Topic: Opera on DVD

[k a rl h e nn i ng]

Was I too elliptical?

Anyone recommend a production of Candide on bluray or DVD?  TIA

[Wendell_E]

Was I too elliptical?

Anyone recommend a production of Candide on bluray or DVD?  TIA

Well, since no-one else is jumping in, looking at my Netflix ratings, I gave the "Live from Lincoln Center" semi-concert version (Paul Groves, Kristen Chenowith, Patt LuPone, Thomas Allen, Marin Alsop conducting) 5 stars. 3 stars to a version from the Teatro Argentina, conducted by John DeMain. It's been years since I saw either, so I can't explain my ratings. The overall Netflix ratings for them are 3.6 and 2.6 starts, respectively.

[k a rl h e nn i ng]

Thanks.

[Wendell_E]

Thanks.

You're welcome. I came back to say that I usually prefer to just listen to either the Broadway OC recording, or the New York City Opera "opera house" version.

[k a rl h e nn i ng]

Cheers!

[Elgarian Redux]

Idly searching Amazon for DVDs I stumbled across this:



Now I confess my heart gave a little flutter, for, being an old romantic softie, La Rondine is one of my very favourite operas, even allowing for the disappointing last act. I have more than enough DVDs of it for any sensible person, and yet, here is another. There is a video of highlights here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3muaoD0zVo

Now I am troubled by the three faceless white gentlemen, who seem to have no place in any sane construction of Puccini's gorgeous romantic extravaganza. I suppose they are supposed to represent the shades of Magda's previous lovers: subtlety of the slam-dunk-gotcha! variety. They look horribly obtrusive, but oh it sounds wonderful.

Has anyone seen it all the way through? Did it make you weep real tears?

Or did the white gentlemen drive you suicidal? Or could you live with them?

[rickardg]

Could you please recommend me some of your favourite opera Blurays/DVDs?

I've not been much into opera before so I don't mind core repertoire in traditional stagings, chances are I haven't seen them anyway, but otherwise just mention a few discs that you think tick as many boxes as possible (musically, dramatically, visually and so on...)

Thanks in advance!

[Draško]

Could you please recommend me some of your favourite opera Blurays/DVDs?

I've not been much into opera before so I don't mind core repertoire in traditional stagings, chances are I haven't seen them anyway, but otherwise just mention a few discs that you think tick as many boxes as possible (musically, dramatically, visually and so on...)

Thanks in advance!

I haven't been following very closely especially more recent releases, but the one I really did like was Michael Haneke directed Cosi Fan Tutte from Madrid.



Most of my favorite operas on DVD are baroque, don't know if you are interested in that?

[ritter]

I very stupidly missed that production of Così when it was shown here in Madrid...

I propose the following, on the Germanic front  :

Possibly the single most influential opera production preserved on video. It's not traditional, but 40 years on, it's achieved classic status, while still appearing fresh.

The current Bayreuth production of Die Meistersinger is a musical and theatrical feast. yes, it does reuqire previous knowledge of the opera and of Wagner's life and entourage, but that extra effort is well worth it.

Not a stage production as such, but a made for TV filming of the opera. Still, musically and dramatically a very eloquent presentation of this masterpiece.

[rickardg]

I haven't been following very closely especially more recent releases, but the one I really did like was Michael Haneke directed Cosi Fan Tutte from Madrid.



Most of my favorite operas on DVD are baroque, don't know if you are interested in that?

I'm very interested indeed, much of my other listening (such as it is with work and children) is baroque, including vocal music like Bach's and Händel's cantatas and oratorios.

Thank you for your Così recommendation, luck seems to have it that C-Major is on sale on Presto, I'll put it in my wish list.

[Draško]

I'm very interested indeed, much of my other listening (such as it is with work and children) is baroque, including vocal music like Bach's and Händel's cantatas and oratorios.

Rameau's Platee conducted by Minkowski is one of the most delightful opera productions I ever saw, I think even children would love it.



Another Rameau I love is Robert Carsen's production of Les Boreades conducted by William Christie.



There is relatively cheap box of Rameau's 5 operas (Les Boreades included) on Presto, which is recommendable but I'm not sure if you'd want all that Rameau at once.

Lully's Atys conducted by William Christie is late 80s seminal production that kick-started worldwide interest in French baroque. It's been re-staged and filmed



My absolute favorite opera on DVD is Cavalli's La Calisto, Ovid by the way of Commedia dell' Arte, with Maria Bayo conducted by Rene Jacobs. Unfortunately it seems out of print.



Of Monteverdi I like Savall's L'Orfeo and Christie's Poppea.

 

I'm not much familiar with Handel and Vivaldi operas but Handel's Giulio Cesare is pretty much universally beloved.

[rickardg]

I propose the following, on the Germanic front  :

Thanks a lot! The Wagner looks right up my alley, traditional is not required :-)

[rickardg]

Rameau's Platee conducted by Minkowski is one of the most delightful opera productions I ever saw, I think even children would love it.

I'll try it out, I'm slowly trying to indoctrinate the kids... :-)

Most of these are new ground for me, I haven't listened that much to French baroque before, it'll be interesting.

Of course the Jacobs would be out of print... :-/ his Mozart operas are some of the few operas I've enjoyed before on CD.

Thanks a lot for a your recommendations!

[Tsaraslondon]

One of my favourite opera DVDs is this Baz Luhrmann directed version of La Boheme. These are not the best singers you'll ever hear in the roles, but they all have youth and good acting skills on their sides, and I rather like the updating to the 1950s. It works pretty well, I think.



You might also want to take a look at two giants of the opera world acting and reacting together. Callas was vocally past her best when this was recorded (1964), but she is still absolutely riveting and she and Gobbi had a symbiotic relationship which is well captured in this old black and white film (what a tragedy that they didn't tape the whole opera). Back in the day, I used to work at the English National Opera shop. Next to the main shop, we had a smaller unit solely dedicated to video (no DVDs back then), where we would have productions playing on the TV sets. If we played this video before a performance the tiny shop would fill up with people glued to the TV screens, not able to tear themselves away until the very last minute.

[rickardg]

One of my favourite opera DVDs is this Baz Luhrmann directed version of La Boheme. These are not the best singers you'll ever hear in the roles, but they all have youth and good acting skills on their sides, and I rather like the updating to the 1950s. It works pretty well, I think.



You might also want to take a look at two giants of the opera world acting and reacting together. Callas was vocally past her best when this was recorded (1964), but she is still absolutely riveting and she and Gobbi had a symbiotic relationship which is well captured in this old black and white film (what a tragedy that they didn't tape the whole opera). Back in the day, I used to work at the English National Opera shop. Next to the main shop, we had a smaller unit solely dedicated to video (no DVDs back then), where we would have productions playing on the TV sets. If we played this video before a performance the tiny shop would fill up with people glued to the TV screens, not able to tear themselves away until the very last minute.

Thanks you very much for your personal recommendations, Tsaraslondon, both seem very interesting.

I've already got a few discs in the mail, e g the above La Bohème and the La Calisto that Draško recommended. Both OOP, by the way, the Bohème was affordable and La Calisto rather expensive but some online streaming of the CD convinced me I just had to bite the bullet.  I'll probably get the Boulez Ring too, if I can find the time to actually watch it is another question though, perhaps i should start with the Meistersinger instead

Doesn't anyone have some personal favourites in the standard italian repertoire (Rossini, Puccini, Verdi et al) to recommend? :-)

[Tsaraslondon]

I've always really liked the Zeffirelli film of La Traviata. Stratas isn't quite up to the demands of the first act vocally, but she is a most affecting Violetta otherwise.



For a stage production, I always liked a La Scala production, conducted by Muti with Tiziana Fabriccini as Violetta, but I don't think that's available anymore.

Another film is of a stage production and that is the old Paul Czinner film  of Der Rosenkavalier with Elisabeth Schwarzkopf as the Marschallin. Very traditional production and some might find it dated, but t's a classic and I love it.



It looks splendid in this most recent digital re-master, but beware there are old DVDs around which just look very bad VHS tapes.

[Wendell_E]

Another film is of a stage production and that is the old Paul Czinner film  of Der Rosenkavalier with Elisabeth Schwarzkopf as the Marschallin. Very traditional production and some might find it dated, but it's a classic and I love it.

Having seen a couple of non-traditional productions, I want my Rosenkavalier "dated". 

Yesterday, a first viewing of Warlikowski's 2017 Dutch National Opera production of Wozzeck, conducted by Marc Albrecht, with Christopher Maltman, Eva-Maria Westbroek, and Willard White. I don't "get" all of it, but I liked it a lot, certainly more than the William Kentridge Salzburg Festival production that's headed to the Met next season.

[Handelian]

Enjoying the Julius Caesar from Glyndeboune. Haven’t got the hang of posting pictures yet. Perhaps someone could give me a hand with it

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Enjoying the Julius Caesar from Glyndeboune. Haven’t got the hang of posting pictures yet. Perhaps someone could give me a hand with it

Hi Handelian,

If you want to copy an image (say something that is already available on the net...like a picture of a DVD), you first go to the area above the box where you are typing your message.  Go to the row just above the smilies, see the third one in from the left (looks like it has a mini picture of Mona Lisa?).  Click on that and you'll see .  Then go to the image that you want to copy and click on it, then copy image.  Go back to your posting in progress and click between the two [img] and click on however you paste (i have a Mac) and paste it there.  Note:  if the image is really huge, you can then type something like this into the first [img] box:

[img width=300] or whatever size you want it to be like 400?  If you want it to appear a bit bigger.

Personally, I don't know how to upload my own images as I don't have any of my photos on one of those image hosting websites.  If you're interested in doing that, see the various threads at the top of the main forum page for help there.

PD

[listener]

WAGNER (Richard!)  Das Liebesverbot    based on Shakespeare's Measure for Measure
Teatro Real, Madrid production
an early work (1835)  more like Gilbert & Sullivan than a Parsifal-like look at "forbidden love"
Did Wagner ever use castanets in the orchestra for any other work?  They're here at the beginning of the Overture.  And a surprise visit from "Angela Merkel" at the finale of this production.