‘A restored masterpiece of opera, spontaneous, and instantly communicative, deeply emotional and rich both in melodic invention and in all those ingenuities of design and device that we think of as typically Monteverdian. What is most remarkable in the opera is the freedom and natural ease of the vocal writing as it moves from declamation to formal song. Each character comes to life in musical terms, while for their confrontations Monteverdi draws on his madrigal techniques of half a century…all the potent theatrical magic finally yields to the simplest and deepest emotions of humanity and truth.’
The Sunday Times (Desmond Shawe-Taylor)