Brilliant Berlioz
Berlioz’s Les Troyens is epic in more than one sense of the word. Performed complete, the Virgil-inspired grand opera comes in at around five hours and, in typically ambitious Berlioz fashion, draws on a couple of hundred musicians. Erato has made what it hopes will be a landmark recording of the whole opera, with Berlioz specialist John Nelson at the helm and mezzo-soprano Joyce Didonato (above), tenor Michael Spyres and contralto Marie-nicole Lemieux in the three principal roles – all making their role debuts. The recording was made in Strasbourg this April, with the city’s Philharmonic Orchestra. ‘It has been an absolute highlight of my musical life,’ says Didonato. ‘This is a recording I will treasure – for the music-making and for the beautiful souvenirs of those days in Strasbourg.’