Tarfumes.com - Verdi - Un Ballo in Maschera / Levine, Pavarotti, Nucci, Metropolitan Opera

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Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
Starring: Aprile Millo, Luciano Pavarotti, Florence Quivar, Harolyn Blackwell, Leo Nucci
Directed By: Brian Large

Average Customer Rating:

Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Binding: DVD
EAN: 0044007302996
Format: Classical
Label: Deutsche Grammophon
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
Number Of Discs: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: Deutsche Grammophon
Region Code: 1
Release Date: 2002-09-24
Running Time: 137
Studio: Deutsche Grammophon
Theatrical Release Date: 1991-01-26

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Editorial Reviews:

Spotlight customer reviews:

Customer Rating:

Summary: An Opera Neophyte
Comment: All in all a very good presentation. The Soprano took a little while to warm up, "Oscar" was a delight, and Pavarotti was not in his strongest voice but, as I said, a very good presentation. Deutsche Grammaphon seems to excel in these Metropolitan Opera recordings.

Customer Rating:

Summary: Pavarotti's Ballo
Comment: I purchased this after hearing a number of interviews with Luciano in which he satated repeatedly that Un Ballo In Maschera is his favorite opera. Interviewers were trying to put words in his mouth and Luciano kept repeating, no...that Ballo is his all time favorite, then stated his reasons. I purchased this performance based on Amazon customer reviews. Pavarotti, Nucci and Milo and Levine are suprub, as usual. However, when I will be shopping again I will look for a different production. Not, of course, because I already bought this one...but, because I believe I'd find better renderings of this opera with Luciano Pavarotti. Please shop around.

Customer Rating:

Summary: Tears Amid Perfection
Comment: Un Ballo In Maschera has long been my favorite Verdi opera since seeing it first, live, with Placido Domingo and Gilda Cruz-Romo in Ft. Worth in the late 60's. I've seen and heard it many times since, but my new DVD with the exceptional cast of Pavarotti, Millo, Nucci & Blackwell is the best ever. The love scene brought tears such as only perfect beauty can induce, and the death of King Gustave (Pavarotti) brought tears of sadness as I realized that this incomparable singer is forever silenced. Thankfully, there is an enormous library of his recordings available, and I couldn't recommend any one more than this opera for the new opera-buff.

Customer Rating:

Summary: Riveting Opera
Comment: This opera runs a little over two hours, and it will be the fastest two hours of opera you will ever see. James Levine and the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra support a superstar cast. The costumes and set are magnificent. This DVD is a must-have for your collection.

One thing that I found unusual about this opera is the lack of any big choruses, the normal Verdi trademark. It doesn't matter. What choruses there are were well-sung by the Met chorus.

The principals are stunning, starting with former Broadway star Harolyn Blackwell as Oscar. She has a leggiero soprano that is clear as a bell, and she is captivating on stage. The great baritone Leo Nucci sings the role of Renato, the jealous husband of Amelia, and the guy who gets to stab Pavarotti in Act 3. His best scene was definitely the opening aria of Act 3 ("A tal colpa e nulla il pianto"). In this aria, he is convinced that wife Amelia has been having an affair with King Gustavus, and vows to kill her then and there. It was very well sung and convincingly acted.

Big-voiced mezzo Florence Quivar sings the juicy part of Ulrica, the gypsy/witch/fortuneteller. You will not believe her low notes, so have the home theatre system or TV speakers turned up. She is a true Verdi mezzo. Her voice has serious cut in all the registers. She dominated the stage every time she sang.

The legendary Luciano Pavarotti sang Gustavus. This performance was recorded in 1991, when Pavarotti was still on his game. What is so amazing to me in watching him is that he had absolutely no tension anywhere. He proves that you don't have to bust a vein to produce sound. He has some spectacular moments in this opera. I loved the singing in his big scene with Amelia in Act 2 ("Teco io sto"/"Gran Dio!"). Pavarotti got on my nerves in this scene because, even though it is a love duet, he never even looked at Aprile until the end. I guess he just had to keep his eye on the prompter. He sang it well, though. His death in Act 3 was very well sung.

Aprile Millo was just fantastic in the coveted role of Amelia. Interestingly, she didn't "grow into" Verdi roles, she sang them from the beginning. When you hear her sing this role, you'll see why. Her first big aria ("Ecco l'orrido campo"-"Ma dall'arido stelo") was superb. But her next big aria ("Morro, ma prima in grazia") was a literal showstopper. It drove the Met crowd into loud and prolonged cheering. The acting in this aria was amazing. This aria follows husband Renato's aria, when he threatens to kill her. In her aria, she asks to hold her son one last time before she dies. At one point, she reaches for Renato's hand begging for forgiveness. He coldly rejects her.

What a great performance. We are lucky to have it available on DVD.

Highly recommended.

Customer Rating:

Summary: Ballo at the Met
Comment: After hearing to this wonderful performance, I couldn't avoid and started to compare it (mentally) to the Met's DVD of this same opera taped in 1980. Both have their strong and weak points:

1- The production: Both Moshinsky (1980) and Faggioni (1991) offer the viewer rather conventional productions that, however, work very well, being inobtrusive to the action (something essential to me).

2- The conducting: Personally, I prefer Giuseppe Patane's (1980) to James Levine's (1991). Sometimes Levine doesn't underline certain moments where this would be most welcome and can also be a bit crude, but these are minor quibbles. Both he and Patane were on the helm of one of best orchestras in the world, so nothing could go wrong.

3- The singers: PAVAROTTI's voice is clearly heavier and darker in 1991 rather than in 1980, but his is a performance to treasure (in both productions). He is to me, the one who best knows how to perform this character. Just watch, in both productions) the way he acts when he learns from Ulrica that he will be murdered. He almost has Gustavo (Ricardo) in his blood. APRILE MILLO is a very good singer, with a nice, resounding voice and with very good acting abillities (just watch her "Morrò, ma prima in grazia"). Her Amelia is a very moving portrayal. I just would like her to sing a little more pianissimo in some moments, which I know she can but, some how, doens't manage to do. KATIA RICCIARELLI in 1980, has a more sweet, less powerful voice, and she, like Millo, plays Amelia with great sensivity and care for the music. Both Amelia's are very good, among the best one can come across with. In my own opinion, both Renato's (almost) steal the show. QUILICO (1980) and NUCCI (1991), though possesing different timbres manage to express, at first, the deep faithfulness of Renato for his King and then, the humiliation and the rage the character feels. QUILICO is the most 'regular' (his first aria is wonderfully sang), NUCCI has a somewhat shaky start, but both reach to great heights as the opera progresses. both do entire justice to Renato's music. Ulrica has always been a difficult character to bring off, because it is only present in one act and because it needs a very low female voice. BIANCA BERINI (1980) and FLORENCE QUIVAR (1991) lack this last, specially the first. Beyond that, BERINI'S voice is not as full as QUIVAR's. Despite this, they both hold their own against the rest of the singers, though QUIVAR seems to me more effective. The only singers who really bring off Ulrica are, in my opinion, LUDWIG (with Solti) and COSSOTTO (with Muti). The Oscar of HEROLYN BLACKWELL (1991) is very well sung and acted, but I prefer JUDITH BLEGEN's (1980) more refined portrayal (specially in vocal terms). Sam and Tom (Horn and Ribbing) are well cast in both productions. WILLIAM WILDERMAN and JULIAN ROBBINS (1980), TERRY COOK and JEFFREY WELLS (1991), have all good voices and make a nice impression.

In way of conclusion, I think both performances are excellent with any weak link. It all depends on the singers one may prefer.

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