Top 5 Furlanetto performances 👁️👁️
Hi Eli I love you
Ok I know you asked for performances but let me sort these by character bc I will definitely mention several performances for at least two roles lmao. Under the cut bc it's long
1. PHILIP
Obviously. Most of what I've seen/heard with him are recordings of Don Carlo and in almost all of those he plays Philip (with the exception of one Don Carlo from the Met where he's very young singing the Inquisitor lol). I think once he worked out his interpretation of Philip he stuck to it, so his performances are pretty similar throughout the years (based on my research which involved watching all available recordings of Don Carlo with him. I was very normal in 2021<3). Still, my favourites are Salzburg 1986 because he's so young there and has these big wet eyes and that Philip is softer and more pathetic - you can see that he hasn't entirely solidified his way of playing him yet. And my other favourite is ROH 2008 because 1. I think in general he's at his gayest in that production and 2. this detail and bc I think he sings better here than in the Met recording of the same production. ok moving on
2. Leporello
He has the range <3 and since I'm incapable of just picking one performance, here too I'll mention two productions - Salzburg 1987 in which he's doing a more silly and carefree Leporello and Met 2000 where (due to it also being a different production. obviously) he's miserable and fed up with Don Giovanni's bullshit and both of these interpretations are rich and enlightened and a pleasure to watch <3
3. Ruy Gomez de Silva
From 2012 recording of Ernani at the Met. I think Furlanetto excels at playing bitter old men (his Fiesco is also really good), I love Ernani in general and this production in particular. I think Silva is a wonderful character and Furlanetto absolutely Gets It. His Silva is stubborn and hateful enough without being excessive and he even manages to make him pathetic! Again! I'm telling you he gets it. And since Hvorostovsky also knew how to act I really enjoy watching them together on stage.
4. Honestly after this all his other characters/performances are kinda equal to me so I'm not sure what to put here... I guess I should mention Sparafucile in Ponnelle's Rigoletto movie bc they showed that to us in music class in middle school and well... little did I know back then...
5. Don Giovanni. I haven't seen it bc a video recording doesn't exist as far as I'm aware but I know it in my heart and my pussy. Based on this photo alone









