DVD 5038 HAMLET

The performers are not relevant when the sound quality is so atrocious. I watched only the first halve hour and then gave up. Zero stars!

Lets start with Natalie Dessay as Ophelie,she is vocally well up to the dizzying role once portayed by such lumineries as Melba,Galli-Curci etc,but this role is not all highflying coloratura,and Dessay does well with it all vocally,I'm not so certain with the self harming in the Mad scene,but it works.Keenlyside is a dream as Hamlet,both in looks and vocally,he has that "edge" which other portayers of the role miss,they just sing gloriously,Keenlyside sings gloriously and acts as thouh he is on the edge of a breakdown.The rest of the cast is also fantastic,especially Denyce Graves as Gertrude.