User Reviews

I like Donizetti's music very much, and Don Pasquale with its charming music and fun scenario always gives me great joy. This 2002 production is just as fun as the opera even if I prefer the 2007 Alaimo and 1994 Furlanetto productions just a little more. It is a little overdone though, while always interesting with something to see some of the comedy and action is a little too on the hectic side. However, the costumes and sets do look gorgeous and captured very well by the always focused video directing. The music sparkles with energy and charm, and the orchestra play stylishly throughout with Gerard Korsten's conducting very involved at all times. Of the cast, the only disappointment was the Norina of Eva Mei, the characterisation is suitably shrewish, but her voice is for me too heavy for the role with a lot of wobble and not much agility. Roberto De Candia is not quite scheming enough for Malatesta, but has enough of the rich singing and good dramatic taste to just about convince. Antonio Siragusa is a slightly stolid but still charming Ernesto, with his tone beautiful and easy-sounding. Best of all was Alessandro Corbelli, who is perfectly cast in the title role, a typically characterful performance from a singing-actor who always entertains no matter the role or the opera. Overall, has moments where it's overdone and I wasn't entirely convinced by Mei, but it is fun and well-sung and characterised. 8/10 Bethany Cox

From Glyndebourne in 2013, we have this excellent production with Danielle de Niese as Norina, Alessandro Corbelli as Pasquale, Nikolay Borchev as Malatesta. Corbelli is one of the great comic baritones, and he's superb here. Danielle de Niese is a bit more restrained than Anna Netrebko was as Norina.