PLÁCIDO DOMINGO

My Greatest Roles Volume 4 – Verismo Opera

ANDREA CHENIER:

Picture format: NTSC 4:3 FF

Audio: L-PCM Stereo

Duration: 112 mins

Subtitles: Eng / Fr / Ger / It / Jp

EL GATO MONTES:

Picture format: NTSC 4:3 FF

Audio: L-PCM Stereo

Duration: 112 mins

Subtitles: Eng / Fr / Ger / It / Sp

PAGLIACCI:

Picture format: NTSC 4:3 FF

Audio: Dolby 2.0 Stereo + 5.1 Surround

Duration: 78 mins

Bonus interview (in English)

Picture format: NTSC 16:9

Audio: L-PCM 2.0 Stereo

Duration: 35 mins Colour

Subtitles: None Region Code: 2-6

ANDREA CHÉNIER (Giordano) – The Royal Opera Covent Garden

Giordano’s passionate opera is set in Paris immediately before and during the French Revolution. Placido Domingo stars in the title role as the idealistic poet, and Maddalena, the object of Chénier’s adoration, is portrayed by the Bulgarian soprano Anna Tomowa Sintow. A servant-turned-revolutionary, Gérard, sung by Italian baritone Giorgio Zancanaro, also loves Maddalena, and when he is elevated to the revolutionary court he wreaks his revenge against Chénier who is condemned to death. The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House is conducted by Julius Rudel.

EL GATO MONTÉS (Penella) – Los Angeles Music Center Opera

Plácido Domingo returns to his musical roots in a rare staging of Manuel Penella’s El Gato

Montés (The Wild Cat). Verónica Villarroel portrays the peasant girl, torn by her love for

the dashing bandit, sung by Justino Díaz, and heroic matador Rafael, sung by Plácido

Domingo. Jealous love, misplaced honour and noble revenge all form part of the Los

Angeles Music Center Opera’s production of El Gato Montés.

In a short introduction, Domingo reminisces about performing in, and growing to love, this opera with his parents and sister during his childhood. The Los Angeles Music Center Opera Orchestra is conducted by Miguel Roa.

PAGLIACCI (Leoncavallo) – Washington National Opera

This often-performed short opera uses the play-within-a play device to explore the classic operatic themes of passion, adultery, jealousy and revenge. The great tenor aria, Vesti la giubba, expresses the anguish of the cuckolded husband who is a performing clown but must make others laugh, even as his heart is breaking.

Franco Zeffirelli’s production is set in a contemporary urban environment, with fire eaters, children, animals, jugglers and acrobats. Plácido Domingo gives a definitive performance as Canio, showing that he is arguably the finest actor-tenor of our time. The Washington National Opera Orchestra is conducted by Leonard Slatkin.

NVC Arts/Warner Classics is delighted to announce the release of the fourth volume of DVD boxed sets showcasing some of the greatest recordings of Plácido Domingo’s career on stage. This volume features full-length performances of verismo operas, including Andrea Chénier from The Royal Opera Covent Garden, El Gato Montés from Los Angeles Music Center Opera, and Pagliacci from Washington National Opera.

Bonus: This volume is complemented by a 1-hour bonus DVD in which Plácido Domingo speaks at length, with passion and fervour, about each of the roles he sings in these three operas.

NVC Arts 4DVDs 5249849352