Luisa Miller is not of Verdi's very best, it has been criticised for its rather staid plot and a static third act, for reasons I can understand. On the other hand, it does have an intensely moving final scene- my personal favourite part of the opera actually alongside Quando Le Sere Al Placido and Sacra La Scelta...Ah Fu Giusto- very tuneful and often beautiful music and thematically the story is interesting with the political, religious and social conflicts of the time. In short while not one of the strongest plot-wise of Verdi's operas(La Traviata is the most touching, and the most dramatically concise is Otello, seconded closely by Don Carlo) This opera is well-served, if not as extensive in competition, on record and DVD. On records, there are three especially good recordings, the Moffo/Bergonzi/MacNeil, Ricciarelli/Domingo/Bruson and Caballe/Pavarotti/Milnes. On DVD, my first choice will always be the treasure that is the 1979 Met production with Scotto, Domingo, Milnes, Giaiotti, Morris and Kraft, an example of some of the finest performers at the Met at that time in their element. Although I am one of those who did like the 1988 production with Anderson and Plishka, this 2006 Teatro La Felice performance is second place for me.
It is not perfect however. I did find the sets rather barren and sometimes cold-looking, for what already is a tragic opera it made the atmosphere bleaker than it already was. The props are minimal and while not distracting I didn't feel they added much either. I also didn't care for the Rodolfo of Giuseppe Sabbatini. His tone is pleasing on the whole, but his Quando Le Sere Al Placido could have done with more spin and intensity and he has a habit of scooping from under. Dramatically he isn't much better, the personality is very larger-than-life but with the increasingly intense drama later on he is too stolid for my tastes.
However, I did like the costumes, stereotypical in a way with the peasants wearing plain clothing and the aristocracy in finery, but it does look good and works overall as you do get a sense of the social conflict the opera does convey. The video directing is intelligent, with lovely shots of Venice and of the interiors of the theatre, and the picture and sound are well balanced and clear. The orchestral playing is lush, well phrased and shows the right amount of buoyancy and power. Maurizio Benini's conducting is suitably sympathetic while also not being afraid to broaden out in the dramatic moments.
Sabbatini aside, the rest of the performances are really remarkably good. In particular Darina Takova in the title role, a very moving performance especially in the final act where she spends most of the final scene on her back in delirium as the poison takes effect. Her singing is superb too, even fresher than her Violetta. She has a good unforced middle register, while her top is free and agile. As her father, Damiano Salerno is also promising. He is perhaps more youthful than you'd expect for a father figure, but Salerno more than makes up for it by his rich voice and his sincere acting skills, at his best in Sacra La Scelta...Ah Fu Giusto and the Act three duet with Takova.
Alexander Vinogradov is just as effective as Count Di Walter, even in heavy make-up. His singing is dark and commanding, and he oozes with authority. Arutjun Kotchinian's Wurm is appropriately villainous, the character somewhat being early Verdi's answer to Otello's Iago(very late Verdi), except perhaps not as evil-incarnate. His basic tone is dark which matches the character perfectly, and is mostly in healthy shape, apart from a couple of moments of grittiness.
Ursula Ferri is a Federica so good that you actually do wish like with other Federicas on DVD that the role was bigger than it was(the second scene duet is the biggest the role gets). She has no problem with the lower register which for a mezzo has such a rich contralto quality. Her duet with Sabbatini is very touching, I did feel sympathy for her as she still loves Rodolfo despite him loving Luisa.
Overall, not an outstanding Luisa Miller, but a very good one. 8/10 Bethany Cox
It is not perfect however. I did find the sets rather barren and sometimes cold-looking, for what already is a tragic opera it made the atmosphere bleaker than it already was. The props are minimal and while not distracting I didn't feel they added much either. I also didn't care for the Rodolfo of Giuseppe Sabbatini. His tone is pleasing on the whole, but his Quando Le Sere Al Placido could have done with more spin and intensity and he has a habit of scooping from under. Dramatically he isn't much better, the personality is very larger-than-life but with the increasingly intense drama later on he is too stolid for my tastes.
However, I did like the costumes, stereotypical in a way with the peasants wearing plain clothing and the aristocracy in finery, but it does look good and works overall as you do get a sense of the social conflict the opera does convey. The video directing is intelligent, with lovely shots of Venice and of the interiors of the theatre, and the picture and sound are well balanced and clear. The orchestral playing is lush, well phrased and shows the right amount of buoyancy and power. Maurizio Benini's conducting is suitably sympathetic while also not being afraid to broaden out in the dramatic moments.
Sabbatini aside, the rest of the performances are really remarkably good. In particular Darina Takova in the title role, a very moving performance especially in the final act where she spends most of the final scene on her back in delirium as the poison takes effect. Her singing is superb too, even fresher than her Violetta. She has a good unforced middle register, while her top is free and agile. As her father, Damiano Salerno is also promising. He is perhaps more youthful than you'd expect for a father figure, but Salerno more than makes up for it by his rich voice and his sincere acting skills, at his best in Sacra La Scelta...Ah Fu Giusto and the Act three duet with Takova.
Alexander Vinogradov is just as effective as Count Di Walter, even in heavy make-up. His singing is dark and commanding, and he oozes with authority. Arutjun Kotchinian's Wurm is appropriately villainous, the character somewhat being early Verdi's answer to Otello's Iago(very late Verdi), except perhaps not as evil-incarnate. His basic tone is dark which matches the character perfectly, and is mostly in healthy shape, apart from a couple of moments of grittiness.
Ursula Ferri is a Federica so good that you actually do wish like with other Federicas on DVD that the role was bigger than it was(the second scene duet is the biggest the role gets). She has no problem with the lower register which for a mezzo has such a rich contralto quality. Her duet with Sabbatini is very touching, I did feel sympathy for her as she still loves Rodolfo despite him loving Luisa.
Overall, not an outstanding Luisa Miller, but a very good one. 8/10 Bethany Cox
