The score is full of attractive and often beautiful music that will leave the doubter speechless. It may not be Verdi or Donizetti—was all Verdi great?—but there is a quality of musical endeavour here that must surely strike the listener as being well beyond the perceived ‘dry as dust’ or overly sentimental qualities that have attached themselves to this period of British music. This is operatic music at its best, not over the top, but moving and attractive The performers in this groundbreaking recording are the Victorian Opera Chorus and Orchestra. The quality of the singing from the principals and chorus is excellent. All the players are kept in order by Ronald Corp, who has drawn an outstanding performance from all concerned Robin Hood has seriously impressed me. The more I hear this music the more it appears competent, attractive, often beautiful, sometimes moving and always interesting. And I am not an opera buff! In fact, I am coming to love it as much as I love G&S.This is a CD that all opera fans ought to have. Some people will ignore it simply because it was written by an Englishman during Queen Victoria’s reign. They would be utterly misguided to do so. This is a great work; possibly the composer’s masterpiece and is a light opera (not operetta) that can hold its best up against anything offered by the Italians and the French and the Germans from the same period."

John France - MusicWeb-International.com - December 2011

The singing here is good, with Nicky Spence, the young Scots tenor, giving a nicely robust performance as Robin Hood. Ronald Corp’s conducting is swaggering when necessary, and it was a massive undertaking to reconstruct the vocal and orchestral scores for this rendition of this very Victorian but quite tuneful work. Richard Traubner - Opera News - February 2012

Despite its unevenness, there is much to enjoy in this revival. Of historical interest in the progress of the English Musical Renaissance. Ian Lace - MusicWeb-International.com - November 2011

music certainly worth hearing for the sheer enjoyment they give to the listeners…one jolly tune after another delights the ear. It is an opera full of charming music …a delightful way to pass an hour or two." Charles H Parsons - American Record Guide - March 2012

anyone even minimally interested in opera in Victorian England needs to get this set"

Christopher Howell - Musicweb-international.com - 26 April 2012

The solo singing is admirably led by Nicky Spence, exhilarating not only in his ballads ‘Englishmen’ and ‘Thy guiding light’ but also in the compelling prison scene…What ultimately remains, though, is amazement that a key work in British operatic history, lost to audiences for over a century, can be disinterred and recorded to such a high overall standard with limited resources Andrew Lamb - Opera magazine - March 2012

The singing here is good, with Nicky Spence, the young Scots tenor, giving a nicely robust performance as Robin Hood. Ronald Corp’s conducting is swaggering when necessary, and it was a massive undertaking to reconstruct the vocal and orchestral scores for this rendition of this very Victorian but quite tuneful work. Richard Traubner - Opera News - February 2012

all is well. Nicky Spence is splendid as Robin Hood: vigorous in the ballad ‘Englishmen by birth’, he is eloquent in the beautiful ‘My own, my guiding star Richard Lawrence - Gramophone magazine - January 2012

Critics Choice
"Thanks to the remarkable enterprise of Victorian Opera, here’s another invaluable and hugely enjoyable offering in the neglected field of Victorian Romantic opera, Macfarren’s Robin Hood—a work easy on the ear and breathing fresh British air, with Nicky Spence leading full-scale forces under Ronald Corp Andrew Lamb - Gramophone magazine - December 2011

CD of the Week: September 24–30 2011

"David’s CD of the Week is a wonderful recording of George Alexander Macfarren’s finest opera, Robin Hood. Classic FM - September 2011