Opera on DVD

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

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Anne

#120
Quote from: marvinbrown on June 19, 2007, 01:45:11 PM
  Very well then uffeviking and Anne  :) ...would the two of you be kind enough to answer a few follow-up questions before I make my purchase:
 
  1) Can you please tell me a little bit about the costumes and stage settings (i.e. Is the Domingo DVD a modern adaptation or set in mythical times? Is the stage setting elaborate or simple?)

  2) Can you comment on the quality of the sound (I am guessing very good as you refer to the Vienna State Opera)?

  I much appreciate your help...by the way anybody please feel free to comment.

  marvin
  PS: I never thought collecting operas would take so much work  ::)!!!!!!

1)  Domingo wears a startlingly beautiful white male outfit when he arrives.  Later when they are alone, I think he wears a long nightshirt but could be wrong.  It's been a while since I last saw it.  The setting is in mythical times and all is appropriate, not skimpy.  No minimalism here or you'd hear me squawking.  LOL!  It's the Met so is traditional.  I believe you will like it.  The stage setting is most definitely elaborate!  Try counting all the people on stage!

2)  The sound is great.  Be sure there are no distractions when the Preludes to act 1 and act 3 are played so you don't miss any of that beautiful music.  They both are gorgeous!  Sound is great IMO.  You have a lifetime to enjoy the DVD.

I'm looking forward to your remarks after you see/hear it.  Amazon has 1-day shipping should you feel the need.  Haffner is going to have to work 2 jobs to keep up.  Hang in there.

uffeviking

Quote from: Anne on June 19, 2007, 04:57:56 PM
  It's the Met so is traditional. 

I think there is an 'Ooops'!

The Lohengrin with Placido Domingo is not at the Met it's the Vienna State Opera and Chorus with Abbado conducting. The one with Peter Hofmann is at the Met with Levine conducting. Maybe it all comes down to the choice if you want a black-haired White Knight in Shining Armour or a blond! Both settings are traditional, no business suits in sight, and the sound is perfect, depending of course on your stereo set-up.

Which ever you chose, Marvin, it will be a good introduction to Lohengrin. Then we go on and take it further to the production by Klaus Lehnhoff, for instance, and get a bit more daring!  >:D


Anne

Thanks, Uffe.  I remember Domingo's singing but forgot you said Vienna State Opera.  I can't locate my copy of it.  I'll be quiet and you can do the honors.

uffeviking

No way, Anne! You have your say, I have mine! Sometimes we are together, sometimes we are miles apart, that's the fun and also challenge of a classical music forum. Wouldn't it awfully dull if we would all be in agreement on everything. For instance if you would tell us you are delighted with Matti Salminen in his business suit as Boris!  :-X

Anne

Quote from: uffeviking on June 19, 2007, 06:08:22 PM
No way, Anne! You have your say, I have mine! Sometimes we are together, sometimes we are miles apart, that's the fun and also challenge of a classical music forum. Wouldn't it awfully dull if we would all be in agreement on everything. For instance if you would tell us you are delighted with Matti Salminen in his business suit as Boris!  :-X

I finally found the VHS tape.  Normally I sort by composer and then the titles of the works.  That means all the Wagner is at the end of the tapes.  There was no Lohengrin.  Knowing myself I said, "I wonder if I should check in the L's."  Sure enough, there it was.

I'm not throwing the Boris DVD away.  Maybe someday.

The Prelude to Act 1 is playing (Abbado).  So beautiful!!

Solitary Wanderer

Quote from: Anne on June 19, 2007, 06:37:13 PM
I finally found the VHS tape.  Normally I sort by composer and then the titles of the works.  That means all the Wagner is at the end of the tapes.  There was no Lohengrin.  Knowing myself I said, "I wonder if I should check in the L's."  Sure enough, there it was.

I'm not throwing the Boris DVD away.  Maybe someday.

The Prelude to Act 1 is playing (Abbado).  So beautiful!!


It is. It will be played at my funeral [which, I hope, won't be for many years from now]  :) 0:)
'I lingered round them, under that benign sky: watched the moths fluttering among the heath and harebells, listened to the soft wind breathing through the grass, and wondered how any one could ever imagine unquiet slumbers for the sleepers in that quiet earth.' ~ Emily Bronte

Anne

Quote from: Solitary Wanderer on June 19, 2007, 06:49:50 PM
It is. It will be played at my funeral [which, I hope, won't be for many years from now]  :) 0:)

I hope it won't either.  You have a good idea for a new thread.

Solitary Wanderer

Quote from: Anne on June 19, 2007, 06:59:05 PM
I hope it won't either.  You have a good idea for a new thread.

Yes, I did that at another forum a few years ago.

Thanks for the suggestion;I'll do it again! ;)
'I lingered round them, under that benign sky: watched the moths fluttering among the heath and harebells, listened to the soft wind breathing through the grass, and wondered how any one could ever imagine unquiet slumbers for the sleepers in that quiet earth.' ~ Emily Bronte

marvinbrown

Quote from: Anne on June 19, 2007, 04:57:56 PM
1)  Domingo wears a startlingly beautiful white male outfit when he arrives.  Later when they are alone, I think he wears a long nightshirt but could be wrong.  It's been a while since I last saw it.  The setting is in mythical times and all is appropriate, not skimpy.  No minimalism here or you'd hear me squawking.  LOL!  It's the Met so is traditional.  I believe you will like it.  The stage setting is most definitely elaborate!  Try counting all the people on stage!

2)  The sound is great.  Be sure there are no distractions when the Preludes to act 1 and act 3 are played so you don't miss any of that beautiful music.  They both are gorgeous!  Sound is great IMO.  You have a lifetime to enjoy the DVD.

I'm looking forward to your remarks after you see/hear it.  Amazon has 1-day shipping should you feel the need.  Haffner is going to have to work 2 jobs to keep up.  Hang in there.

  Anne just to further clarify a few points: Are you (indirectly) saying that you prefer the Levine MET recording over the Domingo (Abbado) recording?  The quoted review above is for the Levine MET recording but you also praised the Domingo set.  Uffeviking is more keen on the Domingo set. 

  marvin

Anne

Quote from: marvinbrown on June 20, 2007, 01:04:39 AM
  Anne just to further clarify a few points: Are you (indirectly) saying that you prefer the Levine MET recording over the Domingo (Abbado) recording?  The quoted review above is for the Levine MET recording but you also praised the Domingo set.  Uffeviking is more keen on the Domingo set. 

  marvin

I'm sorry for the confusion, Marvin.  I was referring to the Domingo recording.  I am going to watch both today to make sure I didn't make another error.

karlhenning

I very much enjoy the Zeffirelli film of La traviata (Stratas & Domingo)

uffeviking

Quote from: karlhenning on June 20, 2007, 06:11:48 AM
I very much enjoy the Zeffirelli film of La traviata (Stratas & Domingo)

I know that one, Karl. Yes, lovely scenery, like the lake excursion with Placido showing off his muscles manipulating the oars and of course Stratas trailing her hand in the water. Yuk! And then there are the cute white doves imprisoned in the huge cage. Another Yuk!

Now if Zeffirelli would have left Verdi's creation intact, instead of cutting many scenes, I might give my seal of approval.  ::)

Haffner

Quote from: karlhenning on June 20, 2007, 06:11:48 AM
I very much enjoy the Zeffirelli film of La traviata (Stratas & Domingo)




I love that one! My lady loves it not just for the music, but because she's a former Goth and loves how "dark" Stratas looks under the wings of consumption.

Anne

#133
Quote from: karlhenning on June 20, 2007, 06:11:48 AM
I very much enjoy the Zeffirelli film of La traviata (Stratas & Domingo)

I love that recording too.

The other film I like is Carmen with Domingo, Migenes -Johnson conducted by L. Maazel.

Haffner

Quote from: Anne on June 20, 2007, 07:15:39 AM
I love that recording too.

The other film I like is Carmen with Domingo, Migenes -Johnson conducted by L. Maazel.




JA! Sehr gut!

Joan

I remember when the Zeffirelli/Domingo film version of Otello was released, there was a lot of criticism of the cuts or changes made; I wasn't familiar with the opera so those aspects didn't bother me. But I though it was great that it was being shown in movie theatres, so at least some non-opera fans were seeing it, and really enjoying it - how often does that happen anymore (except of course for those Met broadcasts - but they don't seem to get any general publicity). I think the Zeffirelli films are great introductions for newbies, kind of analogous to Branagh's Shakespeare films.

uffeviking

Of course those Zefferelli kitch films were popular among the uninitiated, but how many of them were encouraged to go out and attend a real live opera, or even buy CDs and DVDs? I don't think Zefferelli created too many serious converts!  :-\

karlhenning

Lis, you may quibble with the cuts, but the Zeffirelli films are not kitsch.

karlhenning

As to converts, the day that tickets to the opera are on par with the cost of DVDs, is the day that I attend as many opera performances . . . .

marvinbrown

Quote from: Anne on June 20, 2007, 06:07:12 AM
I'm sorry for the confusion, Marvin.  I was referring to the Domingo recording.  I am going to watch both today to make sure I didn't make another error.

  Then Domingo it must be  :).

  marvin