Navona Records presents Hamlet. In this installment of the Shakespeare Concerts Series, composer Joseph Summer brings us along to Elsinore with The Bard’s classic play in an all new setting complete with the lyric integrity of Shakespeare’s words in a contemporary musical arrangement. Performed by Bulgaria’s State Opera Ruse orchestra, choir, and selected Bulgarian soloists with nine international soloists singing the lead roles, the celebrated revenge tragedy bursts with a new modern flair while keeping the spirit and riveting narrative of the original alive...

You're either a fan of Shakespeare or you're not. But, even if you detest his work you can't get away from the fact that many of his plays have inspired some of the greatest works of the modern age and almost every production will owe a little something to the Bard.

Joseph Summer's opera based on Hamlet is a split into three parts. The performance is flawless, the music is timeless and this is a production that I really wish I could see performed on stage. It's strong, powerful and adapts the original play into an impressive operatic work of art.

The album clocks in at 3 hr, 22 min, 27 sec (45 tracks) and is certainly one that Shakespearian scholars should invest some time with.

8

Nick Smithson