GIUSEPPE VERDI Don Carlo(s) on DVD (3) - Rolando Villazon in 4 and 5 acts

DON CARLO
De Netherlandse Opera, Amsterdam
2004

Opera in 4 acts, sung in Italian

Don Carlos = Rolando Villazon
Philip II = Robert Lloyd
Elisabeth de Valois = Amanda Roocroft
Rodrigo = Dwayne Croft
The Princess of Eboli = Violeta Urmana
Grande Inquisitor = Jaakko Ryhänen
A friar = Giorgio Giuseppini
Tebaldo = Marisca Mulder
The Count of Lerma = Kristian Benedikt
A Royal Herald = Rudi de Vries
A Voice from Heaven = Cincia Forte

Conductor = Riccardo Chailly
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Chorus of De Netherlandse Opera

Stage Director = Willy Decker
Set Design = Wolfgang Dussmann
Costume Design = Wolfgang Dussmann, Susana Mendoza
Lighting Design = Hans Toelstede
Dramaturgie = Klaus Bertisch

2 DVDs = 2h 49 m
+ extras

DON CARLO
The Royal Opera House, London
2008

Opera in 5 acts, sung in Italian

Don Carlos = Rolando Villazon
Philip II = Ferruccio Furlanetto
Elisabeth de Valois = Marina Poplovskaya
Rodrigo = Simon Keenlyside
The Princess of Eboli = Sonia Ganassi
Grande Inquisitor = Eric Halvarson
A friar, Carlos V = Robert Lloyd
Tebaldo = Pumeza Matshikiza
The Count of Lerma = Nikola Matisic
A Voice from Heaven = Anita Watson
Priest Inquisitor = Alexander d'Andrea

Conductor = Antonio Pappano
Royal Opera Chorus and Orchestra

Stage Director = Nicholas Hytner
Designs = Bob Crowley
Lighting Designer = Mark Henderson
Movement = Scarlett Mockmin¨
Fight Director = Terry King

2 DVDs = 3h 30m

Pure delight both versions.

Willy Decker is the claustrophobic version. They are all trapped. They are so awkward, Elisabeth and Carlos in this version that one can not envision them not blunder about. The Nicholas Hytner version with 5 acts starting with Su, cacciatore... has much to offer, beauty and a superb cast with Ferruccio Furlanetto as Philip and the wonderful Rolando Villazon as poor, awkward Don Carlos who can't do anything right.

Of the 8 versions of Don Carlos I have on DVD

I chose

 Salzburg 2013. Jonas Kaufmann

 Salzburg 1986. Jose Carreras

Royal Opera House, London 2008. Rolando Villazon

For reviews from my travels, see www.operaduetstravel.com

Mefistofele, by Boito

1997-06-24 Mefistofele (Boito), Wiener Staatsoper

Mefistofele = Egils Silins
Faust = Keith Ikaia-Purdy
Margherita/Elena = Michele Crider
Marta/Pantalis = Nelly Boschkowa
Wagner/Nerèo = Ruben Broitman

Michael Halász, conductor

Spielleitung - Lorenza Cantini, Diana Kienast
Choreographie - Antonella Agati
Choreinstudierung - Dietrich D. Gerpheide

So in 1997 I saw this opera in Wiener Staatsoper. This opera is just like Gounod's Faust taking its story from Goethe's Faust. The problem with Boito's opera is that it tries to take everything, it has a Prologue, Opera and Epilogue. It is too much and so it does not have the same strong focus as Gounod's opera has. And therefore we don't care so much. Plus Gounod has better tunes. On my "review" I mention that it has some glorious music, but I don't remember anything from it.

From my iTunes:
MEFISTOFELE - Giunto sul passo estremo 3:03 José Cura 6 av 12 Aurora : opera arias - José Cura BOITO, Arrigo (1842 - 1918) 2002
MEFISTOFELE - Dai campi, dai prati 2:33 Rolando Villazon 4 av 15 Cielo e mar - Rolando Villazon BOITO, Arrigo (1842 - 1918) 2008
MEFISTOFELE - Giunto sul passo estremo 2:38 Rolando Villazon 12 av 15 Cielo e mar - Rolando Villazon BOITO, Arrigo (1842 - 1918) 2008
MEFISTOFELE - Giunto sul passo estremo 2:44 Plácido Domingo 4 av 10 Domingo conducts Milnes, Milnes conducts Domingo BOITO, Arrigo (1842 - 1918) 1972
MEFISTOFELE - Dai campi, dai prati 2:09 José Carreras 13 En Romanza Final - Julian Gayarre BOITO, Arrigo (1842 - 1918) 1986

Dai campi, dai prati from Act 1 Scene 2
Giunto sul passo estremo from the Epilogue

LESSONS FROM THE OPERA: Better focus = the better opera. And naturally don't believe the devil.

Possible reading: Goethe's Faust, or just biograhies of Goethe.




For more reviews from my travels, see www.operaduetstravel.com