Although I have always been an opera fanatic, I had never heard any Haydn opera until now(I am much more familiar with his symphonies). While it is too soon at the moment to determine whether Orlando Paladino will be a favourite of mine, it still is quite a find. And this is a very effective production. The stage and sets do look rather stark and bare in places and Tom Randle's acting has a tendency to be ever so slightly broad. However, the costumes are good, and the DVD has truly great picture and sound quality. The staging is at least compelling even when it has an almost bizarrely surreal touch to it, the comedy aspects are done in a lively and imaginative way and the opera seria parts moving. The musical values are outstanding, the orchestral playing is stylish and impeccably tuned with great tonal and textural balances. Rene Jacobs' conducting moves things along brilliantly, nothing gets dull when he's on the podium. The performances are just as impressive. Alexandrina Pendatchanska, an outstanding Elisabetta in Roberto Devereux is an involving Alcina, particularly dazzling at the end. Tom Randle sings wonderfully and has a lot of energy even if he occasionally goes overboard in the broad style of acting. Pietro Spagnoli gives one of the best performances that I've seen from him, he is a deft comic actor and he is suitably sly. Magnus Staveland doesn't really have all that much to his role, but he does what he can with it and sings beautifully. Sunhae Im and Victor Torres are dynamite as Eurilla and Pasquale, their physical acting is just a riot. So all in all, a very good production, though there will be people who won't be so receptive to it. 8/10 Bethany Cox
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