Donizetti - L'Elisir d'Amore / Pavarotti, Battle, Pons, Dara, Upshaw, Levine, Metropolitan Opera

Starring:Luciano Pavarotti, Kathleen Battle, Juan Pons, Enzo Dara, James Levine
Director: Dawn Upshaw
Studio: Deutsche Grammophon
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
It would be hard to imagine a better performance of Donizetti's comic masterpiece. If there was one role that ideally suited Luciano Pavarotti's voice and stage personality, it was Nemorino, the impoverished and not-very-bright peasant who worships the village's prettiest and richest young woman from a distance, is swindled by a traveling vendor of "miracle" medicines, but wins her hand by dumb luck. The story has comedy, pathos, and a put-down of Wagner's Tristan und Isolde (or at least the Tristan story) written long before Wagner composed it.

Amazon.com

It would be hard to imagine a better performance of Donizetti's comic masterpiece. If there was one role that ideally suited Luciano Pavarotti's voice and stage personality, it was Nemorino, the impoverished and not-very-bright peasant who worships the village's prettiest and richest young woman from a distance, is swindled by a traveling vendor of "miracle" medicines, but wins her hand by dumb luck. The story has comedy, pathos, and a put-down of Wagner's Tristan und Isolde (or at least the Tristan story) written long before Wagner composed it.

Customer Reviews:

I never thought opera would be so entertaining.......2006-12-03

This is the first opera I watched because its music has been used in the movie "Match Point" by Woody Allen which I find beautiful. I always thought opera to be some kind of classy and boring stuff. I was totally blown away by the powerful voice of the actors and the everybody's enthusiasm that can be felt also from the applauses and cheers from the audience after each scene. Human voice, it is obvious from this performance, is the most beautiful musical instrument.
Despite the primitive stage and costume, this opera seems to have everything that can be found in a great movie, or in life: love, luck, and humor. It is like a no-frill bare-bone style movie, without any sound or visual effects except human voice, facial expression and body movement, but moving and entertaining none the less.

Great performance.......2006-11-02

Yes...this version of L'Elisir d'Amore is one of the most nice presentation I have ever seen of this opera.
Pavarotti and Battle are unforgetable, in their best moment of their carrear. And Levine.....always the great Levine.....don't let to have this DVD on your collection.

The Music is the Thing.......2006-06-26

Pavarotti voice flows through this great music. The kudos for both incredible voice AND saucy acting goes to the lovely Kathleen Battle, ever so spoiled in her role and generous with her upper register. Most funny was Dara as the doctor, I never doubted him for a moment. Luciano, for me, sometimes seems to be winking at us self-consciously, like this is not really me, see me act like a country peasant. Then his great and extended voice grabs me and I feel honored to be in the presence of his singing and Donizetti's music. Afterwards, I felt what a great night at the opera! I'm going back again.

Best Opera DVD ever!.......2006-05-05

This DVD is a must-have for every opera lover. Shows Pavarotti and Battle at their best on a Donizetti masterpiece. Music is wonderful and delightful to our senses, leting us enjoy every second of the show. Extraordinary!!

Excellente.......2005-11-24

This is probably the greatest opera production I have ever seen. The singing is first rate quality. Everyone is in fine voice and with this being an opera buffa the singers are throughly enjoying themselves. I would recommend this as an introduction to opera for anyone and for opera fans alike get this one. Mind you there are some flaws with the overall productions like Italians flags waving around when in truth Donizetti never was around for the establishing of an Italian country so that was totally out of place. (I have noticed that the Met has this annoying habit of throwing in flags of today in opera setting of centuries ago)Also there is Pavarotti wearing a green hospital band on his hand. However, this is opera and opera is about singing and I assure you that great singing is what you get in this production. Buy it!!!! WONDERFUL!!! Bravissimo!!!!

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