CD-Charts Position 1
Average Rating:

Verdi - Macbeth (The Metropolitan Opera HD Live Series)

starring: Zeljko Lucic, Maria Guleghina, John Relyea, Dimitri Pittas, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra
directed by: James Levine (Conductor)

Release Date September 16, 2008
For the record, I'm writing this review without having watched the actual DVD, which hasn't been released yet and which I don't plan to buy, I'm basing it solely on having seen the HDTV broadcast at a local cineplex several months ago. Under those circumstances, perhaps I have no right to write a review in the first place, and I'm sure some readers will write comments telling me this. So be it. I'm not reviewing the DVD, I'm reviewing the production and the opera, which are the same as what I saw in the theater. Even though I am a huge fan of Verdi, and the Met, and James Levine, I found this performance to be nonessential viewing.

I admit, Macbeth is far from being my favorite Verdi opera. The main reason, Verdi wrote this during ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 2
Average Rating:

Verdi - La Traviata

starring: Mireille Delunsch, Matthew Polenzani, Zeljko Lucic, Damiana Pinti, Yutaka Sado
directed by: Peter Mussbach

Release Date May 08, 2007
Director Peter Mussbach's concept for this "La Traviata" is quite simple: we are seeing the events through the delirious memories of the dying or dead heroine, consumptive courtesan Violetta. Yes, it's the Regie-director's favorite "it's all in the mind, you know" trick, but here it is beautifully and heartbreakingly realized. The visuals seem to be borrowed from bits of "Lost Highway," featuring a dark road and what seem to be car lights flashing by. Violetta wears a white gown, everyone else wears black.

Soprano Mireille Delunsch is a vulnerable, fragile, utterly desperate Violetta, and touching at every point. Unfortunately, she isn't the best singer you're going to hear in this role. She only barely gets through the coloratura ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 3
Average Rating:

Verdi - Il Trovatore

starring: Carl Tanner, Iano Tamar, Zeljko Lucic, Marianne Cornetti, Giovanni Parodi
directed by: Robert Carsen

Release Date September 25, 2007
After reading Scott Morrison's very detailed review I was somewhat skeptical about purchasing this work. I trust Mr. Morrison's opinions and always check to see what he has written before making any purchase. However, in this instance I must beg to differ with the impression that his review creates. I have owned for some time the Opus Arte Royal Opera House Covent Garden version of the same opera which has, as expected, several very big name opera stars and a fine orchestra. This is very different from the Bregenz Festspiele version where the only person who might be known is the stage director Robert Carsen. As `Opera' the Covent Garden version rates (IMHO) 4 stars; but in terms of `Entertainment' the work would struggle to get 2 or 3 stars. This newest Opus ... Read More: