Verdi Un Ballo in Maschera (1975)
This production from Covent Garden is set in Stockholm, and not Boston. With Reri Grist (Oscar), Placido Domingo (Gustavus), Katia Ricciarelli (Amelia), Piero Cappucili (Renato), Patricia Payne (? - the booklet or DVD fails to credit the singer) (Ulrica) and Claudio Abbado in the pit: all at their peak, you just simply cannot go wrong when purchasing this DVD. This performance made me realise why I had fallen in love with opera: beautiful (today one should be thankful) and convincing sets and costumes, and fiery conducting and singing from all the above soloists which leaves you breathless. Domingo as the King (not the Governor of Boston) is simply ravishing! He is so convincing and dashing as Gustavus - I think very few tenors nowadays can even attempt such a convincing vocal and dramatic performance.
Directors: John Vernon, Otto Schenk.
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Plácido Domingo as Gustavo III |
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Katia Ricciarelli as Amelia |
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Piero Cappuccilli as Anckarstroem |
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Reri Grist as Oscar |
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Patricia Payne as Ulrica |
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Elizabeth Bainbridge as Mlle. Arvidson |
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William Elwin as Silvano |
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Gwynne Howell as Samuel |
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Paul Hudson as Tom |
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Francis Egerton as Un giudice |
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John Carr as Amelia's servant |
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Claudio Abbado as Self - Conductor |
| Sound | Giuseppe Verdi | Original Music Composer |
| Writing | Eugène Scribe | Original Story |
| Writing | Antonio Somma | Writer |
| Directing | John Vernon | Director |
| Directing | Otto Schenk | Director |
