5/5 A triumph for Covent Garden...
  by Charles G. Johnson (San Francisco, CA)
Although I wanted to see Sarah Connolly again after her blinding success as Giulio Cesare at Glyndebourne, I really bought this DVD to see baritone hunk Lucas Meacham as Aeneas. He and Mariusz Kwiecien share the world's stages as the hottest Don Giovannis, and, with his luminous blue eyes and seductive, lyric baritone, Lucas creates an Aeneas worthy of suicide.

But, this is really Sarah's show, in which she delivers an exquisitely crafted Dido, complete with puffy eyes to emphasize her turmoil. Her final aria "When I am laid in earth" is a thing of uncommon beauty, not only because of the judicious ornamentation, but because of an uncommon commitment to text. There is not one moment in her entire performance that one doesn't sense a total bonding to her new love.

All of the other roles, with the exception of the chief sorceress, are ideally cast. Belinda (Lucy Crowe) is young, blonde and gorgeous, just like you'd expect, and has an unusually communicative voice. The two witches are bound as siamese twins, and, the binding of an asian singer and a black singer that occurs here, elicits an irony that rewards in itself and further in vocal artistry. The chorus is so precise and musical that you just hope they win some kind of award.

The hidden treasure of this performance, though, is the dancing. Director Wayne McGregor provides some powerful choreography that bridges the scene changes, comments on the action, and ultimately takes the breath away. It's performed by members of the Royal Ballet, so imagine Billy Elliot dancing three times greater than his gifts. Incredible.


The photos on the DVD box show a minimilast production that reeks of colorless costumes and drab sets. But, ignore those...what may seem sparing visually actually serves the opera's origins as a modest chamber work. Some color does find its way through. Christopher Hogwood and the OotAoE not only provide ideal accompaniment, but set the tenor for unbridled success.