A little gem; not the first rendition to own
Alexander Prikhojan | Nashville, TN USA | 04/22/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"It is easy to understand how someone can get frustrated by this recording. Opera is supposed to be the highest form of arts, right? So, what do we have here: B&W murky picture, no subtitles, muffled voices with occasional drop-offs of the sound... What can possibly compensate for that? Let's see. Firstly, this is one of the (two) earliest available videos of this opera. It has all the charm and innocence of the golden age of RAI opera films. Valetti's (Nemorino) deeply felt and understated singing and acting makes it easy for us to empathize with this poor fellow. A convincing acting of Alda Noni deserves a praise: she is no Onegin's Tatiana with her famous "No one understands me here!", unlike in some other versions of the opera. Yes, unlike other villagers she knows how to read and enjoys it, but at the same time she fully shares the mentality and the spirit of her village. That explains her otherwise irrational affection for a simpleton. And how about the vocal cannonade of Capecchi (Belcore)? Brilliant Taddei (Dulcamara) dominates the physical and vocal space, and his duets with Valetti (Nemorino) are sublime and engaging! Not a dull moment in this performance of one of the essential bel canto comic operas sung by an impressive all-Italian cast!"