Search - Donizetti - Roberto Devereux on DVD

A Teatro di San Carlo specialty

Noam Eitan | Brooklyn, NY United States | 08/02/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Roberto Devereux is considered by some authorities the finest of Donizetti's tragic operas (I think that's a bit of a stretch - there is still Lucia, with more imaginative melodic invention). This is a very fine performance from the Teatro di San Carlo , where it was first staged in 1837 and first revived (with the Turkish diva Leyla Gencer - available on Opera Doro) in 1964.This may be a dress rehearsal since the auditorium is half empty (the premiere was on May 28 1998). Even though it means that there is less give and take with a responsive audience, the singers seem to benefit from the less oppressive presence of the Neapolitan operatic mob. There are no signs of anxiety, everyone warms up to their roles from the first note. Everyone, including the conductor and orchestra are in top shape and give their very best. (Old European opera houses are infested with gangs of homicidal tradition keepers: if a singer as much as misses one note, the conductor stops the performance, conducts a hasty requiem mass and the wretched singer is dispatched to his creator with a short, sharp shock, from a cheap and chippy chopper on a big black block. These frequent executions are part of an East European conspiracy to take over the opera houses of Europe, since they sustain the need for a constant supply of fresh talent from the east bloc).The camera crew takes advantage of the higher freedom of movement with sweeping movements that cover the orchestra pit (and occasionally the stage) almost side to side, with a very dynamic effect. This is the best camera work I've seen in any "live" opera production on a DVD so far (although it's not unusual on rock/pop videos). The picture quality is excellent, with vivid colors and well defined picture. The 5.1 Dolby surround sound is the best audio so far on any opera DVD: very focused, with a pleasing feel of "air" around the voices, that carries this hollowed auditorium's sonic signature. Bulgarian soprano Alexandrina Pendatchanska won the 1990 UNISA international singing competition in South Africa. She is Ghena Dimitrova's student and protégée, who is reported to have said on Bulgarian television that her student has a truly remarkable talent. A talent indeed she is. In the lyrical passages she has that young girl sound of the old Italian school - light, agile and plaintive. When she digs the spurs in the voice becomes strong and full, almost metallic and quite thrilling. Her superb Elisabetta is musically and dramatically almost overwhelming. She tears into the final scene with ferocity and real pathos. Her voice is expressing both strength and vulnerability in every phrase and the queen's physical decadence is laid devastatingly bare - an unforgettable performance.Giuseppe Sabbatini in the title role has a such a charismatic stage presence that it is little wonder that the queen almost loses her mind over him. His Devereux is the impetuous heart breaker as well as proudly aristocratic. He is a real artist and stylist and seems to be very well versed in 19th century stylistic practice. His medium-weight voice enables him to bring out the qualities of a bel canto tenor, as well as to project a more dramatic presence. (The historic Devereux, the 2nd earl of Essex was executed after he tried to organize a revolt against Elisabeth - nothing to do with a love triangle. He constantly provoked her - she put up with his impudence for years because he was her cousin. But she gradually grew alarmed of his behavior, finding him to be "a nature not to be ruled." During one of their disputes, Essex turned his back upon the queen, who promptly slapped his face. He organized the revolt after she confined him to house arrest, following an unsuccessful campaign in Ireland.)Italian lyric baritone Roberto Servile has a real personality and a wonderful voice. It is quite rare to hear such perfect diction and precise phrasing even from an Italian singer. I found his performance the most satisfying of this cast because of his unusual respect for the text, combined with his lyrical timbre and big voice that fills the auditorium with no hint of strain. His Duke is very convincing in his transformation from the loyal friend to the wronged, raging and vindictive husband. Hungarian soprano Ildikó Komlósi as his consort is more restrained than Pendatchanska in her singing and acting and thereby provides a musical-dramatic counterpoint. She sings Octavian on the Palermo Der Rosenkavalier DVD that is due to appear later this month.The success of the performance owes much to the sensitive conducting of Alain Guingal that sustains and inspires the singers rather than drowning them.The costumes and sets are gorgeous - all the elements of this production fit in perfectly and are very well thought out, from Komlósi's sad demeanor in the opening scene to the blazing red of Sabatini's costume. Roberto Devereux is scheduled to open this season at the NYC Opera with Lauren Flanigan as Elisabetta."

Absolutely Fantastic Opera Performance

John G. Gleeson Sr. | Frederic, Mi USA | 07/16/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"First the nit-picking: This is not the Sills performance that one reviewer properly raves about, and the performer is Robert Servile, baritone, not "Roberto Donizetti". This is is a performance by the San Carlo Carlo Theatre in Naples of one of Donizetti"s most memorable works. While the composer is best remembered for "Lucia di Lammermoor" and L'Elisir d'Amore", he composed many, many operas, some of which are wonderful, and some of which are less so. "Roberto" was composed in 1837, at a time when the composer lost both his wife and third child, but there is no sense of the morbid here. Rather, ther is a wealth of memorable and exciting melodies, one following another, from beginning to end. And it is a consistantly well-sung work as well. Wait until you experience the colaratura singing of Alexandrina Pendatchanska as Elizabeth I; she is simply stunning! And so is the rest of the cast, especially Giuseppe Sabatini in the vocally demanding title role. Maestro Guingal conducts this energetic score with appropriate verve, although with an open mouth, from time to time. Of course the DVD format continues to portray all of the visual aspects of musical theatre at their best, this time with stunning Dolby 5.1 sound, which matches the great staging of this work. Go for it, and be prepared for opera at its best! And discover just how great a talent Donizetti possessed. PS: many of his other works are available on CD from Opera Rara."

Great voice! Great acting!

lagunatitou | 11/10/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I can't imagine a better performance than this Roberto Devereux (and I know there isn't). All the singers are excellent and they acts so well. Giuseppe Sabbatini in the title role is superb. His voice is so tender and his pianissimo is to die for. He looks the part and he is a good actor. Pendatchanska as Elizabeth is just perfect. What a voice! What an actress! I even wonder if she's able to play any other opera, because she is so great in this role. Roberto's lover Sara and the Duke also are excellent singers/actors. The costumes are sumptuous and the set is georgeous. The music is great from the begining to the end. The ouverture is one of his best and a beautiful yet challenging aria/cabaletta follows one after another. Truly it's a feast to ears.
The video is clear and the sound is 5.1. What can one expect more!"

Al dolce guidami

Anastasia Beaverhausen | London, UK | 04/17/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The other reviewers of this DVD are very positive and I count myself among them. I was jumping out of my seat after a few minutes after starting to watch this. I am not going to go into a detailed description of it, because I feel that all the superlatives one can muster up in appreciation of this DVD cannot do it justice. I should mention that Pendatchanska does not have a 'beautiful' voice - what she does have is a thorough knowledge of characterisation and the proper attack and complete understanding of what Donizetti's Elisabetta is about - she does NOT disappoint. So if you expect the watered-down twitterings of a Gruberova or Sutherland, steer clear - this is a Sturm und Drang interpretation that few can equal: from the ringing acuti to the wispy filati to the chested declamations that can summon a graveyard to life. Although the supporting cast sing with conviction and truly beautifully well-supported voices, I feel that they do not quite reach Pendatchanska's dramatic commitment. Komlosi as the Sara is a sympathetic performer who should deserve more acclaim. Sabatini as Roberto looks and sounds the part, and then some more. Servile as the Duke also has a superb voice. Every aspect of this production has been lovingly thought about: costumes, staging and camera work are breathtaking - thumbs up to all those involved! The orchestra plays very thoughtfully and the conductor seems to be most interested and concerned with the singers needs. The indolence of the audience beats me. This production makes one want to see more opera - regardless of the composer or period. If you are interested in similar committed, thoughtful productions do give the ENO 'Xerxes', Pappano 'Don Carlos' and Covent Garden 'Mitridate' also available on DVD a go."