Donizetti - L'Elisir d'Amore - Pavarotti, Battle, Dara - Levine 1991DVD9 - NTSC - 4:3 - All Regions - PCM, Dolby Digital & DTS 5.1 - 128'04
Subtitles: Italian/German/English/French/Spanish
Deutsche Grammophon 07340219, released 2005
Performer: Luciano Pavarotti, Enzo Dara, Juan Pons, Kathleen Battle, Korliss Uecker
Conductor: James Levine
Orchestra/Ensemble: Metropolitan Opera Chorus, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra
This wonderful performance, taken from the stage of the Met in 1992 (and probably with a fix-up session or two), is a grand remembrance of two great singers who have since collapsed in different ways. Pavarotti already was uncomfortably fat when this was taped, but neither his breath nor his physical movements had been badly affected--that happened a mere two or three years later. At 57, the voice was still beautiful and pliable, his phrasing exquisite. And he loved the role of Nemorino and always seemed happy with both its comedy and pathos--he steals every scene he's in, and no one minds.
Kathleen Battle sings Adina with perfect, pearl-like tone, absolute fluency and commitment, and a trill to die for. Just a few years later she imploded emotionally and was fired from the Met for "unprofessional actions ... profoundly detrimental to artistic collaboration." Oh well. Juan Pons is a suitably blustery Belcore, but he lacks the low notes for the part and smudges the few runs the role requires. Enzo Dara is an ideal Dulcamara, just the right combination of huckster and sentimentalist, with ease in every register and with fast music. Korliss Uecker's Gianetta is lovely, and the Met Orchestra and Chorus are terrific under James Levine's perky leadership. --Robert Levine, ClassicsToday.com
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