by Hector Berlioz
seen by live streaming from Glyndebourne on 9 August 2016
This rarely performed opera devised by Berlioz from Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing forms part of the ubiquitous quartercentenary commemorations of the playwright's death. Directed by Laurent Pelly (who also designed the costumes) and conducted by Antonello Manacorda, with set designs by Barbara de Limburg, it features Stéphanie d'Oustrac as Béatrice, Paul Appleby as Bénédict, Sophie Karthaüser as Héro, Philippe Sly as Claudio, Lionel Lhote as Somarone, Katarina Bradić as Ursule and Frédéric Caton as Don Pedro.
The opera deals with only a small part of the play, omitting the entire Don John plot to discredit Hero, and thus the crisis caused by Claudio's rejection of her at the wedding. This renders Claudio even less significant as a personality, though Héro has a fine duet with her maid Ursule at the close of the first act concerning her approaching wedding, and the two join with Béatrice for an equally lyrical trio in the second act.
