Product Details

• Actors: Paolo Gavanelli, Marcelo Alvarez, Christine Schäfer
• Directors: David McVicar
• Format: Classical, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled
• Language: Italian
• Subtitles: English
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: KULTUR VIDEO
• DVD Release Date: May 26, 2009
• Run Time: 170 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B001URA638
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #112,121 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Verdi's drama of revenge, in its stunning new production by David McVicar, is filled with some of the composer's most celebrated music. Sir Edward Downes conducts the Orchestra and Chorus of the Royal Opera House with a cast which includes Paolo Gavanelli, Marcelo Alvarez and Christine Schäfer. Contains nudity.

Sung in Italian with English subtitles

Extras: BBC documentary - Verdi through the looking glass
Director David McVicar talks about his production of Rigoletto
Illustrated synopsis of the opera
Illustrated booklet with biographies in English, French and German

Duke of Mantua: Marcelo Alvarez
Matteo Borsa: Peter Auty
Count Ceprano: Graeme Broadbent
Countess Ceprano: Dervla Ramsay
Rigoletto: Paolo Gavanelli
Marullo: Quentin Hayes
Count Monterone: Giovan Battista
Parodi Sparafucile: Eric Halfvarson
Gilda: Christine Schäfer
Giovanna: Elizabeth Sikora
Page: Andrea Hazell
Court usher: Nigel Cliffe
Maddalena: Graciela Araya
Orchestra and Chorus of the Royal Opera House
Conductor Edward Downes
Director: David McVicar
Sets: Michael Vale
Costumes: Tanya McCallin

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Paolo Gavanelli !!!, January 22, 2012

By 

tom c. (LAKEWOOD, OHIO, US) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Verdi: Rigoletto / David McVicar, Royal Opera House (DVD)

Verdi's brilliant Rigoletto is an opera not to be missed ... and so is the magnificent baritione Paolo Gavanelli as the title character in this David McVicar production. The sound of his voice is truly awesome, and I find it a pity that this is the only opera DVD on which he appears. His acting is captivating as well.

Christine Schafer is wonderful as Rigoletto's daughter Gilda. Together, they display a splendid chemistry.

The duke is performed admirably by the ever capable Marcello Alvarez.

Normally, I'm not a big fan of Kultur releases ... in fact, I had to check and see if my copy was from Kultur, or the Opus Arte release also available through amazon (for 2 or 3 times the $). The video seems fine, although the audio is at times a little uneven (and this was also pointed out by another reviewer concerning the Opus Arte release as well).

However, Paolo Gavanelli's breathtaking baritone and Ms. Schafer's ever reliable and inspiring effort make this a favorite among the 30 or so operas in my collection.

2 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Rigoletto Covent Garden, September 11, 2010

By 

abel marquez julio (El Junquito, Venezuela) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Verdi: Rigoletto / David McVicar, Royal Opera House (DVD)

If you have as good a cast as they did in this production and all the principals performed quite well, why the nudity in the opening scene? Keep that stuff for "Salome" where it is fully justified if done as well as Maria Ewing did at the ROH or Catherine Malfitano at the Deutsche Oper.