Donizetti's operatic portrayal of Lucrezia Borgia is one of the most demanding roles for a soprano, and only such accomplished stars as Joan Sutherland have risen to the challenge. Lucrezia was notorious in Renaissance Ferrara as much for her beauty as for the political intrigue and suspicious deaths that surrounded her and her family. Here Sutherland deftly captures the complexity of a powerful, vengeful woman, who is at the same time a loving mother - in the final scenes she chillingly shows her unsuspecting victims the coffins in which they will be buried, but cannot bear the heartbreaking revelations that follow. Richard Bonynge conducts a cast including Alfredo Kraus as Gennaro, supporting by the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House and Royal Opera Chorus, in John Copley's production for The Royal Opera. This recording, with English subtitles, is preserved in its orginial Standard Definition and 4:3 picture format.
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Composer: Gaetano Donizetti
Lucrezia Borgia: Joan Sutherland
Gennaro: Alfredo Kraus
Maffio Orsini: Anne Howells
Alfonso d'Este: Stafford Dean
Liverotto: Robin Leggate
Ascanio Petrucci: Phillip Gelling
Vitellozzo: Michael Goldthorpe
Gubetta Rustighello: Paul Hudson
Astolfo: Roderick Kennedy
Sepulchral Voice: Alun Jenkins
Princess Negroni: Gwynneth Price
Royal Opera Chorus
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Conductor: Richard Bonynge
Director: John Copley
Picture: 4:3
Sound: PCM Stereo
Region code: 0 (All Regions)
Format: NTSC
Running time: 147 mins
Recorded: 1980
This recording features burnt-in English Subtitles