Gianni Schicchi

Customer Reviews:

Simply Wonderful!.......2005-08-01

This Glyndebourne production of 'Gianni Schicchi' is a success of the highest kind. Sets, costumes, especially the almost choreographed stage action, the marvelous playing of the London Philharmonic under Vladimir Jurowski (a conductor I am growing to admire more and more) and particularly the marvelous singing actors portraying all ten major characters in this Falstaff-inspired ensemble opera are all simply wonderful. The big numbers - Rinuccio's 'Firenze è come un albero fiorito' sung by tenor Marcello Giordano and Lauretta's 'O mio babbino caro' sung by soprano Sally Matthews - are woven into the fabric of the action rather than being staged as numbers per se. And they are sung beautifully. But most important is the fabulous ensemble work that includes such Glyndebourne stalwarts as Felicity Palmer and Marie McLaughlin as Zita and La Ciesca, and the other singers are just as good.

This production was given just a year ago - in July 2004 - and was part of an oddly appropriate double bill. The other opera, Rachmaninov's 'The Miserly Knight' (sometimes called 'The Covetous Knight') was not only composed in roughly the same time period (early 20th century) but has greed as a common theme. I will be reviewing the just-released DVD of that release a shortly. But if it's anything like this production it will be a winner.

This is easily the best overall production of 'Gianni Schicchi' I've ever seen and I recommend it enthusiastically.

TT=74 minutes; includes extras: interviews with stage director Annabel Arden, conductor Jurowski, baritone Alessandro Corbelli (the wonderful Schicchi); a narrated and illustrated synopsis; a gallery of pictures of the cast. Sound: Stereo or DTS surround sound (and the sound is quite good). Subtitles in English, German, French, Spanish and Italian.

Scott Morrison

OUTSTANDING!!.......2005-07-05

Gianni Schicchi is the third and final part of Il trittico, Puccini's trilogy of one-act operas. It is a masterpiece of Italian comedy.

The performance on the new DVD is sheer delight from every point of view. It was filmed live at the Glyndebourne Opera House in 2004. The director Annabel Arden adapted the plot from the Middle Ages to somewhere in the 19th centaury. Sets and costumed are beautiful, and Arden is doing an inspired job, full of surprises.

Vladimir Jurowski conducts the London Philharmonic Orchestra with excellent results. Puccini brilliant orchestration is heard with great transparency due to the excellence of the recorded sound (True Surround Sound).

The singers are all excellent. The extremely funny Alessandro Corbelli takes the title role; Massimo Giordano and Sally Matthews are the young lovers with fresh voices. Felicity Palmer, Marie McLaughlin and Luigi Roni are some of the relatives.

Customer Reviews:

Short but Brilliant.......2007-08-22

This concert runs for 70 minutes. When you allow for the applause and credits, you have well under an hour of "Angela" (Which is what you can expect on a CD!!)
BUT,it's an hour of pure pleasure.If you want to hear probably the greatest soprano of our generation, you are in for a musical treat that you can enjoy over and over.
The sound recording is superb, as is the picture quality. I heartily recommend this recording to anyone who appreciates beautiful singing

Average customer rating:

Il Trittico
Starring: Piero Cappuccilli , Sylvia Sass , Nicola Martinucci , Rosalind Plowright , and Dunja Vejzovich
Manufacturer: Warner Music Vision
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00019HP2Q
Release Date: 2004-03-22

Various Composers - Concerto Italiano [1965]

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Various Composers - Concerto Italiano [1965]
Starring: Louis Quilico , Renata Tebaldi , Boyd Neal , CBC Festival Orchestra , and Richard Braun
Manufacturer: Metronome
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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