Attila

The ninth release in Unitel's chronological series of all of Verdi's operas is his 1846 “lyrical drama” about the titular ferocious Hun warlord who marched on Rome in the mid-5th century. In a bit of what passes here for history, Attila features the intervention of Pope Leo I, who supposedly persuaded the king to abandon his attack on the city. But that incident is just the backdrop to a romantic triangle in which Attila's beautiful prisoner, Odabella (whom he plans to marry), conspires with her lover, Foresto, to kill the barbarian and avenge her father's death at his hands. Like earlier releases in the series, this 2010 production employs the resources of the Teatro Regio di Parma, with the company orchestra delivering a stirring rendition of the score under the baton of Andrea Battistoni. The vocalism is also excellent, with soprano Susanna Branchini (Odabella), bass Giovanni Battista Parodi (Attila), and tenor Roberto de Biasio (Foresto) giving commanding performances. The only drawback is that the opera was mounted at the Teatro Verdi di Busseto, and the tiny stage makes for cramped, static direction by Pierfrancesco Maestrini, who tries to compensate with rear projections that cannot entirely make up for the modest sets. Presented in DTS 5.1 (DTS-HD 5.1 on the Blu-ray version) and PCM stereo, extras include an intro to the opera. Highly recommended. (F. Swietek)