Verdi: Un ballo in maschera - DVD

ENGLISH

Verdi: Un ballo in maschera (OA1017D) (2008)<br /> <br /> Marcelo Álvarez (Riccardo); Violeta Urmana (Amelia); Marco Vratogna (Renato); Elena Zaremba (Ulrico); Chorus and Orchestra of Teatro Real; Jesús López Cobos<br /> <br /> Passion, loyalty and political conspiracy are the three pillars of Un ballo in maschera (1859), the ‘most operatic of all operas’. Set in 19th-century Boston, Mario Martone’s atmospheric production for the Teatro Real brings out all the innate theatricality and drama of Verdi’s work. World famous Argentinean tenor Marcelo Álvarez, in the role of Riccardo, leads a fabulous cast including Lithuanian soprano Violeta Urmana as his lover Amelia, and Elena Zaremba as the witch Ulrica. Jesús López Cobos conducts the Chorus and Orchestra of the Teatro Real in a performance that emphasises the lyricism and majesty of this wonderful work, in which grand opera and opera comique are woven together with classic Italian style.<br /> <br /> "Marcelo Álvarez surely has the most beautiful tenor voice to be heard today in any opera house…Violeta Urmana is one of the few dramatic sopranos regularly active just now and it is a pleasure to listen to her in such a demanding part as Amelia...Young Alessandra Marianelli made an exemplary Oscar, both as an actress and as a very accomplished singer. The role fits her like a glove and she was perfect...The orchestra gave a very good performance and the Chorus was on top form." (Seen and Heard International)<br /> <br /> "The field of recommendable Ballos on DVD is not exactly crowded and the competition for this one comes mainly from Pavarotti and Domingo (twice each), but if you want a modern, wide-screen version that won’t ruffle any feathers and features some excellent Verdi singing from the leads then this one shouldn’t disappoint.<br /> <br /> " (Musicweb International)