Purcell: Dido & Aeneas
‘A fine group of soloists [led by] Emily Van Evera’s passionate Dido… moods and emotions are vividly expressed throughout… Van Evera’s noble account of Dido’s lament [creates a] feeling of profound grief at the opera’s close.’ — The Daily Telegraph, UK
‘Of the vocal team, scoring positively above all are the lightning clean, fantastically homogeneous and tonally beautiful Taverner Choir and the outstanding, high artistry of the taker of the title role, the American Emily Van Evera. With her immaculate, ringing soprano she holds the ideal balance between stylised, beautiful singing and a finely nuanced, very moving range of expression.’
— RONDO, Germany
‘For all the performances available out there, the listener could not do better than this vividly dramatic reading... and as Dido, Emily Van Evera is the standout. Her death scene is a marvel of... expiring passion.’’ — Newark Star Ledger
AVIE continues to mine the rich catalog of recordings made by Andrew Parrott and his Taverner Choir & Players with a sumptuous reissue of Purcell’s Dido & Aeneas. The performance is as fresh as when the recording was made in 1994, with baritone Ben Parry as the Trojan hero Aeneas, and soprano Emily Van Evera as the abandoned Queen of Carthage, delivering an interpretation of Dido’s Lament that is as dignified as it is sublime.
Reviews
‘This fresh performance… places the accent on giving colour and meaning to every word… a performance that charms as well as moves in abundance… Given a simple choice [amongst all recordings]… I’d walk away with this one.’ — BBC Music Magazine