The Essential Jessye Norman is a hybrid CD/DVD product aimed squarely at the great soprano's already dedicated fans. The CD is an uneven sampling of
Norman's diverse career, only some of which represents her best work; her "When I am Laid in Earth" from Purcell's Dido and Aeneas, for instance, is among the greatest performances of that aria ever recorded. The arias from her Carmen with
Seiji Ozawa, on the other hand, are an acquired taste. The recording certainly has its fans, but
Norman never quite had the earthy abandon or rich lower voice to make the part convincing. The DVD may be of more interest to hardcore
Norman fans, simply because it provides behind the scenes footage of the Carmen recording process. Watching her work in the studio is a joy, and the live takes, candid interviews, and other less-often-seen aspects of
Norman's work are a nice bonus. If what you're interested in is a great collection of
Jessye Norman's singing, however, it's probably best to stick with Philips' other
Norman collection, Brava Jessye!, which is more consistent.