Be not afeard, the isle is full of noises - Joseph Fieness
Live With Me and Be My Love - Annie Lennox
As an unperfect actor on the stage - John Gielgud
My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun - Alan Rickman
Why is my verse so barren of new pride - Diana Rigg
Who will believe my verse in time to come - Richard Attenborough
That you were once unkind befriends me now - Paul Rhys
How oft, when thou, my music - Juliet Stevenson
When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes - Rufus Wainwright
Being your slave, what should I do but tend - Janet McTeer
Tired with all these, for restful death I cry - Alan Bates
When I consider everything that grows - Marianne Jean-Baptiste
Let those who are in favour with their stars - David Warner
They that have power to hurt and will do none - Sian Phillips
Those lips that Love's own hand did make - John Hurt
Come again sweet love (John Dowland) - John Potter
Th'expense of spirit in a waste of shame - Ralph Fiennes
Thine eyes I love, and they, as pitying me - Matthew Rhys
I never saw that you did painting need - Imelda Staunton
When to the sessions of sweet silent thought - Kenneth Branagh
It is thy will thy image should keep open - Fiona Shaw
Mine eye and heart are at mortal war - Henry Goodman
No more be grieved at that which thou hast done - Keb' Mo'
O never say that I was false of heart - Susannah York
Look in thy glass and tell the face thou viewest - Timothy Spall
Some glory in their birth, some in their skill - Peter Barkworth
How heavy do I journey on the way - Gemma Jones
Since brass, nor stone, nor earth, nor boundless sea - Jonathan Pryce
Like as the waves make towards the pebbled shore - Richard Wilson
The quality of mercy is not straines - Des'ree
Sweet love, renew thy force; be it not said - Tom Courtnay
Since I left you, mine eye is in my mind - Zoe Waites
Be wise as thou art cruel; do not press - Edward Fox
It is for fear to wet a widow's eye - Trevor Eve
So it is not with me as with that Muse - Imogen Stubbs
Devouring Time, blunt thou the lion's paws - David Harewood
The Willow Song - Barbara Bonney
When my love swears that she is made of truth - Richard Johnson
When I do count the clock that tells the time - Martin Jarvis
What potions have I drunk of siren tears - Roger Hammond
Not marble nor the gilded monuments - Richard Briers
Sin of self-love possesseth all mine eye - John Sessions
Let me not to the marriage of true minds - Thelma Holt
Music to hear, why hearst thou music sadly - Ladysmith Black Mambazo
When forty winters shall besiege thy brow - Caroline Blakiston
No longer mourn for me when I am dead - Peter Bowles
Love is my sin, and thy dear virtue hate - Sylvia Syms
Why didst thou promise such a beauteous day - Robert Lindsay
Not from the stars do I my judgement pluck - Ioan Gruffudd
My love is as a fever, longing still - John Hurt
The little Love-God lying once asleep - Bohdan Poraj
Shall I compare thee to a summer's day - Bryan Ferry
Our revels are now ended - Joseph Fiennes
When Love Speaks is a beautiful, classic gift of love inspired by the sonnets of William Shakespeare. A lovely 44-page book features all of the texts, with lovely original artwork and includes a single CD featuring William... more » Shakespeare's love sonnets read by some of the finest actors in the world. Artists Rufus Wainright, Barbara Bonney, Des'ree, Bryan Ferry, Keb Mo, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Annie Lennox, and John Potter perform eight new, original songs. Much of the music was written and conducted by top film composer Michael Kamen.« less
When Love Speaks is a beautiful, classic gift of love inspired by the sonnets of William Shakespeare. A lovely 44-page book features all of the texts, with lovely original artwork and includes a single CD featuring William Shakespeare's love sonnets read by some of the finest actors in the world. Artists Rufus Wainright, Barbara Bonney, Des'ree, Bryan Ferry, Keb Mo, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Annie Lennox, and John Potter perform eight new, original songs. Much of the music was written and conducted by top film composer Michael Kamen.
"I wish Alan Rickman would engage in more spoken word recordings - his voice is incredible. As another reviewer wrote I, too, bought this CD for Rickman alone, but the cd is great from start to finish. Now, if Alan Rickman would only record something like Edgar Alan Poe's poems! Could you imagine THAT voice doing 'The Raven', or 'The Bells'. Haunting! Absolutely haunting. Please Mr. Rickman (bended kneee) read this and indulge your many fans!
BTW: For those of you who enjoy Alan Rickman, he has recorded 'Return of the Native' by Thomas Hardy -- it is super!"
RADA; Royal Academy of Deficient Actors when compared to Joe
Patricia Sorensen | 07/17/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If you enjoy Shakespeare you will appreciate this recording of various sonnets performed by various English actors. Some are presented as musical pieces which seem forced and not enough time is allowed between readings,
HOWEVER, the most interesting aspect of the recording is that Mr. Fiennes, who was rejected by RADA as a student, is the only non-RADA graduate invited to participate in the recording.
Also , he is given the honor of performing the first and last selections. The reason why is obvious. His performance is so far superior to the others you wonder why they didn't just let him record the entire program."
Beautiful, well-chosen sonnets
Amber R. Habig | Carlisle, Ohio United States | 08/24/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"The musical interludes did not really capture my attention vocally, except for Rufus Wainright's who gave the tune a nice style. The speakers had excellent voices and grasp of the material. I especially like Alan Rickman's, Juliet Stevenson's, Susanah Harker's, and Kenneth Branagh's readings. I recommend this CD especially if you are a Shakespeare fan."
Sonnet bliss
Star Gazer | Ipswich UK | 10/12/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"To those of us that revel in the sound of poetry spoken at its best this collection of RADA artists reading Shakespeare's sonnets is pure joy. This collection is beautifully put together and the variety of sublime speaking voices brings each classic verse to life.If this were not enough the spoken voices are intermixed with musical versions performed by some of our most creative contemporary voices from the POP world such as Bryan Ferry, Annie Lennox and Rufus Wainright who bring an additional depth and nuance to their very individual interpretations that will make you want to go back again and again. Oh for more of th same."