Donizetti Don Pasquale opera to libretto by Giovanni Ruffini and the composer. Directed 2006 by Grischa Asagaroff at the Opernhaus Zürich. Stars Ruggero Raimondi (Don Pasquale), Juan Diego Flórez (Ernesto), Isabel Rey (Norina), Oliver Widmer (Dottor Malatesta), Valeriy Murga (Un notaro), Thomas von Grünigen (Major-domo), Elsbeth Treichler (Servant), Alex Minder (Servant), Renata Blum (Norita's Friend), and Aneel Soomary (Street trumpeter). Nello Santi conducts the Orchestra and Chorus of Opernhaus Zürich (Chorus Master Jürg Hämmerli). Set and costume design by Luigi Perego; lighting by Jürgen Hoffmann. Directed for TV by Felix Breisach. Sung in Italian. Released 2009, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: B-
There's a lot to like about this Zürich version. But poor Isabella Rey looks like Juan Diego Flores' mother, not his sweetheart.