Seven Classic Plays, Vol. 1

Blackstone presents seven great plays in one volume, illustrating the development of European drama from ancient times to the dawn of the modern theater. A superb repertory company has been assembled for these recordings, joined by distinguished guest artists F. Murray Abraham, John Glover, Rosemary Harris, Lois Nettleton, Barry Morse, Fritz Weaver -- all under the direction of Audie and Peabody Awardwinning audio dramatist Yuri Rasovsky. These are full performances using the resources of audio to full advantage. "Staginess" is avoided, lively theatrics enhanced, while the substance of the works remains intact. For instance, in Arms and the Man, audio makes possible the judicious integration of the author's witty scene settings, written for the published version of the play, with the play itself. Music accounts for another noteworthy aspect of these productions. The Imaginary Invalid employs the score that Marc-Antoine Charpentier composed for Moliare's own premiere. It is conducted by Steven Ovitsky, president and executive director of the Milwaukee Symphony. The Tempest, composed by Shakespeare as a musical romance, features music from Shakespeare's own production, played on period instruments by the Newberry Consort. To ensure fidelity to the themes, atmosphere, and tone of the texts, three noted scholars from Tufts University served as advisors: Professors Peter Arnott, Sylvan Barnet, and Laurence Senelick. All seven plays were produced in the spring of 1985 with the generous assistance of the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts. "Rasovsky's directorial genius lies in his orchestration of passion and restraint." -- Variety "Yuri Rasovsky -- who wrote and produced this superior experience -- must be a genius." -- AudioFile Magazine