Verdi - Un Ballo in Maschera / Levine, Pavarotti, Nucci, Metropolitan Opera
by Piero Faggioni
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Actor: Aprile Millo, Gordon Hawkins, Harolyn Blackwell, Leo Nucci, Luciano PavarottiDirector: Piero Faggioni
Writer: Antonio Somma
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); German (Subtitled); Italian (Subtitled); Mandarin Chinese (Subtitled); Italian (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1
Format: Classical, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 137 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2002-09-24
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Deutsche Grammophon
DVD Reviews of Verdi - Un Ballo in Maschera / Levine, Pavarotti, Nucci, Metropolitan Opera
DVD Review: Ballo at the Met
Summary: 5 Stars
After hearing to this wonderful performance, I couldn't avoid and started to compare it (mentally) to the Met's DVD of this same opera taped in 1980. Both have their strong and weak points:
1- The production: Both Moshinsky (1980) and Faggioni (1991) offer the viewer rather conventional productions that, however, work very well, being inobtrusive to the action (something essential to me).
2- The conducting: Personally, I prefer Giuseppe Patane's (1980) to James Levine's (1991). Sometimes Levine doesn't underline certain moments where this would be most welcome and can also be a bit crude, but these are minor quibbles. Both he and Patane were on the helm of one of best orchestras in the world, so nothing could go wrong.
3- The singers: PAVAROTTI's voice is clearly heavier and darker in 1991 rather than in 1980, but his is a performance to treasure (in both productions). He is to me, the one who best knows how to perform this character. Just watch, in both productions) the way he acts when he learns from Ulrica that he will be murdered. He almost has Gustavo (Ricardo) in his blood. APRILE MILLO is a very good singer, with a nice, resounding voice and with very good acting abillities (just watch her "Morrò, ma prima in grazia"). Her Amelia is a very moving portrayal. I just would like her to sing a little more pianissimo in some moments, which I know she can but, some how, doens't manage to do. KATIA RICCIARELLI in 1980, has a more sweet, less powerful voice, and she, like Millo, plays Amelia with great sensivity and care for the music. Both Amelia's are very good, among the best one can come across with. In my own opinion, both Renato's (almost) steal the show. QUILICO (1980) and NUCCI (1991), though possesing different timbres manage to express, at first, the deep faithfulness of Renato for his King and then, the humiliation and the rage the character feels. QUILICO is the most 'regular' (his first aria is wonderfully sang), NUCCI has a somewhat shaky start, but both reach to great heights as the opera progresses. both do entire justice to Renato's music. Ulrica has always been a difficult character to bring off, because it is only present in one act and because it needs a very low female voice. BIANCA BERINI (1980) and FLORENCE QUIVAR (1991) lack this last, specially the first. Beyond that, BERINI'S voice is not as full as QUIVAR's. Despite this, they both hold their own against the rest of the singers, though QUIVAR seems to me more effective. The only singers who really bring off Ulrica are, in my opinion, LUDWIG (with Solti) and COSSOTTO (with Muti). The Oscar of HEROLYN BLACKWELL (1991) is very well sung and acted, but I prefer JUDITH BLEGEN's (1980) more refined portrayal (specially in vocal terms). Sam and Tom (Horn and Ribbing) are well cast in both productions. WILLIAM WILDERMAN and JULIAN ROBBINS (1980), TERRY COOK and JEFFREY WELLS (1991), have all good voices and make a nice impression.
In way of conclusion, I think both performances are excellent with any weak link. It all depends on the singers one may prefer.
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