Search - Mozart - Airs Sacrés (Sacred Arias) / Piau, Les Talens Lyriques, Rousset (Festival de Saint-Denis) on DVD

A beautiful concert

Steven Guy | Croydon, South Australia | 12/25/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a "must have" for anyone who loves Mozart, period instruments, HIP, Sandrine Piau and Christophe Rousset and his Les Talens Lyriques.

Sandrine Piau is my favourite Mozart soprano at the moment and she shines in this wonderful concert footage. She performs the music with great style, beauty of voice, expression and precision. She engages with the audience, Maestro Rousset and the musicians around her in a most beguilingly natural and friendly way.

I only wish I could have attended this concert.

A lovely DVD of some beautiful music - including various arias and some instrumental music, including a sinfonia concertante (the four wind soloists are magnificent on their 18th century instruments). The extras are good and the interviews show us how much of a team are Rousset and Piau.

Full marks to all concerned.

One minor point, the cover of this DVD is not terribly good. It doesn't matter, of course, but I do like a nice looking product. The photo of Mademoiselle Piau is okay, but the hand shapes on the cover of the DVD are a little silly.


PS: I've been watching this DVD for over a week now. Over and over and over again. This DVD is nothing short of wonderful. Sanrine Piau's interpretation of "Et incarnatus est" from the Mass in C minor, KV 427 is to die for. I put it on again and again. I swoon. You will, too. It has to be one of Mozart's most beautiful arias. Apparently he wrote it for his wife, Constanze, shortly after the birth of their first child. This aria is the closest thing to heaven you'll ever hear on earth!
Sublime!"