I have seen and heard a lot of "critics" belittle Yanni's music as being "new age", yet he has composed original pieces, then assembled an exceptionally talented group of musicians to perform his music as he wants it - live, on-stage, with The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra (London, England). It's pretty hard to beat that kind of credibility. To match the talent of the performers, it is only logical that the video's production quality is unusually high, incorporating multiple, crane-mounted and hand-held cameras to help immerse you in the event. That is what this DVD does; it puts you in the midst of the music.

The orchestration and featured individual performances give the songs a majestic quality often lost on regular CD releases. When the DVD first begins with the first selection and the French horns and orchestra announce their triumphant theme, you can see and feel the excitement, emotion, and elation Yanni must have felt when it all was finally "for real" and live.  Recorded live at the Herod Atticus Theatre, Athens, Greece on 25^th September 1993, the orchestra conducted by Shardad Rohani, is a sight to behold. This surely was the high point in Yanni's career. Some of Yanni's most stirring music performed in one the most magnificent settings in the world - the ancient Acropolis of Athens in Greece, what better venue can you ever think of, than being beneath the golden glow of the Pantheon..

This show is best viewed in a darkened room as the perfection of the evening seems to emanate from the screen. It's not hard to imagine yourself sitting among the audience, especially with an adequate (or better) sound system to convey the music. Follow Yanni as he slips through the opening track the timeless Santorini, Keys to Imagination and The Rain Must Fall, among many other masterpieces.  A good example is the rendition of Aria that literally gives you goose bumps. Within Attractions and One man's dream are fantastic. Felista is a nice song for his mother, while the final track The End of August is to end the nice evening with a style. Although this is a very good number in its original composition from the "Dare to Dream" album, the concert version adds horn flourishes and additional orchestration that elevates it to one of the best pieces in a lineup of extraordinary music.

The music and presentation were absolutely first class with the most impressive part being the way the composer and musicians were able to project their hearts and souls within the music itself. Yanni's performance seems completely genuine, and the audience responds to that.

You can feel the power and beauty of the music engulfing you and flowing through you, for it is the music itself that fills you, flows through you and moves you.

As far as the video quality is concerned, it is excellent, crisp and clear. There is also no problem in seeing the faces of all the performers even on some of the long shots. Though the visual effects, especially lighting is a bit faint at times, it is passable for a concert of this stature. Get transported to Greece.

Special Features on the disc include Backstage interviews with Yanni and members of his band and exclusive behind the scenes footage of the making of ‘Yanni Live at the Acropolis’.

Rating: *****

Reviewed by Verus Ferreira