Product: Mozart: Don Giovanni (1977 Glyndbourne Festival Opera) [VHS]
Rating: 5.0
Must Buy for Mozart and Opera Lovers
Yes, technology has progressed in leaps and bounds since 1960 and the production itself is old-fashioned but why any Mozart or opera lover wouldn't want to own this DVD is beyond me. This is one opera I never get tired of and it's wonderful that these old RAI treasures are available, what a treat for historians and fans alike. I'd never heard of Petri but he is certainly up to the title role; in fact the cast was excellent all around singing-wise. I actually liked Bruscantini's mugging as Leporello, it livened up a pretty static staging (Alva walks very stiffly but handles Ottavio's music perfectly, Gencer constantly puts her hand up as if to shield her eyes). Stich-Randall and Gencer may be lacking dramatically but both sounded great. And my God, Alva is about the handsomest Ottavio I've ever seen!