Gluck - Alceste / Robert Wilson · John Eliot Gardiner · Anne Sofie von Otter · English Baroque Soloists · Théâtre du Chatelet

Amazon.com Rebelling against the increasingly formulaic operas of the time, Christoph Willibald Gluck's "reformist" opera Alceste (1767) was a successful attempt to return to a purer form of musical drama. It is highly appropriate that this 1999 production of the revised 1776 Paris version should be conducted by Sir John Eliot Gardiner, with the English Baroque Soloists and Monteverdi Choir, the same forces responsible for many fine Bach performances equally emphasizing character and text. In setting the tragic story of the profound love between Queen Alceste and her husband King Admète, Gluck provided a score of austere, rending beauty. Principals Anne Sofie von Otter and Paul Groves dominate the production as much through the power of their acting as their musical prowess. The major scenes are electrifying in their emotional intensity. Contrasting with this psychological realism are the simple, Greek-inspired designs by Robert Wilson. Silhouetted, geometric shapes glide gracefully through the slow-motion movements of the actors, bringing an hypnotic, dreamlike quality to the work. Near-constant blue lighting adds a sense of late-evening tranquillity, giving the stage a highly distinctive look and a feeling of dislocation in space and time. Both chilling and uplifting, this Alceste is a triumph. --Gary S. Dalkin, Amazon.co.uk Product Description ROBERT WILSON'S PRODUCTION OF GLUCK'S 1776 FRENCH VERSION OF ALCESTE IS STRIKING WITH THEATRICAL SYMBOLS.
ASIN: B000059H8J
VSKU: DBV.B000059H8J.G
Condition: Good
Author/Artist:Paul Groves|Yann Beuron|Anne Sofie von Otter|Dietrich Henschel|Frdric Caton|Ludovic Tzier|Hjrdis Thbault|Gladys Massenot|Arthur Carayon|Lucie Barret|Vronique Defranoux|Brian Large|Maria Donata D'Urso|Raniero de Calzabigi
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!