This much­travelled production‚ first seen in Verona in 1979‚ had a cast of especially powerful voices by the time it was filmed in 1989. Of the seven characters‚ four are altos‚ and a number of cuts ensure that we don’t hear nearly enough of the two lightest voices on stage‚ the effortlessly brilliant soprano of Susan Patterson and William Matteuzzi’s elegant tenor. There are plenty of people who enjoy Marilyn Horne’s trombone­like baritone register‚ and they will find that neither Sandra Walker nor Jeffrey Gall is in the least upstaged by her in this area; nor is Kathleen Kuhlmann‚ at times‚ but she rather less frequently resorts to it‚ and often sings very beautifully and expressively. She is also by far the most accomplished actor in the cast‚ and in Pier Luigi Pizzi’s production‚ which never for one moment takes the drama seriously‚ that is a relief. The set is quasi­Baroque; the characters‚ burdened with plumed helmets and violently colourful‚ voluminous cloaks and trains‚ stalk slowly to stage centre‚ sing and stalk off again. Costumed obbligato players join them occasionally; much use is made of a couple of winsome but surely superannuable cupids. Every aria‚ spectacularly sung and elaborately ornamented‚ is applauded and there is a good deal of laughter at the toy boats upon which characters arrive and at the ludicrous rock by which Orlando is magically ‘imprisoned’ in Act 2. Vivaldi’s plot cannot survive all this knowing artificiality; the film is best recommended to those who like their Baroque opera sung beefily and (with the exceptions mentioned) with rather vulgar showiness. Half the overture (inexplicably preceded by one bar of Monteverdi) is played before the performance‚ the rest under the credits at the end‚ after curtain calls and athletic bouquet­catching. And yet‚ and yet… There were moments in Orlando’s Act 2 mad scene and Alcina’s lament at losing Ruggiero when I was actually moved. How powerful this opera could be with a producer who believed in it and could persuade his singers to approach the top but not go over it!