Opera on DVD

[Scarpia]

The Matilla Salome is indeed electrifying-just watch the clips on youtube for proof of that. Not sure about the rest though. Maybe the Doctor Atomic will be worth a look but there is already a DVD of this right?  Was it filmed in the Netherlands?  Was expensive DVD when i looked.

Not sure i want Giordani belting his way through Madame Butterfly nor Domingo clinging on and breathless in Simon Boccanegra.

Annoying that these High-Def productions are being issued on DVD rather than Blu Ray disc. 

[bhodges]

Sony Classical's releasing several recent Met Live in HD performances on January 25th:

John Adams' Doctor Atomic features several of the same singers as in the DVD that's already available, but in a new production by Penny Woolcock, conducted by Alan Gilbert.

Anthony Minghella's production of Madama Buttefly, with Patricia Racette, Marcelo Giordani, and Dwayne Croft, Patrick Summers conducting.

Salome with Karita Mattila and Juha Uusitalo, Patrick Summers conducting.

Simon Boccanegra with Domingo in the title role, Adrianne Pieczonka, Marcello Giordani, and James Morris, Levine conducting.

Amazon's currently listing Salome for $17.49, the longer operas for $20.99.

Thanks for this heads-up.  I'm happiest to see the Butterfly, since Minghella's incredible production really deserves to be archived.  (Although I haven't seen the filmed version, and hope that the filming does justice to the production.)

And it's good to have the Salome available, as well, although I wish they'd released the version from 2004 rather than Mattila's later appearance; she just sounded better in the earlier one, and Gergiev was conducting.  And unless they restored the brief nudity in the "Dance of the Seven Veils" after the HD broadcast, that, too, has been excised.  But still, worth seeing.

--Bruce

[knight66]

I wonder why the Salome is advertised as on two discs?

It is not a version I would want to see again; the cinema transmission was a very mixed blessing indeed. I agree Bruce, her earlier performances would probably have been a wiser release.

I still have the Covent Garden Faust to finish, but so far, terrific with many highlights. Also waiting for an airing I have the Thielemann Rosenkavalier from Munich.

Christmas holiday fare I hope.

Mike

[kishnevi]

Also waiting for an airing I have the Thielemann Rosenkavalier from Munich.


Mike

I think you'll like that one: it's the sort of production where all the details dovetail in the right way.

BTW, the production itself seems to be travelling around Europe.  You can see a couple of stills from it on Joyce DiDonato's blog--she was singing Oktavian in Madrid.
http://www.joycedidonato.com/2010/12/02/is-there-an-off-switch-for-this-thing-she-asked-about-her-brain/

[knight66]

I had no idea that Octavian was part of DiDonato's repertoire. No doubt, being the singer she is, it will be excellent. The box of the opera and the photos above make it look kind of Busby Berkley. No doubt I will find out soon enough.

I am listening to a live relay from the Met of Don Carlos. I see it is a 'new production', but the photos on the BBC site are of the same sets as for Covent Garden; so perhaps it is a shared production with a number of the same singers.

Above I reviewed the Covent Garden DVD with Marina Poplavskaya who although I like her a lot, I felt her voice too light or unready for the part of Elizabeth. In the intervening couple of years it is clear her voice has become that one size larger and where I complained of her breaking the line to reach up to high notes in a phrase, from Act 1 of the live performance, I can hear the phrasing is now unbroken and the extra weight at the bottom of phrases allow her to use them as the springboard upwards to those top notes.

Mike

[Wendell_E]

I am listening to a live relay from the Met of Don Carlos. I see it is a 'new production', but the photos on the BBC site are of the same sets as for Covent Garden; so perhaps it is a shared production with a number of the same singers.

Above I reviewed the Covent Garden DVD with Marina Poplavskaya who although I like her a lot, I felt her voice too light or unready for the part of Elizabeth. In the intervening couple of years it is clear her voice has become that one size larger and where I complained of her breaking the line to reach up to high notes in a phrase, from Act 1 of the live performance, I can hear the phrasing is now unbroken and the extra weight at the bottom of phrases allow her to use them as the springboard upwards to those top notes.

Mike

Yeah, the production's new to the Met, but it is that same Covent Garden one you saw.  I saw the "live in HD" performance last week (same cast as today, but with Alagna and Furlanetto as Carlo and Philip) and liked it a lot.

[kishnevi]

I had no idea that Octavian was part of DiDonato's repertoire. No doubt, being the singer she is, it will be excellent. The box of the opera and the photos above make it look kind of Busby Berkley. No doubt I will find out soon enough.


Mike

DiDonato is not on the DVD: the part of Oktavian is sung there by Sophie Koch. The production has a sort of 1930s tone to it, but it's not Busby Berkeley in the least, although I can see why the still photo of Oktavian presenting the Silver Rose might, in isolation, suggest otherwise. 

[knight66]

Finally finished Faust.

This is a DVD version of a live broadcast from Covent Garden June 2004. I gather the delay in its issue was caused by the tenor demanding more money than the company was then prepared to pay. I wonder who blinked? With the current state of EMI finances, I somehow doubt that it was the company.

Alagna as Faust
Gheorghiu as Marguerite
Terfel as Mefisto
Keenlyside as Valentin
Sophie Kotch as Siebel
Covent Garden forces conducted by Pappano
Issued on EMI

The setting has been altered from 16th Century Germany to the mid 19th Century of Paris. This works tremendously well, I can't see any jarring here and it brings it close to the Paris in which it was written. Arguably the 19th Cent Parisian ought to be rather less superstitious than medieval Germans, but the intense sulphuric atmosphere works well in what looks like a mock-up of St Sulpice and the grimy, salacious 19th Cent atmosphere of the Parisian demimonde is played up.

The production is terrific and you can see where the money was spent. It is big boned with huge solid sets, dance routines and panash. All the principles sing terrifically and act well. For me I don't quite buy Gheorghiu as the ingenue; but her singing is excellent.

Terfel is a scene stealer, even when he is standing still. In the last act church scene there is a large group statue with its back to us, Marguerite prays on the steps of it. We know from the story that Mephistopheles and his demons will prevent her from finding peace; the statue slowly swivels round, Terfel looking more than lifesize comes down from the plinth to disturb and distress her. It is one of many coups.

This came up fresh as paint, not at all the old creaking crowd pleaser. The ballet was done superbly, a cruel pantomime shown to disturb the by now drug dependent Faust. Mind you, the exceptionally hirsute Terfel in an enormous low cut black bombazine dress and tiara was a sight any Faust would assume to be hallucination if not actually drug induced.

Fun and wit the dark side very much played up, it is I think as good a Faust as you will find.

Mike

[Guido]

Also waiting for an airing I have the Thielemann Rosenkavalier from Munich.

I love this DVD - A very nice production with some wonderfully moving singing and acting. The best bits are the normal best bits of the opera - last half of act one and the last half of act 3 - really very moving and just ravishing. The sets and costumes look wonderful in my opinion - modern and clean, but still nicely suggesting the opulence of the Marschallin's palace and lifestyle. The act2/act3 langours are still langours, but that almost goes without saying.

There are a few other caveats. Koch is a bit... strange as octavian occasionally, her mouth apparently with a life of its own - it just so rubbery and flexible that it actually becomes distracting. She's hard to understand as a result (I can't begin to imagine German being spoken like that), but quite powerful. She overracts, but maybe that translates better on stage rather than close up, and its also quite apt as shes playing the ardent young lover. It actually makes a great and telling contrast to Fleming's subtle, more realistic acting at the end of the first act, and clearly shows why the Marschallin is having second thoughts about this boy. Fleming's acting is a bit annoying in the opening scene (she is meant to be happy, but it's all a bit camp), but thereafter her Marchallin has a real dignity, and a convincing aristocratic carriage - she's clearly in charge and commands the stage in an understated way.

Damrau as Sophie is quite sweet, the big vibrato kept on a leash. There's no obvious reason why Mohammed is here a  Pierrot figure instead - he's in a weird way "outside" of the drama, connecting with the audience too... not sure what they were trying to do there.

The Orchestra under Thieleman are superb.

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.

I can't stand the chocolate box kitschery of the Met production - all those frills and pastel shades - the music's already providing this, why do it again with the set and costumes?

[Guido]

I'd love to see Mattila do The Makropulos Case. I can't think of anyone more ideal, vocally, temperamentally, or look wise since Elisabeth Söderström.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcReU-pb5lQ

This production looks great too. DVD?

She has that extraordinary look to her where you can't really place her in terms of nationality, or age wise either - she looks both old and quite young at the same time; also - is she beautiful, is she not? Again she seems to be both.

I really wish I'd seen the ENO version last September which was apparently superb and got rave reviews. Does anyone know if it's coming back any time soon? The ENO are loathe to repeat things I know.

[knight66]

I have now watched through the Thielemann Rosenkavalier. The best elements are Fleming, the orchestra and conducting. I liked the production, the sets were impressive without being too distracting. The presentation takes place in 'another space' very effective. An immensely steep set of stairs appears and half way up it the scene takes place in almost darkness with the couple magically lit.

Damrau was very good, her voice kept under control and that vibrato kept tight. So she was not the trial I feared. The crowd clearly admired Koch more than I did and like Guido, I found the rubber lips a distraction.

I was surprised the audience showed next to no appreciation of the Ochs of Franz Hawlata, I thought he was excellent both his singing and acting. Perhaps the characterisation made the crowd uncomfortable. Though the time scale was indeterminate, it might have been anywhere from the thirties to the fifties. This Ochs would have fitted comfortably into the Nazi party.

Some of it was taken very slowly, but it never felt indulgent. The conductor lets rip during the exposure of Ochs in the last act where the echos of Elektra were allowed to completely overwhelm the singers on stage.

I enjoyed it a lot, but swap Flemming into the Kleiber version for Jones and I would happily live with that version and no other.

Mike

[Guido]

This is incredible:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SasmMCsyr1A

Theres loads of other clips too , all of which are stunning. See 5:38 here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAPuVDZ2a3I&feature=related

How did I not know about this before?! It seems to have been released only recently. I wish I had a blu-ray player at home!!

[asin]B003ZIZ2ZM[/asin]

[mc ukrneal]

This is incredible:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SasmMCsyr1A

Theres loads of other clips too , all of which are stunning. See 5:38 here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAPuVDZ2a3I&feature=related

How did I not know about this before?! It seems to have been released only recently. I wish I had a blu-ray player at home!!

[asin]B003ZIZ2ZM[/asin]

Well Karajan really did conduct this opera well, but having some of the top singers of his age didn't hurt either (Jurinek, Schwarzkopf, Rothenberger).

[Guido]

I have the famous Karajan 1956 recording of course, but this seems to be in even better sound, and the picture quality is just beautiful. And as you say, the principals are truly stellar.

[knight66]

It is good to see this surface. I can still recall being taken to the cinema as a child to see it. It seems only to be in blu-ray, which is no good to me. I have watched some of the links on Youtube. I assume the disc is a good deal sharper than what I have just watched.

Mike

[Tsaraslondon]

This is incredible:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SasmMCsyr1A

Theres loads of other clips too , all of which are stunning. See 5:38 here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAPuVDZ2a3I&feature=related

How did I not know about this before?! It seems to have been released only recently. I wish I had a blu-ray player at home!!

[asin]B003ZIZ2ZM[/asin]

I have this in its last DVD incarnation, issued on Sony, which seemed to have been taken from a very bad video. Picture and sound quality are atrocious. These clips on youtube are in another world. That this wonderful, historic performance now exists in such splendid condition is indeed a reason to rejoice. I fear I need to now buy a Blu-ray player.

[Tsaraslondon]

Well Karajan really did conduct this opera well, but having some of the top singers of his age didn't hurt either (Jurinek, Schwarzkopf, Rothenberger).

I managed to find the final trio on youtube too, which led me to investigate a couple more trios; Fleming, with Battle and Von Stade (in concert), and also with Graham and Schafer; and then  Te Kanawa with Troyanos and Blegen. All of them were pretty good, but there is something indefinably aristocratic about Schwarzkopf and Jurinac that sets them apart from their colleagues (though it has to be admitted that Te Kanawa looked absolutely stunning in the excerpt I watched). Rothenberger too was, to my mind, much more successful at conveying the innocence of the young Sophie, and sings with a silvery purity not available to the other two. Maybe I'm seeing this old Karajan/Czinner film through misty eyes, but for me it takes the palm. Czinner also has the virtue, rare among modern day producers, of letting the music speak for itself. He does not invent unnecessary extraneous business to cover the bits when the singers aren't actually singing.

[kaergaard]

Meistersinger àla Katharina Wagner.

Act I done. Watched. Listened. LOVE IT!

Now of course from then on it might turn in the opposite direction, I don't promise it will be the best Meistersinger I ever saw, and I won't go into detail either, save that for a complete review, but honestly, don't you Wagnerians agree with me that the first act, at least the middle part of the first act, is not excactly riveting. Masters et al in Sixties suit, shirt and tie, seat themselves around the huge conference table, more like the local Glee Club meeting. Sachs in black trousers, loose black shirt, sleeves rolled up, top three buttons undone, barefoot, takes his seat. Pogner - Artur Korn - goes into his long explanations, Sachs gets up, lights a cigarette, sits on a bench, definitely very bored.

I broke out in laughter when I saw that. It's so natural, a true picture of a lot of get-togethers, Chamber of Commerce, you name it. Only now Sachs could not light his cigarette, he would have to step outside to have his smoke. Hawlata smoked at least four more during the first act, and he looked like he either is, or was a smoker.

Btw.: Stolzing is not a singer, he is a painter, painter of pictures of vaguely recognisable naked women. Horror among the Masters!

More to follow, but so far Hawlata's Hans Sachs stole the show, Michael Volle's Beckmesser close second! Klaus Florian Vogt is a very attractive Walter von Stolzing, singing good, acting a bit too agitated, but maybe that's the way Katharina wanted him to act. Love his pants with Fleur-De-Lis design!

[knight66]

Lis, I have always found that scene to be a real problem for me in Act 1. I wish Wagner had edited it heavily; but as always with him, everyone has to be heard in great, lecturing detail.

Mike

[Scarpia]

Meistersinger àla Katharina Wagner.

Act I done. Watched. Listened. LOVE IT!

Now of course from then on it might turn in the opposite direction, I don't promise it will be the best Meistersinger I ever saw, and I won't go into detail either, save that for a complete review, but honestly, don't you Wagnerians agree with me that the first act, at least the middle part of the first act, is not excactly riveting. Masters et al in Sixties suit, shirt and tie, seat themselves around the huge conference table, more like the local Glee Club meeting. Sachs in black trousers, loose black shirt, sleeves rolled up, top three buttons undone, barefoot, takes his seat. Pogner - Artur Korn - goes into his long explanations, Sachs gets up, lights a cigarette, sits on a bench, definitely very bored.

I broke out in laughter when I saw that. It's so natural, a true picture of a lot of get-togethers, Chamber of Commerce, you name it. Only now Sachs could not light his cigarette, he would have to step outside to have his smoke. Hawlata smoked at least four more during the first act, and he looked like he either is, or was a smoker.

Btw.: Stolzing is not a singer, he is a painter, painter of pictures of vaguely recognisable naked women. Horror among the Masters!

More to follow, but so far Hawlata's Hans Sachs stole the show, Michael Volle's Beckmesser close second! Klaus Florian Vogt is a very attractive Walter von Stolzing, singing good, acting a bit too agitated, but maybe that's the way Katharina wanted him to act. Love his pants with Fleur-De-Lis design!

I wish I could figure out what DVD you are talking about.