Verdi:Giovanna D'Arco [Jessica Pratt; Jean-François Borras; Julian Kim; Chorus of the Teatro Petruzzelli di Bari, Riccardo Frizza] [DYNAMIC: DVD]

Great performance, very good singers

Giovanna D'Arco is early Verdi, and thus is replete with melody and fast paced choruses. This performance is blessed with outstanding lead singers, two of whom (Jean-Francois Borras and Julian Kim) were not known to me. Jessica Pratt is a splendid vocalist who does an exemplary job in the title role. Kim, in the role of Giovanna's father, did an absolutely fabulous job vocally.So why three stars?The answer is disc quality and staging. As to the former, while this is an outdoor venue, much of the time, the picture is dark and unfocused. When the stage is adequately lit, or when the camera angle is right, the picture is quite good, but that ain't often. Staging is bizzare: it may well be a function of the venue, which severely limits scenery and props, but it is still a negative.Sound in 5.1 is OK, but in the age of Blu ray, it is difficult to fathom the reasons why Dynamic would release such a flawed disc.The release on C Major in Blu ray is qualitatively superior in disc quality and is mostly well staged and sung. If one can find the "non commercial" disc of the recent La Scala performance with Netrebko and Meli, it is some wonderful Verdi singing.This disc would have been a five star CD set, but as a video, I do not recommend it.

un dvd a voir mais pas a revoir il manque une flamme dommage je suis un peu décu et reste sur une mauvaise idée de ce que dynamic me proposer jusqu a présent

I give it 2 stars. Here is why. The performance is very good, it should get 4 stars. The video, the filming is the worst I have ever seen, it should get zero stars. I cannot imagine how is it possible that it was released this way. If you just want to listen to it... buy it. If you want to listen and watch the performance,,, it is your choice... you'll be able to take a good look to your black TV screen. Very bad.. a wrip off.