Giuseppe Verdi's La Forza del Destino - Teatro Regio di Parma Bicentenary Performance on DVD

Product Information

• UPC: 814337012441
• Product Code: 724408
• Product Type: Opera DVD (2-disc set)
• Genre: Opera/Classical Music
• Running Time: 189 minutes (Opera: 178 mins, Bonus: 11 mins)
• Format: NTSC, 16:9, High Definition
• Audio: PCM Stereo, DTS 5.1
• Region Code: 0 (Worldwide)
• Subtitles: Italian (Original Language), English, German, French, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Japanese
• Publisher: C Major Entertainment GmbH
• Series: Tutto Verdi (The Complete Operas)

Overview

This production of "La Forza del Destino" forms part of the prestigious "Tutto Verdi" series, a landmark project created to mark Giuseppe Verdi's bicentenary. Performed at the historic Teatro Regio di Parma, this definitive performance features a stellar international cast led by Dimitra Theodossiou as Donna Leonora and Aquiles Machado as Don Alvaro.

For "La Forza del Destino" (The Force of Destiny), Verdi created one of his most famous melodic themes—the "fate motif" that permeates the entire score. The opera masterfully alternates between grand crowd scenes and moments of intimate interiority, illustrating Verdi's central theme: how fallible human beings are destroyed by cruel fate. Stefano Poda's visionary direction brings a striking contemporary aesthetic to this timeless tragedy of love, revenge, and destiny's inexorable power.

Product Features

• Format: 2-disc DVD set, NTSC, 16:9 aspect ratio
• Video Quality: Filmed in High Definition, mastered from an HD source
• Audio Options: PCM Stereo and DTS 5.1 Surround Sound
• Multilingual Subtitles: Eight language options including Italian, English, German, French, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and Japanese
• Region Free: Playable worldwide (Region 0)
• Special Bonus Content: 11-minute introduction to "La Forza del Destino"
• Series Information: Part of the complete "Tutto Verdi" collection, also available as a complete box set (DVD 721808 / Blu-ray 721904)
• Copy Protection: Discs are copy protected

Interesting Facts

Verdi's Bicentenary Masterpiece

This production is part of the monumental "Tutto Verdi" project, which encompasses all twenty-six of Verdi's operas plus his Requiem, performed at theaters historically connected to the composer. The Frankfurt Allgemeine Zeitung praised the series as "how Verdi should be played," establishing these recordings as the definitive performances for the Verdi bicentenary celebrations.

The Famous "Fate Motif"

"La Forza del Destino" contains one of opera's most recognizable musical themes—the "fate motif" that opens the overture with three dramatic E major chords. This motif has transcended the opera world to become a cultural touchstone, appearing in films, television shows, and even popular music, symbolizing the inevitability of fate.

A Complex Performance History

Verdi significantly revised "La Forza del Destino" after its 1862 St. Petersburg premiere, creating the version most commonly performed today for its 1869 La Scala debut. The opera is notorious among singers for its supposed "curse," with superstitions suggesting that performing it brings bad luck—a legend that has only enhanced its dramatic mystique.

Stefano Poda's Unified Vision

This production showcases director Stefano Poda's unique approach to opera, as he serves not only as stage director but also designs the sets, costumes, lighting, and choreography. This unified vision creates a cohesive artistic statement that visually reinforces the opera's themes of fate and interconnection.

Cast and Creative Team

• Donna Leonora: Dimitra Theodossiou
• Don Carlo di Vargas: Vladimir Stoyanov
• Don Alvaro: Aquiles Machado
• Preziosilla: Mariana Pentcheva
• Padre Guardiano: Roberto Scandiuzzi
• Fra Melitone: Carlo Lepore
• Il Marchese di Calatrava: Ziyan Atfeh
• Curra: Adriana Di Paola
• Un Alcalde: Alessandro Bianchini
• Mastro Trabuco: Myung Ho Kim
• Un Chirurgo: Gabriele Bolletta

Orchestra and Chorus: Teatro Regio di Parma
Conductor: Gianluigi Gelmetti
Stage Director/Set Designer/Costume Designer/Lighting Designer/Choreographer: Stefano Poda
Chorus Master: Martino Faggiani
Video Director: Tiziano Mancini

Publishers

A production of UNITEL in cooperation with Fondazione Teatro Regio di Parma/Festival Verdi Parma and CLASSICA in collaboration with Fondazione Piero Portaluppi with the support of ARCUS. © 2012 UNITEL / Artwork & Editorial © 2012 C Major Entertainment GmbH, Berlin.

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