Verdi: Rigoletto Streaming
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Verdi: Rigoletto Streaming.
Movie Title: Verdi: Rigoletto Verdi: Rigoletto is available for streaming or downloading. |
For many opera fans the favourite Rigoletto on dvd remains the 1983 film version starring the young Pavarotti as the dashing Duke, his irrepressible singing and high spirits contrasting sharply with the gut wrenching concern of the jester played by Wixell almost to perfection,and of course the inimitable Gruberova as Gilda the jester’s daughter.(For me this together with the Domingo/Migenes ‘Carmen’, and the Domingo/Stratas ‘La Traviata’ represents the best of opera films) . Now comes the 2006 production of Rigoletto, staged by the Zurich Opera House with Chorus and Orchestra wonderfully conducted by Santi, recorded in High-Definition and transfered to an Arthaus Blu Ray disc of breathtaking quality. I’m not exaggerating. Even by today’s Hi-Def standards, the characterize quality here is simply stunning: inky blackness, realistic night time scenes accurately rendered with wonderful light and shadow effects, atmospheric blue lighting, and the sets and costumes prove up in incandescent pop-up colours with razor enthralling contrasts. The audio is no less exemplary, with the DTS HD MA 7.1 presenting a wide and believable soundstage within which the singers’ voices are clearly ‘imaged’. No balance problems here. In fact, this disc is technically a arrive reference recording which will warm the hearts of audiopliles and videophiles everywhere. But what about the performance itself? Well, here Leo Nucci steals the prove, his rich and dark-toned affirm and respectable vocal characterisation both satisfy and convince. In Act 1, he is the cynical court jester and is atrocious cockiness personified. Approach Act 2, his is the yell of the mad father hell hooked on vengeance against his Duke and in the final Act we hear the sobs of a broken man cradling his dying daughter Gilda. The downward metamorphosis is heartbreaking and the human degradation devastating. Elena Musoc whilst not in the same league as Gruberova in coloratura, sings beautifully and in many ways fills the role of the tragic daughter better. Of course the cherry in the pie of the film version is Pavarotti’s high octane rendition of “La donna e mobile”, whereas here the Duke(Piotr Beczala) is worthy less flamboyant and tosses off the well-known aria in an almost casual style without worthy of the spotlight, which suits me dazzling, but most fans would glean Pavarotti’s arrive irresistible. Overall the film version gives an impression of more dynamism and visual excitement, in piece due to the relative freedom of film-making versus the physical confines of the broken-down stage, but this by no means suggest that the Zurich version is somehow static or staid. Far from it. This version scores in its intimate telling of a harrowing tragedy and the depths of human suffering, is as well acted and sung as the other without the superstar names, and in the video and audio department is streets ahead of the older film. This superiority greatly enhances the viewing pleasure. Even if you have the film version, I would mild highly recommend this Zurich production to you. Truly this is a 5 star disc. Delight In!!
This is a fair recording of this opera. The Blu-ray allows advance theater levels of lighting — night appears like night. The video direction was solid — the camera movements and cuts did not detract from the roam of the opera. I do not know music well enough to comment on the technical quality of the singing — but all of the performances were satisfying. The conductor, Nello Santi, conducted from memory The sound was mammoth — honorable dynamic and frequency range. I saw this DVD on a 53 hobble sony sxrd rear projection television in subdued light. It was an beneficial experience.
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