Henry Purcell (1659–1695)

[A note before starting: despite LT's annoying insistence on confalting the Work with the Book, this CD of mine is NOT held by 11 other LTers --only 2; checked this 17 Feb 2013]. The fact that I own at-least a dozen various recordings of this work renders me either uniquely competent to write a review, or hopelessly prejudiced. Too bad: I have the floor, and don't try to stop me. DIDO is, for all its oddities and loose ends, a masterpiece from stem to gudgeon, and there is no one with whom show more I'd rather take this three-quarter hour voyage of passion than Janet Baker. Many other great singers have recorded this role, for any of whom I would give up the family silver and sundry body-parts, but ah, Janet . . . Meanwhile, back on Earth, the supporting players are just fine, and Anthony Lewis' tempi and phrasing must rejoice Purcell's heart as he looks down from Parnassus. This performance, incidentally, has stayed in print, in one form or other, for decades, and I rejoice that it has, so that new generations of music-lovers, and indeed the merely curious, can share the love. show less

This is a brightly performed and brightly recorded DIDO. For some reason I have spent much of my life, perhaps too much of it, in areas where bumper-stickers proclaim that A BAD DAY'S FISHING BEATS A GOOD DAY'S WORKING. Much the same reasoning can be applied to Purcell's masterpiece, and so it is no put-down when I say that I really do believe that his vocal music -- all of it, not just DIDO -- really needs to be sung by persons who have grown-up speaking (and singing) the English language. show more Obviously then, the cast on this CD faced an insuperable obstacle. Still, for those who have never experienced DIDO, this is an excellent place to start -- but then move on to some of the classic performances by Janet Baker, Emma Kirkby, and artists of that stature (and that linguistic advantage). show less

There is magnificent singing and playing here, but -- call me narrow, if you choose -- Agnes Mellon's English diction is often less than what one wants, especially in songs by this compser who is so given to word-painting in his songs.

I like this opera, especially the lament. Lots of fun to sing. (Um, considering the circumstances, that is).