Verdi Un Ballo in Maschera

This production from Covent Garden is set in Stockholm, and not Boston. With Reri Grist (Oscar), Placido Domingo (Gustavus), Katia Ricciarelli (Amelia), Piero Cappucili (Renato), Patricia Payne (? - the booklet or DVD fails to credit the singer) (Ulrica) and Claudio Abbado in the pit: all at their peak, you just simply cannot go wrong when purchasing this DVD. This performance made me realise why I had fallen in love with opera: beautiful (today one should be thankful) and convincing sets and costumes, and fiery conducting and singing from all the above soloists which leaves you breathless. Domingo as the King (not the Governor of Boston) is simply ravishing! He is so convincing and dashing as Gustavus - I think very few tenors nowadays can even attempt such a convincing vocal and dramatic performance.

Cast

Plácido Domingo

as Gustavo III

Katia Ricciarelli

as Amelia

Piero Cappuccilli

as Anckarstroem

Reri Grist

as Oscar

Patricia Payne

as Ulrica

Elizabeth Bainbridge

as Mlle. Arvidson

William Elwin

as Silvano

Gwynne Howell

as Samuel

Paul Hudson

as Tom

Francis Egerton

as Un giudice

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