Verdi: Il Trovatore - Staatskapelle Berlin (2014) [Blu-ray]

Filmed live in Berlin, Anna Netrebko and Plácido Domingo star in one of Verdi’s greatest operas, under the baton of Daniel Barenboim.

Il Trovatore is without question one of Verdi’s most dramatic masterpieces – as well as one of his most melodic and including the irresistible ‘Anvil Chorus’ and the tenor showstopper ‘Di quella pira’.

Anna Netrebko makes her debut as Leonora, triumphing in a uniquely demanding role for a Verdi soprano and one she will sing again at the 2014 Salzburg Festival.

Adored for his legendary performances in the title role, Plácido Domingo here sings the baritone role of the troubador’s arch-rival, the aristocratic Count di Luna.

Celebrated film-maker Philipp Stölzl, well-known for his groundbreaking video collaborations with Rammstein and Madonna, directs his first Verdi opera, creating an extraordinarily powerful visual and visceral theatrical experience, unlike any other production of the opera.

The roles of the troubadour and the gypsy Azucena are taken by Uruguayan tenor Gaston Rivero and Russian mezzo-soprano Marina Prudenskaya.