La donna del lago

"Congratulations to director Paul Curran and his set designer Kevin Knight for cleverly achieving a taut, relatively straightforward staging of Rossini's opera ... heroine DiDonato's voice is in stunning form throughout ... Juan Diego Flórez excels giving a dazzling performance that is both potent and highly accomplished ... Beautifully performed and filmed this presents La Donna del Lago at its finest".

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"La donna del lago, premiered at Naples in 1819, one of Rossini's finest scores, is infrequent on modern stages ... The singers are very fine, and several of the best numbers are outstandingly well performed. Both tenors live up to their formidable reputations, and Michael Spyres even gets an ovation to match that of the supremely popular Juan Diego Flórez. Salome Jicia has the measure of the rather tricky role of Elena, who juggles three suitors and needs appropriate responses to each. She also sings superbly, with the tone, range and flexibility for her solos and for her ensemble contributions ... The very fine chorus and orchestra relish their many stirring and colourful moments ... One for the 'La donna del lago' short list, then, especially if one knows the work and is open to the director's unique view".

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"What can seem a very long opera moves with verve and despatch. Muti, of course, is also responsible, his warm but crackingly theatrical reading familiar from his Philips CD recording, also drawn from these performances. And his cast, if not ideal, manage their spectacularly demanding parts very acceptably".

"Minimalism is the order of the day in Paul Curran's production ... The central trio of Joyce DiDonato, Juan Diego Flórez and Daniela Barcellona are completely inside their roles ... DiDonato's technique is scintillating ... The steely billiance of Flórez's tenor excites ... Michele Mariotti conducts with bel canto grace and assurance".

"Nicht mehr ganz so leicht wie früher klangen die Spitzentöne [der Peruaner Juan Diego Flórez], doch vollendet sind nach wie vor Eleganz und Stilempfinden dieses wahrhaftig royalen Tenorregenten. In scharfem Gegensatz zum rebellischen Rodrigo, den mit Michael Spyres ein echter Baritenore singt, mit heraustrompeteten Höhen und viril breitem Klangfundament. Da haben es die Damen schwer".

"Alle, der har set Damiano Michielettos iscenesættelse af Rossinis "Il Viaggio a Reims" på Det kgl. Teater i 2017 vil vide, at den italienske instruktør har en evne til at forvandle en middelmådig opera til et førsteklasses stykke teater. Det var tilsyneladende det, han gjorde, da han instruerede "La Donna del Lago" ved operafestivalen i Pesaro i 2016 ... Michieletto har et fint sangercast ledet af tenoren Juan Diego Florez ... I spidsen for et orkester, der kender sin Rossini, er en dirigent med speciale i bel canto-repertoiret, Michele Mariotti".