Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart : Le Nozze Di Figaro - The Royal Opera House, Directed by David McVicar (2 DVDs)

David McVicar's spellbinding production of Le nozze di Figaro is set in 1830s post-revolution France, where the inexorable unravelling of an old order has produced acute feelings of loss. In the relationship between Finley's suave, dashingly self-absorbed Count and Röschmann's passionately dignified Countess, which lies at the tragic heart of the opera, the sexy ease between a feisty Figaro (Erwin Schrott) and a sassy Susanna (Miah Persson) is starkly absent, the tenacious spark between Marcellina (Graciela Araya) and Bartolo (Jonathan Veira) suggesting what might be rekindled. The production is superbly complemented by the beauty of Paule Constable's lighting and Tanya McCallin's evocative sets. Antonio Pappano conducts (and accompanies the recitatives) with invigorating wit and emotional depth.

David McVicar's acclaimed 2006 production of Mozart's opera. Antonio Pappano conducts (and accompanies the recitatives) with wit and depth, allowing the ensemble to capture the moments of dramatic tension and engage fully with the rhythm of what is already considered to be a classic production.