"Actor: Ernesto Gavazzi"

• Lucia Di Lammermoor | DVD | (21/05/2004) from £13.79   |  Saving you £-3.80 (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Donizetti's great tragedy is his undisputed masterpiece of melancholic romanticism with the doomed love between Lucia and Edgardo retold from Scott's novel The Bride of Lammermoor. The 1992 production heightens the story's powerful libretto with its dramatic visual design and first-class musical performances. Unlocked from the archives of RAI television this is a classic recording from one of the world's great opera houses.

• Donizetti: La Fille du Regiment -- La Scala | DVD | (24/03/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £24.99

  Libretto by J.H. Vernoy de Saint-Georges / Jean F.A. Bayard Comical Opera in two acts recorded at the Teatro alla Scala MilanOrchestra and Chorus of the Teatro alla ScalaConducted by Donato Renzetti

• Verdi: Aida -- La Scala | DVD | (28/08/2000) from £3.51   |  Saving you £17.74 (788.44%)   |  RRP £19.99

  La Scala went all-out for its 1986 production of this grandest of grand operas, with a strong cast and--most important for a video recording--a larger-than-life staging. The Triumph Scene in Act II is by no means Aida's only attraction, but it is the part that makes the strongest and most lasting impression and it is the visual and musical climax of this production. Stage director Ronconi brings on a procession to dwarf all processions: looted treasures, heroic statuary, miserable captives struggling under the lash of whip-bearing slave-drivers. On par with these visuals is Lorin Maazel's first-class performance of the popular "Grand March" with the outstanding La Scala chorus and orchestra. In Act III, the contrasting tranquillity of the Nile Scene also gets a visual treatment to match the music's qualities.When it is not an epic spectacle, Aida is a tragic story of love, jealousy and horrible revenge. The shifting focus between vast spectacle and intimate moments-sometimes awkward in a live performance onstage--presents special opportunities and challenges for a video recording. In this Aida, the camera work shows an acute awareness of those opportunities and challenges. The soloists have a variety of strengths that outweigh a few small weaknesses. Luciano Pavarotti sings one of his signature roles in superb voice, but his weight problems are visually evident and detract from his impact as the dashing hero Radames. Maria Chiara has moments of vocal imperfection but gives a dramatically compelling performance. Ghena Dimitrova sings powerfully and the supporting cast is excellent throughout. --Joe McLellan, Amazon.com

• Falstaff - Giuseppe Verdi | DVD | (04/11/2002) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £24.99

  The present recording was made at a performance in Busseto Verdi's birthplace in the Emilia Romagna region. There in 2001 a whole series of events marked the 100th anniversary of the composer's death. This Falstaff performance along with Aida staged by Franco Zeffirelli constituted the high point of the impressive anniversary celebrations. The small 328-seat Teatro Verdi built in Verdi's lifetime provided the ensemble of La Scala Milan under its principal conductor Riccardo Muti with a particularly captivating backdrop and the mainly young singers including 31-year-old shooting star Ambrogio Maestri in the title role exciting young tenor Juan Diego Florez as Fenton and internationally acclaimed Barbara Frittoli as Alice - gave superb performances.

• Manon Lescaut - Puccini | DVD | (03/10/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £24.99

  TDK presents a recording of Puccini's heart-breaking opera from one of the best opera houses of the world featuring star tenor Jose Cura and remarkable soprano Maria Guelghina as the two inseparable lovers. Riccardo Muti music director of La Scala at the time of this performance gives full weight to the alternation of social realism and private amatory psychology of crowds and intimacy body and spirit. And the director of this Milan production the famous Italian film director Liliana Cavani provides it with a realistic setting. Every scene looks like a genre painting from which Puccini's psychograms emerge musically. This forms the background for the two outstanding singer actors who take the lead roles.