Product Details

• Actors: Maria Chiara, Dolora Zajick, Kristjan Johannsson, Juan Pons, Nicola Ghiuselev
• Format: AC-3, Classical, Color, Dolby, DVD, Subtitled, NTSC
• Language: English
• Subtitles: Italian, Dutch, English, French
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Tdk DVD Video
• DVD Release Date: November 21, 2006
• Run Time: 146 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• ASIN: B000IY06AM
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #224,580 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

VERDI:AIDA - DVD Movie

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Sets and Costumes but Second-Rate Aïda & Radamès, January 21, 2007

By 

J Scott Morrison (Middlebury VT, USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Verdi - Aida (DVD)

This is visually one of the classiest Aïdas I've ever seen, with sumptuous sets and costumes taken directly from suggestions made by French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette who had (anonymously) suggested the topic to Verdi for an opera set in Egypt. But musically this is strictly a bush-league production. The orchestra sets the tone for what is to come in an out-of-tune prelude. And their playing doesn't get much better. Icelandic tenor Kristján Jóhansson, as Radamès, has a fairly pleasant voice but he resorts to bawling in his upper range, his acting is wooden, and frankly his big aria 'Celeste Aïda' is excruciating. But this is nothing compared to the squawly Aïda of Maria Chiara who was fifty-three and whose voice was worn and wobbly when this Verona Arena production was presented in 1992. She may have been a much better singer earlier in her career but here she is difficult hear. The secondary characters fare better: Delora Zajick is a fine Amneris, Nicola Ghiuselev makes an impressive Ramfis, Juan Pons a reasonably good Amonasro. Outstanding is Carlo Striuli as Il Re.

I love productions that are as visually rich and apt as this one, but I'm really heartsick that the musical values are so unacceptable in this DVD.

Avoid this one unless you just have to have the visuals.

Scott Morrison