Customer Rating: - Not the Best DVD
I saw a tape of another production of "Daughter of the Regiment" and it was fantastic. The DVD I received from Amamzon was different, although the cast was the same. The quality of the film was poor, the lighting was bad, and there was a different conductor. All in all, it did not have the same electricity as the first production that I saw.

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Customer Rating: - "La Fille" a delight for the eyes and the ears
Marvelous singing, fun to watch, wonderful acting and great comic timing by Natalie Dessay, 9 high Cs by Juan Diego Florez. If you want to buy only one bel canto opera buffa, get this one.

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Customer Rating: - Another comedic masterpiece
I remember seeing a traditional La Fille a long time ago; I was bored stiff. But on the strength of the many 5 star reviews, I took a risk on this La Fille.

Do it! Like the Le Elisir d'amore with Netrebko and Villazon Donizetti - L'Elisir d'Amore / Eschwe, Netrebko, Villazon, Wiener Staatsoper, it takes middling music and makes it tremendous fun. Don't let the anachronistic setting (WW I?) scare you off; this is one of those cases where it works.

Dessay starts out as a near-manic, but her acting quickly turns the prosaic story into a dramatic hoot.

And then there's Florez' high C's: enough said.

I haven't seen the competing La Fille with Ciofi and Florez, but this one is simply too much fun. Get it.

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Customer Rating: - Donizetti - La fille du regiment - Dessay and Florez
This is the first opera I have ever bought on DVD, and because it has been such a joyful experience, it won't be the last. I watched twice with my 3 daughters (10, 12 and 14 years old) and we were glued to the screen the whole time.

It is set during WWI. A baby girl has been raised from infancy by a French regiment. She falls in love with Tonio, a civilian, but she has promised to marry a member of the regiment. And, of course, her long-lost mother reappears to bring her home. So - will the 2 lovers ever be allowed to unite ?

The plot is light as fluff. It is a Comic Opera, so anyone expecting a serious spectacle is watching the wrong thing. One of the background sets is ugly, but utilitarian - and are we watching this to admire sets or the singing of Dessay and Florez ?

Dessay and Florez sing their hearts out in this - notably the 9 high Cs in "Ah! mes amis". It is an absolute joy to listen to, and it's funny, to boot ! Dawn French has only a speaking role but is unforgettable as the irascible Duchess. Pop this in the DVD, sit back, and enjoy - even your kids will like it (and might even break out in song once in a while later).