatea) Charles Workman; Edward Watson (Acis) Paul Agnew; Steven McRae; Melissa Hamilton (Damon) Matthew Rose; Eric Underwood (Polyphemus) Ji-Min Park; Paul Kay (Coridon) Orchestra of the Age of Englightenment; Christopher Hogwood Production Company: The Royal Opera; The Royal Ballet Choreographer: Wayne McGregor Disc Information Catalogue Number: OA1025D Date of Performance: 2009 Running Time: 110 minutes Sound: 2.0 PCM & 5.0 DTS Aspect Ratio: 16:9 Anamorphic Subtitles: FR, DE, ES (extra features only) Label: Opus Arte Review "To commemorate the 250th anniversary of Handel's death in 2009, the Royal Opera House's resident opera and ballet companies joined forces to present a whimsical and absorbing version of Acis and Galatea in which singing and dancing share the narrative burden. Handel supplied no stage directions, so directors freely indulge their creative prerogatives when translating this delightful masque to the theater stage. Wayne McGregor, the director-choreographer, fills the dramatic blank spaces between the airs and choruses by assigning each of the five characters their dancing doubles. Dressed in flesh-colored body stockings, the dancers shadow the central lovers and two shepherds when they aren't miming, enlarging upon, or sometimes even contradicting emotions that are only implied in the vocal texts. Some, though not all, of the choral numbers are similarly "interpreted" by a small corps de ballet. What could have proved an awkward marriage of operatic oil and balletic water actually works quite delightfully. For this, let's give thanks to McGregor's eye for striking stage pictures and ability to invent fluid, dramatically apposite movement, along with the considerable skills of the performers. Danielle de Niese, unaccountably costumed in a ratty fur coat and sporting a ludicrous wig of blonde pigtails, makes a wonderful Galatea, radiant in the grip of love, deeply affecting as she tenderly cradles Acis' lifeless body. De Niese's early balletic training comes in handy in the transformation scene at the end during which the soprano and the lithe dancer Edward Watson evoke the lovers' spiritual reunion. Charles Workman sounds somewhat discomfited by the vocal writing but makes a believably naive Acis. The sinuous dancer Eric Underwood suggests the inner Adonis trapped in the sagging corpulence of the brutish giant, Polyphemus; the villain is sturdily sung by Matthew Rose, although his `O ruddier than the cherry' is curiously purged of any humor. Paul Agnew and Ji-Min Park acquit themselves nicely as the shepherds Damon and Coridon. The period instrumentalists of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment infuse the score with crackling verve and airy grace under Christopher Hogwood's stylish hand. The high-definition picture quality and surround sound on the DVD release (a Blu-ray version is also available) are first-class. Extras include a synopsis, cast gallery, and a behind-the-scenes feature in which McGregor elaborates on his production concept. Handelians and ballet buffs alike should eat this one up, particularly since this new Opus Arte issue has the DVD field entirely to itself at the moment." -John von Rhein -- The Classical Review - http://theclassicalreview.com/cds-dvds/2010/06/handel-acis-and-galatea/ Acis and Galatea is an absolutely delightful work, one of Handel's great masterpieces, but what on earth is it? Is it an oratorio, a masque, an opera or something else altogether? For its Handel anniversary production in 2009 Covent Garden decided that it was a mix of all these and its triumphant staging gives us a rare opportunity to see the combined talents of both the Royal Opera and the Royal Ballet on the same stage. By the way, if you're more interested in the debate over Acis' form then this is dealt with in a most informative way by Andrew V Jones' scholarly booklet note for this release... Dancers aside, the star of the show is undoubtedly the delectable, delightful de Niese by whom, I admit, I was
ASIN: B003757W06
VSKU: DBV.B003757W06.G
Condition: Good
Author/Artist:Danielle De Nises|Paul Agnew|Lauren Cuthbertson|Edward Watson|Charles Workman|Park Ji-Min|Melissa Hamilton|Matthew Rose|Paul Kay|Eric Underwood|Steven McRae|Wayne McGregor|Jonathan Haswell|James Whitbourn
Binding: Dvd
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Condition Notes: Individually inspected: Guaranteed to play perfectly or your money back. Case may show wear and may be in library packaging. Ships Fast!