Purcell: Dido and Aeneas

Trevor Pinnock's Dido, the most glamorously cast of the period-instrument recordings, was the first to offer a version following 17th-century casting and theatrical conventions. Anne-Sofie Von Otter, always a superb artist, is a regal, moving Dido--her singing is almost too "operatic," but rarely crosses over into excess. Lynne Dawson is a spectacular Belinda, gracefully tossing off her airs at high velocity and combining youthful giddiness with enough maturity to be a credible confidante. Steven Varcoe's light baritone makes Aeneas seem more tender lover than burly soldier, but he sings beautifully. In Purcell's era, men often played witches or old women: here Nigel Rogers sings the Sorceress with plenty of verve and a minimum of camp. --Matthew Westphal