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DVD Description
Tracklist Disc 1 1. Preludio 2. All'erta! All'erta! L'alba appari 3. O di Cromwell guerrieri 4. A festa! A festa! 5. Or dove fuggo mai? 6. Ah! per sempre io ti perdei 7. O amato zio, o mio secondo padre! 8. Chi mosso a' miei desir il genitor? 9. Odi... Qual suon si desta? 10. Ad Arturo onore 11. A te, o cara 12. Il rito augusto si compia senza me 13. Cavalier! - Se t'è duopo il consiglio 14. Son vergin vezzosa 15. Ferma! Invan, invan rapir pretendi 16. Dov'è Arturo? 17. Oh! vieni al tempio 18. Ma tu già mi fuggi? 19. Pausengespräch 1 20. Bellini's "Puritani" - M. Juntwait & B. Sills (Bonus) 21. Backstage - R. Fleming & J. Clark (Bonus) 22. Catalogue Slideshow (Bonus)
Disc 2 1. Ah dolor! Ah terror! 2. Qual novella - Cinta di fiori 3. E di morte lo stral non sarà lento 4. O rendetemi la speme 5. Vien, diletto, è in ciel la luna 6. Il rival salvar tu dêi 7. Riccardo! Riccardo! Il duol che sì m'accora 8. Pausengespräch 2 9. Son salvo, alfin son salvo 10. A una fonte afflitto e solo 11. Fini ... me lassa! 12. Vieni, vieni fra questa braccia 13. Alto là! 14. Credeasi, misera! 15. Suon d'araldi? 16. Closing Credits
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
24 of 26 people found the following review helpful
Dramatically, this isn't one of Bellini's strongest works. Musically, it is sublime. and so the need for singing over drama is easy to understand. This production was originally mounted for Sutherland and Pavarotti, who no doubt provided bel canto a plenty. The new cast try to make more sense of the drama and the singing isn't in the same league.
La Netrebko looks lovely throughout, and has a beautiful voice. But she's overparted by the florid nature of much of this music. Her voice has a heavy slavic quality and she simply doesn't sparkle in the famous polonaise (and is often flat). "Ah vieni o tempio" at the end of act 1, where she sings more lyric music, suits her much better, and the histrionics of the mad scene draw some fine moments, although, once again, her coloratrura is muddy. The final (Malibran) cabaletta is similarly prosaic. A frustrating singer, who has so much to offer but who hasn't really the technique for this repertoire. And her interpretation of the text - whatever one might think of it's quality - is perfunctory. This is a show-off opera, sure, but a little more integrity and intelligence would compensate for technical shortcomings.
Eric Cutler just manages his high notes in "Ah, te o Caro" but they're not especially lovely. Otherwise he gives a clean decently sung Arturo. It's a killer role. The other parts are well sung.
I generally warmed to the magnificent sets and elaborate costumes, but the "production" is non-existant, and there's nothing very thrilling about it. That wouldn't matter with fabulous singing. Netrebko's fans will imagine she provides it. But I think posterity will put her in the Anna Moffo camp rather than the Callas one, if she's not careful.
La Netrebko looks lovely throughout, and has a beautiful voice. But she's overparted by the florid nature of much of this music. Her voice has a heavy slavic quality and she simply doesn't sparkle in the famous polonaise (and is often flat). "Ah vieni o tempio" at the end of act 1, where she sings more lyric music, suits her much better, and the histrionics of the mad scene draw some fine moments, although, once again, her coloratrura is muddy. The final (Malibran) cabaletta is similarly prosaic. A frustrating singer, who has so much to offer but who hasn't really the technique for this repertoire. And her interpretation of the text - whatever one might think of it's quality - is perfunctory. This is a show-off opera, sure, but a little more integrity and intelligence would compensate for technical shortcomings.
Eric Cutler just manages his high notes in "Ah, te o Caro" but they're not especially lovely. Otherwise he gives a clean decently sung Arturo. It's a killer role. The other parts are well sung.
I generally warmed to the magnificent sets and elaborate costumes, but the "production" is non-existant, and there's nothing very thrilling about it. That wouldn't matter with fabulous singing. Netrebko's fans will imagine she provides it. But I think posterity will put her in the Anna Moffo camp rather than the Callas one, if she's not careful.
20 of 23 people found the following review helpful
The previous review seriously underplays, I think, the many virtues of this marvellous production. The sets are very good, the orchestra is first class, the conducting excellent, and the atmosphere strong. All the main singers are high quality. Anna Netrebko, to my mind, gives an amazing performance, full of characterization and beautiful singing. Her coloratura is not quite in the Sutherland league - but I have recently re-watched/listened to the latter and, while the high notes of Sutherland's voice are peerless, overall Netrebko's voice + acting + appearance tilt the scales clearly in her favour.
This is a bargain of a DVD.
This is a bargain of a DVD.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Your reaction to this performance will depend on what you want out of opera, or bel canto in particular. If it's all about singing for you, there's much to admire. Netrebko produces beautiful sounds, Relyea sings handsomely if with a little gruffness. His duet with Vasallo is appropriately stirring. Cutler acquits himself well in the murderous tenor role of Arturo, managing his D-flats without giving the impression he's being strangled. His is not the most mellifluous voice, nor does he catch you by the throat as Pavarotti did in this role. But the final act duo with Netrebko, transposed down half a tone, comes off beautifully.
Bel canto aficionados will compare Netrebko with Sutherland and Sills and find her wanting. Her coloratura is rather approximate and if you allow yourself to shift focus from the sound of her voice to the actual technique you may find yourself wondering if Elvira is really her kind of role.
Those who view opera as perhaps the most challenging art form, man's most advanced amalgam of sight, sound and visceral emotion, will find a different set of likes and dislikes in this performance. I'm definitely in this category. I loved Netrebko. She is a consummate actress, sounds and looks gorgeous, adds a third dimension to this rather two-dimensional story. Her mad scenes are gut-wrenching, totally involving. Patrick Summers accompanies her and the rest of the cast admirably and the Met Orchestra maintains its usual high standard.
But from there, it's downhill. The 30-year old production looks even older. As dowdy as it is, what happens on stage, Netrebko apart, is even dowdier. I was amazed to find a Stage Director listed; Sharon Thomas. What did she do? There is absolutely no action on stage to speak of. The chorus files on, sings, files off. Individual singers walk on, sing, put their hands to their hearts to signify emotion, walk off. Relyea, as Giorgio, looks as if his mum's dressed him in Sunday best and told him not to get dirty. And to judge from his expression throughout, the suit's far too tight. As Gualtiero, Valerian Rumanski gives the impression there are other things he would sooner be doing than singing right now. Every time Netrebko steps on stage the temperature rises forty degrees yet only Cutler responds, or tries to. As my wife says, this is a great opera to play while you're next door in the kitchen, listening to wonderful music and popping in to catch Netrebko's bits.
Sound and picture are good. Extras are Fleming interviewing Netrebko and others backstage between acts - not particularly enlightening - and some very interesting commentary by Margaret Juntwait and Beverley Sills.
Bel canto aficionados will compare Netrebko with Sutherland and Sills and find her wanting. Her coloratura is rather approximate and if you allow yourself to shift focus from the sound of her voice to the actual technique you may find yourself wondering if Elvira is really her kind of role.
Those who view opera as perhaps the most challenging art form, man's most advanced amalgam of sight, sound and visceral emotion, will find a different set of likes and dislikes in this performance. I'm definitely in this category. I loved Netrebko. She is a consummate actress, sounds and looks gorgeous, adds a third dimension to this rather two-dimensional story. Her mad scenes are gut-wrenching, totally involving. Patrick Summers accompanies her and the rest of the cast admirably and the Met Orchestra maintains its usual high standard.
But from there, it's downhill. The 30-year old production looks even older. As dowdy as it is, what happens on stage, Netrebko apart, is even dowdier. I was amazed to find a Stage Director listed; Sharon Thomas. What did she do? There is absolutely no action on stage to speak of. The chorus files on, sings, files off. Individual singers walk on, sing, put their hands to their hearts to signify emotion, walk off. Relyea, as Giorgio, looks as if his mum's dressed him in Sunday best and told him not to get dirty. And to judge from his expression throughout, the suit's far too tight. As Gualtiero, Valerian Rumanski gives the impression there are other things he would sooner be doing than singing right now. Every time Netrebko steps on stage the temperature rises forty degrees yet only Cutler responds, or tries to. As my wife says, this is a great opera to play while you're next door in the kitchen, listening to wonderful music and popping in to catch Netrebko's bits.
Sound and picture are good. Extras are Fleming interviewing Netrebko and others backstage between acts - not particularly enlightening - and some very interesting commentary by Margaret Juntwait and Beverley Sills.
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