Lucrezia

Donizetti - Lucrezia Borgia / Bonynge, Sutherland, Kraus, Royal Opera
$29.99
Lucrezia Borgia, while not one of Donizetti's best operas with a rather dopey libretto, is well worth hearing but not in this poor production. The camera work is at best routine, and tends to reveal the weaknesses of the staging, the stolid nature of the acting, and the rather inappropriate casting from a visual point of view of the two female leads. The subtitles are farcically incomplete and there is no libretto or any other useful information. Yes, the singing is distinguished, and Anne Howells is a delight, but as a whole this is highly disappointing. Since this DVD is not worth watching, and Lucrezia Borgia is given a much better performance in the 1977 recording (still available on CD transfer) with Sutherland and Bonynge in better form than here and with Aragall, Horne and Wixell vocally at least as satisfying as Krause, Howells and Dean, only a very devoted Donizetti fan will want this DVD. I shall not be watching it again.

I Love Lucrezia Sweatshirt XX-Large White
$22.95

"Lucrezia Borgia", Prologo: Com'��� bello! (Lucrezia, Duca, Rustighello)
$0.99

Donizetti - Lucrezia Borgia / Bonynge, Sutherland, Kraus, Royal Opera [VHS]
$29.95
Lucrezia Borgia, while not one of Donizetti's best operas with a rather dopey libretto, is well worth hearing but not in this poor production. The camera work is at best routine, and tends to reveal the weaknesses of the staging, the stolid nature of the acting, and the rather inappropriate casting from a visual point of view of the two female leads. The subtitles are farcically incomplete and there is no libretto or any other useful information. Yes, the singing is distinguished, and Anne Howells is a delight, but as a whole this is highly disappointing. Since this DVD is not worth watching, and Lucrezia Borgia is given a much better performance in the 1977 recording (still available on CD transfer) with Sutherland and Bonynge in better form than here and with Aragall, Horne and Wixell vocally at least as satisfying as Krause, Howells and Dean, only a very devoted Donizetti fan will want this DVD. I shall not be watching it again.