DVD 7613 DON CARLO (Verdi)

This recording is as good as you are going to get for English speaking customers on a non-commercial DVD. Sound and picture excellent throughout. I disagree with the other reviewer only slightly. I enjoyed Sonia Ganassi's performance and her voice very much. Rolando Villazon does not cut a heroic figure and is usually very expressive. However I found his expressions quite restrained this time, to the betterment of his performance. Wonderful !

This production from Covent Garden is a winner: perfect DVD picture, sound and subtitles, and great cast, of course. It was directed by Nicholas Hytner; conducted by Antonio Pappano. Rollando Villazon, our Don Carlo of the evening, always sounds great (although I think he over sings and overacts) It makes me wince to see him bellowing inches from Elizabeth’s (Marina Poplaskaya) face during some intimate moments. I also think Simon Keenlyside (Rodrigo) found himself in a volume contest during his scenes with him. Also, Keenlyside seemed sometimes expressionless compared to the rubber-faced Villazon! But, the audience cheered Simon Keenlyside more than anyone else at the final curtain. The weak link in this production was Sonia Ganassi, who is normally a terrific singer. Her acting was fine but she sounded completely washed out for this performance. Poplaskaya was the star of this show for me. Ferruccio Furlanetto was a fantastic Philip II, as usual. Eric Halverson as the Grand Inquisitor was also excellent, really a spooky character. This was the five act version, including the meeting of Don Carlo and Elizabeth in the forests at Fontainebleau.