Rating: 
Summary: a most memorable spectacle!
Review: I watched this production years ago on a betamax video and have never forgotton the beautiful filming and wonderful music! I was not an opera enthusiast by any means, but this production in which I could *see* and understand the romantic and tragic story from the english subtitles, made me want to go and listen to opera much more. Compared to other filmed operas, this is a great attempt at making the opera as 'realistic' as possible, rather than just filming a stage. There were various locations and the orchestry of the different scenes is wonderful. All this heightens your enjoyment of Verdi's music. A production you will want to watch more than once.
Rating:
Summary: True Classic
Review: This is now a classic. You will be amazed by the exquisite setting. Well, the acting is not exactly what you expect from a movie, but you have to remember that this is an opera not a movie. The singers are expected to hit the right note at the right time, so the acting is not their priority. But having said that, it is far better than any the usual opera singer acting! The singing is excellent, but I would not say the best. Just remember that there are better recordings of this opera in the market. But none of them comes with this kind of visual spectacles. In that sense, the slight imperfection in the singing is more than fully compensated. Domingo looks a bit too old for his role in the picture, but even today he still sings this role (in reality he is old enough to play the father of Alfredo!) You must see this.
Rating: 
Summary: Should be in VHS only.
Review: The picture quality and the sound quality are both acceptable for a VHS tape, but they are not what I expected from a DVD. Singers and orchestra are quite perfect.
Rating:
Summary: Maybe not the best singing, but deffinitely great scenes!
Review: This is the most convincing Traviata I've seen. Domingo is a little older than the ideal Alfredo, but his scenes are well acted. Stratas is not my favorite voice, but she is a dream Violetta. Extremely touching. The sets are the best!
Rating: 
Summary: La Traviata
Review: Okay, I admit it. I saw this in the theaters (more than once, a lot more than once). I own it on video. And now I own it on DVD.I'm amazed but two things-- how much it annoys me, and how much it continues to move me. The first time I saw it, I started crying at the end of the Third Act. And each time I saw it, it got worse until I reached the point of crying during the overture. So yes, it does pack an emotional wallop. But, there are still some things that annoy me. First, the whole thing has been recorded under pitch. The film, the video, the DVD are all under pitch throughout. Was that a mistake, or a conscious effort to stretch the time a little? Second, everyone complains about Domingo being too old (perhaps following the lead of Maltin). Domingo's age has never bothered me. Stratas' vocal age does. I keep hoping as I watch it that she won't sound so tired and inappropriate at the end of Act I, but she does. I just tell myself that she will sound better later on. (And singing to the wine goblets in Sempre Libera always strikes me as funny: will she break them with her high notes?) And why bother cutting the doctor scene from the beginning of Act 3? I might seem to have a lot of complaints, but the complaints never explain why I feel compelled to watch this again and again. For that, the director and singers receive some credit, but the real credit is owed to Verdi. Buy this, watch it, then watch it again.
Rating: 
Summary: Fantastic Production - Pitiful Audio!
Review: The production is beautiful, Stratas is Great, Domingo is Domingo (altho a bit old for this part). What would be an experience just short of a live performance sadly fails due to (I guess) very pitiful sound mastering on DVD. Its audio is best described as 'squeaky' and doesn't even approach the quality of AM Radio. A DVD's audio not be sadder than the production's plot! If it's ever properly re-mastered, I'd like a copy.
Rating:
Summary: A Serious Disappointment
Review: I have recently purchased and watched as many Operas as I could afford on DVD. Each has been wonderful and short of being there this format gives a truly emotional experience. I knew that Franco Zifferelli's film would be different but I was not prepared for the utterly one dimensional presentation of what is otherwise great music by performers of the highest calibre. The picture quality was little better than VHS (poor), sound was seriously flawed throughout and with no PCM stereo soundtrack included the option of using the disc as a sound only CD was not available to save the day. I cannot recommend this presentation to anyone who expects to enjoy an opera. It is a horrible experience and one I hope never to repeat. Opera depends for much of its impact on the stylised acting that singers must use to convey the drama and their performance needs the interaction that can only come from an audience participating in a live performance. Even as a film this production is poor.
Rating:
Summary: "La Traviata" - good picture, good stereo-sound
Review: Available in 16:9-widescreen this DVD offers a pretty good picture for such an "old" opera-movie. The 4 bios are only relevant for people who know nothing about the artists, for all others there no new info in it. The sound, however seems a bit strange: there is very little surround-information in the Dolby Digital-mode (2.0) and even the spacial stereo impression is very little. Most of the sound seems to come from the center-speaker, so the sound appears rather mono than stereo. A good stereo-panorama is hearable, if you put the effect-option at your system off using the PCM-track only, although this does not provide ANY surround information.
Rating:
Summary: SENSUOUS DELIGHT
Review: Teresa Stratas is born to play Violetta. Her voice, appearance and manner are all perfect to the role. Domingo is a little old for Alfredo, but his voice is flawless and his interpretation passionate. The entire cast is excellent and the production exciting and well-set. I recommend it most highly. This is an excellent opera for beginners.
Rating:
Summary: A butchery of a great work
Review: Warning: this is a dissenting opinion! I have little use for Zefferelli's Shakespeare or Opera films: the best I can say about La Traviata is that it's not quite so horrible as The Taming of the Shrew. Teresa Stratas is simply not equipped to deal with the vocal demands of Violetta, and tries to compensate for this by the most outrageous hamminess in her acting; Placido Domingo gives a solid and not uncharming performance, but it's pretty generic; and Cornel MacNiell as Giorgio Germont is so far past his prime that his work could serve as an admonition to other singers not to push their luck. Every directorial choice is obvious and cheap, which should surprise nobody familiar with Zefferelli's other films. The costumes and hairstyles are very well-done; the sets are perhaps too sumptious. Anyone who loves Verdi will be disturbed by this film's success.
| 
