Opera on DVD

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

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DarkAngel

#520


Wagner Ring meets digital age..........Zubin Mehta Valencia Ring
(this is same set Franco refers to in post above)

The use of huge back projected screens make almost anything you imagine possible, along with a "Cirque de sole"
type cast of extras makes for spectacular visual experience.......anyone seen this?  Check the 4 minute
video below  :o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4owd7YU7lxQ&feature=related

DarkAngel

Quote from: Franco on January 11, 2010, 10:53:53 AM
I posted about this new Ring last week but got no response.  Maybe you will have better results.

Yes just saw that post...........
this is amazing visual production, without knowing anything about the quality of the singers  :)

The hardcore Wagner fans here surely must be aware of this.........

DarkAngel



La Boheme
The 1982 Teresa Stratas La Boheme now available again (10/2009) for new purchase, Zefferelli Met production Levine conductor......order placed
Stratas usually a very fine actress in these productions, love her La Traviata from same period

Movie La Boheme
Netrebko & Villazon version available as DVD or Blu Ray, anyone own or seen this yet?
How does it compare to the opera versions?
Some Amazon comments complain about inclusion of sex scences (gasp)

bhodges

Quote from: DarkAngel on January 21, 2010, 05:52:04 AM


Movie La Boheme
Netrebko & Villazon version available as DVD or Blu Ray, anyone own or seen this yet?
How does it compare to the opera versions?
Some Amazon comments complain about inclusion of sex scences (gasp)

I saw this on PBS last week, and thought it was marvelous.  (And perhaps I stepped away from the TV for a few seconds, but I don't recall any overt sex--other than maybe the two leads nestling together in bed, followed by a fade-out.  ;D)

The filming is quite good, using realistic sets and cameras roaming all over, and the singing (which I assume is lip-synched by the same cast members) is excellent.  I can't comment on other versions since I only have one other Bohème--the one with Gheorghiu and Alagna, with Chailly conducting--and it's audio only.  But if you like Netrebko and Villazón, I wouldn't hesitate to get this film version.

--Bruce

DarkAngel

Quote from: bhodges on January 21, 2010, 06:59:23 AM
I saw this on PBS last week, and thought it was marvelous.  (And perhaps I stepped away from the TV for a few seconds, but I don't recall any overt sex--other than maybe the two leads nestling together in bed, followed by a fade-out.

Yeh that's what some traditionalists are upset about.......
opera productions always innocently go right from Rodolpho/Mimi apt scence kiss to the streets of Latin Quarter/Cafe Momus without any literal depiction of further sexual encounter.....scandalous

The TV version bedroom scence may have been toned down from the movie version  ;)

Wendell_E

Quote from: bhodges on January 21, 2010, 06:59:23 AM
the singing (which I assume is lip-synched by the same cast members) is excellent. 

Not in all cases.  The Shaunard and Colline aren't acted by the singers, nor are several of the smaller roles.  Alcindoro is acted (but not sung) by Ioan Holender, the Director of the Vienna State Opera.  You can see the whole cast (singers, actors, and singer/actors) at the film's website: http://www.labohemethemovie.com/about.htm
"Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience." ― Mark Twain

Scarpia

Quote from: Wendell_E on January 21, 2010, 01:24:03 PM
Not in all cases.  The Shaunard and Colline aren't acted by the singers, nor are several of the smaller roles.  Alcindoro is acted (but not sung) by Ioan Holender, the Director of the Vienna State Opera.  You can see the whole cast (singers, actors, and singer/actors) at the film's website: http://www.labohemethemovie.com/about.htm

As far as I am concerned, films of operas don't make much sense.  The fact that the actors are singing so loud only makes sense in the context of an operatic stage, a large auditorium and a 100 piece orchestra rumbling under their feet.  Why would Mimi be bellowing so loud in the privacy of her tiny loft bedroom?  I prefer films of proper staged productions, where the sense of spectacle of grand opera is there.


Wendell_E

#527
Quote from: DarkAngel on January 21, 2010, 07:45:55 AM
Yeh that's what some traditionalists are upset about.......
opera productions always innocently go right from Rodolpho/Mimi apt scence kiss to the streets of Latin Quarter/Cafe Momus without any literal depiction of further sexual encounter.....scandalous

Well, the dialogue at the end of Act I pretty much says Rodolfo ain't gettin' any until after he takes Mimì out on a little date to Café Momus, and maybe not even then.   :D

I'm with Scarpia.  I'll take a live production over lip-synched film any day.  I'm no big fan of Zefferelli (certainly not of his opera films), but I really do like that Met DVD Dark Angel mentions above with Stratas.  And the DVD of his Met production of Otello with Vickers, Scotto, and MacNeil easily beats his film version
"Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience." ― Mark Twain

bhodges

Quote from: Wendell_E on January 21, 2010, 01:24:03 PM
Not in all cases.  The Shaunard and Colline aren't acted by the singers, nor are several of the smaller roles.  Alcindoro is acted (but not sung) by Ioan Holender, the Director of the Vienna State Opera.  You can see the whole cast (singers, actors, and singer/actors) at the film's website: http://www.labohemethemovie.com/about.htm

Wendell, thanks for that link, and for the clarification.  (Didn't realize the film had its own site... :-[)

--Bruce

Guido

Just recievedPrevin's Streetcar named desire in the post -I know the opera quite well from the CD and it was very nice to actually see it. The first act is quite bad, but the second and third acts are just wonderful, dramatic and incredibly touching. It's a shame that theres's no english subtitles available, but 95% of it is understandable - clearly the original production had surtitles because the audience often laughs before a punchline is delivered!

This is the first opera DVD that I have seen and I think there are problems inherent in the medium. First the singers often need to over act for it to project to the audience, so seeing it up close can be a little distracting. Second, seeing operas live from a distance offers an element of abstraction and leaves more of what the character looks like exactly to the imagination (especially important for Salome for example who's meant to be a teenager but will rarely be sung by someone younger than 35). Some of the best scenes in the DVD were when the whole stage was shown at once. Also a lot of the drama in opera comes from seeing the characters in their setting singing at or with one another - this is lost when its always close ups of the face.
Geologist.

The large print giveth, and the small print taketh away

Scarpia

Quote from: Guido on January 30, 2010, 10:04:26 AMThis is the first opera DVD that I have seen and I think there are problems inherent in the medium. First the singers often need to over act for it to project to the audience, so seeing it up close can be a little distracting. Second, seeing operas live from a distance offers an element of abstraction and leaves more of what the character looks like exactly to the imagination (especially important for Salome for example who's meant to be a teenager but will rarely be sung by someone younger than 35). Some of the best scenes in the DVD were when the whole stage was shown at once. Also a lot of the drama in opera comes from seeing the characters in their setting singing at or with one another - this is lost when its always close ups of the face.

What you are describing is more a limitation of the director of the particular DVD than of the medium.  A skillful director will use close-ups sparingly, and many do.  Excessive close-ups is the most common complaint about opera DVDs but you can often pick up on this problem by reading reviews on Amazon or similar sites.


Guido

Quote from: Scarpia on January 30, 2010, 10:40:17 AM
What you are describing is more a limitation of the director of the particular DVD than of the medium.  A skillful director will use close-ups sparingly, and many do.  Excessive close-ups is the most common complaint about opera DVDs but you can often pick up on this problem by reading reviews on Amazon or similar sites.


Ah, that's good to know!
Geologist.

The large print giveth, and the small print taketh away

Scarpia

Watched Doctor Faustus, by Busoni. 



The music is fascinating, a lot of sensuous counterpoint, complex harmonies.  As a whole it was satisfying, although it started better than it ended.  The conclusion is mostly rumination by Faustus on the events that have occurred at the beginning of the opera.  The production stays close to the original scenario, while adding some "modern" symbolic, which are interesting.  The two principal roles, Faustus and Mephistophele, and very well performed, particularly Hampson's brooding, Faustus.  And it looks very good on blu ray.

Scarpia

Janacek's "Cunning Little Vixen" is a wonderful work, full of wonderful snatches of melody, syncopated rhythms, and bittersweet harmony.  This one is visually very attractive, as well.




I also have this one, which is very good.


Guido

Arg - I just got a Glyndbourne DVD of Intermezzo and its a region 1, but I'm in England and my computer wont read it - It suggests I change the region on my DVD drive but I'm only allowed to do it four times - is there a solution so that I can ignore the region?
Geologist.

The large print giveth, and the small print taketh away

listener

You will find purchase of an all-zone DVD player might be the less expensive alternative.  They play CD's as well as DVD's from any source.   Specialist video stores might carry them.
Here's a link to an asian DVD source's page explaining regional coding:
http://www.hkflix.com/xq/asp/infoID.32/qx/info.htm
"Keep your hand on the throttle and your eye on the rail as you walk through life's pathway."

Novi

Quote from: Guido on February 27, 2010, 04:10:40 AM
Arg - I just got a Glyndbourne DVD of Intermezzo and its a region 1, but I'm in England and my computer wont read it - It suggests I change the region on my DVD drive but I'm only allowed to do it four times - is there a solution so that I can ignore the region?

Guido, I use VLC, which seems to ignore regional codes:

http://www.videolan.org/vlc/
Durch alle Töne tönet
Im bunten Erdentraum
Ein leiser Ton gezogen
Für den der heimlich lauschet.

Scarpia



I must say this production repulsed me, a lot of silly distracting projections and absurd props and costumes that just make the singers look awkward and uncomfortable.  I didn't manage to watch the entire thing yet, but I've put it up for sale already.

I must say these odd productions of the Ring that seem to be modeled after a 1950's science fiction movie have no appeal for me.  The Levine DVD is the finest alternative, in my opinion.

knight66

The last DVD player I had, my nephew reconfigured it so it would play 'any region' discs. He had to muck about a bit to manage it, so I can't just ask him for helpful instructions. But it seems to be a possible option.

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

Drasko

With standalone DVD players it's generally not to difficult to get rid of region coding, for instance my Yamaha needed just four number code to be typed in with remote control.

With computer DVD drives (what is Guido asking about, I believe) is bit more complicated, asks for procedure called flashing, perfectly doable but needs to be done by someone with some computer savvy, if not done right can fuck up the DVD drive.

http://www.pcreview.co.uk/articles/Hardware/Make_your_DVD_drive_region_free/