Nabucco: The Opera [DVD]

I saw this live at Covent Garden in 2013. My verdict at the time was of a truly great musical performance, but let down by a poor production. This blu-ray release confirms my view.Placido Domingo gives a tremendous perfomance as Nabucco. He wears his age much more lightly in this than in some other things I’ve seen him in recently, and still has all his old reserves of stage presence and charisma. Essential viewing for all Placido-fans. Liudmyla Monastyrska is magnificent as the harridan Abigaille. She has an incredibly powerful voice, and here keeps it under control and deploys it to thrilling effect. She also displays great subtlety and sensitivity in her gentler passages, such as her Act 2 “Salgo gia del trono..” aria. Marianna Pizzolato and Andrea Care are also very good as the lovers Fenena and Ismaele, and Vitalij Kowaljow is superbly commanding as the priest Zaccaria. Nabucco contains a huge part for the chorus, and the ROH chorus are simply terrific – equally so in the ferocious passages and in calmer sections such as “Va pensiero”.Nicola Luisotti leads a high-voltage reading, with excellent playing from the ROH orchestra.So, a five-star musical perfomance. However, unfortunately, the whole thing is sadly let down by a dull and unimaginative production. I’m not in principle against “concept” productions, but here the only concept appears to be “drab”. There are no helpful notes in the meagre booklet or in the Extras on the disc, however my Covent Garden programme stated that “Daniele Abbado’s production focusses on themes of exile, humanity and Mankind’s preoccupation with the nature of God”. If that was his intention, I can’t say that he succeeded. The cast are dressed in modern (mid-20th century) costumes in drab shades of grey. The set is a giant sandpit, with a few grey blocks in the first two Acts, and a few chicken-wire sculptures in the last two. There’s no clue as to who these people are, or what’s driving them to do what they are doing. Some concept productions are annoying – this one isn’t really, it’s just dull. So I’m subtracting a star for that.The pictures and sound are excellent. Technical details – 24-bit PCM 2/0 and DTS 3/2.1.

All the singing is outstanding and Domingo does not show his age or any diminution of excellence as one of the finest voices around. I cannot believe he is in his seventies. The other singers are superb and once I get used to their names etc. I will want to see what else they are in. I could imagine some of the singers doing justice to Macbeth, Don Carlos and Boris Godunov. The conductor conducted with drive and enthusiasm.The reason why I have not given this five star rating is the actual production and scenery. Covent Garden can do better than this. Anyone can put a number of square pillars on stage that would look better on lego or minecraft.

GREAT JOB!!!

Excellent portayal, the singing and orchestra, faultless!

großartige Leistung von Domingo