Aida / La Traviata DVD

Aida: La Scala went all-out for this 1986 production of Aida, the 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 2 is by no means this Aida's only attraction, but it is the part that makes the strongest and most lasting impression, and is the visual and musical climax of the production. On par with the visuals is Lorin Maazel's first-class performance with the outstanding La Scala chorus and orchestra. 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 McLellanLa Traviata: Performances of La Traviata stand or fall to an unusual extent on their principal soprano; the first thing that needs saying about this Glyndebourne performance is that Marie McLaughlin has all of the attributes needed for a role that is fundamentally a virtuoso one, no matter how emotionally involving it is as well. The point about Violetta is that she is, with absolute authenticity, all of the things she becomes in the course of the opera--the febrile socialite and yearning love of Act 1, the quiet domesticated woman of Act 2 who sacrifices her love for Alfredo to precisely the family values he has talked her into espousing, the dying penitent of Act 3. Walter McNeil is an impressive poetic Alfredo in whose successful courtship we can believe. Brent Ellis is solidly powerful as his father Germont--the duet in which he talks Violetta into renouncing his son and comes to value what he is destroying is one of the high points here, as it should be. Bernard Haitink conducts impressively. --Roz Kaveney [show more]

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