Stiffelio (Blu-ray)

Verdi's Stiffelio is a tense moral drama in which a Protestant minister learns of his wife's betrayal and is torn between a thirst for revenge and his religious duty of forgiveness. These themes of adultery and divorce were social taboos in 1850, and Stiffelio was met with such censorship and disapproval that it was soon withdrawn. Today we can appreciate both the title character's significance as the first true Verdi tenor, and the many wonderful moments in this 'most unjustly neglected of Verdi's operas'. This unique and dynamic production from Parma was acclaimed for taking us to "a whole new theatrical world" (Huffington Post), and as "nothing short of a coup" (bachtrack. Com).