Donizetti: Anna Bolena

This opera arrived today and it went into the player as soon as the box was opened. If you are at all "into" bel canto, you must have and experience this performance. From a music standard, from a dramatic standard and from a technical standard, it is a hands down winner! In addition to having experienced this performance, I was able to attend my first ever Met HD simulcast of Anna Bolena on 10/15, featuring Anna Netrebko and an entirely different cast. If that performance gets onto DVD, I will have two splendid renditions of this opera.But let's address this Anna first, because if you are reading this, it is this disc about which you are curious. First, the disc is qualitatively perfect. the picture is crisp, the colors are vivid and the sound in DTS is still a marvel to me. There is a real sense of "being there"; if you have a good surround system, just disable the surround and then re-engage it. There is a sonic collapse to the front speakers which reverses to a sense of the "house" when the surround is clicked back on.The conducting of this opera is splendid throughout. I have become real fan of Maestro Pido of late, especially in bel canto operas. You can see from the very opening of the overture how engaged he is in the score, and his work with the singers is impressive. Along with Marco Armiliato ( who conducted the Met performance ) and Antonio Popano, I think we have a cadre of talented and experienced bel canto interpreters on hand for the near future.So, how do the singers do? With one exception, the performers sing and act at a very high level of excellence.Netrebko's Anna is a vocal and dramatic tour de force. She is an exceptional performer. I know from reading esteemed reviewers here that many fault Netrebko for taking on such roles as this because of a lack of real coloratura, which is true: Netrebko is not a lyric coloratura soprano. What that means is that she will not be as agile on runs and trills and lacks the extreme upper range of the true coloratura. But roles like Anna are not just about trills and E flats. One reason that Anna Bolena was Donizetti's first breakthrough opera has to as much with dramatic intensity as with vocalism. What Netrebko does here is to bring the character of Anna to life, both musically and dramatically.If I want E flats, I can listen to Sutherland or Sills. The former, whose work I enjoy and who was in life a most gracious person, had little stage presence, while Sills was a formidable stage presence without the depth of Netrebko's voice.Elina Garanca is also definitive in the role of Joanna. I think that along with Joyce Di Donato she is the best of the current mezzo stars. Elisabeth Kulman ( Smeton ) was new to me, but is also very talented from both the vocal and dramatic perspectives.As far as the men are concened, Ildebrando D'Archangelo is a compelling Henry VIII. He is not as much of a bully as was the real Henry, but has no trouble negotiating the vocal aspects of the role, and being a bit older than is Ildar Abdrazakov, who sang the role in the Met HD performance, brings more believeability to the part. Francesco Meli ( Percy ) is very good vocally, but not as involved in his character as he might have been. His competiton in the Met version was the hugely talented Stephen Costello, with whom there is simply no comparison. But this did not dimish my enjoyment of and enthusiasm for this performance."Extras" are limited to Mme. Garanca outlining the plots of the two acts. I wish there had been more. If the Met version makes it to disc, and I hope that it soon does, I really hope that the interview with the costumer is preserved. The Met Costumes are the real deal with wimples for the ladies and lots of lacing for all. Much historical research went into Met Costumes. In this DGG version, the costumes are not much like Tudor England.My original review of the opera was based on having access to an "unauthorized" version of this same performance. I posted it when this set was in pre-release to alert bel canto fans of its merit. For reviewer integrity,it appears unedited below. while it was a recording of this exact performance, the DGG set, with better picture and incredible sound quality is a winner! One other thing: Amazon shows the total timing at 140 minutes; the actual performance runs a bit over three hours.And one last teaser: in the Met simulcast it was announced that stage director David McVicar was planning on staging both Maria Stuarda and Roberto Devereux at the Met. With Anna Netrebko, one wonders?ORIGINAL REVIEW:I have a DVD of this production of 4/7/2011 from a French HD telecast with the same principals singing. There's no DTS, nor is there any indexing and no English subtitles. It was a no brainer for me to pre-order this one, because the performance is simply outstanding. To me that means the singing, acting, staging, orchestra,etc. all work. They do! If you like Bel Canto, this is one to pick up and enjoy. I'll come back to this review in November when I have a chance to view DGG's release, but knowing the quality of their recent discs, I do not expect the rating to drop.

Aristotle wrote that Tragedy is about a great mind living a reversal of fortune, because an inner drive (not external events) drives him/her towards self-knowledge and death: the performance must offer aesthetic pleasure. Anna Bolena fits the definition as few other operas can ever hope to (except of course when they are transcriptions of Sophocles, Shakespeare, Racine, and a very few others). No weepy drama, no red eyes when Bolena is judicially murdered. Felice Romano is a great poet! I am not a native speaker of Italian, but I do have the privilege of speaking a Latin Language. If you can, learn Italian, the payoff is huge. The plot is reasonably faithful to history, but that is irrelevant: it unveils a totally different, totally convincing vista: the hypothetical face-to-face conflict between Boleyn on her way to the scaffold and Seymour on hers to the throne. In real life it probably never happened; actually the real Jane Seymour was a simple lowly educated country girl. Giovanna Seumour is a Felice Romano character. But if you enjoy a truly mega-conflict of noble minds seek no further! Then there is the music. At his best, Donizetti is one to beat and here he is at his absolute peak best. The Wiener Statsoper, under Maestro Pidò has been lavishly praised by others and I remember no other performance as good as this one. This is a brave new world of sound, the rendering of a complex elegant score, at one time dark and brilliant. Anna Netrebko remarked during a recent interview that Boleyn must have been quite a lady to make a king change the religion of an entire country "simply" to be able to marry her. So, said Netrebko, Bolena must die gloriously as the great Queen she was. Her madness is not lunacy like Lucia's, because it has method in it: she simply wonders back to her happy days, before walking to the scaffold. It is a historical fact that Boleyn died greatly. Anna's Bolena dies tragically and magnificently. I was not privileged to witnes La Callas, but I have her CD. She is definitive, but Anna is another of the wonders of the world. She may not have the coloratura agility but this is really immaterial. Here is Her Majesty, a Tragedy, as great as they come. When she solemnly declares "Cessa! A questa iniqua accusa mia dignità riprendo!" you feel instinctively you should kneel. The voice is velvety dark (when was it anything else?) and how wonderfully does this reflect the great mind experiencing reversal of fortune. Then of course, there is Elina Regina Seymour. Whenever on stage, in farce, comedy or drama, Elina is never less than phenomenal. We have Roberto Alagna's word that she is the most complete Carmen. Her Giovanna Seymour is definitive. Her Majesty is exquisite, her acting brilliant but her timbre is out of this world. The legendary Bolena / Seymour duet, possibly one of the greatest moments in the history of music, is sung and acted but two very different, contrasting voices and actresses: verdict has to be, it has never been done this way before. Bravo to Donizetti and Romano who created this textual and musical marvel, bravissimo for Pidó and his Wienners, but on you knees for Anna and Elina. Elizabeth Kulman is a great Smeton: first time I heard or saw her: she raises it to the higher level, sings and acts beautifully, and completes the ladies' dominant role in this production. The trouble in the plot (and in history) is how to believe that even a young Flemish musician could have been duped to confess what he did. The gentlemen are variable. Archangelo's Enrico is not sufficiently villainous. But everyone must make way for their Majesties. Not having a Callas video is as sad as all the lost Greek tragedies, but this DVD is way ahead of everything else so far! I saw (and loved) the Met production live: Netrebko may have surpassed herself (is that really possible?), Elina and Pidò are head and shoulders higher, the Vienna gentlemen not as good, but I would like to have the Met DVD to compare. Let's hope it can match this Viennese glory. Not an easy order. If you like bel canto you must have this. A gripping story that runs before your eyes before you can take yourself away from it. Three hours in a few minutes.

Format: Blu-rayThe sets first, they are all big dark and dingy, almost featureless, it is a good job that each scene tells you where it is, for example "Queens Antechamber" otherwise you would not guess.The costumes next, absolutely fabulous, the leading ladies and the chorus of lady courtiers are dressed with noe expense spared. The chorus are in dark toned dresses and Anne and Jane , to give them their English Names have brighter colours and the shot silk capes are very eye catching.The men are all suitably attired with Henry ( Enrico) obviously best.The two leading ladies have some great moments together and Anna Netrebko with somewhat darker tones as Anne and Elina Garanca provide excellent contrasts in presentation.Elisabeth Kulman in the trouser role of Smeton has a lightish mezzo and does a good job..The male parts consist of Franceasco Meli, he is my sort of tenor with some ringingly clear notes that please the ear.Rochefort sung by Dan Paul Dumiytscu is rather good but his material is not spectacular and does not allow any showing off. Sir Hervey by Peter Jelosits is well up to scratch in this minor role.I have left Henry (Enrico) till last as I find his deep gravelly base baritone hard on the ear, it sounds rather pushed and is along with the sets my reason for dropping a star..I give full marks to the ladies chorus, they get a lot of work to do and are very pleasing, this is not to detract from the men who do not really have showpieces.Fond as I am of Donizetti, having a dozen or more DVDs in my library, I would say this is my least favourite, the music often seems too light, playful and frivolous for the serious nature of the plot. There is no way that the conductor could make it otherwise.The glossy booklet is very good, besides the cast list the ares etc are timed and the synopsis is very detailed and useful, there is also an article about Netrebko and Garanca.I rest my case but note that the majority of reviewers are more enthusiastic than me.Just as a footnote , history buffs will note that facts never get in the way of Donizetti producing a a good story

Donizetti composed Opera full of light humour and beautiful love songs such as L' Elisir d'Amour, and other works such as Lucia di Lammermoor full of desperation and ending in tragedy. I recently attended the Metropolitan Opera production of Lucia di Lammermoor at Teatro alla Scala, Milan. Anna Netrebko was unfortunately touring in concert but the production was the same, and I have the DVD. The Anna Bolena Opera was Donizetti's 31st completed in 1830, and amazingly, the first to be really successful during his lifetime.Anna Netrebko plays beautiful Anna Bolena with a passion that is truly regal. This is a great contrast to the flirtatious country girl in L' Elisir d' Amour, but she is joined again by Ildebrando D'Arcangelo as King Henry V111. Here his humorous capabilities as the Doctor are also put aside, for a very serious and strong portrayal of a menacing monarch who allegedly stopped at nothing in his desire for a male heir. Anna Netrebko and Ildebrando D'Arcangelo show their brilliant versatility also in Le Nozze Di Figaro by Mozart, in a video directed also by Brian Large.Elina Garanca is wonderful, giving an equally dramatic and beautifully spell binding performance as Giovanna Seymour. A Lady in waiting, Giovanna is the object of Enrico V111's affections and soon to replace Anna as Queen.The Libretto by Felice Romani takes artistic licence with History, but the stress of her imminent execution induces a sense of unreality as Anna tries to comfort her young daughter Elizabeth, just as Lucia di Lammermoor is driven to madness. There is much confrontation and reverie throughout, but Anna begins the finale with the beautiful arias Piangete voi? and Al dolce guidami castrei natio, with the Chorus.The young Minstrel Smeaton is played excellently by Elizabeth Kulman, with Dan Paul Dumitrescu as Lord Rochefort, Francesco Meli as Lord Riccardo Percy, and Peter Jelosits as Sir Harvey.The supreme Chor, Orchester und Buhnenorchester der Wiener Staatsoper is conducted by Evelino Pido. The sumptuous 16th Century period costumes are designed by Luisa Spinatelli.Intense drama and scintillating music demanding the pinnacle of vocal prowess, all captured on Blu-ray. What more is there to say?

Great singing from Anna Netrebko & Elina Garanca. Ildebrando D'Arcangelo too gave a fine performance as Henry Reminding us at times that Henry was a fine athlete in his younger days.He struggled with some of his lower notes, but his upper register shone.Francesco Meli I have never liked. His top notes were feeble & he lacked power during Orchestral tutti's. A sign of the times I suppose as far as tenors are concerned, some notable tenors excepted.I am prepared to put up with Meli to hear such fine singing from the soprano & mezzo. History tells us that Anna was a notable beauty & Netrebko did us proud in that respect as did the lovely Garanca as Jane Seymour.. A splendid performance of a great opera Charles Webb Pontypool Wales.

I can only endorse the superlatives given by the other reviewers. The sets and staging appear fairly discrete but very effective. This is in no small part due to the performers. Anna Netrebko and Elina Garanca are brilliant in singing and acting. The same is true of ldebrando D'Arcangelo as Henry 8th. All three look the parts which is a great bonus.The orchestra under Evelino Pido perform superbly. The video direction by Brian Large is, as usual, exemplary, without wasted camera shots or close-ups which would destroy the atmosphere. There are of course close-ups but always well judged.A must buy for opera lovers.

This is a review of the Vienna State Opera's Anna Bolena. To my untrained ear the singing is perfect. The costumes and lighting are marvellous, a Holbein come to life. Excellent.