Paride ed Elena (Complete Opera)

Editor's Choice Gramophoen Magazine August 2005

"Gluck's opera on the story of Paris and Helen written, like Orfeo ed Euridice and Alceste, to a libretto by Ranieri de' Calzabigi, is notable for its neglect. Until now, that is. Paul McCreesh has assembled a superb line-up of musicians and there is some ravishing music here Kozená and Gritton in the title-roles are quite outstanding."
(Gramophone)

This new recording of Paride ed Elena (Paris and Helena) was recorded during a series of celebrated concert performances in London in October 2003. The neglected masterpiece belongs to the cycle of Gluck's Italian reform operas, together with the ever-popular Orfeo ed Euridice and Alceste.

The role of Paris, with more than half a dozen beautiful arias plus duets and trios, offers Magdalena Ko?ená everything she needs to charm listeners with her exceptional singing - so does the role of Helena for Susan Gritton, a long-standing ally of McCreesh and the Gabrielis.

The Daily Telegraph (London) wrote: 'Gritton and Kozená were marvellous as the royal lovers, projecting the palpitating, extreme emotions of the text without falling into parody...The Gabrieli Players played with tremendous verve and unanimity, and Paul McCreesh made a fluent and supple conductor.'

Paul McCreesh and his Gabrieli Consort & Players offer a splendid accompaniment - as The Spectator (London) puts it: 'But more important . . . was the presence of a conductor of genius, for McCreesh is certainly that. . . . from the moment he launched his players into the galvanising overture it was clear that this was going to be a performance with no dead notes . . .'