Gaetano Donizetti La Fille du regiment / Dessay, Florez, Palmer, Corbelli, French, Campanella, Pelly Royal Opera House 2007

Customer Reviews

MOST ENJOYABLE PRODUCTION

2008-06-24
WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THIS PRODUCTION IN THE THEATRE SPONSORED BY THE MET AND FOUND IT DELIGHTFUL. THIS VERSION WAS A MUST FOR OUR LIBRARY. DESSAY AND THE ENTIRE CAST HAVE PUT A NEW TWIST ON THIS OLDER PLOT TO THE ABSOLUTE DELIGHT OF EVERYONE WHO HAS SEEN IT. EVEN THE OPERA NEWS MAGAZINE HAS GIVEN IT A TOTAL "THUMBS UP."

Great, but an edge to the Met's version of '08.

2008-06-24
This is a great production with beautiful singing and great humor. The more recent Met's version has the advantage of "tweaking" and refining a year later, to raise the standard to amazingly ingenious ie., choreographing the laundry in the scenery in the background, and refining and embellishing the acting/singing of the characters. Natalie Dessay is a delight on all levels. She integrates the music, singing, and characterization with the comic genious of a Lucille Ball or Charlie Chaplin.

As good as Met Production

2008-06-16
Dessay and Florez are in top form in this performance as they were at the Met broadcast. Both have superb voices and acting skills

Fabulous!

2008-06-14
This is one of the most beautiful productions of "La Fille" that I have seen. The 5.1 or DTS sound is fantastic. A must have for any opera lover and if you have never heard "La Fille", you will be amazed at the beauty of this comic opera. Light hearted and whimiscal, yet the music is stunning.

Dussay and Flores deliver flawless performances. No that Pavarotti is gone, Flores may be the new "king of the high C". His performance of the aria "Ah Mes Amis" is one of the best I've ever heard. You will want to stand up and cheer after hearing it.

Buy it.

BRAVO, GREAT, WONDERFUL.................................

2008-06-14
With this spectacular cast, specially Dessay and Florez, who cares about the set and stage design or if it was updated to 20th Century ? Bravo ROH for taping this great production. The singing and acting are really wonderful and funny. You'll never regret if you buy this DVD.

Delicious

2008-07-20
Desssay and Florez are wonderful together -- one of the best pairings in recent memory.

Cast of a lifetime

2008-07-10
Natalie Dessay is the best operatic comedienne I have ever seen! Both she and Florez are the very best vocally and physically. They both sing this difficult music as if it were easy. VERY highly recommended.

Delightful

2008-07-07
Dessay and Florez were at there best. A delightful entertaining opera for the family.

An energetic and amazing tour de force

2008-06-29
As another reviewer has noted, this Covent Garden production was recently (spring 2008) performed at the Met in New York. I had the pleasure of seeing that production via the Met's closed circuit HD broadcasts.

While I am on that subject, I congratulate and thank the Met for those broadcasts. While not quite the same as being in Lincoln Center for the live performance, it is the next best thing. Those of you who are opera lovers and have not yet discovered or attended those broadcasts should buy your tickets for the 2008-09 season.

Natalie Dessay is a petit French soprano whose acting ability, especially in this comic opera, and whose energy level, matches her excellent musicianship and beautiful voice. Juan Diego Florez, a Peruvian tenor with a light lyric yet powerful voice, matches her perfectly. Alessandro Corbelli is superb as the Sergeant protector. A special treat is the speaking role of Felicity Palmer.

Unfortunately I have not yet seen the Teatro Carlo Felice production reviewer Toni Bernhard referred to in an excellent write-up. But I have seen Natalie Dessay live in Lucia di Lammermoor at the Met and can tell you that she is an outstanding actress and made the famous "mad scene" totally convincing.

Florez is well launched on a successful career in comic opera that I believe will see him grow into true stardom in the years to come.

All in all a very worthy opera DVD.

Dessay and Florez are Spectacular

2008-06-29
For singers, especially, this is a spectacular and exciting event. Seen on the Giant Cinemark screen it was excellent, but scrutiny at one's leisure of the quality and talent of these two artists was breathtaking. Actually, it wasn't just these two artists. The Orchestra was spectacular with not a weak spot in the entire opera, crisp, clean execution, and magnificent musicality. The support singers were also better than you can imagine. I was unfamiliar with this opera until I saw this production, and can't for the life of me imagine anything more thrilling! Staging and comedy were not forced, but naturally good humored and beautifully timed. I bought this and have watched it several times. It is one of the most inspiring performances I've ever scene. You'll LOVE it!