Roberto Accurso

José Cura sings and acts here with an inwardness and intensity which make a profound impression. So does Krassimira Stoyanova as Desdemona, not in the first flush of youth, but heartfelt and direct; while Lado Ataneli's Jago is a brilliantly understated study in jovial malevolence. With strong conducting from Antoni Ros-Marbà, the whole cast collaborate to give us the truth of this desperately upsetting work, as no other DVD and few live performances I've seen of it ever have.

While best known today for having composed the ending to Puccini's unfinished Turandot, Franco Alfano wrote some dozen operas, including Cyrano de Bergerac (1936) with a libretto by Henri Cain based on Edmond Rostand's drama of the same name. It is a moving tale of romantic misunderstanding, swashbuckling bravado and heartbreaking loyalty, in which the eloquent Cyrano feels unable to express his love for Roxane because of his famously protuberant nose except on behalf of his handsome but inarticulate friend, Christian.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Lorenzo da Ponte's renowned opera "Don Giovanni" -- based on the legend of lothario Don Juan -- springs to life in this witty production by De Nederlandse Opera under the baton of maestro Ingo Metzmacher. As Don Giovanni (Pietro Spagnoli) pursues numerous women, a recent conquest tries to thwart his efforts. The outstanding cast also includes soprano Charlotte Margiono, bass Mario Luperi and tenor Marcel Reijans.

This 2003 performance of Georges Bizet's 19th century opera Carmen was produced and directed by filmmaker and stage director Franco Zeffirelli, best known to many for the Academy Award-winning big-screen adaptation of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Shot at the Arena di Verona, the production features Marina Domashenko in the title role and music by the Orchestra of the Arena di Verona under conductor Alain Lombard.

Au printemps 2016, la cinéaste Sofia Coppola dévoilait sa première mise en scène lyrique à l'Opéra de Rome : une Traviata sur son trente et un, avec des costumes conçus par la maison de couture Valentino. Après la diffusion du spectacle dirigé par le jeune chef Jader Bignamini, retour sur sa genèse en compagnie de Sofia Coppola et du couturier Valentino. L'histoire : un hôtel parisien au XIXe siècle. Oubliant la toux qui la consume, la demi-mondaine Violetta donne une soirée. Ce soir-là, son ami Gaston lui présente Alfredo Germont, un jeune homme de bonne famille qui lui déclare bientôt sa flamme. Violetta, qui s'était juré de ne plus jamais tomber amoureuse, succombe malgré tout.

Mario Martone signs direction and scenes of this new film-work of Verdi's masterpiece. On the podium of the Orchestra of the Teatro dell'opera in Rome its musical director, maestro Daniele Gatti. the new set-up of the opera to a libretto by Francesco Maria Piave is embellished with costumes by Anna Biagiotti and photography by Pasquale Mari.