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“…a strong cast headed by the attractive Canadian soprano Norine Burgess and Iranian-born Mehrzad Montazeri…The overriding joy remains Kalman’s music…the score is not only richly melodic but offers a quite astonishingly bold amalgam of dance styles. The Vienna Volksoper Orchestra under Michael Tomasceck play it for all it’s worth, and it’s tremendous fun!” The Gramophone Magazine

“If all opera DVDs were as successful as this 1985 Glyndebourne production of Albert Herring, a DVD guide would hardly be necessary...John Gunter's sets are imaginatively, charmingly real, and the casting could hardly be improved on...the whole show is conducted marvellously by Bernard Haitink. Moreover Peter Hall's direction is unerringly prescient. Excellent sound too.” Penguin Guide, 2010 ****

““Thomas Dausgaard leads an absolutely magnificent performance in all respects. It's also beautifully recorded in unobtrusively natural surround-sound (or stereo), with subtitles in English, French, German, Spanish, and Danish--and Dacapo's booklet notes are outstandingly informative.”” Classics Today 10/10

“A splendid issue!” Gramophone Magazine DVD OF THE MONTH

“…the opera is not without its problems. Staffan Holm's solution is simple but effective, with a staging, set in the beautiful Ridehuset (Riding School) in Copenhagen, treating the opera as a modern mystery play where church members (who have a 19th-century feel) come together to act out this moralistic fable, the sect leader - who takes the role of Lucifer - assigning the roles. Lucifer only sings in the prologue but is choreographed throughout, watching and pulling strings. ...once Susanne Resmark takes centre stage as Despondency in Scene 3, the whole concept comes together. The cast is very strong... but greatest plaudits go to Thomas Dausgaard for moulding the superb accompaniment...” Gramophone Magazine, December 2005

“Decker's direction of the principals provides both intelligent insights into relationships along with many bêtises that surely go against the composer's intentions. …he certainly manages to get some revelatory performances from some of the singers, particularly from Villazón who enacts Carlos's neurotic, ill-adjusted personality more successfully than any tenor in my experience. That he sings the role with so much full-throated intensity and such arresting phraseology makes his portrayal something to treasure. ...virtually every respect... of the original French version is the one to have; there you sense the full value of Verdi's original and preferable thoughts in an intelligent, finely sung and directed performance.” Gramophone Magazine, December 2005

“[Chailly] has the measure of internal dynamicism within the work... Rolando Villazón delivers a forthright, anguished performance as Don Carlo...In terms of an all-round Don Carlo Villazón has all that could be desired, and demonstrates fine duet singing too.” MusicWeb International

“a fabulous summation of Chailly’s qualities as a Verdi conductor… A wonderful piece of stagecraft” The Guardian