Customer Reviews
Worth buying - By: Simon Aiken, 06 Jun 2006 
While I still prefer the Domingo/Kabaivanska film version, this is well worth watching. All the principals can act. Fabio Armilato (Cavaradossi) may not be technically perfect, but his ringing tone on the `big notes' plus the conviction of his acting make for a memorable performance. Raimondi is a suitably nasty Scarpia.
I found the light levels on this recording uncomfortably low throughout, & all with a bluish cast. There are frequent problems with camera focus. These technical flaws somewhat diminish the effect of the splendid Teatro Real sets.
It's worth mentioning that there are genuine `extras' on this DVD (very unusual for an opera recording!) The interviews with cast members are a nice bonus.
Fine performance, on the trace of Callas - By: , 23 Jul 2004 The performance of Madrid's Teatro Real TOSCA is worth to buy & watch. Orchestra isin good mood even that the tempos may be a little bit faster & with more passion (the final chords of Tosca & Scarpia meetingin Sant Andrea della Valle church). Dessi is a real Tosca with fine acting & very good singing. Her 2nd act aria is a lesson of legato & expression of music just as Puccini would like to hear. Armiliato as her lover Mario is a real suprise - excellent singer, bestin both arias, but alsoin "Vittoria"in 2nd & "O dolci mani"in third act. The only weak link is Raimondi as Scarpia, even that the audiance cheers him mostly. His voice was never, from my opinion, the right one for this character (not comparable to the voices of Sherill Milnes or the best one Tito Gobbi), specially now when passed his prime (Te Deum is an example of loud singing only on the border of barking). The smaller parts are well done too. The scenary is appropriate grandious with some original solutions, speciallyin the 3th act. Listen, watch & enjoy!
