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Unitel and Classica present
Gaetano Donizetti
ANNA
BOLENA
Anna Netrebko
Elīna Garanča
Ildebrando D`Arcangelo
Evelino Pidò
Wiener Staatsoper
ANNA
BOLENA
Conductor Evelino Pidò
Orchestra Orchester der Wiener Staatsoper
Chorus Chor der Wiener Staatsoper
Chorus Master Thomas Lang
Anna Bolena Anna Netrebko
Giovanna Seymour Elīna Garanča
Enrico VIII. Ildebrando D`Arcangelo
Lord Riccardo Percy Francesco Meli
Smeton Elisabeth Kulman
Sir Hervey Peter Jelosits
Lord Rochefort Dan Paul Dumitrescu
Staged by Eric Génovèse
Video Director Brian Large
Length 193'
Shot in HDTV 1080
Cat. no. A04001542
All rights reserved · credits not contractual · Different territories
A production of ORF and UNITEL
in co-production with ARTE and CLASSICA
E
xpectations had been running high for the Vienna State Opera’s
first-ever staging of Donizetti’s “Anna Bolena”, and they were
even surpassed thanks to this dream team of vocal giants. Anna
Netrebko sparkles in her role debut alongside Elīna Garanča and other
superb singers including Elisabeth Kulman, Ildebrando D’Arcangelo and
Francesco Meli.
“Ms. Netrebko scored a personal triumph as Anna Bolena, in what may
be her greatest achievement since her ‘Traviata’ at the 2005 Salzburg
Festival”, wrote The New York Times. Proudly taking her place among
the great prima donnas of history, she gives the role a new dimension,
portraying the unjustly condemned Ann Boleyn as a deeply hurt woman
burning from within – an intensely human figure. Netrebko transforms
herself here into a heartrendingly sincere and realistic heroine, opening
a new chapter in her career at the Vienna State Opera as prima donna
assoluta.
Providing an ideal counterpart to Anna Netrebko is the Latvian mezzo
Elīna Garanča, who joins Netrebko here for their first appearance
together on the stage of the Vienna State Opera. Their voices, their
characters, their appearance – everything contributes to making them
the ideal performers for their roles as rivals. As the man between two
women, Italian baritone Ildebrando D’Arcangelo brings a powerful
sensuality to his role as Henry VIII.
Not only the lead roles are cast with outstanding vocalists, but also
the smaller roles, such as that of the young page Smeton, who is sung
by Elisabeth Kulman. She was hailed by many as “the real discovery
of the evening” (Süddeutsche Zeitung) and led Die Presse to proclaim:
“A secondary character thus became a partner of equal value with the
lead singers”. Tenor Francesco Meli renders the part of Anna’s onetime lover Lord Percy with lightness and brilliance. Conductor Evelino
Pidò draws “playing of unusual refinement from the State Opera
orchestra” (Financial Times), which lovingly supports the cast
performing in a classic production by Eric Génovèse and
with luxurious costumes by Luisa Spinetalli.
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Photos: © ORF/Ali Schafler, Wiener Staatsoper /Michael Pöhn Design: luebbeke.com
Gaetano Donizetti