VIDEO

LABEL: IMAGE ENTERTAINMENT
CATALOG NUMBER: UNKNOWN
UPC NUMBER: 014381581522
NUMBER OF DISCS: 1
RUNNING TIME: 140:00
YEAR RECORDED: 1993
RELEASE DATE: OCTOBER 31, 2000
ASPECT RATIO: 1.78:1
REGION: 1 (USA & CANADA) NTSC
AUDIO: DOLBY STEREO
CONDUCTOR: STEPHEN CLEOBURY
ORCHESTRA: THE BRANDENBURG CONSORT
CHOIR: THE CHOIR OF KING'S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE
SOPRANO: LYNNE DAWSON
CONTRALTO: HILLARY SUMMERS
TENOR: JOHN MARK AINSLEY
BASS: ALASTAIR MILES

VIDEO SAMPLES OTHER RELEASES

SITE RATING:  10/10
SITE REVIEW:  My personal favorite among all of the Messiah videos, this excellent concert is also sadly out of print.  First released by Image Entertainment, and later licensed by Brilliant Classics, I managed to obtain a copy of this before it largely disappeared.  Beautifully shot in a candle-list chapel in the Netherlands, this live concert manages to gather superb soloists, a  boychoir who manages to evoke warmth and emotion during their choruses, and the dynamic Brandenburg Consort.  This is the most atmospheric Messiah captured on video by far - with superb direction and multiple camera angles employed to highest effect. The performance, while not technically perfect (some regrettable trumpet flubs are noticeable) - for a live performance, I found this the most affecting of all I've seen.  The candle-lit cathedral is filled with light and shadow, the soloists are all superb in their respective spheres, the choir and orchestra seem to play with flesh-and-blood feeling, instead of by rote; and Cleobury's direction is far and above his later, 2009 Messiah.  Long out-of-print (and demanding collector's prices on the resale market) - this performance has, as of this writing, become available again on the 40CD+DVD box set A Handel Celebration.


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