Verdi: Il Trovatore (Blu-Ray) – Anna Netrebko

Composer: Giuseppe Verdi
Artists: Anna Netrebko, Yusif Eyvazov, Luca Salsi, Dolora Zajick, Riccardo Fassi, Orchestra, Chorus & Ballet of the Arena di Verona
Conductor: Pier Giorgio Morandi
Director: Franco Zeffirelli
Format: NTSC
Language: Italian
Subtitles: Italian, German, English, French, Spanish, Korean, Japanese
Region: All Regions
Number of Discs: 1
Studio: C Major
DVD Release Date: May 22, 2020
Run Time: 157 minutes

It’s an event that draws many thousands of music lovers to one of the most beautiful cities in the world every summer: the opera season at the ancient Arena di Verona. The 2,000-year-old Roman amphitheater with its gigantic stage dimensions is one of the largest and best-preserved Roman constructions of its kind, and with over 22,000 seats, it is undoubtedly one of the most spectacular open-air venues of the world.

The revered master of opera Franco Zeffirelli, who died shortly before the premiere of this staging of Il Trovatore, created a legendary scenery with groups of giant-sized armored knights, a fortress turning into a luminous cathedral, an enormous choir, horses, breathtaking fights: perhaps his best Arena production (Opernglas). Anna Netrebko gives her much-anticipated Arena debut as Leonora, and next to her are Verdi-accomplished baritone Luca Salsi as Count di Luna and Yusif Eyvazov as his powerful-voiced opponent Manrico. MET star Dolora Zajick as Azucena and young rising Italian bass Riccardo Fassi as Ferrando join the prestigious ensemble.

“Zeffirelli gives to the Arena what it merits: a colorful, multifaceted staging in which impressive mass scenes alternate with intimate moments.” (Der Neue Merker)

“Unforgettable” (Verona Settegiorni)

Read More