Marriage of Figaro [Blu-ray]

Do yourself a favor.....
Do yourself a favor.......buy it! A most enjoyable experience filled with talent, wit and wry humor!

First, 2 caveats: 1) chacun a son gout 2) it is for those not hung up on "big name" talent.
Netrebko, Kaufmann, Florez, et all certainly have been/are wonderful in their own rights.
However, the world is full of little known but excellent talent. Such is the case with this entire cast. Excellent singers, actors--all appropriate to the roles they assume. Most effective!
A relatively tiny stage, sparsely but artfully decorated and timely to La Nozze's period (electric iron and hair dryer notwithstanding).
Fetching costuming, as are the performers.
Love the little touches: Don Basilio's devilish hairdo, Cherubino'd pelvic thrusts, Susanna's wide-open eyes and glances, resounding slaps, etc etc etc...all fitting and fun.
Patrick Summers leads a sprightly orchestra.
Audiovisuals are first rate. Cinematography is excellent..

Great
Videography is brilliant, clear well directed and captures the theatrical element whilst not just being a boring recording of the stage. Sound quality is great with lots of dynamics, not flat and lifeless like others.
The set is well done, on first view it seems fairly traditional and set in the time of the writing, however, every now and again you notice a telephone or something else that fits in visually but is from a different era and adds a bit of 'funk' to the set, really subtle and very clever.
The acting is really good, I've seen this on stage and the recording is very 'alive' and engaging, will keep you hooked.
I've got a bunch of Opera DVD's and this is my 2nd favourite :)

Excellent Singing from the Principles - Zero Production Value
One of the challenges in in mounting a production of any of the three great masterpieces that Mozart composed with libretti by the great Lorenzo da Ponte (Le Nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni, Cosi fan Tutte) is to show how deftly the two masters responded to each other's talent in the composition process. Wit abounds, and you don't have to have an 18th century mind to appreciate it. You just have to have good musicians who understand what they're singing, and a production that, at least, doesn't get in the way of that. Opera Australia has released a Marriage of Figaro that does justice to most, if not all, of the major challenges this great opera.

First the plusses: All the principles sing well, and a couple, brilliantly. Teddy Tahu Rhodes, in the title role, has a velvety and powerful bass and is mostly very good with the action. He's young and good looking, and the only thing I would ask him to do, were I his coach, is to become more fluent with the Italian...

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