Verdi: Il Trovatore (The Royal Opera)

José Cura (Manrico); Dmitri Hvorostovsky (Count di Luna); Yvonne Naef (Azucena); Verónica Vilarroel (Leonora);

José Cura and Dmitri Hvorostovsky lead the star cast of Verdi’s blazingly passionate opera, in Elijah Moshinsky’s Royal Opera House production co-produced with Teatro Real Madrid, with sets by the noted Italian film designer Dante Ferretti. Filmed in High Definition.

The Essential Opera Collection is an exciting new mid-price series that brings together popular operas and classic productions in simple stylish packaging. The ten launch titles represent the leading opera houses of the world, including The Royal Opera House, Teatro Real, Paris Opera, Glyndebourne and The Netherlands Opera. This first batch of 10 titles is also available as a 19 DVD box-set at an extremely attractive price.

Reviews

"Elijah Moshinsky’s production is surely as lively and moving as Verdi’s intricate masterpiece deserves. Jose Cura sizzles. Dimitri Hvorostovsky is everything one could want to see and hear in a Verdi baritone. This new “Trovatore” DVD is a reminder that not every golden age happened long ago." (San Francisco Chronicle)

"All four are in excellent voice. Cura...supports Naef with beautiful quiet singing...Hvorostovsky is formidable...There are two other filmed Trovatore’s available at present, for a combination of musical excellence and intelligent production neither comes close to this one." (International Record Review)

"Elijah Moshinsky’s staging offers splendid mid-19th-century visuals (the Risorgimento provides the inspiration) in designs by Dante Ferretti, including enormous cannons, an iron foundry and a railway station." (BBC Music Magazine)