Opera on DVD

[mamascarlatti]

Just watching Gotterdammerung from this cycle, having seen the other three. I really enjoyed all the visual pyrotechnics although was alittle daippointed by the forest scene in Siegfried - I'd have liked it to look a little more lyrical to underline the idea of Nature . The cast is good on the whole. with the standouts Mattis Salminen and Jennifer Wilson. Lance Ryan was totally fixated on the conductor but might improve as he gets more experienced.

It's defnitely a good contrast to Copenhagen, I feel that is a "domestic" family drama Ring, whereas one of the visual themes in this Ring is the differences between the different classes of beings - gods on cranes, Walsungs as feral cave dwellers (Sieglinder actually sniffs Siegmund when she meets him, very wolf-like), humans in suits. It's more mythical, less intimate in a sense.

OMG Siegfied is singing suspended upside down from a crane as I'm typing. Gotta go.

[knight66]

You will have to tell us whether he survives. Directors do ask a lot of their singers. Some music schools teach the stand and deliver, proper breathing etc methods of sound production; then take the students into the kind of set-ups they may encounter on-stage. So, how to breathe yet sing well while simply moving about, or whilst crouched, or bent over touching your toes, or lying on your back with a weight on your stomach. I suppose suspended upside down from the ceiling will now have to be added.

Yes, I pick up on your comments that the concept is in contrast to the very intimate family-dynamic exploration in Copenhagen. It again points out, that as in Shakespeare, these works can be endlessly explored.

Mike

[mamascarlatti]

You will have to tell us whether he survives. Directors do ask a lot of their singers. Some music schools teach the stand and deliver, proper breathing etc methods of sound production; then take the students into the kind of set-ups they may encounter on-stage. So, how to breathe yet sing well while simply moving about, or whilst crouched, or bent over touching your toes, or lying on your back with a weight on your stomach. I suppose suspended upside down from the ceiling will now have to be added.

Lance Ryan did an amazing job, you would hardly have known the difference, but it was possibly the silliest and most pointless piece of direction I have ever seen in an opera, and that is saying something.

I think the Rhine-maidens deserve a special award for being able to sing straight after popping up from holding their breath in a tank of water. This will also need to be added to the list.

Yes, I pick up on your comments that the concept is in contrast to the very intimate family-dynamic exploration in Copenhagen. It again points out, that as in Shakespeare, these works can be endlessly explored.

There are moments of intimacy in this Ring. Jennifer Wilson as Brunnhilde portrays the gradual tug of attraction for an extremely ardent Siegfried (read: practically tearing her clothes off), and her anguish at no longer being and independent person, very movingly. But fundamentally it is grand spectacle, and of course the live audience would be constantly dazzled by the visual pyrotechnics.

[knight66]

Yes, it looks like a Ring to see at the cinema.

Mike

[yashin]

The valencia Ring might be better when watched whole- i dipped into Gotterdammerung and was left unmoved. For example, the norns at the start of the copenhagen Ring- 2 women sat in the audience and 1 in the box-each holding copied of the booklet from previous nights performance- you know for the first time -this scene made sense. Compare that to the suspended norns in the valencia Ring...i was so bothered by them being suspended and the music just seems to be so dull that i fast forward.

Then take the immolation scene. In the copenhagen ring this is another coup- very emotional and maked great sense. In the Valencia ring it might have been better in the theatre but i found that firstly were they wearing mics? Whilst the screen of flames looks good i found the moving of brunnhilde on a crane all a bit odd. The Rhinemaidens at the end -well watch the Amsterdam Ring if you want to see it better.
All told i find this a good Ring but nothing to rave about

[knight66]

Oh, those Norns in the Copenhagen Ring were to me the most jarring. They looked absurd and basically played the scene for comedy.

I will have to give some of this a proper try and get back to report on it.

Mike

[mamascarlatti]

For me the suspended Norns made sense - otherwordly beings - whereas the audience Norns really irritated me and when I watch Copenhagen again I'm going to fast forward.

And Brunnhilde on the crane is reclaiming her godly status after being a woman (on the ground) since she fell in love with Siegfried. You have to watch the whole thing for it to make sense.

[Scarpia]

I think I would really like this Copenhagen Ring.  But why, in this day and age, is the set not available on Blu-Ray disc?  They recorded it in standard video rather than HD?  What a waste that would be.

[knight66]

Well, there is not much to be done about it. Would you feel able to balance the possibility of a really good experience of the performances against compromised, but not exactly poor, reproduction?

Mike

[Scarpia]

Well, there is not much to be done about it. Would you feel able to balance the possibility of a really good experience of the performances against compromised, but not exactly poor, reproduction?

If it was blu-ray I would just buy it.  If I knew for a fact that there is no HD version and no blu-ray will ever be released, I would might buy it.  With no definitive information, I will not buy it.   However, I find it pathetic that Decca, the label which used to be synonymous with technically excellent opera recordings, can't manage to release their product on Blu-ray.  Even MET productions that were broadcast to theaters in HD are being release on standard DVD by Decca (like the recent Thais with Flemming).

[yashin]

Thanks for the info about the norns and Brunnhilde. How did you know this?  Is there info on the discs or have i missed something.  Will try get the other parts when i go to Europe this summer.

[knight66]

Which Ring are you referring to?

Mike

[mamascarlatti]

Thanks for the info about the norns and Brunnhilde. How did you know this?  Is there info on the discs or have i missed something.  Will try get the other parts when i go to Europe this summer.

Sorry, I think I was being too elliptical.

Suspended Norns, Brunnhilde on a crane: Valencia Ring

Audience Norns: Copenhagen Ring

Idea about Brunnhilde reclaiming godly status in Valencia Ring: me. It made sense to me because the Gods are usually standing on a crane, particularly in Rheingold.
But actually, now that I give it more thought, I think that the crane is also supposed to be Grane, Brunnhilde's horse, so I could be wrong. But it certainly parallels the position that the Gods are usually in, makes her more equal to them.

[Wendell_E]

Back in April, 2003, a Metropolitan Opera performance of Ariadne auf Naxos was taped, but it's never been televised or released commercially, and I'd read somewhere it might never be (something to do with the unions).  amazon.fr now has it listed for release on August 23rd. 

http://www.amazon.fr/Ariane-Naxos-Richard-Strauss/dp/B003UC49XO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1279452555&sr=1-3

So maybe there's still hope for the Salome with Mattila (from the first run of the production) and Wozzeck which have also been in limbo.

[knight66]

http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,7253.40.html

Reply 43

Not a version I will be going for, despite critical acclaim of earlier performances.

Mike

[mamascarlatti]

Have you got a DVD version of Ariadne you would recommend?

[knight66]

Mmm...I will point one out, rather than recomend it. I have Bohm with Janowitz on DG. Everything about it is terrific; except that it is a mimed version. It almost works, but it is not my ideal in terms of an all round experience. Though, I do like it.

http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,142.msg153620/topicseen.html#msg153620

Mike

[Guido]

I love the Jessye Norman/Battle/Levin/Met one - Norman is at her absolute peak here and Battle is so ideal as Zerbinetta - absolutely crystal clear and coquettish to a tee. Some complain that the "opera" (as opposed to the Vorspiel) part is too static, but I think it works just fine. The other singers are mostly good also - especially the composer, though the tenor seems a bit strained.

http://www.amazon.com/Richard-Strauss-Ariadne-Troyanos-Metropolitan/dp/B000068UXJ

Just glancing at the reviews - people largely seem to agree.

[knight66]

Battle won an award int eh UK for the part. I should think that would be an excellent version. I am always suspect of Levine, so have not gone for it.

Mike

[jhar26]

So maybe there's still hope for the Salome with Mattila (from the first run of the production) and Wozzeck which have also been in limbo.

I would LOVE to have Mattila's Salome on DVD.