Donizetti - L'Elisir d'Amore / Rescigno, Pavarotti, Blegen, Metropolitan Opera

Donizetti - L'Elisir d'Amore / Rescigno, Pavarotti, Blegen, Metropolitan Opera


Starring:Judith Blegen, Luciano Pavarotti, Brent Ellis, Sesto Bruscantini
Director: Kirk Browning
Studio: Geneon [Pioneer]
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Description
The Metropolitan Opera performance of L'Elisir d'Amore is conducted by Nicola Rescigno and features Luciano Pavarotti in the title role. Donizetti's graceful melodies have long endeared his L'Elisir d'Amore to operatic audiences and performers alike. Judith Blegen, Louise Wohlafka, Luciano Pavarotti, Nicola Rescigno, Sesto Bruscantini.
Donizetti - L'Elisir d'Amore / Rescigno, Pavarotti, Blegen, Metropolitan Opera
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • A heartwarming show!
  • Good show
  • Una maravilla y un lujo
Donizetti - L'Elisir d'Amore / Rescigno, Pavarotti, Blegen, Metropolitan Opera
Starring: Judith Blegen , Luciano Pavarotti , Brent Ellis , and Sesto Bruscantini
Director: Kirk Browning
Manufacturer: Geneon [Pioneer]
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
Pavarotti, LucianoPavarotti, Luciano | ( P ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Used DVDsUsed DVDs | Stores | DVD | Video | Action & Adventure | African American Cinema | Animation | Anime & Manga | Art House & International | Classics | Comedy | Cult Movies | Documentary | Drama | Educational | Fitness & Yoga | Gay & Lesbian | Horror | Kids & Family | Military & War | Music Video & Concerts | Musicals & Performing Arts | Mystery & Suspense | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Special Interests | Sports | Television | Westerns
( D )( D ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Classical | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Opera | Classical | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video
Pavarotti, LucianoPavarotti, Luciano | By Performer | Opera | Classical | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video
Donizetti, GaetanoDonizetti, Gaetano | By Composer | Opera | Classical | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video
Romantic (c.1820-1910)Romantic (c.1820-1910) | By Historical Period | Classical | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video
Similar Items:
  1. Verdi - Ernani / James Levine, The Metropolitan Opera
  2. Verdi - Un ballo in maschera / James Levine, The Metropolitan Opera
  3. Donizetti - Lucia di Lammermoor / Joan Sutherland, Alfredo Kraus, Pablo Elvira, Paul Plishka, Richard Bonynge, Metropolitan Opera
  4. Donizetti - L'Elisir d'Amore / Pavarotti, Battle, Pons, Dara, Upshaw, Levine, Metropolitan Opera
  5. Puccini - Manon Lescaut / Renata Scotto, Placido Domingo, Pablo Elvira, Renato Capecchi, Isola Jones, James Levine, Metropolitan Opera

ASIN: B00005YUOG
Release Date: 2002-06-11

Description

The Metropolitan Opera performance of L'Elisir d'Amore is conducted by Nicola Rescigno and features Luciano Pavarotti in the title role. Donizetti's graceful melodies have long endeared his L'Elisir d'Amore to operatic audiences and performers alike. Judith Blegen, Louise Wohlafka, Luciano Pavarotti, Nicola Rescigno, Sesto Bruscantini.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars A heartwarming show!.......2004-12-02

If, like me, you love Pavarotti but are used to seeing the older man who can hardly move, you will find it a great pleasure just to see him literally bouncing around the stage here! It's worth the price just for that cheerful sight! He is absolutely perfect as the lovestruck and touchingly gullible country bumpkin, and it's plain to see that he loves playing as well as singing this part. He perfectly portrays the suffering, the strength, and the simple dignity of Nemorino, as well as his humorous and lovable side. And he's in terrific voice here!

The rest of the cast is also excellent and the ensemble singing is absolutely fabulous. For me, there were no weak links in this performance.

The opera is staged in a traditional manner without overly elaborate or overly realistic sets. It won't be everybody's cup of tea, but I find it charming and exactly suitable to Donizetti's style. The sound and the camera work can be uneven (that's why 4 and not 5 stars) but that is, unfortunately, pretty common in these films of staged performances, and it doesn't detract from my enjoyment of the show; I just adjust the volume up and down as needed.

This is the DVD to own for those times when you want to be swept away by the beauty of great opera music, but don't want to end up weeping -- yep, the hero and heroine both live to the end! Like I said at the beginning: it's simply heartwarming!

NOTE ADDED 6/3/06: Don't panic & pay a fortune for a copy of this; it's still available at the Met Opera Shop online for a reasonable price.

4 out of 5 stars Good show.......2004-11-02

Although tempted to give this one five stars, I will say that although Pavarotti is definitely in better shape than we see him in later videos, some might still find him too chubby for the role and also his acting still leaves some to be desired. That aside, his singing is superb, and his acting is the best you generally get from him. I personally find him enjoyable enough for the role visually, and well, downright endearing. All the other cast members are a delight. My favorite is the late great buffo, Sesto Bruscantini - very famous in earlier decades - a once practicing lawyer, who knew over 100 opera roles. His comic timing is absolutely perfect as Dulcamara, and the Metropolitan Opera sets for this production are very engaging with Dr. Dulcamara coming down in a hot-air balloon. It's a terrific show all-around. As long as you are not a Pavarotti-hater, you will be very pleased with this DVD.

5 out of 5 stars Una maravilla y un lujo .......2004-10-05

Antes que todo, debo declarar mi gusto por Pavarotti y mi afán por adquirir cuanto Cd o DVD aparezca de él.
Dicho lo anterior, puedo afirmar, con conocimiento de causa, que de todos los DVD de ópera en que participa ese tenor, este de "El Elíxir del Amor" es, como lo dice el título de esta revisión, una maravilla y un lujo.
Alguna vez le escuché decir a Pavarotti que Donizetti le agradaba mucho, pues su voz se adaptaba perfectamente a los requerimiento musicales de ese autor. Pues bien, eso es patente en esta ópera, en que la perfección y gracia de su canto y su presencia en el papel de Nemorino, son verdaderamente increíbles: Logra todos los tonos naturalmente, se desenvuelve en el personaje como si no lo estuviera representando sino que fuera él mismo, y ejecuta y enfrenta arias y duetos en forma magistral (de hecho, se escucha mejor que en grabaciones de estudio, pues los temas llevan impresa la emoción de estar viviendo la historia en el escenario).
Mas no sólo Pavarotti deslumbra en esta ópera: La interpretación de Adina es muy buena, con una soprano que da, además, con la figura de la mujer: Estilizada, fina, atrayente, y con la mirada que tienen las féminas que se saben cortejadas y que creen poder manejar a su amaño a los varones.
Para qué decir del Dr. Dulcamara, y del enamorado Sargento.
En fin, por todo ello (y no quiero agregar más para dejar algo de sorpresa a quien vea u oiga este DVD) recomiendo abiertamente esta ópera. Y conste que la recomiendo no sólo para los amantes del canto lírico, sino también y especialmente para aquellos que tienen curiosidad por ver una ópera completa: Esta es una buena opción, pues es fácil de escuchar y tiene ritmos que, por italianos, se quedan grabados de inmediato en la mente (... dando ganas de tararearlos después).
Cinco estrellas... Sin ninguna duda.

DVD:

  1. Renee & Bryn: Under the Stars
  2. Live at the Blue Note
  3. Maria Callas in Concert - Hamburg 1959 and 1962
  4. Borodin Quartet - Concert Master-Class
  5. Strawberry Letter 23 Live
  6. Back to Stax: Soul Collection
  7. Bill Champlin: In Concert
  8. Diary of a Psalmist
  9. Live at the Royal Albert Hall
  10. Joe Cocker - Live at Montreux 1987

DVD

DVD

DVD

Coming Apart

Postcards From The Edge

Inspector Morse: Deceived By Flight [1987] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

DVD: Crazy Streets

Wasser für Canitoga