Rameau : Platée

Paul Agnew Platée, Mireille Delunsch La Folie & Thalie, Yann Beuron Thespis & Mercure, Vincent Le Texier Jupiter, Doris Lamprecht Junon, Laurent Naouri Cithéron & a Satyr, Valérie Gabail L'Amour & Clarine, Franck Leguerinel Momus, Orchestra and Chorus of Les Musiciens du Louvre - Grenoble, Marc Minkowski dir TDK DVD Video DV-OPPLT (2 discs)

I initially thought this was a DVD version of a Minkowski production of Platée that I already have on disc, so I knew I would enjoy the performance. Although I was wrong, and the cast is completely different, my enjoyment of the piece was even greater than I had expected, with some superb contributions, especially from Paul Agnew in the title role (revealing himself to be as much an excellent actor as he is a fantastic singer) and Mireille Delunsch (as Folly, in particular). At the outset, I thought Minkowski over-conducted, with flourishes of the baton for each of the notes of the demisemi