Donizetti - Maria Stuarda / Carminati, Remigio, Ganassi

Rating:
Summary: A Fiery Dramatic Performance Not To Be Missed
Review: I am proud to be the first to review this overlooked and neglected performance captured on DVD. Dating from 2000, it's an all-Italian cast in superb singing condition suffused with fiery and passionate acting. This DVD is a must have for fans of Donizetti opera. Gaetano Donizetti composed operas, usuallly paired with the librettist Salvatore Cammarano, in the wake of the bel canto craze- roughly from 1820-1849. Although Donizetti's most renowned opera is Lucia Di Lammermoor, revivals of his many operas have proven that underneath all the melodic richness and lightness lurked powerful drama. Donizetti composed, inadvertently, a trilogy of operas revolving around the three Tudor queens- Anna Bolena, Maria Stuarda and Queen Elizabeth in Roberto Devereux. These operas underwent outstanding revivals in the early 20th century and long into the 70's. Dramatic divas such as Leyla Gencer, Maria Callas, Joan Sutherland and even Beverly Sills and most recently Edita Gruberova and Miriciou have performed in these operas.

This Maria Sturada is bold, excellent and highly dramatic, truly a must have for fans. Even if the singers are obscure, they are still terrific and pack a powerful punch, especially the lead sopranos of Maria Stuarda and Queen Elizabeth who deliver tour de force performances, especially impressive is their confrontation scene. Both singers look very much like the historic Mary Queen of Scots and Queen Elizabeth. The opera was considered controversial and even banned in Italy during its initial performance (supposedly a European queen who was at the premiere fainted at the finale). Donizetti was not trying anything new. He had already composed operas dealing with the execution and beheading of monarchs- Anna Bolena his first hit ended in Anne Boylen's execution. The fact that Mary Stewart of Scotland was regarded as a Catholic martry and many Catholics resented her untimely death was perhaps most responsible for the harsh criticism it received during its first performances. The story deals with the triangle of Queen Elizabeth- Mary Stewart- Leicester. Queen Elizabeth, jealous and vengeful, is more than glad to sign Mary Stewart's death sentence because Leicester, the Earl she loved passionately, was in love with Mary Stewart (at least in the opera even if historically inaccurate). So basically a jealous queen kills off her rival charging her on political grounds. Plus, as always, the subtle Protestant versus Catholicism conflict lurks beneath the exterior. There are many fine moments in the opera. Among them: the confrontation in Fotheringay. Mary Stewart and Queen Elizabeth battle it out. Queen Elizabeth regards Mary as a rival- both romantic rival and political and she is infuriated when Mary hurls insults -"Figlia impura di Bolena! Vil Bastarda!" (Illegitimate daughter of Anne Boylen, vile bastard). The scene is full of fire on this performance. Also noteworthy is Mary's Prison Scene and Confession, the Prayer Scene, with its poignant chorus and Mary's fervent prayer with her vocals reaching high and sustained legato. And of course, not to mention the killer finale. Truly this is an opera to have.

Rating:
Summary: Solid but not spectacular
Review: I was very disappointed in the singing in this opera, though I would like to say at the outset that the staging and camera-work were very interesting and modern, veering slightly toward the surrealistic or modern with the staging. The scenery was simple and representative rather than realistic and lush. There was some interesting camera-work with the duets, one image beside or overlapping the other, when the singers were on opposite sides of the stage. Neither soprano went for the high notes (as did Sutherland on her CD), not even Maria's last note in the opera, she sang down. That was, frankly, a big drag, and I felt cheated, and cheated retroactively. It made me unhappy with the whole thing, and now what do I do with this expensive DVD? I really doubt I'll ever watch it again. This DVD reminded me of the small live CDs of Donizetti operas I've acquired a collection of, it was about that caliber, except that on my little Italian CDs, I think the singing is usually better. This singing was not bad, let me hurry and say that, Leicester and Elizabetta were both very good, as was Talbot. It just didn't seem to have the beauty and versatility and pizz-azz and (frankly) acrobatics that I've come to associate with Donizetti and (except for the acrobatics) with the opera composers I love (namely Puccini and Verdi).

Rating:
Summary: Great performance--strange sound
Review: The singers are all very good, the sets interesting, etc. but there is a strange echo to the sound that almost makes you think the singers are not singing what you are hearing. The performance is obviously miked from a great distance--audience sounds esp. at the end are quite amusing--but this has the effect of not letting us hear what we are seeing up close. Film quality is poor--very grainy--they did not get special bright lighting for this performance. But overall it is an exciting and moving rendition of the opera.

Rating:
Summary: Bravo Donizetti Theatre
Review: What an excellent production of Maria Stuarda, with excellent singers all round. A wonderful Joseph Calleja at the beginning of his professional career, singing his music with consumate ease. Ganassi is fiery in acting, singing and in her portrayl of the Elizabeth. Remigio has a heavier voice that we are used to hearing in the title role, but it pays well, with the portrayl of the character. And no, it is not only the high notes that make or break the character, as sited by another reviewer. An excellent DVD on all fronts, with bonus features as well.