Donizetti: L'Elisir d'Amore - Rolando Villazon, Anna Netrebko, Alfred Eschwe (DVD)

Donizetti: L'elisir d'amore

Live from the Vienna State Opera production - April 2005
Rolando Villazón (Nemorino), Anna Netrebko (Adina), Leo Nucci (Belcore), Ildebrando d'Arcangelo (Dulcamara), Inna Los (Giannetta)
Wiener Staatsoper
Alfred Eschwé

Rolando Villazón as Nemorino exhibits a real gift for comic acting, manipulating his rubber face into dozens of hilarious poses, flawlessly turning stock comic gestures into laugh-out-loud moments, and even juggling apples with the panache of a circus performer. More important, he uses his lyric tenor to sing the part with impressive subtlety, suggesting Nemorino's desperation while singing of his love for Adina. His big show-stopper, "Una furtiva lagrima," features melting pianissimos and a breathtaking decrescendo in its final phrase. Netrebko's Adina is every bit as good, with deft acting and a lovely lyric soprano voice that makes you understand why she's the only girl for Nemorino.