La Gioconda (1979 TV Movie) User Reviews

Just brilliant

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 4 July 2011]

As a big opera fan, and I like Renata Scotto and Luciano Pavarotti a great deal, I was blown away by this television film of La Gioconda. Kirk Browning video directs wonderfully, while the costumes, photography and sets are wonderful to watch. The story while sometimes hard to follow is compelling and the music is masterpiece status, Cielo E Mar, the duet between Enzo and Barnaba, Dance of the Hours and the ending are for me the highlights of the score. The music is impeccably performed and conducted with style and panache. The Dance of the Hours ballet is filled also with colour and nifty choreography. The performances are wonderful, while Luciano Pavarotti is convincing and in soaring voice as Enzo and Norman Mittleman an effective Barnaba it is Renata Scotto who carries it, she is in wonderful voice and as an actress she is equally gifted. Overall, this La Gioconda is just brilliant. 10/10 Bethany Cox

absolutely wonderful

[catherinelezon · 10/10 · 25 November 2020]

Absolutely wonderful in every respect, I fully recommend it

Truly brilliant La Gioconda

[AngelofMusic1998 · 10/10 · 9 April 2023]

La Gioconda is a new discovery for me and while it is not among my favorite operas,this 1979 San Francisco Opera production is truly good. Sets and costumes do look lovely and they are a great sight to behold. Renata Scotto was previously amazing Lucia,Violetta,Mimi and Desdemona and here she is in great voice and acting wise as La Gioconda. Enzo and Laura are performed beautifully by Luciano Pavarotti and Stefania Toczyska. Norman Mittelman has a big task of playing Barnaba ,one of the nastiest characters in all opera(his role in La Gioconda is his wish to posess Gioconda and also death of Enzo and Laura). His final lines at dead Gioconda are truly awful and Mittelman succeeds in that final scene. Overall,amazing La Gioconda.10/10.