John Del Carlo's 'Don Pasquale' is infectiously funny, and yet there is a natural spontaneity to his portrayal that draws sympathy to the old man's inevitable plight. Marius Kwiecien has a commanding stage-presence and an impressively powerful voice, and to his credit, 'Dr Malatesta' is played with conviction and a shrewd sense of balance between force and wit. Matthew Polenzani's 'Ernesto' has grace and nobility, and the singing is consistently beautiful and assured. Vocally indomitable, she carries all before her.

Anna Netrebko is a brazen and sensuous 'Norina'. Rolf Langenfass manages some quite elegantly magnificent sets and costumes, while Duane Schuler regales us with his magic wand of lighting designs.īut, what about the cast? They are mesmerizing on all counts. Otto Schenk's wily direction allows the comic elements of the work to resonate with deeper emotional feelings, giving this 'Don' a more humane touch. This latest helping from the Met, is, in my opinion, the most enjoyable and best-sung version to be issued on both DVD and Blu-ray during the last decade. Donizetti's 'Don Pasquale' is one of those operas that transfers extremely well to both CD and DVD, so it is no surprise that it is well represented on both mediums.

Don pasquale at the metropolitan opera