- Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
- Video Codec: AVC/MPEG-4
- Resolution: 1080i/60
- Audio Codec: PCM 2.0; DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio
- Subtitles: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean
- Region: ABC (Region-Free)
- Running Time: 127 minutes
- Rating: Not Rated
- Discs: 1 (1 x Blu-ray)
- Studio: C Major
- Blu-ray Release Date: March 26, 2013
- List Price: $39.99
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Overall
[Rating:3.5/5]
The Performance
[Rating:3.5/5]
Video Quality
[Rating:4.5/5]
Audio Quality
[Rating:3.5/5]
Supplemental Materials
[Rating:2/5]
Click thumbnails for high-resolution 1920X1080p screen captures
(The below TheaterByte screen captures are lightly compressed with lossy JPEG at 100% quality setting and are meant as a general representation of the content. They do not fully reveal the capabilities of the Blu-ray format)
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The Performance
[Rating:3.5/5]
Somewhere in the middle of Verdi’s white-heat decade of creativity (1842-1853), Stiffelio has gotten lost in the shuffle of such masterpieces as Rigoletto, Il Trovatore, and La Traviata. This opera has taken on the difficult themes, particularly for the 19th century, of infidelity and adultery. As part of the Tutto Verdi series, the Teatro Regio di Parma has given us this 2012 performance with a relatively young and not well known cast.
Stiffelio, a Protestant minister (tenor Roberto Aronica) and his wife Lina (soprano Yu Quanqun) are visiting Lina’s father, Stankar (baritone Roberto Frontali) who suspects that his daughter is having an affair. Stiffelio’s suspicions point to the nobleman Raffaele (tenor Gabriele Mangione). Eventually, the guilty Lina is discovered by her husband and her father. Stankar is driven to avenge this affront to family honor and does murder Raffaele. In a display of true Christian values, Stiffelio identifies his wife in front of his congregation and then publicly forgives her transgression.
This domestic drama, a genre in which Verdi’s creative genius excelled, succeeds or fails on the basis of the credibility of the relationships between the principal characters. Far from being a “cavalcade of stars,” this story of ordinary individuals caught up in highly charged circumstances needs a sense of ensemble. Fortunately, this is what we get mostly from the assembled cast with sympathetic direction from its young maestro, Andrea Battistoni who leads a spirited performance.
Video Quality
[Rating:4/5]
In spite of the rather bare stage, director Tiziano Mancini works another visual miracle, giving us the illusion that there is more than what meets the eye. Note the biblical text that covers the stage’s floor. The costumes are, as might be expected, rather drab fundamentalist wardrobe, the exception being Raffaele’s colorful dress. Details are good and what colors are present are accurately conveyed.
Audio Quality
[Rating:3.5/5]
Voices and orchestra are balanced in favor of the latter, giving us a mid-orchestra perspective. The surround track is more atmospheric than the two-channel alternative.
Supplemental Materials
[Rating:2/5]
I am thankful to the Tutto Verdi project for giving us a 10-minute feature with each performance that includes a visual synopsis as well as background material for this less well known Verdi work. The serviceable booklet also gives us a synopsis and more background material. Trailers for other operas in this series are included.
The Definitive Word
Overall:
[Rating:3.5/5]
While frequently billed as a tenor vehicle, and we have DVDs with Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras in the title role, this opera shows Verdi’s transition to works in which all of the principals are coequals. Tenor Aronica will not erase my memories of either of the two above-mentioned iconic artists but he makes a good case for this rather non-heroic role. I was most impressed with Chinese soprano Guanqun who has graced the Metropolitan Opera stage in this season’s Il Trovatore as Leonora. Her intense performance, laced with great musicianship, is enough reason alone to acquire this BD. Baritone Frontali is also a genuine article Verdian who makes the most of a role reminiscent of other Verdi fathers (Germont, Rigoletto, Amonasro, Boccanegra). None of this would matter if we did not get strong direction from the pit, and here we get a prodigy in the making in Andrea Battistoni, a definite talent to watch. Stiffelio might not be everyman’s Verdi but this production will be a good introduction to an unduly neglected opera.
Additional Screen Captures
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Overall
[Rating:3.5/5]
The Film
[Rating:3.5/5]
Video Quality
[Rating:4.5/5]
Audio Quality
[Rating:3.5/5]
Supplemental Materials
[Rating:2/5]
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