MOZART: LE NOZZE DI FIGARO - Mattei, Regazzo, Murphy, Schafer (2 DVD)

Peter Mattei (Il conte di Almaviva); Lorenzo Regazzo (Figaro); Christine Oelze (La contessa di Almaviva); Heidi Grant Murphy (Susanna); Christine Schäfer (Cherubino);

Lorenzo da Pontes libretto and Mozart's music were to transform the stock characters of the opera buffa tradition into real human beings, making Le Nozze di Figaro one of the most sophisticated operas of all time. A charming, expressive and witty Figaro, Lorenzo Regazzo leads a sparkling cast to illustrate superbly the timeless humanity of this masterpiece. Christoph Marthaler's take on Mozart's classic is both daringly original and highly contemporary, the setting transposed to a wedding-dress shop lit with neon lights and a shabby register office.

Reviews
"...they are good actors! Lorenzo Regazzo as Figaro is a find: lively, young-looking and equipped with a strong, steady bass-voice, full of expression. All his arias are vocal high-points. Peter Mattei's lanky figure and aristocratic bearing make him an ideal Count Almaviva. There are few baritones around on the international circuit today who can equal his singing. His baritone possesses great beauty and power when needed and it is so well-equalized...Roland Bracht's magnificently booming voice and expressive acting also makes him a Bartolo to reckon with..." (Musicweb International)

Extra features
Illustrated Synopsis and Cast Gallery. 'A Day of Real Madness'  A documentary film by Reiner E. Moritz, including interviews with the cast and creative crew.