Previous to this 1993 La Scala production, I'd also seen the 1997 Met and 1988 Barcelona performances. As much as I loved those two productions, this one's my favourite Fedora. Fedora is not quite my idea of a great opera(I have always preferred Andrea Chenier personally), but it is a very good one. The music has some wonderful moments if never quite as memorable as the four main highlights of Andrea Chenier(all three principals have a standout aria and then there is the final scene), and the story at least is interesting both from a dramatic standpoint and as a story. The costumes and sets here are absolutely beautiful, especially the Act 3 villa, and the traditional staging compels and never feels too stage-bound. The orchestral playing are lush and powerful, the horn section in the alpine scene are especially impressive, and Gianandrea Gavazzeni as conductor gives the score a genteel at times yet commanding approach. The principal singing was hard to fault, Placido Domingo's burnished tone is still there and he is a superb actor still. Mirella Freni is riveting too, the voice while not as angelically as in the 1960s and 1970s is still lovely and her acting like in her big intense scene with Domingo made me question why there are people who consider her a bad actress. In support, the best were the characterful De Sirieux of Alessandro Corbelli and Luigi Roni's powerful Cirillo, while the Desire of Ernesto Gavazzi is solid and the Olga of Adelina Scarabelli likewise. In conclusion, a marvellous production. 10/10 Bethany Cox
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