I Pagliacci (Bolshoi Theatre) (1985)

	Paul G.

1 out of  1  people found this review helpful

My favorite 70 minutes of opera is a very hard thing to find on DVD. This Russian version was the only stage version available before last year' s release of the Met's 1994 performance with Pavarotti. This Bolshoi performance is a fairly well-done opera, but the disc that I bought did not have subtitles. Perhaps this version does. Someone else noted that the chorus sings in Russian, while the arias are in Italian. (Appropriate for a Russian audience) The other offering with Domingo is a film version, not live stage, but is very well done, with the feel of a live performance. The one from the 50's has the great Tito Gobbi in a dual role, but is of poor quality, and is also a movie version.

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	Donald L.

0 out of  0  people found this review helpful

This is a servicable production, but the caveats listed by earlier reviewers certainly limited my enjoyment. I would strongly recommend the Zeffirelli film featuring Domingo for those who would like to see how this opera looks when it is well done.

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	Esver C.

0 out of  0  people found this review helpful

The major disappointment with this disc is that there are no subtitles. All you get is scrolling text at the beginning of each act describing the general plot. Elsewhere on the disc is a slightly more descriptive summary of the events. However, I found a better description in Wikipedia. The performances are solid but I cannot make comparisons as I have yet to see others.

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