Macbeth

Shakespeare always brought out the best in Giuseppe Verdi. This 10th release in the complete series of the composer's operas being issued in celebration of his 200th birthday is of his early masterpiece based on the Bard's “Scottish Play.” The staging in this 2006 production from the Teatro Regio di Parma situates the plot in what looks like the 17th century in terms of costuming, but adds some odd, distracting touches, such as an onstage audience that observes the action from an upper level, and witches who are portrayed as happily washing clothes until they transform in order to do their more nefarious business. Musically, however, the performance has very few weaknesses. Veteran Bruno Bartoletti conducts with passion and precision, drawing every nuance from the score and making even the innocuous ballet music palatable. And both Leo Nucci and Sylvie Valayre are in superb form as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, capturing the iconic characters both vocally and dramatically. With a strong supporting cast, this is one of the better versions of Macbeth available, although the competition is formidable (see reviews in VL-3/03, VL-1/06, and VL-11/11). Presented in DTS 5.1 (DTS-HD 5.1 on the Blu-ray release) and PCM stereo, extras include an intro to the opera. Recommended. (F. Swietek)