Customer Reviews
Superlative Mozart - By: Loretta A. Alexander, 26 Aug 2010 
How wonderful that this production is available on DVD - this is the best Nozze di Figaro I have seen (and I have seen quite a lot). If you have never seen this 2006 version from the Royal Opera House, do buy it: you arein for such a treat.
Lacks historical credibility - By: Alan M Linfield, 02 Jul 2010 
Since other reviewers have commented at length on the musical aspects of this production, I will concentrate here on the staging. Technically it is excellent, but I am rather baffled as to why it was chosen to set thisin early 19th century France. This would only make sense if the French Revolution had never occurred! As it is, we see what is essentially still a pre-1789 aristocratic household, amazingly surviving into the 19th century completely unscathed, & with all its attitudes & prejudices of the earlier period intact. Surely by 1830 Count Almaviva's plan to reintroduce the 'droit du seigneur' would have been utterly unthinkable with the noise of the mob & shadow of the guillotinein the background?
Unfortunately, musically excellent & visually appealing as this production is, it means it is completely lackingin any historical credibility, which is irritating for a member of the audience with any sense of history, (or indeed of geography - the several references to nearby Seville no longer make any sense).
Absolutely wonderful! - By: Mr Swallow, 04 Jun 2010 I can hardly think of a better cultural experience than watching this fizzing performance of Mozart's great opera. The production - apart from the quirk of having Acts 3 & 4 rather unnaturally joined - is great, the singers can both sing well & act well - what's more they LOOK well too, something that cannot always be said of opera singers! Pappano's exciting conducting propels the opera with great joy & verve, although he knows when to slow down when necessary. The end where the Count & his lady are reconciled - the climax of the opera - is wonderfully moving. Those with negative reviews must have been watching something else! A life-enhancing experience which affirms this is one of the greatest operas ever written by the man who was by far the greatest of all opera composers. Just one point - this DVD is not PAL & I had to adjust my player to play it. But if this is OK on your player, order at once & enjoy.
Le Nozze de Figaro. Berlin/Barenboim 2000 - By: david harries, 30 May 2010 
Having recently watched the production of Figaro at The Royal Opera House Covent Garden conducted by Antonio Pappano & directed by David McVicar I am impressed by how superior it was to the one from Berlin.The setsin Berlin were dreary & bore no similarity to what one might have expected to seein the palace of a spanish aristocratin the eighteenth century. Of what significance can we atttach to the cluter of brooms on the floorin Act One. Likewise the costumes, drab & with no discernable relevance to any historical period. The staging was overloaded with what one could describe as Producers Gimmicks, much jumping on & off chairs & wrestling on the floor & whilst we know that Cherubino was enamoured with the Countess I doubt if we would have seen him sprawling over her. The Producerin fact appearing to have dismissed any attempt to re-create the periodin which the Work is set. I had the impression that Barenboim may have had misgivings about what was going on on the stage as his conducting seemed to lack sparkle.
Fine singers, a great orchestra & a distinguished conductor sadly added up to a disappointing result.
A superb traditional production of this Mozart masterpiece - By: Mr. John A. Coulson, 24 Apr 2010 Nearly all operas have very silly stories but like movies, they can get away with it if acting etc is first class. Well, IMHO The Royal Opera House production of Mozart's "Marriage of Figaro" on Blu Ray has it all:
* excellent traditional & appropriate costuming & sets
* a strong cast of singers with not a weak one among them
* first class acting as well as singing
* well lit & photographed -> BD quality up to the highest standards
* beautiful orchestral playing
* audio up to the best standards available
OK, I'm entranced. To me the opera could not be better performed or recorded. It knocks the other "modernised" quirky DGG version out of the ring. When you experience the opera performed so well with traditional costuming & sets one is at a loss to understand the mentality of producers & directors who want to meddle with what is already a successful formula.
Yes the whole plot is a farce, but it is great music & done with so much aplomb & comedy, it is utterly engrossing. If you like Mozart & his opera, this is a MUST for your collection.
John
