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Subjects:  1. Classical    2. Opera / Operetta / Oratorio    3. Performing Arts - Opera   

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Reviews (19)

Close, but no cigar
With a list of singers that includes Pavarotti, Milnes, and Marton, you'd expect a "production of the century."
HORRENDOUS !!
If anyone wonders why Placido Domingo is starred on so many opera videos, and Pavarotti on relatively few, all they need to do is to watch this particular DVD.His rotund appearance is so appalling, that the whole thing becomes laughable.He can barely move, and his involvement with the character is virtually nill.The voice, of course, is magnificent - to not admit that would be wrong and unfair ----- but Pavarotti, with his excessive bulk, is totally unsuited to video.Most of his videos are of concerts, which makes good sense, but in a complete opera (oh, there are a few - Ernani, L'Elisir, Boheme, Rigoletto, etc), all he does is conjure up a travesty, one that opera-haters love to cling to.
Almost perfect
I just love this video.I often play it as an audio recording.Pavarotti is great nothwithstanding his acting abilities.His singing is the tops.Marton has a big pretty voice of course, but she is a bit miscast here, as she just doesn't quite have the agility for Leonora.I would still call her performance quite acceptable.Zajick is great.Her singing and acting are absolutely riveting.Milnes is great - the voice seems to have started it's downturn at this point - a bit of struggling in the passagio, but it's not too noticeable.He still produces some absolutely gorgeoues tones - a beautiful and touching voice, in my opinion. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Classical    2. Classical Video    3. Opera / Operetta / Oratorio    4. Performing Arts    5. Performing Arts - Opera   

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Reviews (27)

A must see and listen
Leona Mitchell is one of the very few `Sopranos' able to drive the message home, particularly in this recording.
A Wonderful Production - a review of "Turandot" - Levine/MET
The costuming, singing, and acting in this production is marvelous, lavish, [insert superlative here].HOWEVER, there are moments when the 'miking' is not great and that 'stage hollowness' comes through.This sound recording problem is mostly evident in the third act.
One of the best operatic productions the MET has ever produced
When I first saw this production on VHS in 1994, I was really bowled over with the fine singing and acting from all the principals. James Levine and his MET Orchestra produced fine sound and sensative accompaniment and overall, this production really impressed me. I vowed that when it came out on DVD, I would be the first to get a copy. This was over 3 years ago! I watch this DVD repeatedly and I am still bowled over with the overall effect of the singing and staging. Eva Marton as Turandot has been superbly costumed and directed by Franco Zefferelli and to my ears, a fine Turandot. She owns the stage in Act 2 Scene 2 and her curtain call at the end of the opera is a well-deserved ovation! Domingo had a bit of an off night with this performance, but still manages to deliver the goods as Calaf. Leona Mitchell will make you cry with her singing as Liu and the rest of the cast is first rate! This will be a difficult choice amongst some people, however the only competition will be the 1983 Vienna Turandot with Harold Prince directing and Lorin Maazel conducting. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Classical    2. Classical Video    3. Opera / Operetta / Oratorio    4. Performing Arts    5. Performing Arts - Opera   

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Reviews (12)

T.T.T.T. =The Terrific Three Tenors!!
A truly wonderful performance. I wish I could of been there, but this is the closest I could get to it. The songs, the atmosphere, the orchestra....magnificant! I truly recommend this DVD. If you enjoy The Three Tenors, this is a must have. You can't go wrong with this one.

The best of the 3 tenor concerts!
Not only did they have Mehta, but the LA Phil and LA Opera chorus which makes this outshine the first performance in 1990.Of course, both performances are certainly worth collecting and you may get someone into an opera house with these top tenors.I was in the audience that night and must say they all sounded in top voice to me live and recorded.After repeated viewings I never tire of the arias.They changed the program right up to performance time and the printed programs didn't match what was sung that night.Who cares!This is just plain fun for everyone involved as well as the viewer!My only complaint is that the subtitles are "English" but just the librettos are subtitled, not the English translation so I hestiate to show it to a newbie.No translation is provided with the DVD but the Laser version did as did the VHS.Would be nice if the manufacturers would look at a DVD before releasing it with such glaring errors.This is a must have whether you are an opera fan or not!Bocelli could take a few lessons from watching this disc!Hopefully, people who think he is an opera singer will compare and see that there is a difference even with voices amplified.This is A MUST BUY!Watch it when you are depressed and it will surely change your mood for the better!Such singing!Such Fun!

In my humble opinion....
Most people, opera lovers and opera discoverers alike, enjoy this concert immensely. However, it has also suffered some criticism, which I can't help but feel is somewhat unjustified and does not represent an accurate portrayal of this mesmerising performance. It is clear, from the selection of songs, that this concert is designed for popular consumption rather than a highbrow, purist audience. It is thought by some that Jose Carreras is perhaps not as powerful or captivating as Domingo or Pavarotti in performance, but his choice of songs and arias here show him 'sticking to what he is good at'. `With A Song In My Heart', for instance, is similar to songs he sung in his role in West Side Story - a lighter, more musical theatre choice. His final solo aria however, 'E Lucevan Le Stelle', is bold, technically demanding, and he sings it with skill and feeling. As for the other two tenors, their selections perfectly show off their range and skills as performers as well as singers. The first three solos are reflective and beautifully conducted by Mehta, but new fans to opera should not be put off by the fact that they may not have heard of these, because the second set of solos seem designed to capture and entertain the audience. Domingo's 'Granada' is fabulous - he really pours everything into it, he glows with passion and vigour. Pavarotti singing Ave Maria is an emotional highlight, demonstrating his talent for singing more gentle arias, as well as his more famous power and range in 'Nessun Dorma'. The final solo's are the three at their very best and most impressive. Domingo portrays a definite character and personality in 'Vesti la Giubba', breaking down the language barrier for viewers who are unfamiliar with the opera it is taken from. Pavarotti does not disappoint, concluding the solos with his famous rendition of Nessun Dorma, which can't fail to blow you away. The medleys and songs they sing together provide an extra level of enjoyment in that the three distinctly different personalities come across so effectively. They are playful and hugely entertaining, without an ego in sight. Read more

Subjects:  1. Classical    2. Classical Crossover    3. Classical Vocals    4. Music Videos - Classical    5. Opera   

Editorial Review

Dvorák's fairytale fantasy about a water nymph who falls in love with a mortalprince and becomes an unhappy human has done well in Czech opera housesbut not (until now) with English-speaking audiences. This 1986 production, sung inEnglish, takes liberties with the plot but does justice to the exquisitemusic. The recording's beauty and emotional impact justify David Poultney'sdaring, highly symbolic treatment of the story. There is no other opera videoremotely like this one. Read more

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Reviews (8)

Great Music but...
I bought this because I love Dvorak, and know little or nothing about his operas...I confess I began to watch it without reading the plot synopsis...tried to figure out what was going on without it...I think it's a reasonable expectation that one should be able to understand the plot that way.So...what's with this girl in the swing, and the pond in the middle of the bedroom floor?OK...it's a modern interpretation...oh, she's a water nymph, and she's sitting in a tree. It's not that her bedroom has flooded; it's a woodland pond.Sigh. I hate these modern versions--a fairy tale should be a fairy tale, and in the case of an opera like this, which is not as well known as most, most viewers will (like me) never have seen it before, so why not go with a real tree, a pond, etc.?This modern nonsense spoils it. Can we expect to see Hansel and Gretel set in the South Bronx? Also, I agree with others...just because it's sung in English (why on earth?) doesn't mean it doesn't need subtitles.I can only catch about half of the words.The music is great, and the singing is OK (the prince is too old and too fat to be her love object), but overall it's a disappointment

Original, evocative concept, very well performed
Yes, as everyone else says this is not the quaint fairy tale that Dvorak envisioned (and it is sung in sometimes garbled English), but it is an original and terribly moving evocation of a similar story--an unusual, different sort of being (a wood nymph in the original, here a young adolescent) who longs for a perfect, "normal" relationship and is left tragically betrayed and alone, if loved very briefly.The staging is starkly modern and at the same time Victorian (it makes Robert Carsen's Paris production with Fleming look very derivative); the singing is always heartfelt and impressive, although Rusalka (Hannan) has a few weak moments especially in act 2.The orchestral sound is generally good although the winds are at times strangely wobbly.But the final effect of this version of a quintessential romantic score is a revelation of deep human meaning that most traditional productions have not touched (including the Met one).Beautifully filmed.

Unintelligible
Performance was not bad, but why in the world go to the trouble of translating the libretto into English? I didn't understand much more than if it had been in Czech with NO subtitles. Putting it in English also distorts Dvorak's musical phrasing. I guess I missed the small print on this one.... if I had known there were no subtitles I would not have purchased it and I'm sure Amazon won't take it back for that reason. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Classical    2. Opera / Operetta / Oratorio    3. Opera/Operetta    4. Performing Arts    5. Performing Arts - Opera   

Editorial Review

A video of a 1982 performance at Canada's Stratford Festival (live,though with some singing dubbed), this is very much a theatrical experience,with the buoyancy of a show played before an audience. The cast and spectatorstake obvious pleasure in each other, and in classic Gilbert and Sullivantradition, several numbers are encored. Subtlety is not this production's strongpoint, but you don't look to G&S for subtlety. As Ko-Ko, Eric Donkin doesn'texactly create a character. His performance is that of a vaudeville clown--heeven wears a Japanese version of baggy pants. But his straight-to-the-audiencedelivery is irresistible. Gidon Saks plays the title role in Japanese-theaterstyle, drawing out his syllables, rising to a scream at the end of a sentence.Though these mannerisms are a bit much, his demented tyrant of a Mikado isgripping and even spooky. Read more

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Reviews (30)

Memories of G&S in Stratford
I had the honor and pleasure of watching this 2 or 3 times at Stratford (including the night they taped this performance). Each time was even more entertaining and fun than the last. It was very evident while watching it both live and on tape/DVD that they were having as much fun performing it, as we the audience were watching it.Eric Donkin was a joy to watch and taken from us too soon. Richard McMillan as the grand Poh Bah was HILLARIOUS. Very enjoyable!!! :)

Great performance
This performance is in the spirit of the original unlike the fancy BBC productions which I find stilted.

Great costumes, but scratchy sound and ugly additions
The costumes & staging are great. The orchestra is fine. Yet, this disappoints on several counts. The sound is monophonic and, while clear in most places, is scratchy on many male voices, as if the mics were not set up right. That is disappointing in operetta, where one wants to hear the words. Even more disturbing are the broad added stereotypes of Japanese culture, which I don't remember from other versions. The characters don't need to say "ahh so" for us to know they are Japanese! It adds nothing; the show uses more subtle humor to get its points across. And that, finally, is where this production fails for me. G&S were sly observers of society, and their observations are still sharp and funny today. When the piece is overloaded with crude stereotypes & the parts aren't played with even a modicum of serious acting (and I don't mean solemnity), the point is lost! So despite the beautiful sets and costumes, the acting in this production is far too hammy, broad, and crude to capture the true spirit of Gilbert and Sullivan. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Classical    2. Musicals (Theatrical)    3. Opera / Operetta / Oratorio    4. Performing Arts - Opera   

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Reviews (6)

Perfection
Carreras' Chenier is the only one I've seen on video, but I'm not going to check out other tenors in this role, because in my opinion this is as good as it can possibly get. He looks fabulous and sings even better. His "improvviso" as well as "come un bel di di maggio" are show-stopping arias and he sings them both with great passion. This opera was recorded in 1985 and Carreras' voice sounds more mature, but it's still divine. There is something so irresistible about his interpretation of this role that makes it just sneak up on you and grab you by the heart. The finale of this opera where Chenier and Maddalena are facing death together is really moving.
Absolutely fabulous!!
I hope they will come up with DVD version. Carreras and Cappuccilli are the best. Marton is not too convincing, but it can be overlooked for the sake of the whole package. This is the best Andrea Chenier up to date and I do not think it is possible to make it any better.

Vocal Opulence!!!
What a high point in operatic history!!! Does it get any better than this? I doubt it. The team of Cappucilli,Carreras& Marton are stupendous.From the start,Cappucilli establishes himself as the definitive Gerard. The outburst of applause from the La Scala audience is richly deserved.His is a commanding yet compassionate bass-baritone voice.Although a bit stiff in the acting department,Eva Marton as Maddalena was perfect casting.She, along with Ileana Cotrubas, are 2 of the most under-appreciated singers of our time.Her " La mamma morta"had a bittersweet quality which surpasses the Callas interpretations. She must be heard to be believed.Read more

Subjects:  1. Classical    2. Musical Features    3. Opera / Operetta / Oratorio    4. Opera/Operetta    5. Performing Arts - Opera   

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Subjects:  1. Classical    2. Opera / Operetta / Oratorio    3. Performing Arts - Opera   

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Reviews (1)

Joan Sutherland explains the operas Faust and Rigoletto
Soprano Joan Sutherland, the "Voice of the Century," explains the operas "Faust" by Gounod and "Rigoletto" by Verdi with the help of some magical puppet friends.Designed for every child or adult who ever rolled their eyes at the prospect of having to listen to opera, this four volume series was designed to make the entire family comfortable with the wonderful world of opera.As Marguerite and Gilda, Sutherland explains the plot of each opera and sings a few highlights such as "Dieu! que de bijoux!...Ah! je ris de me voir si belle" and "Gualtier Malde...Caro nome," respectively.Certainly a treat for fans of Dame Joan to see her talking so earnestly with the puppets about each opera. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Childrens    2. Classical    3. Classical Artists    4. Performing Arts    5. Performing Arts - Opera   

Editorial Review

This traditional production of Puccini's enduringly popular opera Read more

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Reviews (12)

Quanto cielo!
Criticisms about this "Butterfly" are foolisheness.What a marvellous night when all the vocal performers was nothing less than shinning.Antinori,a very diligent singer here,just watching all conductor's markings,at no time losing sight of the character's poetry and spontaneity.His performance is a overpowering one.Saccomani sings an exemplary Sharpless as well.To my personal taste,Jankovic has a stiff voice but was a very proper Suzuki on this Dvd.Raina Kabaivanska!(let me warn you;she's tall,like a basketball player geisha)I was completely fixed on,from her entrance on "Quanto cielo!"(if you have a fine TV,just watch Antinori's drop eyes in this moment),then audience to get enthusiastic about her sweetness and brightness top notes above all female chorus."Bimba dagli occhi" was a touching experience even to me,always suspicious on Puccini's musical indulgences.Act II,one more break in "Scuota quela fronda?",'cause Raina just holds so passionated "He's returned and he loves me!",that people on Verona really go to mad.Besides,she proves herself a great actress on final scene.The only problem about that night was mistakes and tuneless horns,harps,too much noisy percussion,...What about shades,dynamics,...?I would like that players was been a bit more scrupulous all in all.Well...That's alive,anyway.

Butterfly fallida
Todav�a no he encontrado una versi�n de Butterfly que me resulte satisfactoria. Al adquirir �sta esperaba, por las estrellas que luc�a, que pudiera ser la versi�n que hace falta. Sin embargo, con excepci�n del bell�simo jard�n japon�s que logra ambientar plenamente la acci�n, el resto de ella es muy insatisfactorio. El sonido es deficiente, dependiendo de la posici�n de los micr�fonos ambientales a veces las voces se pierden.Por otra parte, en general, tambi�n resulta demasiado met�lico. El desempe�o de Kabaivanska, altamente profesional, es tambi�n muy inadecuado. Se supone que Butterfly tiene 15 a�os y K. representa tres veces m�s. Todos los esfuerzos del maquillador resultan insuficientes para ocultar su excesiva madurez. Tampoco la acompa�a el f�sico por lo alta y maciza que resulta para representar una adolecente japonesa. Su emisi�n, trabajada con mucha t�cnica, tampoco es concordante con la edad de la protagonista. Sus desplazamientos por el bello escenario, por todas las inadecuaciones ya anotadas,a pesar de sus esfuerzos, parecen m�s un remedo de una geisha. En todo caso, hay que destacar su dominio de escena y su seguridad para coordinarse con el director. En este �ltimo aspecto, el desempe�o del tenor y el bar�tono resultan muy pobres, preocup�ndose tanto de lograrlo que se olvidan que la �pera tambi�n requiere actuaci�n. La voz de Antinori, con un timbre demasiado met�lico en los agudos, tambi�n resulta insuficiente para el papel, especialmente cuando debe enfrentar el registro medio y bajo. La direcci�n de Arena, quiz� por el requerimiento de un conjunto demasiado numeroso por tratarse de una presentaci�n en espacio abierto, pasa por momentos en que pareciera no lograr una adecuada concertaci�n. En definitiva, los amantes de Madama Butterfly debemos seguir esperando una versi�n satisfactoria en DVD.

Una version de gran belleza
Esta es una muy bella version de la opera de Puccini. Primero por la bella puesta en escena que plantea la Arena de Verona, con ese jardin natural omnipresente. Luego, por la grandisima creacion (en lo vocal y en lo fisico) que hace del papel principal RAINA KABAIVANSKA, de vision obligada. Ademas aparece muy bien secundada por JANKOVIC (Suzuki) y FERRARA (Sharpless), que estan muy interesantes en sus personajes, y por el mas discreto, aunque suficiente, ANTINORI (B.F. Pinkerton) La orquesta y el coro responden a gran nivel, y solo un cierto sonido enlatado (provocado seguramente por el hecho de que el espect�culo sea en un gran recinto al aire libre) parece ser e unico punto discutible de este dvd. Muy recomendable desde cualquier punto de vista. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Classical    2. Opera / Operetta / Oratorio    3. Opera/Operetta    4. Performing Arts - Opera   

Editorial Review

Opera videos come essentially in two categories: movies, such as the 1984 Carmen, directed by FrancescoRosi and starring Julia Migenes and Placido Domingo, and opera house productionsfilmed for television, such as this 1991 Read more

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Reviews (17)

Nice singing; poor English subtitles
I like this opera mostly because the lead female singer Maria Ewing has an unusually silky smooth voice. It's an expensive stage production with fancy props, although sometimes the recording seems less than ideal, being loud at times and hard to hear at other times. And the English subtitles miss about 30% of what's going on. I fixed this problem by looking up translations on the internet.
Georges Bizet - Carmen - ROH Covent garden
This is the 2nd video/DVD of the opera Carmen by Bizet that I have seen - 2 different productions. I like this DVD because it includes English subtitles - perfect for my use as a college music history teacher. Ths music is excellent from the orchestra to the singers.
What are they saying?
The subtitles on this film are quite poorly done.There are large portions of singing or dialogue where there are no subtitles on the screen at all.Part of the fun of watching opera on DVD is to have an English translation of what is being sung or said right there in front of you.There is little excuse here as translations of Carmen are readily available from many sources.Hopefully, this is something that can be corrected in a future re-release as the performances were otherwise very good.
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Subjects:  1. Classical    2. Opera / Operetta / Oratorio    3. Opera/Operetta    4. Performing Arts    5. Performing Arts - Opera   

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Reviews (6)

Scotto Convert
Being too young to have ever experienced Scotto live, I was confused as to why Met audiences held her so high in her heyday.I had heard her recordings and thought she was interesting but that her floppy high notes were a major turnoff.Then, I saw this DVD.I completely understand her appeal now.She is magnetic and (I can't believe I am saying this) the loose high notes didn't even bother me.Everything else in this production is high quality as well.If you are a fan of Scotto, this is a must have.Also, the score of this piece is worth hearing and I haven't heard it done better than this (in fact, it is hard to find many recordings of this at all)...

disappointing production
although this DVD has very good performances by Domingo and Scotto it is flawed by very poor filming. Yes the set and costumes are lush, but it is so dark you can't see them.I bought this in spite of it being a Pioneer production, but I Met puts best foot forward
The Metropolitan Opera went all out to make its production of this rarely performed work a success. The sets are beautiful and match the music perfectly. The conducting and playing could hardly be bettered. Scotto is nearly perfect in the title role (just a few years earlier she would have been absolutely perfect). Domingo was at his best as Paolo. Nevertheless, veteran baritone Cornell MacNeil nearly steals the show as the nasty, brutish Gianciotto. At this stage of his career, his voice was no longer beautiful, but it still had the range, power, and expressiveness to personify this evil character. The opera falls somewhat short of being an unqualified musical masterpiece, but it is a fascinating and dramatically effective work and has some stunning scenes, including the longest battle scene I have ever seen on stage in an opera theater (Die Walkure, Act III Scene 1 is shorter and the actual battle seems always to take place off stage). I recommend that you get this one. You won't be bored. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Classical    2. Opera / Operetta / Oratorio    3. Performing Arts - Opera   

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Subjects:  1. Classical    2. Opera / Operetta / Oratorio    3. Performing Arts   

Editorial Review

Tuneful and atmospheric, Read more

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Reviews (10)

Best in the series
This is by no means a perfect performance, but I consider it the best of the series.It is intact, excepting small (though funny) parts of the dialogue and the second verse of Antonio's song ("For the Merriest Fellows are We").The singers, I thought, were all quite serviceable and well cast.The worst problem, as with all of the Brent Walker G&S videos, is overacting, cheap sets, and bad camera work.However, those iniquities are less in this one and it is quite serviceable.It captures the spirit of the opera, at least, and we are not left to groan over bad acting and singing as we are in the other videos.
Amazing!
The Gondoliers is one of G&S's greatest works and having just wrapped on The Gondoliers myself playing Gianetta, I found this production extremely enjoyable. With the exception of a few casting mistakes (The Duke and perhaps Casilda), I fully commend Opera World this time. They nailed the rest of the characters and cast them correctly (Michell (Don Alhambra), McDonnell (Giuseppe), Egerton (Marco), and Christie (Gianetta)) and even though the staging and technical stuff was not at it's best, the actors had enough energy and brilliance to their performance that the poor filming was masked. Great fun. If you are a G&S lover, this is a must-see.

"On some points rather sore, but on the whole, delightful."
I recently worked with a local Gilbert and Sullivan theater company to put on "The Gondoliers," and it has been interesting to compare the live show with this particular film production. Opera World has done a surprisingly good job with this low-budget version; while the sound quality is still poorer than could be wished, the choreography and filming are infinitely better than those used in their disastrous rendition of "HMS Pinafore." Particularly outstanding are the performances of Don Alhambra (Keith Michell) and Marco (Francis Egerton). Michell's soft-voiced Alhambra is an interesting contrast to our own bellowing and confused one, and his cold condescension contrasts well with the boisterous Gondoliers and their wives; while Marco has less to do and say in the operetta than his brother Giuseppe, his incredible facial expression and quirky additions (such as the rose between the teeth during the Cachucha in Act II) give him at least as much on-screen presence. Giuseppe (Tom McDonnell) comes off as somewhat stiff and ill at ease during the first act, but begins to settle into his role during his aria "Rising Early in the Morning." The sound and choreography flag somewhat during the Duke's song "In Enterprise of Martial Kind," but are made up for in full by the charming Gavotte in Act II. Casilda and Luiz aren't given much to do, but they make the most of their time on screen with the lovely duets "O Rapture! When Alone Together" and "There Was a Time."Read more

Subjects:  1. Performing Arts - Opera   

Editorial Review

For its 1973 production of Wagner's intense romantic tragedy Read more

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Reviews (25)

You can't ignore the awful quality.
Other reviewers have commented on the low audio and video quality of this recording, but maintained that the performance is worth it. I envy their tolerance. This is quite frankly the worst video recording of an opera that I've ever seen.
Despite some technical flaws, the best Tristan on video
If you are looking for a Tristan video with state-of-the-art sound, a sumptuous production, and great picture quality, this is not the video for you. Although made in 1973, the sound is very poor -- the singers sound for some reason pretty distant. There are also occasional dropouts in sound. If you have trouble hearing Birgit Nilsson, you KNOW you're in trouble! I fixed this by turning up the volume on my TV. The video was also filmed live in Orange, which is an outside amphitheater. The sets therefore are extremely spare. To be precise, it's little more than a large circle stage, with two ascending staircases, and lighting effects to imply scene changes. For instance, during the first act, which takes place on a ship, the lighting is filled with blues to imply (get it?) the sea waves. The costumes are also extremely spare, without anything to suggest a princess (for Isolde) and a warrior (for Tristan). If ever a production was "minimalist" this is it. The only are where no expenses were spared were, unfortunately, the wigs. Birgit is wearing a black helmet wig, and King Marke is in a truly ridiculous wavy/curly silver wig with a matching beard.
This One's A Document In The Fab Careers Of Vickers and Nilsson
Filmed live at the Theater Antique D'Orange, France in the summer of 1974, this Tristan And Isolde is of particular significance to fans of its lead tenor/soprano pair - Jon Vickers and Birgit Nilsson, who by this time in their career had garnered fame and fans. Just look at how vast that audience is, seemingly thousands of people are in that amphitheater, and all of them there to watch this amazing pair! If only I had been around to see them that night myself but I'm only 18. This DVD is not out yet but it's to be released in Italy and Amazon.com, though this DVD is already out for American audiences on DVD and available on Amazon.com in another format. I'd like to analyze what I like and don't like about this DVD so as to get you interested in the DVD or make you think twice, whichever is your decision.
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Subjects:  1. Documentary    2. Movie    3. Music Video    4. Opera/Operetta    5. Performance    6. Performing Arts - Opera   

Editorial Review

The main complaint about this production is that there is notmore of it. Part of Shostakovich's opera is left out, but whatremains has a coherent dramatic impact, intensified by a heavyserving of graphically explicit, precisely choreographed sex andviolence. This is a hybrid, like Petr Weigl's film of Donizetti's Read more

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Reviews (12)

Weigl is wonderful
I have been an unabashed fan of Petr Weigl even since I obtained his productions of "Eugene Onegin", "The Turn of the Screw", "A Village Romeo and Juliet" in VHS format (all, alas, delisted). Powerful and emotional
I think this is a very successful interpretation of the book by an obviously obscured to western audiences Russian writer Leskov.Although the purists would abhor some cuts in the opera itself, I think the singing and acting convey very well the primordial desire.Katerina never regretted the killing of her husband, according to the book - she was totally consumed by her lust to Sergei.And she despised her life in her husband's family.I give this work credit for the freedom of the artistic representation - Shostakovich did not follow the book to the last letter, so the creator of this film did not do it to his complete score, too.The perception of this work depends on a personal taste, as everything else, but I liked that the torment of Russian soul was there, and the film was generally quite successful in showing Russian way of life. I also liked that it was graphic enough for the theme, and also the actors looked credible for their roles. After all, this is a movie, not a recording of a real opera performance, and in the movie/opera hybrid I believe it was very successful. If you compare the realism of this DVD to another one, Khovanschina, you'll see the difference.At least for me, as a Russian, this is evident.I would recommend this DVD.The singing is magnificent.

Tacky
This movie features (most of) the soundtrack of the best recording of Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk available. The film which was (twenty odd years later) slapped on top of that brilliant sound recording, served little other purpose than as a vehicle for once-locally-famous Czech soft porn actress and media-slag (Hrubesova). Read more

Subjects:  1. Action    2. Adventure    3. Classical    4. Drama    5. Opera / Operetta / Oratorio    6. Performing Arts - Opera   

Editorial Review

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Features

• Classical
• Color
• NTSC

Reviews (13)

Near Perfect Balance
No recording of Le Nozze di Figaro would ever get less than 5 stars from me unless the singers were sadly out of tune. This performance certainly has no such flaw; the singers are splendid and vocally suitable to their roles. The sets are charming. The stage action is gracefully theatrical. This is an extremely well-balanced ensemble of music, theater and visual art. Other performances may include more enormous vocal talents, but few could be more enjoyable.

This one 'hooked' me on Opera for good!
This production is a sheer delight.I remember saying "No wonder opera won't go away after 400 years" when experiencing this for the first time.Mozart's penchant for making all the characters, no matter what side of the conflict they are on, completely irresistable.You'll want all these delightful folksto get their way. (except, perhaps, the Count!)Very well photographed, in a simple, yet elegant set.Szymtka, while not a natural beauty, aces the two suductive arias.And, her 'letter duet' with the Contessa will melt you into a puddle. I have seen 3 other versions of her role that don't come close.Furlanetto, as Figaro, is exceptionally fun to watch and hear.The rest of the well-balanced cast fills in nicely, to fill the 3 hours with more comedy, poignant moments, drama, and great music than seems possible. Out of about 80 versions of various operas I have seen so far, this is still my favorite.

Quaint performance of a masterpiece opera.
This is a quaint performance, the sparse stage does not detract from the nice performances.My only real quibble is the sound quality.For a DVD released in 2001, I was surpised that it only had 2.0 stereo.Add to that the fact that I had to turn the volume way up on the stereo just to get normal output.Read more

Subjects:  1. Classical    2. Opera / Operetta / Oratorio    3. Opera/Operetta    4. Performing Arts    5. Performing Arts - Opera