The Epoch Times, March 5, 2013
By Barry Bassis
 
Tosca
 
Kaufmann also appears on the DVD of “Tosca” (on EMI Classics) with the title role portrayed by Angela Gheorghiu, and the villain Scarpia by Bryn Terfel. Antonio Pappano conducts the orchestra of the Royal Opera House. Jonathan Kent’s staging is conventional, meaning that he does not take liberties with the opera. In fact, I prefer it to the Met’s current production of the opera.

The video quality is a bit fuzzy but that may be because my review copy is not the Blu-Ray edition. As an all-round cast, this one sings and acts well and even looks appropriate. For example, the Luciano Pavarotti DVD with Shirley Verrett and Cornell MacNeill is quite good, and I prefer Pavarotti’s singing to Kaufmann’s, but the German is a better actor and looks like the part of the dashing hero and his singing is outstanding.

It’s unfortunate that a video version exists of only one act with Maria Callas and Tito Gobbi but the only complete version they made together in the studio is their audio recording (on EMI) with Giuseppe di Stefano and de Sabata conducting, which is still the best recorded version. However, on DVD the new one on EMI Classics is about as good as any available.






 
 
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