This 2006 Zurich Opera production of Donizetti's popular Don Pasquale captures not only the opera's high-spirited comedy but also its underlying cruelty. Featuring veteran bass-baritone Ruggerio Raimondi in the title role and a fine supporting cast, this DVD has what no other version of the opera has--tenor Juan Diego Flórez as the Don's nephew, the lovelorn Ernesto--and his brilliant portrayal makes this a must-see for any admirer of great singing.
The basic plot of the opera is a time-worn comedy staple: the foolish old man who seeks a young wife. The Don's doctor and advisor, Dr. Malatesta, hatches a scheme to trick the old man into a fake marriage with Norina, a young widow in love with Malatesta's friend, the Don's nephew, Ernesto. She's presented to the Don as the Doctor's sister, fresh from the convent school, whose demure demeanor captivates the victim who immediately agrees to the "marriage." Once that's accomplished, she turns into a spendthrift shrew who drives the Don to the brink of suicide. Ernesto, plunged into despair when he thinks his beloved abandoned him for his uncle, is finally brought into the scheme and plays his part in the trick. All ends well when the Don realizes his foolishness, blesses the young couple's union and agrees to a handsome annual allowance for them.
Flórez will make you forget other tenors who have sung Ernesto. His voice is sweet and tender but with a touch of steel in its upper range, adding excitement as when he ends a heavily ornamented passage with a ringing top D-flat. His pianissimos are ravishing and his last-act aria, Com'è gentil is radiant. Raimondi, drier of voice than in his younger days, is a fine Don Pasquale, acting with comic brio, breaking into dances of joy when his proposal seems to be working, and plunging into comedy-tinged despair when it turns sour. As Dr. Malatesta, baritone Oliver Widmer is appropriately slimy. Norina is Spanish soprano Isabel Rey, who delivers an accomplished vocal and acting performance, handling her coloratura turns with aplomb and acting with brio. Nello Santi conducts with appropriate Donizettian energy.
Stage director Grischa Asagoroff and designer Luigi Perego move the setting from the mid-19th century to the 1920s, so Ernesto enters in a tennis outfit, Don Pasquale's clothes include a broadly striped double-breasted white suit with spats, and the Don's drawing room changes from stuffy old-fashioned décor to a garish pink-dominated horror after Norina takes charge. The Don's prime activity when not fulminating about his nephew or donning a tawdry wig to woo Norina is caressing his collection of teddy bears. But his pain is all too evident after the transformed Norina slaps him and the inescapable undercurrent of cruelty is fully brought out, making the last act reversals less convincing. TV director Felix Breisach's cameras efficiently convey the stage action, though the many close-ups make it obvious that Ernesto's beloved is old enough to be his mother. But Flórez's vocalism alone is enough to make this the preferred Don Pasquale. --Dan Davis
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
Humans: 3, Stuffed Animals: 0:
What a shame that the only existing DVD of Juan Diego Florez in one of his signature roles is in this wrong-headed "Don Pasquale." Wrong-headed because once again we have an opera director for whom restraint seems to be a four-letter word. Yes, this is opera buffa, but as anyone who has seen a successful performance of this piece knows, the moments of comedy are leavened with those of genuine heart and poignancy. None of which is in evidence here...unless Senor Florez is on stage -- alone. The opening of... more info
Another wonderful vehicle for Florez:
Having been extremely satisfied with my two earlier purchases of DVDs in which Juan Diego Florez has performed (La Fille du Regiment and Il Barbiere di Siviglia); I knew that it would not be long before I found it necessary to acquire this version of Don Pasquale. As expected, his performance is everything I hoped it would be and nothing more needs to be added to that. I was a little disappointed that Ruggero Raimondi's voice was at certain times extremely difficult to hear over the volume coming from the... more info
Don Pasquale:
Don Pasquale, featuring tenor Juan diego Florez, is excellent. It is a
refreshing presentation with a more modern setting than usual.
Good on-stage performers but rather sluggish conducting:
This production isn't really that bad - you won't throw money away, but it is some what below the top mainly owning to rather disintereted conducting.
The singers strove to give their utmost. Even veteran Ruggiero Raimondi, obviously past his prime, gave a hilarious performance of his great duet with Widmer. Yea, he seemed to have been 'saving' his voice throughout for this duet. But there aren't really much singing parts for the Don throughout this opera, so most of the time he employed effective... more info
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