{"product_id":"880242725981","title":"Pier Giorgio Morandi - Puccini: La Fanciulla Del West - Import DVD","description":"\u003cp\u003eCredits:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePier Giorgio Morandi\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDescription:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSweden’s “Daughter of the West”!\nStenme, Antonenko, Lundgren!!!\nRoy’s direction, brimming with homage to Westerns, is also superb!\nThe Royal Opera in Stockholm is actually one of Europe’s leading opera houses, but with few recordings or video releases, its high caliber has not been widely recognized. This video release of Puccini’s *La fanciulla del West* is a must-see, as it showcases the exceptional talent of this opera house and the Swedish opera scene. The heroine, Minnie, is sung by Nina Stenme, a Wagnerian soprano who is undoubtedly one of the finest Brünnhildes of her generation. Stemme’s singing—powerful and full-bodied yet brimming with freshness and flexibility—exerts tremendous power even in Puccini, creating a Minnie who conveys a depth of emotion distinct from the Minnies typically sung by Italian opera prima donnas. Dick Johnson is portrayed by the Latvian dramatic tenor Aleksandrs Antonenko. He is a young prodigy best known for being handpicked by Riccardo Muti to sing the title role in Verdi’s *Otello* at the 2008 Salzburg Festival, and three and a half years later, Dick Johnson has made such remarkable progress here that it’s almost surprising; his naturally robust voice is now complemented by a profound expressiveness, making for a truly compelling performance. Jon Lundgren, who plays Jack Lance, is a baritone from his native Sweden. He is currently active at the Copenhagen Opera House in Denmark. He specializes in villainous roles and has previously sung the part of Scarpia in *Tosca* at the New National Theatre. In recent years, he has also been active in Wagnerian operas. The other singers are mostly local artists, but they are all of a very high standard. Amid a cast consisting almost entirely of non-Italian singers, it is conductor Pierre Giorgio Morandi who preserves the Italian flavor. He is one of today’s most active opera conductors and, as Principal Guest Conductor of the Royal Opera in Stockholm, is indispensable to the theater’s productions of Italian opera. Christoph Loy’s production employs a traditional set centered on a simple wooden cabin, onto which live footage—occasionally rendered in the style of a silent film—is projected, evoking Hollywood Westerns from around the 1910s. That said, the character portrayals are well-developed and avoid stereotypes, making this a successful production of *The Girl from the West*, a work notoriously difficult to stage. Japanese subtitles are provided.\nKing International\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"EuroArts","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53595488092449,"sku":"880242725981","price":4890.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0568\/8482\/2076\/files\/880242725981.jpg?v=1790481312","url":"https:\/\/cdsvinyljapan.com\/products\/880242725981","provider":"CDs Vinyl Japan Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}