Opera on DVD

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

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Lethevich

Quote from: Drasko on September 22, 2007, 08:08:30 AM
It's probably sufficiently different since this one is film, not stage. I have Abbado on CD and it's excellent indeed, haven't seen it on DVD. Guy from classicstoday seems to quite like the Maderna.

http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=11165

Christ, now I want to buy it...
Peanut butter, flour and sugar do not make cookies. They make FIRE.

yashin

My favourite Wozzeck DVD/Video to date has to be the Barenboim DVD from Paris with Grundheber and Meier.  It is excellent with Graham Clarke superb as the mad Captain.  Sets are sparse.

I am not a great fan of the Abbado set on cd or DVD.  It just does not do it for me.

I have the other Arthouse DVD of Wozzeck with Dale Duessing.  It is highly regarded.  However the production is rather odd with the Captain wearing a very odd costume like an insect.

I look forward to getting hold of the new DVD and also the one due in October from Liceu,Barcelona.  Frank Hawlata is Wozzeck and Angela Denoke is Marie.   I have read poor reviews about the setting (Calixto Bieito) being set in an oil refinery!

Ah well if you enjoy Wozzeck as i do you will probably buy it.

Why oh Why did they not record the superb production from Covent Garden with Matthias Goerne?  Anyone else see that? Was truly sensational -the singing, the sets and the gorgeous orchestral playing with Pappano at the helm.

uffeviking

What's the scuttlebutt about one with Simon Keenlyside either in the making or already out?  ???

Wendell_E

Quote from: uffeviking on September 22, 2007, 07:20:20 PM
What's the scuttlebutt about one with Simon Keenlyside either in the making or already out?  ???

I don't think it's already out, since he's singing his first Wozzeck in Paris next March.  I haven't heard anything about a DVD with him, but I hope it's true.

I've got the Abbado/Vienna DVD and love it.  Rented the one with Duesing and Ciesinski (from Zurich, I believe?) and couldn't stand the production. 
"Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience." ― Mark Twain

Siedler

Worryingly enough, http://opera_on_dvd.home.att.net/ doesn't list the DVD of Salome with Mattila & co from the Met anymore on their "Other Anticipated Future Releases" section. Will it be ever published, I wonder?  :-\

Wendell_E

Quote from: Siedler on September 23, 2007, 03:04:27 AM
Worryingly enough, http://opera_on_dvd.home.att.net/ doesn't list the DVD of Salome with Mattila & co from the Met anymore on their "Other Anticipated Future Releases" section. Will it be ever published, I wonder?  :-\

Apparently not, according to the Met's General Manager, Peter Gelb.  He gave a speech/Q&A session at Chataqua last August.  Someone from another forum was there and asked him about that Salome, and the two other productions that are already "in the can", but have never been televised or released:

QuoteAriadne, Wozzeck and Salome were all produced, without financing lined up in advance, during the previous agreement with the unions. In order for these to be released on video, it would cost millions of dollars to have to be paid out to unions(I believe this is essentially what he [Gelb] said). As a result, while these are wonderful performances, THEY WILL PROBABLY NEVER BE RELEASED!.... Earlier, during his speech, Mr. Gelb spoke about the concessions that the unions made in order to make the archive and current broadcasts available.

I really find this hard to accept (as did a lot of other people at that other forum).  It's hard to believe something can't be worked out.  But in any case that's what Gelb said.  I do take a little heart from that "PROBABLY".

I wonder about the telecasts from last season as well.  Though EMI's supposed to be releasing five telecasts from the upcoming season (Hansel and Gretel, Macbeth, Manon Lescaut, Peter Grimes, and La Bohème), two of which have already had major cast changes, there's not been any mention of when (if?), or on what label, last season's telecasts will be out.
"Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience." ― Mark Twain

Siedler

#266
Thanks for the info, Wendell! So that's about it then, I guess.  :(

uffeviking

Wendell: You shed some light on this Salome issue; I thank you very much!  :-*

Now I want to get a hold of that the big-mouth spokesman of the Met who promised the release on video within six month of that performance!  >:D

Somehow I am in line with Siedler's thinking, a lame excuse to blame it on the unions. I have a hunch if Fleming would be the Salome it would have been out on DVD months, nay, years, ago!  ;)

Wendell_E

Quote from: uffeviking on September 23, 2007, 07:28:14 AM
Somehow I am in line with Siedler's thinking, a lame excuse to blame it on the unions. I have a hunch if Fleming would be the Salome it would have been out on DVD months, nay, years, ago!  ;)

Yeah, I do have to wonder if that union thing's just an excuse, myself.

As for Fleming, I do hope her presence makes for fast release of last year's Eugene Onegin with her and Hvorostovsky, but we're still waiting for the Met Figaro with her, Terfel, and Bartoli, and that was almost nine years ago!

It is very odd that at one time that Salome was actually listed at one time at Universal's iclassics webstite for a late 2004 (Oct. or Nov.) release, but now that say it'll never be released?
"Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience." ― Mark Twain

T-C

Quote from: uffeviking on September 23, 2007, 07:28:14 AM
I have a hunch if Fleming would be the Salome it would have been out on DVD months, nay, years, ago!  ;)

Actually, a new DVD with Fleming will be released next month. But it is from the LA Opera, not the Met...  :P

Verdi's La Traviata, with Renee Fleming, Rolando Villazon and Renato Bruson.
The conductor is James Conlon.
The director – Marta Domingo.



marvinbrown



  Just curious if anybody has seen this DVD, I am thinking of buying it and am looking for feedback. So far on amazon.co.uk this has received one great review and one horrible review....does the truth lie in the middle somewhere?

 


  thank you
  marvin

Lethevich

#271
I can't understand how that DVD could be strongly criticised - it's very good overall, and I haven't run into a professional critic who has a problem with it. It also has the benefit of being uncut compared to most other versions available, including, IIRC, the Sawallisch DVD (which is the main reason I went for the Solti).

Edit: The staging is quite "modern", though, more so than the looks of the Sawallisch, from the cover photo.
Peanut butter, flour and sugar do not make cookies. They make FIRE.

marvinbrown

Quote from: Lethe on October 04, 2007, 06:20:09 AM
I can't understand how that DVD could be strongly criticised - it's very good on all terms - singing, staging, recording, playing. It also has the benefit of being uncut compared to most other versions available, including, IIRC, the Sawallisch DVD (which is the main reason I went for the Solti).

  Lethe the respondent who slammed this recording said it lacked that "Straussian" magic that he found in Sawallisch's CD audio recording.  But based on your feedback I am going ahead with the purchase  :).

  marvin

Lethevich

Quote from: marvinbrown on October 04, 2007, 06:23:13 AM
Lethe the respondent who slammed this recording said it lacked that "Straussian" magic that he found in Sawallisch's CD audio recording.

Hehe, a nebulous term :D I can understand if the playing was ragged, but "magic" to one person is rather different to another, and such terms are sometimes used to disguise an agenda. Solti is reliable in Strauss, and a chance to watch the work in more or less complete condition is definitely worthwhile. Especially as even the Amazon critic doesn't seem to fault the technical quality of the music and staging.
Peanut butter, flour and sugar do not make cookies. They make FIRE.

Lethevich

#274
Can anyone comment on any of the Arthaus Musik DVDs of Britten's operas? There's a tempting looking box of all eight of them...

Edit: Crap, one of them got a shocking review on Amazon.
Peanut butter, flour and sugar do not make cookies. They make FIRE.

marvinbrown


  I just saw this for the first time on amazon  :o.  Is this a new release? Has anybody seen it? 




  marvin
 
  PS:  I am currently dissatisfied with the Tristan und Isolde DVD recordings on offer.  could  this be a change in the right direction?

 

Wendell_E

Quote from: marvinbrown on October 11, 2007, 08:00:28 AM
  I just saw this for the first time on amazon  :o.  Is this a new release? Has anybody seen it? 


  marvin
 
  PS:  I am currently dissatisfied with the Tristan und Isolde DVD recordings on offer.  could  this be a change in the right direction?

 

It's new to DVD, but the performance is from 1983, and has been available in other formats.

I've been tempted to buy it, myself. 
"Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience." ― Mark Twain

uffeviking

Here is the cover of the LVD from the 1983 performance. It is adequate in the traditional sense for directing and singing and conducting. Kollo and Meier are not the most ardent lovers, all is rather boring.

Contrary to dear Wendell's opinion, I prefer the Olivier Py production with Armin Jordan conducting. The singing and acting of Jeanne Michéle Charbonnet and Clifton Forbis is thrilling and a surprise because I had never heard them before. Outstanding and almost stealing the show is Alfred Reiter's König Marke!

Your turn, Wendell, to let loose the pooch!  ;)

marvinbrown

Quote from: uffeviking on October 11, 2007, 09:11:07 AM
Here is the cover of the LVD from the 1983 performance. It is adequate in the traditional sense for directing and singing and conducting. Kollo and Meier are not the most ardent lovers, all is rather boring.


   Lis thanks for the feedback,  I am surprised to read that you found the production rather boring with Kollo and Meier not the most ardent lovers (this is Tristan and Isolde we are talking about after all).  I was quite taken with the photo on the cover of the DVD release which led me to ask about this recording.....yes I know you should never judge a "book" by its cover, when will I ever learn  ::)??

  marvin


   

Wendell_E

Quote from: uffeviking on October 11, 2007, 09:11:07 AM
Contrary to dear Wendell's opinion,

What opinion?  I just said I was tempted by it.  I hold off on forming an opinion until I actually see it.   ;)  Johanna Meier's the only Isolde I've ever seen "live" and she was wonderful. 

I do like Charbonnet a lot.  She lives in New Orleans (or did before Hurricane Katrina) and has sung Ariadne and the first two Brünnhildes there.  Forbis was supposed to sing Otello there, but it was cancelled (postponed?) due to Katrina.
"Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience." ― Mark Twain