Dido's Lament

Purcell's opera: Dido and Aeneas
Performed by: Hayley Westenra

Category:

Music

Tags:

• opera
• dido's
• lament
• hayley
• westenra
• soprano
• coloratura

[danaidak]

You are very kind. Thank you for it! I would illustrate it with other pictures now.

[Hantipas]

is she dying or putting make up?

[betenoireindustries]

seriously, where's the base line? it was written into this piece for a pretty good reason.

[monika93lp]

omg it's such a beautiful song...

it was used in "The man who cried" with Johny Depp, it' a very good movie!

[oconselhodanuvem]

*-* s2

[cptmaz]

I grew up a classical musician (piano, violin, viola, recorders, renaissance lute, harpsichord etc). I was a music history major who participated in many early music consorts. I was moved by, and concentrated upon on Purcell's musick. I also received a classical education--one closely aligned with Purcell's. The baseline is there for the trained ear-whether played or not. I have also been to war in Iraq and Afghanistan. The version resonates. Again, I think Purcell would have approved.

[MarkVonDelft]

The bass-line is there - listen for the harp-sound. It's played higher than you expect.

But I'm interested in the pretty good reason that you speak of.

[Cedricfollyman]

Admitedly, I am a purist, and not a fan of Westernra. But there is something quite lovely about her rendering of this Aria. It isn't sung Operatically but it is special.

[blackbeasthamish]

@donepearce Both the Buckley and Moyet interpretations have been critised. I like both versions but don't consider either of them over-emotional. Moyet's has a jazz flavour and Buckley's is achieved through his natural but untrained ability. Many of the so called operatic versions entail so much "hand-wringing" that they lose all credibility and simply become comical. It's rather like the average pub singer attempting Sinatra's "My Way" by duly strangulating it. Sometimes, less is more.

[donepearce]

She must be the singing equivalent of James Last. She strips all emotion and performance from a melody and delivers the bare husk that remains.

You want to hear this done properly? Emma Kirkby, Jeff Buckley and Alison Moyet deliver the goods.

[lauredenoves]

THE BEST version of Dido's Lament !