Some people laugh at Luciano Pavarotti but he has both a magnificent voice and a warm on-stage personality. Here he embodies the role of Nemorino with affection plus vocal purity and vigor. Kathleen Battle makes a particularly attractive Adina, proving as good an actress as she is a wonderful singer. Enzo Dara is very funny as the fraudulent peddler of love potions, Dulcamara, and Juan Pons completes the lead line-up as a strong, appropriately military
Belcore.
The name of Brian Large has become synonymous with the finest video direction of opera, and he again is responsible for this production. The sound is exceptionally incisive throughout, and the whole thing would be particularly impressive on a large LCD screen with surround-sound accompaniment.
I wish it was possible to be as enthusiastic about the live Paris concert given by Roberto Alagna in 2001. The heroics, the sobs, the self-conscious waves to the audience -- all these, even given a powerful vocal tone, speak to this reviewer of an attempt at a crowd-pleasing display rather than true artistry. I switched this DVD off with a feeling of having been cheapened in some way. With so much excellence on offer this month, this is not a recording I would like to think my friends are contemplating buying. There are no subtitles.
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