Search - Donizetti - Don Pasquale on DVD

Buy it!

Sepand Ghanouni | 12/28/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It puts a large burden upon me to know that I am the first to rate this item, given that I am not very eloquent. Don Pasquale is a wonderful comedy with lots of patter songs (fast singing, think Gilbert and Sullivan). The acting is fantastic in this production and I will never become tired of watching it over and over. The stage setting is also great and looks like much money has been splurged on it. Donizetti is always great whether in buffa or seria. I cannot think of anything negative with this item so do not think I am not being helpful. The story in short is about an old man who fancies a younger woman but the whole thing is in fact a set-up. It is delightful in nature and it even ends with a sense of bitter humor. Buy it!"

"A charming portray of Donizetti's loved buffa opera"

Miguel Galvez Fuentes | Monterrey, NL MEX | 07/27/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This performance was taken from Cagliari Lyric Theatre live in 2002. The set and customs are traditional caring for every single detail resulting in a very effective accomplishment. As some other theatres around the world, the stage is kind of "transformer" being able to change from one scene to the next without moving the curtain, keeping audience tied to the action.

Friedrich Haider conduction is balanced and well leaded allowing both the orchestra and singers to breath without hurries. The behind the scenes bonus DVD gives a good view of his commitment and professionalism.
The acclaimed Italian baritone Alessandro Corbelli who has lately raided in buffo bass roles is a very well characterized Pasquale (Even though I prefer a natural singing bass for this role like for instance Ruggero Raimondi or Paolo Montarsolo).
Roberto de Candia was in charge of Doctor Malatesta with discrete participation and a good taste in his acting.
Antonino Siragusa holds Ernesto's part with charm and wisdom, making his brief participation outstanding with his beautiful tone and an extraordinary easiness for the high register, his voice sounded clear and bright. One of the best Ernesto's I've heard.
Eva Mei offers a nasty Norina her dressing hides her slight overweight so she looks like a real young girl. Vocally delivers a common sense in her singing style and good acting.

If you like the traditional set and customs (as I do) this one is for you, and at a very fair price.

"

There has to be a better performance than this out there

operafan | 12/29/2008

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I disagree with the reviewer that said that he didn't like this production because there was too much stage business all the time. If you watch any Laurent Pelly production (ex. Fille du Regiment, Grand Dutchess of Gerolstein), I think that you will be convinced that having loads of stage business can create a big impact. The problem with this production, though, is that there was not enough stage business when there should have been, and way too much when the there shouldn't have been (ex. Don Pasquale running way upstage and putting on his cape during his duet w/ Malatesta). In addition, I think that the staging that WAS given is uninteresting and not at all funny. On top of that, all of the singers (with the exception of Corbelli) are horrible actors. Ernesto can get away with being a little lackluster on stage, but Norina and Malatesta, not so. Watching Corbelli and Eva Mei on stage together is like watching a tennis match between Roger Federer and a giant rock. She literally sucks any inkling of energy from the stage. Roberto de Candia as Malatesta, has a little more energy, but brings absolutely nothing to the table in terms of characterizing Malatesta. There is no sense of the sneaky, scheming, puppet-master that one would expect from a Malatesta. One hates to feul the fire to stereotypes of Italian singers, but most of the artists in this production have that nasty habit of not acknowledging that there is someone else on stage with them. Even during the duets, notice how you rarely see the artists actually make eye contact with each other, and give you any sense that they are doing anything more than just running through the staging that they were given. Even though Alessandro Corbelli far outshines the rest of the cast, I've definitely seen him do better than he does here (ex. Cenerentola @ Houston Grand). I'm not quite sure which production the other reviewers were watching, but trust me, you do not want to spend money to own this DVD. It would be pretty hard to find a less energetic, less funny production of any bel canto opera than this one.

I didn't give this one star, because of a) Alessandro Corbelli is okay (not great) b) Gerard Korsten and the Orchestra sound great c) the set and costumes are gorgeous."

Once in a while...

Giordano Bruno | Wherever I am, I am. | 10/07/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is an opera which deserves to be staged once in a while, and a DVD which is enjoyable enough to watch once. Rent it, don't buy it.
Four stars for the opera within the canon of Donizetti's buffa. It's quite ingenious musically, the ensembles reaching par with Rossini, but there's no momentum or development, just one musical trick after another. Much the same might be said of the comic action, which is so much stock slapstick that the viewer has to choose to laugh out of courtesy. In short, it's not a great libretto but it makes for a better evening than Fox sit-coms.
Likewise the performance: four stars, almost five, for making the best of an occasionally perfunctory score. The tenor Siragusa has a beautiful almost feminine voice, well suited to his role as a pampered wimp. His duet with Eva Mei is the musical highlight. Mei takes most of the first act to bring her voice up to pitch, but in the second and third act she sings gorgeously and presents her character effectively through her vocalization. Don Pasquale and Doctor Malatesta rumble through their patter skillfully. The balance of voices with orchestra is well handled acoustically, and the visuals are five-star throughout."