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| Donizetti - L'Elisir d'Amore | 
 enlarge | Director: John Copley
Actors: Luciano Pavarotti, Kathleen Battle, Juan Pons, Enzo Dara, James Levine
Studio: Deutsche Grammophon
Category: DVD
List Price: $29.98
Buy New: $17.48
You Save: $12.50 (42%)
New (27) Used (6) from $17.48
Avg. Customer Rating:  26 reviews
Sales Rank: 13008
Format: Digital Sound, Dts Surround Sound, Ntsc, Subtitled, Surround Sound
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), German (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), Italian (Subtitled)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 128
Discs: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: 000405009
UPC: 044007340219
EAN: 0044007340219
ASIN: B000787WZQ
Release Date: May 10, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Brand new and factory sealed! Free upgrade to First Class for US orders and to Air Mail for international orders!
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| Customer Reviews:
 Luciano at his most playful -- we miss him already. November 12, 2007
Wonderful, playful production. Pavarotti having fun and so is Battle. Great quality. Recommend to all Pavarotti aficianados. Grazie
1st choice for a Pavarotti DVD September 19, 2007
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
I bought this DVD shortly after Luciano Pavarotti's death; I wanted something to remember him by. I made a good choice. Joe McLellan (in the Amazon review) is right: this is the role that fit him best. And he was tough to fit: physically large, with limited acting ability (even by operatic standards) and a larger-than-life offstage persona that bled into his onstage characterizations. But he acts well enough here--indeed, he's often fun to watch. Credit John Copley for giving Pavarotti enough to do but staying within his range.
And the voice is . . . the voice, still in fine form at 56.
Pavarotti is not the only star here. Kathleen Battle's performance is a treasure in every respect. Her Adina is, first and foremost, gorgeously sung. But there is also a quality of conviction and believability that she brings to the part, making those she sings with stronger as well.
The rest of the cast does a fine job, and Levine and the Met orchestra turn in a superlative performance, pacing the action nicely. Indeed, despite the fact that an adoring audience often breaks into vigorous applause, this production flows more smoothly than most of the ones I've seen from the Met. The a vista scene changes help. But a lot of credit for this goes to Donizetti and Romani for giving us a wonderful show that never bogs down musically or dramatically, one of the finest operatic comedies.
The recorded sound is acceptable, although the balance between soloist and orchestra overly favors the latter at times (many live recordings have this problem).
From what I gather from Amazon reviews, there are other good DVD options available for this opera. At some future date I hope to see what Alagna and Villazon do with the role of Nemorino. But their voices won't be as resonant or plangent as the voice you'll hear on this DVD. It's not their fault, and they're not alone. In this respect, Pavarotti was unique.
I never thought opera would be so entertaining December 3, 2006
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
This is the first opera I watched because its music has been used in the movie "Match Point" by Woody Allen which I find beautiful. I always thought opera to be some kind of classy and boring stuff. I was totally blown away by the powerful voice of the actors and the everybody's enthusiasm that can be felt also from the applauses and cheers from the audience after each scene. Human voice, it is obvious from this performance, is the most beautiful musical instrument.
Despite the primitive stage and costume, this opera seems to have everything that can be found in a great movie, or in life: love, luck, and humor. It is like a no-frill bare-bone style movie, without any sound or visual effects except human voice, facial expression and body movement, but moving and entertaining none the less.
Great performance November 2, 2006
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
Yes...this version of L'Elisir d'Amore is one of the most nice presentation I have ever seen of this opera.
Pavarotti and Battle are unforgetable, in their best moment of their carrear. And Levine.....always the great Levine.....don't let to have this DVD on your collection.
 The Music is the Thing June 26, 2006
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
Pavarotti voice flows through this great music. The kudos for both incredible voice AND saucy acting goes to the lovely Kathleen Battle, ever so spoiled in her role and generous with her upper register. Most funny was Dara as the doctor, I never doubted him for a moment. Luciano, for me, sometimes seems to be winking at us self-consciously, like this is not really me, see me act like a country peasant. Then his great and extended voice grabs me and I feel honored to be in the presence of his singing and Donizetti's music. Afterwards, I felt what a great night at the opera! I'm going back again.
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