Gaetano Donizetti - La Fille du regiment / Dessay, Florez, Palmer, Corbelli, French, Campanella, Pelly (Royal Opera House 2007)

Editorial Review:

In January 2007, superstar soprano Natalie Dessay, joined on stage by acclaimed tenor Juan Diego Florez dazzled British audiences in Laurent Pelly's new production of Donizetti's "LA FILLE DU REGIMENT". The perfectly staged & cast production became the operatic event of the year, receiving rave press reviews & rapturous audience ovations.

This DVD version of Donizetti's comic opera zooms right to the top of any list of essential videos for opera fans. It may not be the composer's best work, but given a top-notch production with world class singing actors, it brings vocal thrills and an abundance of laughs, a combination that's hard to beat. The stars are Juan Diego Flórez and Natalie Dessay, both unbeatable in bel canto roles, and both in top form here. Flórez's mellifluous tenor is flexible enough to make child's play of the terrifying (to other tenors) nine high C's in Ah! mes amis," and supple enough to make his tender love arias moving. Dessay is equally comfortable in the stratospheric coloratura passages and poignant in such heart-tugging set-pieces as her farewell to her regimental "fathers" and her misery as the victim of the Marquise's well-meaning attempts to teach her to be an aristocratic lady. She's also a terrific comic actress. In her first appearance she's doing the regiment's laundry, and her antics with the iron and the ironing board while singing elaborately difficult coloratura passages induce belly laughs. But then, so do her comic acting in many other scenes, such as her Act II entry in a silk dress and full petticoat, her walk a wonderful parody of a "lady's" heel-to-toe gait. That moment alone is worth the price of admission. Lesser roles too, are done to perfection. Felicity Palmer, a long-time Covent Garden favorite, is a delicious Marquise de Berkenfield, and Donald Maxwell, is her apt partner as Hortensius, her servant. Sergeant Sulpice, the heroine's protector, is well-sung and acted by Alessandro Corbelli, and Dawn French almost steals the show as the overbearing Duchess. Conductor Bruno Campanella leads a spirited performance, enhanced by the fine playing by the Orchestra and Chorus of the Royal Opera House. Laurent Pelly's stage direction is wonderful for its comic touches and Chantal Thomas' simple but effective sets add to the delights. The video direction efficiently serves the staging, focusing on the action and the singers without adding extraneous shots that detract from the musical flow. All of which makes this DVD a can't-miss for opera fans. --Dan Davis La Fille du regiment is in 16:9 ratio. Sound options include PCM Stereo, Dolby 5.1 Surround and DTS 5.1 Surround. Subtitles include English, French, German, Spanish, and Italian.

Customer Reviews:

Avg. Customer Rating: 5.0 / 5.0

Not the Best DVD:

I saw a tape of another production of "Daughter of the Regiment" and it was fantastic. The DVD I received from Amamzon was different, although the cast was the same. The quality of the film was poor, the lighting was bad, and there was a different conductor. All in all, it did not have the same electricity as the first production that I saw.

"La Fille" a delight for the eyes and the ears:

Marvelous singing, fun to watch, wonderful acting and great comic timing by Natalie Dessay, 9 high Cs by Juan Diego Florez. If you want to buy only one bel canto opera buffa, get this one.

Another comedic masterpiece:

I remember seeing a traditional La Fille a long time ago; I was bored stiff. But on the strength of the many 5 star reviews, I took a risk on this La Fille.
Do it! Like the Le Elisir d'amore with Netrebko and Villazon Donizetti - L'Elisir d'Amore / Eschwe, Netrebko, Villazon, Wiener Staatsoper, it takes middling music and makes it tremendous fun. Don't let the anachronistic setting (WW I?) scare you off; this is one of those cases where it works.
Dessay starts out as a near-manic, but her acting... more info

Donizetti - La fille du regiment - Dessay and Florez:

This is the first opera I have ever bought on DVD, and because it has been such a joyful experience, it won't be the last. I watched twice with my 3 daughters (10, 12 and 14 years old) and we were glued to the screen the whole time.
It is set during WWI. A baby girl has been raised from infancy by a French regiment. She falls in love with Tonio, a civilian, but she has promised to marry a member of the regiment. And, of course, her long-lost mother reappears to bring her home. So - will the 2 lovers... more info

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