Verdi, "La Forza del Destino", TDK BD.

At first, ones heart sinks when one realises that two lithe young lovers and a young avenger have been cast by three midde-aged obese people. Of these, tenor Marcello Giordani is a little unsteady in his singing but improves as the opera progresses. Violeta Urmana sings with poise, beauty, and well-judged timing throughout in a performance that is augmented by her expressive facial features. The opera is staged traditionally at Florence under the baton of Zubin Mehta. The gusto of the orchestra is faithfully rendered by the DTS HD Master 7.1 recording. Indeed, the sound throughout is impressive and enjoyable. Given how this opera is so packed with wonderful music it deserves to be better known. Camera work shows a good repertoire of angles and distances that enhances our experience (for me, the rather static camera work, with a lack of close-ups, rather let down the BD of Handel's "Semele" on Decca.)

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