Gaetano Donizetti - La Fille du regiment / Dessay, Florez, Palmer, Corbelli, French, Campanella, Pelly (Royal Opera House 2007)

Marvelous singing, fun to watch, wonderful acting and great comic timing by Natalie Dessay, 9 high Cs by Juan Diego Florez. If you want to buy only one bel canto opera buffa, get this one.

I remember seeing a traditional La Fille a long time ago; I was bored stiff. But on the strength of the many 5 star reviews, I took a risk on this La Fille.

Do it! Like the Le Elisir d'amore with Netrebko and Villazon Donizetti - L'Elisir d'Amore / Eschwe, Netrebko, Villazon, Wiener Staatsoper, it takes middling music and makes it tremendous fun. Don't let the anachronistic setting (WW I?) scare you off; this is one of those cases where it works.

Dessay starts out as a near-manic, but her acting quickly turns the prosaic story into a dramatic hoot.

And then there's Florez' high C's: enough said.

I haven't seen the competing La Fille with Ciofi and Florez, but this one is simply too much fun. Get it.

This is the first opera I have ever bought on DVD, and because it has been such a joyful experience, it won't be the last. I watched twice with my 3 daughters (10, 12 and 14 years old) and we were glued to the screen the whole time.

It is set during WWI. A baby girl has been raised from infancy by a French regiment. She falls in love with Tonio, a civilian, but she has promised to marry a member of the regiment. And, of course, her long-lost mother reappears to bring her home. So - will the 2 lovers ever be allowed to unite ?

The plot is light as fluff. It is a Comic Opera, so anyone expecting a serious spectacle is watching the wrong thing. One of the background sets is ugly, but utilitarian - and are we watching this to admire sets or the singing of Dessay and Florez ?

Dessay and Florez sing their hearts out in this - notably the 9 high Cs in "Ah! mes amis". It is an absolute joy to listen to, and it's funny, to boot ! Dawn French has only a speaking role but is unforgettable as the irascible Duchess. Pop this in the DVD, sit back, and enjoy - even your kids will like it (and might even break out in song once in a while later).

I was not a big fan of Donizetti's operas til now. I used to find them kind of shallow, music and plot-wise. However, this version of La fille du Regiment from Covent Garden proved me completely wrong. A great stage production can make a big difference in the way you perceive an opera, and this is a perfect example of that. The other JDF's DVD of this same opera (Genova) falls short compared with this delicious Covent Garden version. Dessay is the big star of the show, she is simply fantastic. Great actress and great singer. JDF is always good but he is completely overshadowed here by the energetic and amazing Dessay. However, the most important thing is that this La Fille du Regiment acquires a different dimension under the stage direction of Laurent Pelly. Bravo for Covent Garden that has put together, in the last few years, amazing productions of beloved traditional operas like this one and le Nozze di Figaro (with Erwin Schrott), with a modern twist that is not Eurotrash but neither those old fashioned and boring MET productions lacking of imagination.

Miss Dessay and Mr. Florez are magnificent in this production. The singing by both and the rest of the cast is excellent and the acting, especially Miss Dessay, is outstanding. This is a DVD I will enjoy for ever. Naty Fowler