Gramophone

'Another urgently communicative addition to MacMillan’s catalogue. Commissioned by Welsh National Opera, The sacrifice was premiered in Cardiff on September 22, 2007. The present, enormously involving performance was taped live by the BBC at the Wales Millenium Centre... Invest in this bold set and you’ll be rewarded with singing of unflagging stamina from a strong cast (notably Lisa Milne as Sian and Christopher Purves as the General), as well as red-blooded, hugely committed contributions from the WNO Chorus and Orchestra. The audibly spellbound Cardiff audience laps it up - as, indeed, will the composer’s many admirers. Enthusiastically recommended.'
Chandos Records CHAN 10572(2)
Opera in Three Acts
Libretto by Michael Symmons Roberts
Based on a story from The Mabinogion

The Cast

Christopher Purves, baritone - General
Lisa Milne, soprano - Sian
Peter Hoare, tenor - Mal
Leigh Melrose, baritone - Evan
Sarah Tynan, soprano - Megan
Rosie Hay, soprano
- 'The Birds' of Rhiannon/Three Dressers
Samantha Hay, soprano
- 'The Birds' of Rhiannon/Three Dressers
Amanda Baldwin, soprano
- 'The Birds' of Rhiannon/Three Dressers
Guests etc., Mal's Men
- Chorus of Welsh National Opera
Orchestra of Welsh National Opera
Anthony Negus - conductor

Recorded in Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff
6 October 2007 (live recording)

Producer - Rebecca Warner
Sound engineer - Mike Frost
Assistant sound engineer - Simon Smith
BBC Music Magazine
Opera Choice - 5 stars

‘...here, time and time again, one has that experience where a vocal phrase takes off and something in the pit of the stomach lifts with it. Of course the splendid solo team must take some of the credit for that: Christopher Purves's anguished but dignified General, Lisa Milne's noble but tragically duty-bound Sian, and Sarah Tynan's weirdly touching Megan stand out, but there are no weak performances.

The chorus, and particularly the orchestra of Welsh National Opera are magnificently on top of the music. This production, recorded live in remarkably clear sound with very little distracting noise, has a sustained urgency, which nevertheless allows time for the more inward moments to open out expressively. Recommended.’
The Times

'Judged by its music, MacMillan’s opera of love and war offers many thrills: soaring lyric arias, choral laments, percussive clamour, folksy musings, all couched in a vivid, friendly musical language (like a marriage between Britten and Berg). Vigorous singing, too, in this 2007 live recording from Welsh National Opera, with Lisa Milne and Christopher Purves standing out.'