This live recording made on January 31st, 2002 at the Liceu Theatre in Barcelona is already a cornerstone of any Monteverdi discography. It has been released on DVD by Opus Arte (but is now unavailable in most countries and reaches pretty high scores on the market place...), with a slightly different editing. This new and original multichannel mastering reveals the full scale of the inspiration of Jordi Savall and his ensembles, as well as the soloists, who include the late Montserrat Figueras, Furio Zanasi and Sara Mingardo.

****

Savall's ideas may not satisfy everyone, but there's never a hint of formulaic complacency, and this live performance is an engaging alternative view to experience alongside the best studio versions. Gramophone