Verdi: Rigoletto [Parma 2008] [Demuro, Nucci, Machaidze, Spotti, Iranyi] [C Major: 723304] [2013] [Region A & B]

Nucci is the best Rigoletto ever. Period. Demuro is an incredibly convincing Duca, Gilda and the other characters totally satisfactory. Staging a bit overdone, but very catching.

I bought this after reading several long reviews on amazon that gave it great praise. Rigoletto is my favourite Verdi opera and I have bought most DVD and Blu-ray releases in recent years. Whilst I must agree this is generally very well sung I was not impressed by the Blu-ray transfer. Its great strength is the outstanding visual and vocal performances of Nucci and Machaidze. Nucci has done this before on Blu-ray from Zurich and here he is even better. His little limp and shuffle is perfect for the pathetic jester. As Gilda Machaidze not only sings wonderfully but looks the part too. In my view the best overall Gilda on disc. Demuro is good as the lecherous Duke but not I thought exceptional. The minor parts were well sung but not that well cast, as an example the sexy Countess of Ceprano is very mature and overweight and could not possibly have attracted a sex-crazed lout like the Duke with so many women to tempt him! The other small parts all look the same and have little to distinguish them - such a strong point in the outstanding Las Vegas production.The video quality is really quite poor. Most scenes are dark and gloomy and the HD cameras struggle. Skin tones make everyone look like Indonesians and the subtitles are very hard to read as they are too small, too dull and are often distorted by strong backgrounds. Unlike Las Vegas where the subtitles have been jazzed up and are consequently much easier to read, here they are in the old stilted style and together with the technical issues do not flow. I was not very happy with the microphone performances, the sound was not as rounded and luminous as I had expected.This would have been a great performance in the theatre with a pair of opera glasses but this Blu-ray transfer is a big let down. One advantage for Asian viewers is that it has Chinese, Japanese and Korean subtitles. The Chinese translations are better than the English.Buy this with caution. If you can accept the Las Vegas version that is the best version on offer at this time in my view but for a perfect traditional view I am still waiting.

I have long wanted a production of this opera (probably my favourite) with the wonderful Leo Nucci in the lead and this does not disappoint in any way. A traditional production well sung and filmed. Nucci is a fantastic Rigoletto, so sure in the part, moving and sympathetic.Two ovations warranting encores much to enjoy. Bravo!

This is undoubtably the best of the 3 versions of Rigoletto I have on DVD ( the 'Las Vegas'version from the Met, Placido Domingo version and this). Superb singing AND acting. Good picture and sound. A little gratuitous nudity and sex in the opening scenes but not enough to put anyone off!

great performance can really recommend it .But what a pity Gobbi was not alive when it was possible to make recordings like this

Excellent Production Nino Machaidze is probably the finest soprano singing now.

Excellent!!!

Fantastic. Just watch end of act 2. So much better than the other Nucci DVD.