Catalani's 'La Wally' is worth hearing, but at the same time one can see why it is so rarely performed.

Not necessarily because of the opera, though this reviewer will never consider it a favourite. Although very melodramatic and not very interesting in terms of plot, the music is lovely, especially "Ebben?... Ne Andro Lontana", a big favourite for soprano singers and the only famous part of the score. It's more to do with that it is very difficult to stage, especially the final scene with the avalanche.

This production is interesting for being the only production available of 'La Wally', or so that I'm aware of. However, while it's watchable it's a pretty lacklustre production and the opera's staging difficulties come through abundantly clear.

What particularly makes the production watchable is Susanne Langbein's Walter, a beautiful voice and by far the most involved and emotive actor in the cast. Bernd Valentin is also very good as a rich-voiced and menacing Gellner. The orchestra do play beautifully and with energy and depth, the chorus are animated and well balanced, not showing signs of being phased their overly busy staging, and it's all authoritatively and sympathetically conducted by Alexander Rumpf.

Production values-wise, it's pretty good and certainly could have been much worse. Costumes are appropriate and traditional, lighting is atmospheric, never too garish or drab, and the revolving sets are used elaborately but never distractingly, a good solution to potentially problematic staging.

Unfortunately while there are no qualms to be had with the singing, acting leaves much to be desired on the whole. Susanna Von Den Berg has a very strong voice and sings "Ebben?... Ne Andro Lontana" valiantly, but she does try too hard and comes across as too much of a tough woman with little room for vulnerability. Then there's Paulo Ferreira, he sounds absolutely terrific as Hagenbach but dramatically it's a very phoned in performance. Chemistry is pretty bland and static throughout.

It's the staging that particularly lets the side down. Storytelling can be confused and is not very compelling. There are far too many staging oddities that serve no point to the storytelling or motivations, stage noise is far too noisy and there is some extreme violence that was unnecessary and quite distasteful. A big let-down was the final scene, one is aware that this scene is very difficult and problematic to stage and it is the main reason for the opera's lack of popularity but to say that this production's attempt at it was feeble is putting it mildly, pathetic is more apt.

Technically, DVD-wise, the video directing is solid and the sound is well recorded and balanced. Picture quality however could have been much clearer, with too much pixilation.

Overall, an interesting curio but lacklustre. For a better idea of what 'La Wally' could be like in the right hands, look no further than the Renata Tebaldi/Mario Del Monaco recording. 5/10 Bethany Cox