Customer Reviews

Donizetti - Lucrezia Borgia / Bonynge, Sutherland, Kraus, Royal Opera

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is review of the Kultur Film DVD copy, catalogue #D2070 of 1980 Covent Garden Opera performance. What we can say about old generation operatic stars, like Dame Joan Sutherland (born in 1926) and Alfredo Kraus (born in 1927). Both are in excellent shape. Kraus is so fine that in Gennaro's aria in the beginning of II act usually omitted from performance of the opera (even do not presented in his RCA 1965 studio recording with Montserrat Caballe!) he received loud applause from usually reserved British audience. His sound is still very clear and intensive in higher register and fantastic in top Cs. The other principal singers are well too. Please, listen how effective is Anne Howells in Orsini's II act aria 'Il segreto per esser felici". The profound deep bass of Stafford Dean (Alfonso) is very attractive. Beautiful design and costumes, excellent orchestra playing under the conduction of maestro Richard Bonynge. Fine staged and recorded, sound is clear with enough higher frequency. Only one complaint: there is unexpected persistent noise in the sound. Otherwise irremovable English subtitles do not bother you. By the way it is full version of the opera, as it is in 1974 DECCA studio recording. I suggest that this DVD-performance should be presented in all opera lovers library.

Dame Joan Sutherland sings the rol of Lucrezia Borgia with such virtuosismo that one wishes she had sung Elisabetta in Roberto devereux,Maria in Maria di Rohan and all the Donizetti roles that need a prima donna of her calibre. In Lucrezia her trills, high notes and coloratura, as well as the drama in her voice, make the video a must for all bel canto lovers, and for all Sutherland fans too. Kraus is stupendous and they both make a superb couple in Borgia.

I agree with all the positive reviews of this rarely performed opera. ( Thank god this great performance was captured for us to enjoy for a long time to come ).Don't hesitate, add this one to your opera collection------it's a must for bel Canto lovers.

This DVD is a must for all opera lovers. Not only does it capture the beauty of Joan Sutherland and Alfredo Kraus in their prime, but the costumes and sets are simply exquisite. Those of you who love "bel canto" and Donizetti, must experience the music of "Lucrezia Borgia".

Even though this is a 1980 Borgia. Sutherland sounded like 1970. She's in the best voice I've heard since she sang her Puritani at the Met in 1976.
I think this beats Caballe's rendition of the opera. ANd I think Caballe is superb. But this is beyond superb. This is stupendous.
One of the great opera recording in super picture and sound.
Sutherland recieved one of the greatest ovation I've ever seen.
After a huge high E natural, not E flat, the audience threw hundreds of bouquets onto the stage. The diva in her curtain calls walked upon a carpet of flower. This is an ovation to end all ovations.
A monumental recording of a great masterpiece underrated.

This is Sutherland's best performance of an complete opera available, and this includes her Lucia. I give it five stars.

to the detroit person:
If this performance is so boring, and you watched this dvd, you'll see that Sutherland receive hundreds of flowers thrown on the stage after the performance. I've never seen so many bouquets thrown on an operatic stage before, ever. It was a complete triumph. The bravas are so loud you can't even hear the applause. So your opinion is in the vast minority. I myself was riveted by the great acting and equally great singing.
You know that you never listen to one note of this opera. I can tell by your reviews of all of Sutherland's great roles, you just put in a two sentence that you're disappointed and give it one star to slap Dame Joan in the face. Why are you so hateful? Did Sutherland do something bad to you in the past?
If you're disappointed, don't buy anymore, ok? Sutherland is consider the greatest bel canto soprano of our time, but if she continues to bore you, don't pretend that you actually go out to buy her recordings and listen to them over and over again. Because all these negative reviews are getting out of hand.

Brava! Brava! Brava! Dame Joan, you have done it again. A spectacular Borgia. You deserve the name La Stupenda. Brava, diva.

I also recommend the follow if you want to hear why Joan Sutherland was dubbed La Stupenda. The "Voice of Firestone" The "Bell Telephone Hour" The "Age of bel canto"

BUT I CAN'T DO ANY BETTER. This is really a super performance.

Sutherland is generally consider the greatest Lucretia Borgia of our time. That is on the review on the DVD box set. She is stupendous, a wonder here. She is 53, but she sounds like she's 33 here. She was on that evening, it was a command performance. And the opera stage was covered with a carpet of flowers at the curtain calls that covers the floor completely. This live recording is a total triumph. And the digital recording is as clear as my Titanic DVD that's how good the video and audio is.

Caballe doesn't have a dvd of Borgia. And her coloratura in the final cabaletta is a mess. Caballe also never hit a note above the high C. There are E flats that Sutherland easily hits.
Also Caballe does not have the trill that this role has. Therefore she can't be compare to Sutherland in this fiendishly difficult role.