Giacomo Puccini - La Fanciulla Del West - Blu-ray

Blu-ray released by EuroArts in 2012, 140 minutes, format 16:9, PCM stereo / Dolby Digital 5.1.

Nina Stemme, John Lundgren, Aleksandrs Antonenko.
Royal Swedish Opera Orchestra, Pier Giorgio Morandi.

"La fanciulla del West" is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini, first performed at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City on December 10, 1910. The opera is set in the American West during the California Gold Rush of the 1850s and is based on the play "The Girl of the Golden West" by David Belasco.

The story centers around a frontier saloonkeeper named Minnie, who falls in love with a mysterious bandit named Dick Johnson. The two of them are brought together despite their conflicting interests, as Minnie tries to protect the miners who frequent her saloon and Johnson tries to elude the authorities.

Puccini's music is noted for its use of American folk tunes and western themes, as well as its rich, lyrical melodies and dramatic intensity. "La fanciulla del West" is considered one of Puccini's most innovative and successful works and continues to be a popular opera in the classical repertoire.