I've purchased 30 BD operas (not all arrived yet) and only a few so far viewed but the three outstanding ones are:

"Romeo & Juliette" http://www.amazon.com/Gounod-Juliet...&s=dvd&qid=1247794841&sr=1-1

and

"La Traviata" http://www.amazon.com/Verdi-Traviat...&s=dvd&qid=1247794889&sr=1-3
This is the Renee Fleming version with traditional staging. I have the Anna Netrebco version on DVD and like it just as much although many are put off by the modern setting.

"I Puritani" http://www.amazon.com/Bellini-I-Pur..._1?ie=UTF8&qid=1247807568&sr=1-1

Similarly a lot dislike "Aida" http://www.amazon.com/Verdi-Aida-Bl...&s=dvd&qid=1247795027&sr=1-1 because of the overdone fades in and out although I found the singing so enjoyable I could forgive that.

Handel's "Semele" is really an oratorio but is presented in operatic form with incongruous modern dress. A mixed bag not to everyone's taste.

Bottom line is that BD has lifted the bar on operatic enjoyment probably more through the audio than the video which on the best DVDs comes very close in picture quality. However the number in the "best" class is rather limited and only those originally done in HD seem to qualify. So far I've not struck any audio or video dud in this new BD format. And much of the top notch audio sheets back to the Meridian HD621.

If anyone is interested I have short reviews of opera & ballet at
http://www.dtvforum.info/index.php?showforum=151

John

Last edited by Tassie Devil; 2009-07-17 05:13.