Opera on DVD

Started by uffeviking, April 08, 2007, 12:54:48 AM

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yashin

I have now watched the Polaski/Treleavan DVD from Liceu on Opus Arte label. 

I must admit i prefer the Oliver Py production on the BelAir Classique label with Charbonnet and Forbis. I think the sound and visual experience is somewhat better.

However, i enjoy both Treleavan and Polaski as i did in the Liceu Ring cycle.  Polaski is tireless and i love the ending of the opera. To my mind it seems to be played a lot slower than other versions i have heard.  I must admit to liking John Treleaven.  I know he has many critics and to be honest i don't have the knowedge to compare him to other performers of the past but i have to acknowledge his work.  What strikes me at the end is the good rapport between him and Polaski.

The act 1 and 3 sets are quite stark but act 2 which someone asked about was a little unusual.  It comes across as a patch of straw/hay/grass with a ladder attached.  Not much good.  I prefer the sliding set of the Oliver Py production.  The ending of this opera is very 'modest' and more beautiful for it-i felt myself holding breath as Polaski sang.  De Billy's conducting is fine but slow...i seem to feel that Armin Jordan's interpretation is better.

I would recommend it though as another different interpretation of this opera.

marvinbrown

Quote from: yashin on April 08, 2008, 06:50:57 AM

The act 1 and 3 sets are quite stark but act 2 which someone asked about was a little unusual.  It comes across as a patch of straw/hay/grass with a ladder attached.  Not much good.  I prefer the sliding set of the Oliver Py production.  The ending of this opera is very 'modest' and more beautiful for it-i felt myself holding breath as Polaski sang.  De Billy's conducting is fine but slow...i seem to feel that Armin Jordan's interpretation is better.

I would recommend it though as another different interpretation of this opera.

  I was that someone Yashin.  Thank you for posting your review.  I was a bit put off by the staging of ACT 2.  They could have been more imaginative than than that patch of grass.  Polaski performance more than makes up for it if you ask me.

  marvin

Sarastro

Quote from: T-C on November 18, 2007, 07:52:33 AM
A second choice:




I wonder how one can recommend this recording to a newbie.
Though being a good singer in the beginning of the nineties, he has lost all his technique and sense of music for the last decade. His vocalizing is more likely to be moaning, screaming, shouting, rattling, syllabizing, etc. Surely, not singing. After that DVD one would hate opera forever. And a free add on there is Hvorostosky.
No acting, actually: neither musical, nor on stage...
The one with Pavarotti would be a better choice, comparing to this...

T-C

Quote from: Sarastro on April 08, 2008, 09:12:45 PM
The one with Pavarotti would be a better choice, comparing to this...

Pavarotti a superior Manrico? Not in my book...

Cura is not ideal, but for my taste he is better suited for this role than Pavarotti.

Unfortunately, there are almost no excellent DVD versions for Il Trovatore. The best is the Karajan. For my taste, the Met DVD with Pavarotti is inadvisable.

The new erato

Just bought the new Boulez From the House of the dead and am looking forward to watching it this weekend. Strong recommendation from musicweb.

T-C

#385
Quote from: erato on April 08, 2008, 10:26:44 PM
Just bought the new Boulez From the House of the dead and am looking forward to watching it this weekend.

This DVD is a KNOCKOUT !!!
   
The best opera DVD I watched lately.



I presume, Sarastro will have another opinion...  ;D

yashin

I must admit that the best DVD i have had in ages is still the new Die Zauberflote with Harnoncourt conducting and Strehl as Tamino-i love his voice.  Ruben Drole is excellent as Papageno and Elena Mosuc is a great Queen of the night.

A very modern setting.  It zips along.  Makes great sense and adds a new twist.  What more could you want?

uffeviking

Quote from: yashin on March 27, 2008, 07:29:28 PM


Wozzeck from Liceu with Angela Denoke.  Have seen some mixed reviews from excellent to rubbish.  I really love this opera. Since there are not many available on DVD i am looking for something good.  I adore Denoke too. I used to have the Barenboim video from Paris with Grundheber and i loved it-this would be my first choice on DVD.  I did pick up the DVD with Dale Duesing as Wozzeck.


Here is the latest on the Paris Wozzeck which Nigel attended and wrote one of his brilliant reviews:

http://npw-opera-concerts.blogspot.com/

head-case

Quote from: yashin on April 08, 2008, 06:50:57 AM
I must admit i prefer the Oliver Py production on the BelAir Classique label with Charbonnet and Forbis. I think the sound and visual experience is somewhat better.

At this point the issue is moot.  As far as I can tell, the DVD is no longer available in the US.  Amazon has withdrawn it from their site and those sites that do list it seem to have it back ordered indefinitely.

uffeviking

Caiman says they have one copy for almost 89 bucks:

All(1 to 1 of 1 offers sorted by : Price + Shipping) 
Price + Shipping Condition Seller Information Ready to buy?
$88.99
+ $2.98shipping
LOW ITEM PRICE
New  Seller:  --caiman--
Rating:94% positive over the past 12 months (400096 ratings.) 1483533 lifetime ratings.
Shipping: In Stock. Ships from FL, United States Expedited shipping available International shipping available See shipping rates
Comments:   Brand new Item. CD, DVD, Book, VHS more than 400 000 titles to choose from. ALL days Low Price ! 

       



head-case

#390

Yes, it is typical, when a title goes out of print sources that happen to have a copy on their shelves will raise their price dramatically since it is "collectable."  I also noticed that caiman is selling a copy of it for $45 on their "tower records site" even though they list it for almost $90 on Amazon marketplace.  (In any case, I don't have a serious interest in it at this point.)

Quote from: uffeviking on April 14, 2008, 01:13:47 AM
Caiman says they have one copy for almost 89 bucks:

All(1 to 1 of 1 offers sorted by : Price + Shipping) 
Price + Shipping Condition Seller Information Ready to buy?
$88.99
+ $2.98shipping
LOW ITEM PRICE
New  Seller:  --caiman--
Rating:94% positive over the past 12 months (400096 ratings.) 1483533 lifetime ratings.
Shipping: In Stock. Ships from FL, United States Expedited shipping available International shipping available See shipping rates
Comments:   Brand new Item. CD, DVD, Book, VHS more than 400 000 titles to choose from. ALL days Low Price ! 

       




The new erato

Quote from: T-C on April 08, 2008, 10:34:38 PM
This DVD is a KNOCKOUT !!!
   
The best opera DVD I watched lately.




Yes it was. Just not the thing for anyone of the belief that opera is about lyrcism and song.

Of all operas, I think perhaps Janaceks later ones benefits the most from having the image available.


head-case

#392
Quote from: yashin on April 09, 2008, 06:26:13 AM
I must admit that the best DVD i have had in ages is still the new Die Zauberflote with Harnoncourt conducting and Strehl as Tamino-i love his voice.  Ruben Drole is excellent as Papageno and Elena Mosuc is a great Queen of the night.

A very modern setting.  It zips along.  Makes great sense and adds a new twist.  What more could you want?

The modern setting doesn't thrill me.  I think the traditional fairy-tale scenario makes more sense, although this one doesn't put me off entirely.  My main complaint with set is the audio engineering.  The orchestra and stage action is very close miked, so that there is a total absence of any reverberation or hall ambience.  This really interferes with my enjoyment of it.  My favorite Zauberflote video by far is the Colin Davis DVD on Opus Arte.


marvinbrown



  Opera fans I just want to alert your attention to the following compilation which I recently saw.  I am not sure if this has been discussed before but I saw this "box set" of Puccini's 3 operas (La Boheme, Tosca and Madam Butterfly) on DVD at HMV for just £25  :o.  What do you think? 


 

  I have none of Puccini's operas on DVD.  Could this set be what we are all looking for??
 
  marvin

knight66

I recognise the Tosca and Butterfly stills, though I have not seen the former. As to the latter, it is a film by Ponnelle using a Karajan performance. Freni is Butterfly and Domingo is Pinkerton. It is famous and well thought of. I enjoyed it. It is not a live performance, it is a film.

I have no idea about the middle photo.

Mike
DavidW: Yeah Mike doesn't get angry, he gets even.
I wasted time: and time wasted me.

head-case

Quote from: knight on May 08, 2008, 07:58:31 AM
I recognise the Tosca and Butterfly stills, though I have not seen the former. As to the latter, it is a film by Ponnelle using a Karajan performance. Freni is Butterfly and Domingo is Pinkerton. It is famous and well thought of. I enjoyed it. It is not a live performance, it is a film.

I have no idea about the middle photo.

Mike

The middle photo is another Karajan film, this time with Freni, Raimondi, La Scala in Boheme.  Again, they are all nicely done films with singers lip-syncing to a recording.  Traditional staging (no Eurotrash) but lacking the electricity of a live performance.

marvinbrown


  Thanks Mike and head-case for your responses. head-case can you please elaborate more on this lack of electricity criticism.  I hope you didn't get bored watching this opera movie of La Boheme did you??

  marvin

sTisTi

Quote from: marvinbrown on May 09, 2008, 02:42:48 AM
  Thanks Mike and head-case for your responses. head-case can you please elaborate more on this lack of electricity criticism.  I hope you didn't get bored watching this opera movie of La Boheme did you??
  marvin
I have not seen the performance, but some Amazon reviewers criticised that the lip-syncing is far from perfect. It seems to be quite out-of-sync sometimes  :-\
The stage setting is supposed to be really beautiful and atmospheric, though.

marvinbrown

Quote from: sTisTi on May 09, 2008, 05:59:50 AM
I have not seen the performance, but some Amazon reviewers criticised that the lip-syncing is far from perfect. It seems to be quite out-of-sync sometimes  :-\


  Oh that's not good, that's not good at all, for me anyway.  I should think that I would be bothered by that. 

  marvin

Haffner

Quote from: marvinbrown on May 09, 2008, 06:42:59 AM
  Oh that's not good, that's not good at all, for me anyway.  I should think that I would be bothered by that. 

  marvin


Yes, I was bothered by that when I checked out the previews to the Karajan Rheingold dvd. Probably not worth it for us.