Sarah Walker, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Jean Rigby, Richard Van Allan, Elizabeth Vaughan, Alan Opie, Neil Howlett, Malcolm Donnelly, Lynda Russell
Chorus and Orchestra of the English National Opera
Mark Elder, conductor
Colin Graham, Stage Director
Colin Graham & Alix Stone, Set Design
Alix Stone, Costume Design

Recorded live at the London Coliseum, 1984

Picture format: NTSC 4:3
Sound format: PCM Stereo
Region code: 0 (all)
Subtitles: English, German, French, Spanish
Menu Language: English, German, French, Spanish
Running time: 147 mins
No. of DVDs: 1

* A classic ENO production of Britten's 1953 opera, which has only now received the critical acclaim it deserves.
* Gloriana came into being when Benjamin Britten was asked to compose an opera to celebrate the Coronation of HRH Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. He took as his starting point Lytton Strachey's Elizabeth and Essex, which had much interested him when he first read it.
* The opera traces the downfall of the Earl of Essex who, presuming upon his privilege as the Queen's favourite, forces a tragedy upon them both.

R E V I E W S

"No sooner has the version of Britten's Coronation opera with Josephine Barstow as Queen Elizbeth been issued on Opus Arte than ArtHaus restores to circulation this arresting ENO performance from 1984. It surpasses its rival by giving the score in its entirety, allowing us to hear what a dramatically varied and superbly crafted piece of work Britten's opera has proved to be...Many fine singers graced the title-part over the years. Sarah Walker is among the foremost among them...At the time ENO still boasted fine ensembles...Over all presides Mark Elder, projecting a grandly conceived yet subtle account of the whole score, played with acumen by the ENO orchestra. This is an experience of a great company in full flight and should not be missed." - Alan Blyth, The GRAMOPHONE

"Musically and dramatically its potency is rarely in question. Conducted by Mark Elder and retaining Alix Stone's décor, it remains full of searing excitement and deeply moving moments." -- Evening Standard

"Sarah Walker makes an impressive Elizabeth I, pride and self-authority implicit when she is dealing with her courtiers, haunted by dilemma when she is alone … She has the resources to move us both by vocal subtlety and by movement." -- Opera Magazine

"An arresting portrayal, which is supported by a number of outstanding performances, notably Anthony Rolfe Johnson's ardent and beautifully sung Essex." -- Sunday Times

"If you're looking to make a first purchase of Gloriana this should be your choice as it's the closest recorded representation of the full operatic experience." -- MusicWeb International