La commedia (2014)/ Louis Andriessen, Claron McFadden (sopraan) ; Marcel Beekman (tenor) ; Cristina Zavalloni ; Jeroen Willems ; Asko Ensemble ; Schönberg Ensemble ; Reinbert de Leeuw (dirigent)

"Andriessen conceived this 'film opera' with film-maker Hal Hartley, who not only shot the video footage that is projected during the performance, but also made this film of the production. La Commedia is based on Dante, though by no means as a linear distillation. The tone is wonderfully varied sometimes serious, sometimes exuberant or irreverent matched to a diverse, eclectic score. As always with Andriessen, woodwind and brass outmuscle the strings, while piano and cimbalom give extra bite; there are winding Stravinskian chorales, as well as allusions to three centuries of composers. The performance with Reinbert de Leeuw conducting Asko|Schönberg is superb: Dante's narrations are given to the fabulous Cristina Zavalloni; Beatrice is a soprano, the fearless Claron McFadden, and the monologue by Dante's great-great grandfather Cacciaguida is delivered by the late Jeroen Willems. A rich, important achievement by one of Europe's greatest living composers." (Andrew Clements, The Guardian; 4 uit 5 sterren)