Going through the list, it strikes me that the recommended list was drawn up and voted by members of the Anna Netrebko Supporters Association . Any DVD with her in it got recommended and got voted as most recommended. I pick on two examples that is most glaring:
The Most recommended La Triviata is the Netrebko and Villazon version which is a modern minimalist production. I can make allowance for the melting clock (miming Savador Dali?), but there was this strange fellow who follows Violetta around the stage. He has no speaking part. What was the director trying to show us? The priciples's singing is excellent, but we are not talking about CD here, but DVD. It got to have an important visual element in it to qualify as the most recommended. This production is spoiled by its poor visual effect. In my humble opinion, there are many others La Traviata DVDs that are far superior.
The one that stands out like a sore thumb to my mind is the most recommended I Puritani. Unlike the most recommended La Traviata, the visual effect of this production is good. But it seems that the entire production was organised as an Anna Netrebko benefit show. When Arturo was making his entry to sing A te O cara, the camera was actually pointing at Elvira. And Eric Cutler's voice was so weak that he can hardly be heard (I believe that he was suffering from a bout of bronchitis and was replaced by Gregory Kunde afterwards). Surely if it is the most recommended, then one must take into consideration of all aspect of the production and not just focusing on one person. Arturo is as important to the story as Elvira. If Arturo is not up to standard, then it is cannot be the 'most recommended'.
Just my two cents worth of thought.
The Most recommended La Triviata is the Netrebko and Villazon version which is a modern minimalist production. I can make allowance for the melting clock (miming Savador Dali?), but there was this strange fellow who follows Violetta around the stage. He has no speaking part. What was the director trying to show us? The priciples's singing is excellent, but we are not talking about CD here, but DVD. It got to have an important visual element in it to qualify as the most recommended. This production is spoiled by its poor visual effect. In my humble opinion, there are many others La Traviata DVDs that are far superior.
The one that stands out like a sore thumb to my mind is the most recommended I Puritani. Unlike the most recommended La Traviata, the visual effect of this production is good. But it seems that the entire production was organised as an Anna Netrebko benefit show. When Arturo was making his entry to sing A te O cara, the camera was actually pointing at Elvira. And Eric Cutler's voice was so weak that he can hardly be heard (I believe that he was suffering from a bout of bronchitis and was replaced by Gregory Kunde afterwards). Surely if it is the most recommended, then one must take into consideration of all aspect of the production and not just focusing on one person. Arturo is as important to the story as Elvira. If Arturo is not up to standard, then it is cannot be the 'most recommended'.
Just my two cents worth of thought.