L'Amour De Loin (2005)

'DVD of the Month', Gramophone 11/2005: "L'amour de loin ('Love from Afar') enacts the legendary love of the 12th-century prince and troubadour Jaufre Rudel (about whose life little is known) for Clemence, Countess of Tripoli, whom he has never met but whom he voyages to meet, only to expire almost as soon as he and his beloved have declared their feelings for one another. Saariaho has composed a staggeringly beautiful score, one whose overwhelming, rich colours will come as no surprise to those who know her work but whose rhythmic and melodic directness may well. Its motion is predominantly slow and meditative but with considerable tension in the travelling scenes and, like Maalouf's texts, a wonderful way with elaborating on troubadour melos and blending electroacoustic and instrumental elements. Other pluses are George Tsypin's striking minimalist designs and the directness and simplicity of Peter Sellars's direction. All three singers are consummate vocal actors, their performances simply beyond praise."