Donizetti - Lucia di Lammermoor / Cillario, Moffo, Kozma

Rating:
Summary: Ultimate Lucia On Film
Review: Anna Moffo in Lucia. You can't get any better than that !! The 60's opera sensation Anna Moffo has a great following and her voice is perfect for the tragic heroine Lucia. Donizetti's opera about thwarted love, forbidden romance, madness and murder in bleak Scotland is his best and most acclaimed. Anna Moffo's beauty and voice, neither which had faded at the time of this film, 1971, is enchanting. On film, this is as great opera to watch. Starring as her lover Edgardo is Lajos Kozma, a little known European tenor. Anna Moffo was American-bred but she has Italian background. If I'm not mistaken she could speak Italian fluently and at one time also had her own show on Italian television. Many will flock to the DVD of Joan Sutherland's Met performance as Lucia, long regarded as the best. But eventhough I'm a Moffo fan, here's why I think Moffo is better as Lucia.

Anna Moffo has the right look for Lucia. Her beauty provides her with a vulnerability and naivete that is appropriate for the romantic, lovesick and naive young heroine who is driven to madness. Joan Sutherland does not have any of these qualities and insteads she looks too old. This film is also very good visually. The haunting cinematography enhances the plot of the opera. The film was shot in authentic castles and moors. The fact that the movie looks dated and runs slow is not a problem. It adds to the allure of the old opera. Everything about this film is perfect. The look, the cast of singers and the orchestration. Get this if you're a fan of Anna Moffo and if you want to watch a great performance of Lucia.

Rating:
Summary: It has absoultely beautiful music and is very pretty.
Review: Anna Moffo is beautiful. The sets are very pretty. The music is stunning and memorable.

Rating:
Summary: surprisingly good
Review: As far as opera movie goes this one is surprisingly good.
Granted the acting is a bit static and the filmography
academic and the sound a little fuzzy in ensemble - however
the sets (real castle, real outdoors) and costumes are
beautiful and everybody looks good and right for the parts.
Anna Moffo is definetely the star - she is ravishing to
look at and a pleasure to listen to - a warm, full lyric
soprano voice with an easy top and considerable agility -
tenor Lajos Kozma is light and a bit nasal but sings well
and baritone and bass are good. All and all a very enjoyable
movie and a lovely memento of Anna Moffo in her prime,
especially to people like me too young to have known her
while she was still active.

Rating:
Summary: lovely Moffo memento
Review: I was really disappointed in the casting of this video. Moffo sings beautifully in dubbing but the balance of the cast is inferior to say the least. The costumes are pretty and the castle is grand but found myself totally unmoved. The Met version with Sutherland is better in my opinion, even though I'm a fan of Moffo. Must remember it's done in 1968 style as well, and not as much good acting as some today. Nice to have to remember Moffo, however.

Rating:
Summary: Moffo Momento
Review: I was really disappointed in the casting of this video. Moffo sings beautifully in dubbing but the balance of the cast is inferior to say the least. The costumes are pretty and the castle is grand but found myself totally unmoved. The Met version with Sutherland is better in my opinion, even though I'm a fan of Moffo. Must remember it's done in 1968 style as well, and not as much good acting as some today. Nice to have to remember Moffo, however.

Rating:
Summary: Anna Moffo is magnificent!
Review: Moffo is stunningly lovely both vocally and visually. A must-have for fans of gorgeous singing. Everyone else in the film is rather terrible, however, from the bleating goat of a maidservant to a ridiculously effeminate-sounding tenor "hero." None of that is of importance, though, considering the glory of Anna Moffo.

Rating:
Summary: Horrible audio quality prvents form ejoying the music
Review: Well, I got accustomed to the low quality of "Visual Artists International" videos, and would not have bought this one, if only I could get another Anna Moffo video recording of a complete opera. But what I heard here is simply below any reasonable quality standard. High notes are distorted, orchestra voices are not heard at all, everything is messed up. When they sing or play loudly and high, you just have to shut your ears. Many old archived non-restored recordings are of better quality than this one. Total waste of money.