Trittico

I have seen a lot of treasures over the past couple of years when it comes to opera, which was good for me as I aspire to do it as a career and it always thrills and moves me, much needed considering the past couple of years have been an emotional roller-coaster. And this is a truly outstanding Il Trittico. It is one of the best opera productions I've seen in a while, almost as good as the 1981 and 2007 Met productions, marginally better than the more than commendable 1983 La Scala production and better than the uneven 2008 La Scala production(good cast, wonderful orchestral playing and conducting but bad sets and a very disappointing Suor Angelica brought it down).

Back to this production, I loved the sets and lighting here. They perfectly match the compact atmosphere of Il Tabarro, the ethereal poignancy of Suor Angelica and the riotous nature of Gianni Schicchi(my favourite of the three operas that make up Il Trittico). The costumes are just as effective, I wasn't sure about the black crow on La Principessa's hat and what it was trying to signify but it didn't distract too much, besides the comic book wit of the Gianni Schicchi costumes were a sheer delight. The staging is clean and precise, with some touches almost theatrical, such as the Nuns at the end bringing crosses that attach to the ground. The video directing is crisp and cinematic often, and the picture and sound quality are just as faultless.

From a musical point of view, this is a really beautifully performed and conducted Il Trittico. The orchestra are lush in places, foreboding in others. Julian Reynolds' conducting is authoritative for Il Tabarro especially and nuanced for Suor Angelica. The chorus are very well balanced. The performances are just great. Andrea Giovanni's Rinuccio and Reubens Pelizzari's Luigi are more than serviceable if perhaps more vocally than dramatically. Pelizzari in particular has a beautiful voice, and the love duet between him and Nizza's Giorgetta is a real tear-jerker.

But there are three standout performances in the cast. Anna Maria Chiuri is very commanding vocally and dramatically in her three roles, especially as La Principessa in Suor Angelica. Alberto Mastromarino is in two contrasting roles, both of which couldn't have been more different from the other. He makes for a menacing Michele, and is even better as a hilarious Schicchi. The conga line when Schicchi is reading the testament is most inspired. Which brings me to the soprano, who like Renata Scotto in the 1981 performance sings all three roles. Amarilli Nizza is a revelation as Giorgetta, Angelica and Lauretta, with a very thrilling top and acting that is both intense and poignant.

Overall, brilliant, not just one of the finest Tritticos on DVD but also one of the finest opera productions I've come across in a long time. 10/10 Bethany Cox