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Donizetti on DVD and Blu-ray

26K views 124 replies 28 participants last post by  SixFootScowl 
#1 · (Edited)


Donizetti's "L'Elisir d'Amore" is lots of fun, especially with Rolando Villazon playing the silly Nemorino. He's really funny and vocally he's in such good form that the audience demands (and gets) a repeat of his big aria "Una Furtiva Lagrima". Leo Nucci as Villazon's pompous rival for Netrebko's love puts on a good show too and Anna is her usual adorable self. I also have a DVD of this opera with Pavarotti and Kathleen Battle and even though these two are vocally just as good or even marginally better than Villazon & Netrebko - Pavarotti is too much of a statue compared to the lively almost Chaplin-esque Villazon, and that's why the Villazon & Netrebko DVD makes for the more entertaining of the two.
 
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#105 ·
Nice Aramis, and from the cover picture, Anna looks just fine.
But yes, same thing with the Met production, they gave her unflattering costume.
I cancelled my pre-order of this once I learned that a blu-ray will come later.
Can't wait.
 
#110 ·
Postman delivered package today from Presto UK...........inside is the Netrebko Anna Bolena blu ray

My humble impressions very soon
Anna fan???
 
#115 ·
Just watched the DVD from Munich of Lucrezia Borgia with Edita Gruberova, Pavol Breslik and Alice Coote conducted by Bertrand de Billy and sets by Christoph Loy. It was filmed in 2009 i think and it is brilliant. Gruberova is stunning! I am left speechless by the finale. Breslik is really good and a new one to me. Alice Coote's performance i also enjoyed.

Wow what an opera...and what a performance from Gruberova. I am converted!
 
#116 · (Edited)
The more I see and hear Donizetti, the more I need to correct my impression, based on past critics, that he composed a lot of poor operas. Certainly some are better than others, but one can say that of most composers; we all have bad days.
Of more recent note:

1. Gemma di Vergi with Maria Agreata -- Splendid score; marvellous soprano; over-the-hill tenor
2. Lucia (Blu ray) with Netrebko
3. Maria Stuarda (Met) with DiDonato -- Best available version, IMHO.
4. Lucrezia Borgia (Blu ray) fron San Fransisco with Fleming, which is quite good.
5. Poliuto from Bergamo that is mostly good but no HD.

What a wealth of splendid music!
 
#117 · (Edited)
My favorite Donizetti recording is an "unofficial" one recorded off the TV ... a PBS broadcast of "Lucia" from the Met (2011) starring Natalie Dessay, Joseph Calleja, and Ludovic Tezier. "blackivory28" offers otherwise unavailable performances via its internet site.
I have one other offering from this provider and am quite pleased with the purchases.

"blackivory28"'s 'Blu-ray' offerings, IMO, are similar in quality to a nice (21st century recorded) DVD ... don't expect, for instance, an audio format like DTS Master Audio.
But considering that this performance is otherwise unavailable, I'm quite happy with it.

Ms. Dessay is terrific in her performance ... Joseph Calleja's efforts inspired me to search Amazon for other offerings he is part of ... and Ludovic Tezier is very good as well. A splendid production, and a jewel in my collection.

Dress Wedding dress Flash photography Happy Font
 
#121 ·
My favorite Donizetti recording is an "unofficial" one recorded off the TV ... a PBS broadcast of "Lucia" from the Met (2011) starring Natalie Dessay, Joseph Calleja, and Ludovic Tezier. "blackivory28" offers otherwise unavailable performances via its internet site.
I have one other offering from this provider and am quite pleased with the purchases.

"blackivory28"'s 'Blu-ray' offerings, IMO, are similar in quality to a nice (21st century recorded) DVD ... don't expect, for instance, an audio format like DTS Master Audio.
But considering that this performance is otherwise unavailable, I'm quite happy with it.

Ms. Dessay is terrific in her performance ... Joseph Calleja's efforts inspired me to search Amazon for other offerings he is part of ... and Ludovic Tezier is very good as well. A splendid production, and a jewel in my collection.

View attachment 47935
Bloody shame it's never released official :devil:
 
#122 · (Edited)
My Maria Callas Anna Bolena CD has piqued my interest in this opera to the point I must have a DVD. I am going to give this one a try, just ordered early this morning, featuring Dimitra Theodossiou. The You Tube Clip is pretty good (in my amateur opinion), the set so-so though. The other thing is that my CD is about 2 hrs, 15 minutes, but the DVD is 3 hours. I see the CD edition with Dimitra Theodossiou is a 3 CD set, so the Callas set must be a shorter version.
 
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