Weber
“Weber… was inspired to write some of his most magical music, full of what John Eliot Gardiner defines as ‘fire, fantasy and finesse.’ How to present Oberon effectively has long presented almost intractable problems, but here Gardiner on disc, pioneering a recording in the original English, opts for what might be counted an ideal answer, using a narrator to link numbers instead of Planche’s dialogue. The result in a superb performance is magnetic, letting one appreciate to the full the uniqueness of Weber’s inspiration, with period instruments helping to clarify the fairy-light orchestral textures, plainly a model for Mendelssohn. The singing cast is excellent, with the two main tenor roles splendidly taken – Oberon lyrically by the Australian tenor, Steve Davislim and Huon, with his big spectacular aria full of formidable florid writing, by Jonas Kaufmann. The Penguin Guide