Fidelio
CHAN 3123
Gramophone
'There are few Leonores, tout court, who sing with so much passion and such attention to detail. Just as rewarding is her antagonist in the form of the menacingly sung Pizzaro of Pavlo Hunka who makes the most of every word in his aria and the ensemble, and is the equal of the best of Pizzaros on disc... Robert Lloyd knows how to bring to life every aspect of Rocco's equivocal character and the voice is as evenly produced as ever. Rebecca Evans follows up her fine Pamina on the Chandos Magic Flute with a Marzellina just as stylishly and brightly sung. Peter Wedd does what he can with Jaquino's uningratiating role. Richard Margison is a reliable and confident Florestan, with all the notes well in his range.'
Opera in two acts
Libretto by Joseph von Sonnleithner
Revisions by Stephan von Breuning
and Georg Treitschke
After Jean-Nicolas Bouilly's
Léonore, ou L'amour conjugal
English translation by David Pountney
The Cast
Robert Lloyd, bass -Rocco
Rebecca Evans, soprano - Marzellina
Peter Wedd, tenor (PMF Scholar) - Jaquino
Pavlo Hunka, bass-baritone (PMF Scholar) - Don Pizarro
Christopher Purves, bass - Don Fernando
and Second prisoner
Richard Margison, tenor - Florestan
Christine Brewer, soprano - Leonora
Ashley Catling, tenor - First prisoner
Geoffrey Mitchell Choir
Philharmonia Orchestra
David Parry - Conductor
Recorded in Blackheath Halls, London
21-25 August 2004
Producer - Brian Couzens
Sound engineer - Ralph Couzens
Assistant engineers - Michael Common and John Benton
The Daily Telegraph

Disc of the Week
'Abetted by superbly responsive playing from the Philharmonia Orchestra, David Parry paces the opera shrewdly, knows exactly when to ratchet up the tension, and rarely misses a trick with Beethoven's wonderfully original orchestral strokes. The cast can hold its own against any modern Fidelio. Christine Brewer makes a moving heroine, fearlessly flinging out top Bs and B flats, but softening the bright blade of her soprano in the expression of tenderness and pathos. Richard Margison's Florestan likewise balances sensitivity with heroic power. Robert Lloyd makes an avuncular Rocco, Pavlo Hunka rages imposingly, if rather roughly, as Pizzaro, and Rebecca Evans is a sympathetic Marzellina. Capping the performance is the marvellous singing of the chorus, who help to make the final hymn to freedom as Dionysian as you will hear.
BBC Music Magazine
'There's a good case for presenting German-language opera in English, perticularly since it traditionally replaces recitative with spoken dialogue. Fidelio actually contains both speech and recitative, as well as a famous example of a melodrama - ie speech accompanied by music - in the scene in which Leonora finds herself having to help dig a grave for her husband, who is about to be murdered by the prison governor, Don Pizzaro.

This new recording features David Pountney's skilful translation and the dialogue is presented with admirable simplicity and naturalness. The cast is a strong one, with commanding performances from Christine Brewer and Robert Lloyd. as Leonora and the jailor, Rocco, and a vivacious Marzellina from Rebecca Evans... As the imprisoned Florestan, Richard Margison is warmly lyrical... if you want the opera in English this new version, sympathetically and intelligently conducted by David Parry, is impressive.'