Rating: 
Summary: Keep your eyes closed...
Review: Although this cinematic version of Verdi's Rigoletto would be considered by most movie-goers a "B" genre work, the music is the only somewhat decent aspect that salvages its otherwise boring and laughable attempt at truly creating a legitimate "film."
Luciano Pavarotti (one of the most famous tenors in the last few years to have sung the role of the Duke of Mantua), Ingar Wixell (as Rigoletto), and Edita Gruberova (as Gilda) join forces in what one would assume would be a tour de force cast. Although Pavarotti sings the role well and easily hits the higher notes, they at times seem a bit dry (as he is prone to doing), without any type of animation or gusto. Gruberova is an above average Gilda, and she and Pavarotti shine brightest when they are singing together (namely in their Act II duet and the famous quartet in Act III). Wixell is a light Rigoletto, but he is clearly the most effulgent of the trio as a singing actor; were the viewer to close his or her eyes, almost no emotion or real role portrayal would be felt from anyone except for the baritone.
But alas, the disastre of this is undoubtedly the acting and final cut of the "movie" itself. Some operas turned into works of cinema have worked (e.g., Tosca with Domingo and Malfitano), yet here, the acting is ridiculously overdone, or in the case of Pavarotti (which isn't too unusual for those who have seen him on stage...) is non-existent. To top it off, the music is almost never matched with the actual movements of the actors' mouths, which results in a stereotypical effect like you would see in a dubbed foreign film.
To get to the point, this is NOT the Rigoletto to buy if you are looking for a good production. Skip it---go with the Met production with Domingo/Cotrubas/Diaz or the Covent Garden production with Alvarez/Gavanelli/Schafer. Either would be a much more enjoyable choice for the seasoned opera fan and the beginner alike.
Rating: 
Summary: The Best Opera Movie Available
Review: An incredibly beautiful movie with great singers in every role. Even the minor roles of Marullo and Ceprano are memorable. Major roles played by Furlanetto and Wixell are incredibly powerful. Don't miss this one.
Rating:
Summary: Poor sound quality
Review: By quickly going through the reviews, none seems to have pointed out an apparent problem of this DVD. Sound quality is so bad and not at an acceptable level.
Rating: 
Summary: Fonomímica
Review: Compré con mucha ilusión esta ópera pensando que la podría ver y oir grabada en vivo. El desfase entre el sonido y el movimiento de la boca es casi imperceptible. Pero es inequívoco que un doblaje carece de la expresión instantánea de los cantantes y del público que, para mí, es parte de la música en cada función. La fonomímica quita la magia que el teatro le da a la ópera. No es ni cine ni ópera. Inclusive debo subir demasiado el volumen para sentir a gusto lo que estoy disfrutando con el oído. Ernesto González Roberto
Rating:
Summary: A good Rigoletto
Review: Everything in this DVD works well: the comprimario roles (Furlanetto as Sparafucile, Vergara as Maddalena, and Barbieri as Giovanna) are very good. The major roles are also great: Pavarotti here is a good actor (perhaps because he was directed by Ponnelle), and his singing is a pleasure for my ears: his Duca is a perfect portrait of a "Don Juan", althought he's a little fat for a young lover ("giovane, possente e bello"). Gruberova sings very well, excellent in "Caro nome". But the surprise is Wixell: not a great voice like Bastianini or Warren, but what an actor! And Mr.Verdi really liked good actors, not just "singing machines".
Great sound and images, very nicelly staged, a very good orchestra and chorus, a excellent work from Chailly, and a sometimes controversial, but good direction from Ponnelle.
Buy it.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic production - Don't miss it!
Review: I am studying opera at UCLA with a wonderful professor, .... This is one of our assigned operas. As a new student, I was worried about buying this version, but trusted the reviews. What a wonderful surprise. The filming was superb with a beautiful setting. It very much lent itself to a contemporary viewer, opera novice, without loosing what a stage performance adds to the experience. The cast was excellent and very attractive, truly believable in their respective parts.I especially enjoy the DVD format for it gives one the freedom of viewing with or without subtitles, changing the language of the subtitles and moving to different arias at will. It is a wonderful way to study the opera. I was not expecting to like this opera as much as I did. I know that I will choose to watch it often in the future for the story is compelling and the music sublime. Thank you Amazon.
Rating: 
Summary: Great version, but i prefer the on-stage ones
Review: I bought this dvd because, when i saw it for the first time (like 10 ten years ago) was the best sung version and the cast was superb. My favorites are the direction of Chailly (i find it great, dinamic and precise), the voice of Pavarotti (ONLY the voice, the acting sucks) especially singing my favorite aria "possente amor mi chiama", and giving a high D that i liked much. Now, i prefer the on-stage versions, so i don't like this DVD anymore. But i consider that this could be, in some way, a referencial version about what Rigoletto is musically...
Rating:
Summary: A Rigoletto you will be happy to own
Review: I liked this DVD from beginning to end ! This is the movie version of Verdi's tragic masterpiece Rigoletto. I must admit, that up to this point, I had not been a big fan of operas that had been made into movies: but I have to make an exception in this instance. Filmed in Italy by Jean-Pierre Ponnelle, the settings consist of real castles, streets and rivers that lend a sublime atmosphere and ambience to the opera being presented here. It would be impossible for a stage version to present such elaborate surroundings. The costumes, throughout, are nothing short of sumptuous and fit perfectly into the era they were intended to represent. The camera angles were well placed with the only negative comment being that some of the facial shots were ultra closeup. This work stars Ingvar Wixell (Rigoletto), Luciano Pavarotti (Duke of Mantova) and Edita Gruberova (Gilda). Luciano Pavarotti is in his singing prime in this production and his acting, although not great, is passable. Gruberova has a great voice and does justice to her part as Gilda. It is however Ingvar Wixell that commands the audiences' attention with his fabulous interpretation of the tragic hero, Rigoletto. His performance, in my opinion, is worthy of acting honors and his singing voice is as impressive as his stage presence throughout the entire work. He simply carries the show from beginning to end. I was much more impressed with this performance than I thought I would be and could highly recommended it without any reservations: A Rigoletto you will be happy to own.
Rating:
Summary: Get it for yourself and a friend
Review: I love this film and have watched it at least a dozen times. I'm delighted to see that it is finally out on DVD (the VHS version has been out of print for several years). Everything is topnotch, and I have never seen Pavarotti looking more comfortable in performance. He brings a comic/sinister twist to the part of the Duke, which suits it perfectly. If you have friends who think they don't like opera, do them a favor and give them this DVD for Christmas. (Incidentally, this film is based on an actual production which is still occasionally seen on the stages of Europe; I caught it in Dusseldorf around 1996.)
Rating:
Summary: Best for newbies
Review: I showed this at my opera club, and only the newbie was happy with it. Yes, the sets are gorgeous and evocative, and the singing was very good. But this DVD suffers from the choice of the director to do so many closeups. Pavarotti's voice can still make you want to close your eyes in ecstasy -- but he plays a blustery, overbearing Duke, making it hard to see why Gilda falls for him. (There's already precious little in the libretto to make the Duke sympathetic, and Pavarotti doesn't use what's there.) He has a disconcerting way of opening his eyes VERY wide and not blinking. It would be easier for the viewer to maintain an illusion of young lovers if the camera were moved back a bit from *both* romantic leads... Gruberova's voice is accurate, but after hearing the rich, plush young tone of Desiree Rancatore in the recent San Francisco Opera production, it's just not the same. Overall, well sung and well set, but ultimately unsatisfying.
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