Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #21686 in DVD
• Released on: 2008-01-21
• Rating: Exempt
• Aspect ratio: 1.77:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Formats: Classical, DVD-Video, PAL
• Original language: Italian, English
• Subtitled in: German, English, Italian, French, Spanish
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 140 minutes

DVD Description
Tracklist Disc 1 1. Preludio 2. All'erta! All'erta! L'alba appari 3. O di Cromwell guerrieri 4. A festa! A festa! 5. Or dove fuggo mai? 6. Ah! per sempre io ti perdei 7. O amato zio, o mio secondo padre! 8. Chi mosso a' miei desir il genitor? 9. Odi... Qual suon si desta? 10. Ad Arturo onore 11. A te, o cara 12. Il rito augusto si compia senza me 13. Cavalier! - Se t'è duopo il consiglio 14. Son vergin vezzosa 15. Ferma! Invan, invan rapir pretendi 16. Dov'è Arturo? 17. Oh! vieni al tempio 18. Ma tu già mi fuggi? 19. Pausengespräch 1 20. Bellini's "Puritani" - M. Juntwait & B. Sills (Bonus) 21. Backstage - R. Fleming & J. Clark (Bonus) 22. Catalogue Slideshow (Bonus)

Disc 2 1. Ah dolor! Ah terror! 2. Qual novella - Cinta di fiori 3. E di morte lo stral non sarà lento 4. O rendetemi la speme 5. Vien, diletto, è in ciel la luna 6. Il rival salvar tu dêi 7. Riccardo! Riccardo! Il duol che sì m'accora 8. Pausengespräch 2 9. Son salvo, alfin son salvo 10. A una fonte afflitto e solo 11. Fini ... me lassa! 12. Vieni, vieni fra questa braccia 13. Alto là! 14. Credeasi, misera! 15. Suon d'araldi? 16. Closing Credits

Synopsis
I PURITANI is the final opera from Bellini before his tragic passing, and centres on the 17th century English civil war.

Customer Reviews

plodding puritani
Dramatically, this isn't one of Bellini's strongest works. Musically, it is sublime. and so the need for singing over drama is easy to understand. This production was originally mounted for Sutherland and Pavarotti, who no doubt provided bel canto a plenty. The new cast try to make more sense of the drama and the singing isn't in the same league.

La Netrebko looks lovely throughout, and has a beautiful voice. But she's overparted by the florid nature of much of this music. Her voice has a heavy slavic quality and she simply doesn't sparkle in the famous polonaise (and is often flat). "Ah vieni o tempio" at the end of act 1, where she sings more lyric music, suits her much better, and the histrionics of the mad scene draw some fine moments, although, once again, her coloratrura is muddy. The final (Malibran) cabaletta is similarly prosaic. A frustrating singer, who has so much to offer but who hasn't really the technique for this repertoire. And her interpretation of the text - whatever one might think of it's quality - is perfunctory. This is a show-off opera, sure, but a little more integrity and intelligence would compensate for technical shortcomings.

Eric Cutler just manages his high notes in "Ah, te o Caro" but they're not especially lovely. Otherwise he gives a clean decently sung Arturo. It's a killer role. The other parts are well sung.

I generally warmed to the magnificent sets and elaborate costumes, but the "production" is non-existant, and there's nothing very thrilling about it. That wouldn't matter with fabulous singing. Netrebko's fans will imagine she provides it. But I think posterity will put her in the Anna Moffo camp rather than the Callas one, if she's not careful.

A sparkling production
The previous review seriously underplays, I think, the many virtues of this marvellous production. The sets are very good, the orchestra is first class, the conducting excellent, and the atmosphere strong. All the main singers are high quality. Anna Netrebko, to my mind, gives an amazing performance, full of characterization and beautiful singing. Her coloratura is not quite in the Sutherland league - but I have recently re-watched/listened to the latter and, while the high notes of Sutherland's voice are peerless, overall Netrebko's voice + acting + appearance tilt the scales clearly in her favour.
This is a bargain of a DVD.