Description

From the Prinzregententheater, Munich. Special Bonus Feature: HANDEL, THE ENTERTAINER, A film by Reiner E. Moritz This exploration of Handel’s operas focuses on this production of Rinaldo, setting the work in the context of the composer’s overall operatic output and achievement. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Not perfect but quite moving
has always been my least favorite of the Ring operas, but the recent DVD release of this work on the Deutsche Grammophon label (073 011-9) has done much to change my mind. Recorded at the Metropolitan Opera in 1990, this production (long available on VHS) has James Levine conducting a high-powered cast (and nothing less than that will do for any Wagner opera) and using generally slower tempos than (say) Solti would use. "Walkure" does tend to move like a glacier throughout most of its nearly four hours, and Levine's leisurely approach does not help.

On the other hand, his Sieglinde (Jessye Norman) is in great vocal shape, as is her Siegmund (Gary Lakes), and Wotan (James Morris). Kurt Moll's Hunding is well acted and he still has that basso of old to give the character dignity and menace. If you can accept Lakes and Norman as twins (what would John Simon have to say here?), you still have to overlook their somewhat wooden acting. (and tell me if you agree that Norman's costume seems to come from another opera!) But Hildegard Behrens' Brunhilde makes us believe she is a vibrant teenager, although she has to strain to keep her voice from petering out during this difficult role. Christa Ludwig's brief appearance as Fricka tells us she is a bit past her glory days vocally, but still she creates a believable character.

It is interesting to note that Norman sits out Act III to take a final curtain call, but Lake and Moll do not. Otherwise engaged?

It is good to see an old-fashioned, non-concept, production of this work without Teutonic heroes in tuxedos or scenes acted in hypercubes. One does not really expect horses any more at the start of Act III, a sequence nevertheless done with excitement in this production. This version seems designed to tell the story without forcing 20th century interpretations on Wagner's Romanticism.

The two DVDs run at 241 minutes in the 4:3 screen ratio and have subtitles in English, French, Chinese, and (finally!) the original German, an idea that should be used for all operas on DVD.

An enjoyable performance
After having watched this video twice I couldn't resist an opportunity to offer some comments and observations. People are going to either love the individual singers or hate them. I feel that Gary Lakes as Siegmund was neither a good visual or vocal match for Jessye Norman as Sieglinde, but he acted very well. Kurt Moll as Hunding was for the most part convincing, but he spent too much time in Act I glaring at Siegmund, complete with a raised eyebrow, not unlike a 19th Century version of The Rock. Jessye Norman to most listeners would be the ideal Sieglinde, but on at least two occasions she held high notes (for presumably dramatic effect) longer than stipulated in the score. Her rendering in Act III of O hehrstes Wunder was breathtaking. Christa Ludwig as Fricka was excellent in Act II and it was gratifying to see this veteran mezzo in a live performance, and she deserved her very loud ovation. James Morris as Wotan was vocally good and dramatically perhaps better. Behrens' Brunnhilde lacked power but her voice was accurate. She was a good visual match for Morris. In the Farewell Scene during "Der Augend leuschtendes Paar (sp?)" when he is looking into her eyes, there was an overhead camera shot from the top of the stage which caught a distinctive glistening effect. It was quite touching. The overall stage production by Gunther Schneider-Siemssen was convincing in a traditional manner, and the fire effects at the end were impressive.

As for the conducting, although it was a bit of a slow reading at 4 hours and 4 minutes, I did not feel the tempo dragging in the same way that Reginald Goodall's live performance did. The end of Act I had plenty of adrenalin. The Met Orchestra, 101 musicians I believe, played very well and the VHS digital tape had surprisingly crisp and vivid detail. I think the singers were a bit swamped at times by the open orchestra pit, as opposed to the Bayreuth acoustics. For those who like Wagner played to the hilt in the big moments, this performance should be a very satisfying experience.

For those who may never have an opportunity to experience a live performance at the Met, this should make a very worthwhile investment.

Not at all enjoyable
This, I'm afraid, isn't good enough to convert people to Wagnerian drama. While the traditional staging has its merits (such that viewers readily understand the essence of the polot), both the stage direction and singing fall rather short of expectations, and such an impression cannot be rescued by the fine performance of the Met orchestra.

This is a performance that is better sampled through audio recording than via DVD.

Understandable and well sung
The traditional staging makes it much easier to understand Wagner's intentions for the opera than the Broulez version. Norman and Lakes are improbable twins, but they can sing. I have the Broulez version and much prefer this version. The Met staging isn't spectacular, but it doesn't get in the way either. The opera moves at a stately pace, but I'm not sure Wager is the man for you if you like short and perky operas.

The Met orchestra plays beautifully throughout.

Mediocre performance
The performance seen on this DVD set is of mediocre quality. The staging is naturalistic, but often tend to be rather rigid from a visual perspective. The orchestral performance is excellent, although I'd prefer a more animated approach by Levine. The singers are, frankly, a tad disappointing. Much that I like Norman and Lakes' singing, they don't look that convincing on the stage as the young lovers. For a DVD production, this is a significant drawback. Morris is a commanding Wotan, and one who sings with authority, even though he cannot rival some of the best interpreters of this great role. Ludwig is welcome as Fricka, even though she is already past her prime. Behrens's Brunnhilde is problematic - one moment she delivers Wagner's notes with a ringing tone; another moment her voice almost disintegrated under pressure. Her voice also doesn't have the heft for a warrior maiden. Never mind, this item is still worth getting. Just note those reservations. ... Read more

Amazon.com

There is a special category of German opera--we might call it the repellent masterpiece--in which some works of Richard Strauss are prominent, and Elektra is perhaps the pinnacle, certainly a unique experience. This production fulfills all the opera's requirements for mastery and repulsion.

Opera frequently deals with dysfunctional families, but the clan of Agamemnon, Clytemnestra, Elektra, and Orestes stands out even when compared with those of Oedipus or Medea. Deep, burning hatred, a thirst for revenge, a violent distaste for one's nearest and dearest are the driving forces in this work, which is essentially about the imperative of killing Mommy because she has murdered Daddy, who long ago killedLittle Sister. Creating a musical masterpiece out of such material was a daunting challenge, and Richard Strauss fulfilled it spectacularly with music that celebrates the powers of darkness. This Vienna State Opera production captures the music's shadowy, muscular essence. --Joe McLellan ... Read more

Reviews (9)

GIVING IT THEIR ALL
For a truly riveting operatic experience, you must see/hear this DVD! Eva Marton is at the very height of her operatic career giving vocally and dramatically everything she had (and that was a lot in the 1980's when this performance was taped). I don't feel that any other singer could give more than she does in this role. Cheryl Studer is awesome and also at the height of her powers. This performance proves that Cheryl should have stuck with the Germans and avoided, like the plague, Lucia and Violetta. What a career she could have had!! Fassbaender is down right scary playing a truly demented and crazed mother. All of the aforesaid singers are really into their roles giving performances of a lifetime.

The production, at the time, was controversial and was booed at this performance. Now it is simply exciting providing a memorable Elektra. After all, this ain't no fairy tale and this production does NOT treat it as one.

With Abbado directing the hell out of this score, this operatic performance will stick with you for the rest of your life. So if you want to see opera at its most exciting and at its very darkest buy this DVD.

Grotesque a la Strauss
This is the darkest operatic performance captured on video. Sure, there are other operas that can match the sensationalism of Elektra in terms of pure drama and spectacle. Yet no other opera conveys the bloodthirsty desires, fanatic vengefulness, esctatic embrace of death as compellingly as Strauss's masterpiece. No other opera can surpass Elektra's sheer ability to terrify especially in the music associated with Elektra and her mother. By far, these two are the darkest female characters in opera.
Cetainly Marton and Fassbaender offer compelling protrayals by expressing the terrying psychology of the two characters. Both are haunted by the murders of a loved one. Both are driven to kill by the same premonition of vengeful death: Elektra must wait for her brother, Orestes, because he is the one destined to bring about the murder of her mother and stepfather while Klymmenestra must sacrifice to end the dreams of her own murder by Orestes.
Marton sings this role with unending passion and more abandon than any other singer in recent memory. Her opening monologue is just astounding as she screams out the emotions that have consumed her soul: the love for her father and her need of vengeance to honor this love. Marton's grief, angst and desperation are world ending in sheer dramatic scale. One senses that the fulfillment of this vengence is her only reason to breath, eat, sleep and live.
Fassbaender's portrayal of the mother is no less thrilling. She is a woman slowly flayed by unending dreams of her own demise. Yet Fassbaender shows the aging queen defiantly refusing to surrender to this fate. It's like watching a wounded zebra desperately escaping the oncoming jaws of the lion that is Orestes.
For any fan of Strauss' Masterpiece, this is a must have.

A worthy contender
An excellent production by the Vienna State Opera. Comparisons with the Met production featuring Birgit Nilsson are inappropriate - like comparing apples and oranges - as the interpretations are not comparable. The Vienna version emphasizes the "black and bright" nature of the drama (Hofmannsthal's own phrase) with stark, almost monochromatic sets. Marton makes a very convincing Elektra and Fassbaender's Klytemnestra is truly ghoulish, though a little bit over the top and one-dimensional. Klytemnestra is a woman on the verge and the actress portraying her must keep this in mind - to be convincing, she must walk a fine line between madness and sanity without falling over the precipice, and this is where Mignon Dunn's performance, in the Met version, is superior, imbued with a regal and scrupulously delineated dementia that almost manages to win sympathy. It is in the central Klytemnestra scene that the Vienna version suffers. In the Met version, Elektra's numbingly cold indifference to her mother's suffering, as portrayed by Nilsson, chills the soul. In the Vienna version, the conflict between mother and daughter is never convincingly established - and this conflict is central to the drama: the mother's need to nurture and dominate collides head-on with the daughter's alienation and need to avenge a father and an older sister. These needs are irreconcilable and tragedy results. Nevertheless, Klyemnestra's entrance scene in this version, amidst the requisite flickering torches and with Strauss' pounding score, is a particularly effective piece of staging. The production captures the almost claustrophobic terror of Sophocles' drama brilliantly. Any competent performance of this opera should leave the viewer emotionally drained - and this production certainly had a cathartic effect on this listener. Almost a century after it was written, Strauss' score remains a shocker - a marvel of inspiration and compositional technique. Though I still prefer the Nilsson/Rysanek/Dunn version by the Met, I thoroughly enjoyed the Vienna production: if gritty realism and raw emotion are what you look for in opera, this production will certainly not disappoint.

Dark, manic, paranoid production -- loved it!
Despite what other reviewers have said, Eva Marton is, in this production, superior to Brigit N's Elektra done at the Met. In fact all the singers in the Vienna State Opera production throw themselves body and soul into their roles. The set / costume design is outstanding, dark and otherworldly but never distracting from the performances or Strauss' superior music. The one enormous set-piece is a 100-foot statue of the murdered Agamemnon, the huge head having fallen to the ground. Thus Agamemnon has an overpowering albeit mute presence throughout the show. Very effective I thought. Klytemnestra is simply odious. She looks like a grotesque parody of Tammy Faye Baker doing a "Mommy Dearest" Joan Collins impression, but with complete sincerity. That is Klytemnestra and her maid pictured on the DVD case by the way. Marton's Elektra is strong, insane, tear-streaked and oddly sympathetic.

greatness!!
One of the most intense performances ever. In (any!!) music category!!! look at Marton and Abbado at the end! Totally out of this world. The sets are nightmare stuff. No wonder there is some booing at the end. Those old folks at the audience probably couldn't watch it for it's a life shortening performance for people with weak hearts. Buy it!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Since 1941, the first great event in the classical calendar has been the New Year's Strauss concert by the Vienna Philharmonic. January 1, 2000 marked the end of the "Strauss year," 1999 being the centenary of the death of "Waltz King" Johann Strauss II and the 150th anniversary of the passing of his father, Johann Strauss. The previous May, the Vienna Philharmonic gave an outdoor Johann Strauss Gala, though only "The Blue Danube" waltz and "RadetzkyMarch" overlap with this New Year's Concert. Here the orchestra gives aninfectiously warm and confident performance, from the opening "Lagunen" waltz tothe utterly exuberant "Eljen a Magjar!" polka. Mixing well-loved gems with such rarities as the "Albion" and "Hellenen" polkas, this music-making is a real delight, the lavishly garlanded hall as ravishing to the eye as the music to the ear. In homage to 2001: A Space Odyssey, "The Blue Danube" is wittily shot as a series of graceful aerial pans across the outside of the Musikverein concert hall and over Vienna itself. Riccardo Muti, conducting his third Vienna New Year's concert, thoroughly enjoys himself, and it is clear everyone else does too. --Gary S. Dalkin, Amazon.co.uk ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Magnificent
I own three New year's concerts on DVD, and this is my favorite. It contais great selections of the works by Johann Strauss as well as his brothers and other musicians. Also, this is the only Concert that I have where the conductor gives an actual speech before The Blue Danube. Anyway, this concert should be on your shelf and watched once on a blue moon.

By the Way, there are two or three selections where you con choose the "angle" on the DVD to either see the orchestra playing or see people dance to the music and swich anytime. This is a great feature!!!

Great stuff here.

Not good
If you are looking for some of the most scintillating and idiomatic Strauss playing in resent times. I would stick to the VPO and Carlos Kleiber. Once heard, all others pale in comparison.

A terrific concert.
This is a great DVD of a great concert filmed in the Grosse Saal, Musikerein, Vienna on January 1, 2000. Riccardo Muti is great.

The program and the orchestra are terrific with some new pieces that were never performed at a New Year's Concert. There is the "Morning, Noon, and Night in Vienna Overture" which I love. And there are others also to be enjoyed.

In the "An der schonen blauen Donau", the cammeramen take us on a tour of some acoustics, places in Vienna, sunsets/rises in fast-foward, and of the opera house/concert hall that the concert is being performed in.

The ballet in the "Ritter Pasman: Csardas" is terrific and extremly well done.

This DVD is to be enjoyed for many generations to come, and probably to become the most popular and favorite among millions of people. Please buy it, and you'll not regret it...ever...

Very enjoyable.... anytime...
I like to watch this DVD whenever I have some extra time. The tracks mainly consist of waltzes and polkas, which amuse me with easy feeling. In particular I love to see the two tracks with multi angles which feature ballet to the music. The photography during the rendition of "On the beautiful blue Donau" is spectacular. Of course to see the very last track "Radetzky March" is also a pleasure. The audience claps in accordance with Muti's conducting. This also includes one "serious" music called "Ein Morgen, ein Mittag, ein Abend in Wien", an overture by Suppe, which is so beautiful and dramatic. I think Muti is charismatic when conducting and did a great job in the concert.

The video/audio quaity is outstandng. The picture has 16:9 letterbox format and the sound format has both 5.1 DD and lineat PCM stereo, which I prefer for classical music.

So... I am sure this DVD can be an all time favorite for anyone who loves music and "peace".

Millenium Magic from Vienna!
For more years than I want to admit or recollect, our New Year's Day has always featured the PBS broadcast ( or telecast, when available) of the Vienna Philharmonic's annual concert. Featuring, for the most part, the music of the talented Strauss family, these concerts were always captivating, and the longer waltzes provide ample support of Zubin Mehta's comment that they were "perfect tone poems", which could neither be added to or suffer subtraction from by so much as a note. EMI has done a perfect job of capturing the magic of the 2000 Concert, lead by the talented and acclaimed maestro, Riccardo Muti. It has been said, and I have found it to be so, that no other orchestra can play 3/4 time like the VP; the minute hesitation on the third beat is not done this way by any other orchestra. It is obvious that Muti, said to be as strict as was Toscanini, is having a wonderful time with this music and we did too. Visually stunning, with views of the sumptuous Musikverein altenating with views of Vienna, the viewer has ample time to view the orchestra without being bored. The sound is Dolby 5.1, which is all that needs be noted. Put it on your wish list now, so that when New Year comes around, you can kick back and enjoy. This DVD is a guaranteed delight! ... Read more

Amazon.com

With dazzling star turns by the real-life husband-and-wife team of soprano Angela Gheorghiu and tenor Roberto Alagna, this 1996 production of Donizetti's frothy romantic comedy L'Elisir d'amore ("The Elixir of Love") is a must for any opera fan. Their many detractors seem merely jealous of their stupendous success, because--at least on the evidence of this performance--Gheorghiu and Alagna have the voices, the acting skill, and (last but not least) the looks to sustain their international superstardom. Ably supporting the star couple are Roberto Scaltriti, Simone Alaimo, and Elena Dan; Frank Dunlop's clever production overcomes its needless updating to the 1920s with colorful sets and costumes. In the pit and giving Donizetti's score an agile reading are conductor Evelino Pido and the Lyon National Opera Orchestra and Chorus.

A especially welcome DVD bonus treat is the 52-minute film "Love Potion," which goes behind the scenes of the production. Fans of Gheorghiu and Alagna will particularly relish their favorites as they engagingly talk about their parts in the opera... in English, French, and Italian. --Kevin Filipski ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Simone Alaimo (Dulcamara) steals the show
This DVD is a gem!

GREAT music by Donizetti; tunes that I'm continually humming to myself (because I can't sing) throughout the day. Wonderful singers: Roberto Alagna and Angela Gheorghiu in the starring roles, however the show is stolen by the performance of Simone Alaimo who does a superlative job as Doctorre Dulcamara. Talk about getting into a role: he holds absolutely nothing back....magnificent! Just see him in the duet "Quanto amore" with Angela Gheorghiu and you'll see what I mean. It'll leave you breathless.

As far as the overall production, I have seen a couple operas staged (on DVD) from the Opera National de Lyon and have not been disappointed in the results. They seem to have the knack of producing good audio and pleasing sets that are easy to look at and complement the people on stage.

Brian Large handles the video and editing so you know you're going to get great camera angles.

My only negative comments(and thus the loss of one star) about this otherwise wonderful production is that first, Roberto Alagna's voice came through my stereo system slightly tinny at times(maybe my system and/or the fact that I like my opera fairly loud) and second, that I could swear someone hits the wrong note at the very end of the opera.

All in all an enjoyable show that I've listened to many times and just never get tired of. Absolutely worth getting.

Donizetti at His Best
This is an exuberant production with a marvelous cast and sensitive musical direction. Filmed in a 16x9 format before a live audience, the opera is indeed a joy to behold. The pairing of the husband-and-wife team of Roberto Alagna and Angela Gheorghiu works beautifully throughout and the contributions of the other principals leaves nothing to be desired. The work has been updated into the 1920s and the results are satisfying although not quite so colourful as traditional presentations. The stage appears a little cramped and I would have liked to see more space for everyone to move around. Video direction by Brian Large is exemplary as usual. Picture quality throughout is excellent.
My one criticism concerns the audio tracks available on the DVD. Neither the Dolby Digital 5.1 nor the Dolby Stereo is entirely satisfactory because both produce a fairly narrow left-to-right soundstage with too much of the sound emanating from the middle. The absence of a good 2-channel PCM audio track is regrettable. The balance between voice and orchestra is fine however as is the overall quality of all the singers. For years Decca had a top-notch reputation for first-class sound in its recordings. On this occasion however, they fell somewhat short of the mark.
The inclusion of an excellent 52-minute documentary of the making of the video and CD is to be commended as is the comprehensive booklet.

A very lively l'Elisir
I'm a believer of live performances (local live performance is typically more enjoyable than Pavarotti/Levine/MET on plastic, so to speak) but enjoyed watching this as much as I would at the theater. Particularly overall acting to the last chorus girl is very engaging. I sometimes watch operas at home one act or scene at a time, but not this. I couldn't turn it off until the end. Beside the story itself and real-life newlyweds, that filming was an integral part of this production must be a factor as well to create such a compelling recording.

My favorite is Alagna. I know little about his other roles, but he is Nemorino incarnated in his singing and acting here. If you felt puzzled, like I did, by his "Una furtiva lagrima," watch the extra "Making of" ("Love Potion" from the menu) then watch/listen to the aria again (Act 2, track 22). Doesn't it sound and look whole a lot different? The CD (non-live) by the same cast contains two versions of the aria. Gheorghiu is lovely as ever. If I had to criticize, she could have worked on her facial expressions a wee bit here and there. As she comments herself, she is not a tragic heroine fated to die in the end this time. Alaimo (Dulcamara) is another critical element in this performance, commanding such a presence despite sweaty face. Scaltriti's caricatured army officer (Belcore) is not too silly nor wet and, I think, nicely complements the light-hearted atmosphere which is consistently palpable throughout the performance. I just wondered why his face was pulled to one side when singing...

Picture is very clear throughout, and the sound is good at least with my humble stereo system. There are technical issues (subtitles, unfriendly menu, etc.) and perhaps some other gripes, but, hey, do you want to simply enjoy a well-done opera at home? This is it.

Un gran 'Elissir'
Esta es una muy interesante version de "L' elissir d' amore" desde todos los puntos de vista. La actualizacion escenica es acertada (traspaso de la acción a la actualidad), y tiene realmente bastantes gags muy conseguidos.
En lo vocal, ANGELA GHEORGHIU descolla con una Adina esplendida en lo vocal y desenvuelta en lo escenico, como tambien ROBERTO ALAGNA construye un Nemorino de alto nivel vocal y escenicamente. Muy divertido y bien cantado el Dulcamara de SIMONE ALAIMO, aqui casado con una vieja 'Madame Dulcamara'. Como Belcore, ROBERTO SCALTRITTI ofrece una caracterizacion muy conseguida del rol, y vocalmente esta mas que correcto.
EVELINO PIDO dirige con soltura a una orquesta y coro que rinden a gran nivel.
La toma de video es muy buena, la de sonido suficiente, y el dvd se complementa con un interesante documental sobre el making-off de la ópera, que incluye ademas una version alternativa de la 'Furtiva lacrima', a cargo de Roberto Alagna.

Great production of a simple but very enjoyable opera!
This is by all means a very good production of a simple but very enjoyable opera. The cast is great. The singing is very good, but what makes this production special is that all the singers act very well and they also look their part. They look like they enjoyed themselves on stage and so does one watching them.

Please don't listen to the idiot who sais this is a poor production. You can see clearly that he has no idea of what he is saying when he sais it can't be good just because it is filmed in Lyon! He clearly has no idea of the great productions one can see nowadays all throughout Europe.

L'Elisir is a funny opera with lovable tunes and this production really achieves that. The sound quality is very good, even though it's true that the sound is a little narrow, with too much coming from the middle, specially in 5.1.

I sincerely recommend it! Great buy! ... Read more

Description

Featured selections from live performances at the Metropolitan Opera. The most beloved performances from the Met's grand repertoire. Acclaimed performances by Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, Eva Marton and Joan Sutherland, and conductors James Levine, Giuseppe Patane and Richard Bonynge. Also includes a 30 minute documentary of the Metropolitan Opera's first 100 years. Highlights: "Centennial Gala" - The Bartered Bride Bedrich Smetana (Overture: James Levine conducing); "Un Ballo in Maschera" (Giuseppe Verdi, Performed by Luciano Pavarotti) - Act I, Scene 2: Bacarolle, Quintet and Finale; "Don Carlo" (Giuseppe Verdi, Performed by Luciano Pavarotti) - Act I, Fontainebleau Duet; "La Boheme" (Giacomo Puccini, Overture: James Levine, Performed by Jose Carreras) - Act I: Finale; "Tannhauser" (Richard Wagner, Performed by Eva Marton) - Act II: Elisabeth's Greeting "Dich, teure Halle."; "Lucia di Lammermoor" (Gaetano Donizetti, Performed by Joan Sutherland) - Act II, "Chi mi frena in tal momento?" 104 minutes. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Bel canto can be translated as "pretty singing," and that definition seems tailor-made for this production, which offers grace, charm, and a fine-tuned sense of style in abundance to compensate for its limited psychological and emotional impact. The four principal singers are all specialists in the bel canto style, and this opera has played a key role in building their substantial reputations. Their singing is more spectacular than their acting, but that is what bel canto is all about. Those who want gut-wrenching situations and passionate emoting should try the verismo style. Meanwhile, for its sweeping musical imagination and technical wizardry, Rossini's epic about royal assassination and misdirected lust in the ancient Babylonian empire deserves a place in any inclusive opera collection, and we are not likely to have a better video Semiramide recording in the foreseeable future.

June Anderson has an attractive appearance and sounds exactly right in the music's florid melodic lines. But she is not dramatically compelling as the wicked queen who had her husband killed and fell in love with a man who turned out to be her long-lost son, Arsace. Marilyn Horne rose to the highest levels of international fame in the role of that conflicted son, and her presence alone would be enough to give this video classic status. Her voice was a bit past its prime when this performance was recorded in 1991, but still there is no other voice quite like it, no other voice so suited to Rossini's heroic mezzo roles. Samuel Ramey is a close bass counterpart to Anderson: great tone, agile florid singing, and a rather wooden but visually appealing stage presence. Sanford Olsen has a small role and sings it almost perfectly. James Conlon gets excellent musical results; John Copley's staging is massive and static. --Joe McLellan ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Musically and visually gorgeous, but a dramatic flop
The sets and backdrops are up to Met standards, i.e., gorgeous and sumptuous. I have no reason to complain about the music and singing. Horne's deep voice is stunning in its power--more on the other aspects later. I haven't heard Anderson before, but her singing here gives me no reason to doubt promo claims that she IS Semiramide.
Alas, as drama this performance left me unmoved. Two huge problems: there is no way costumes and headdresses can tart up Horne to be a young pubescent warrior about to take over the throne of the greatest world power of its day. I realize this is partly Rossini's fault requiring a female voice, but Horne is too short, too fat, too old--in a word, too matronly.
Second big problem: Anderson can't act. In the ghost scene at the end of Act one, she is supposed to be acting horrified. Instead, her gestures and expressions are standard operatic, "oh poor pitiful me." The opera is full of opportunities for subtle psychological games by Semiramide: cunning, betrayal, lust, greed, revived maternal love. She only gives us pointing, heart grasping, throat clutching gestures. Yuk. I've watched enough opera on video to know that there are plenty of great singers who are also great actors. The only exception is at the beginning of Act 2, with Ramey as Asshur. It is as if Ramey's maleness brings out her female wiles--for about five minutes.
Apparently, this opera is meant to be heard rather than seen.
Singing: 5
Visuals: 4
Acting: 2
Overall: 3

Bravi!
This recording of Semiramide captures an all-star cast of Rossini specialists all in good voice and clearly "on" for the evening's performance. There are some glorious examples of duet singing for the soprano and mezzo executed with brilliance and style by June Anderson and Marilyn Horne. I own a CD recording of this opera with Marilyn Horne made back in the 1960s. The quality of Marilyn Horne's singing in the DVD makes it hard to believe that some 30 years separates her audio recording and this taped performance at the Met! Having seen this production of Semiramide at the Met (unfortunately with a different cast) the DVD captures the lavish scenery and costumes of the opera production well. The tracking on the DVD is well done and permits one to skip through the entire performance and get all major segments of music (arias, ensembles, etc.) with relative ease. The special features could stand to be beefed up some more but the ability to turn the multi-language subtitles on and off is an added bonus Iuseful. The other (minor) draw back I noticed was that in certain scenes, the reflection of the opera house lights off of certain character's costumes (i.e., Semiramide's crown) in several scenes created a split-second glare that was distracting at times. Despite this, I still give this five stars and would more than tolerate that minor distraction for the quality of picture and clarity of the DVD provided. Overall, a good addition to anyone's home viewing opera collection. With the aid of surround sound speakers as part of a home theater system, this DVD is the next best thing to actually seeing the performance live.

One of my favorite opera recordings ever
First off, if you like opera for the drama, you might want to consider skipping any of Rossini's serious works. The stories are interesting enough but I find the dramas seriously lacking. In this video, there is very little action and often the singers are simply standing like cardboard characters as they sing, although occasionally they do liven up and show a smattering of emotion. BUT, BUT, BUT, the singing in this video is absolutely top-rate, all the principal singers being some of the best ever in their roles. At first, I didn't quite feel that way about Anderson, because perhaps she is not quite as exciting as Sutherland or Caballe as Semiramide, but she certainly does a more than acceptable job of the role with her pretty voice and smooth fioratura, and what's more, she looks just lovely. The sets and costumes are wonderful. If you are the kind of person who really loves fancy, yet tasteful coloratura - the kind where the notes are like strands of pearls, with a bare minimum of scoops and slides, you are definitely going to appreciate the singing in this video. Also, if you have never heard this opera, but you like tunes - the toe-tapping, get-in-your-head-and-can't-get-out kind of tunes, you will love this wonderful music. I listened to other recordings of this opera alot before I ever got this video and it was so nice to finally learn what is going on in the opera, AND get a superb audio recording of the opera at the same time. The English subtitles are there, although I had to learn how to make my cheapy dvd player find them.

Semiramide is the best Rossini opera!!
This DVD of Semiramide is fantastic!! The singing and the music were very beautiful. June Anderson is a great Semiramide, and Marilyn Horne with a beautiful mezzo-voice was amazing as Arsace.
The rest of the cast was incredible!! You should get this DVD because the music of Rossini was beautiful. It's the best!!

Babylon circa 1200 BC
Samuel Ramey's international career began in earnest when he sang the role of Assur in Rossini's "Semiramide" at the 1980 Aix-en-Provence Festival. Two of his co-stars were no slouches, either: Marilyn Horne and Montserrat Caballé.

Horne and Ramey both repeat their roles in this 1990 New York Metropolitan Opera version of Rossini's last great dramatic opera, with Horne singing the trousers role of the young hero, Arsace. This is the opera video I'm going to wear out first because the singers are so perfectly cast (and because I'm a Rossini nut). Luckily, I've got a second copy.

I also have a video of the Aix-en-Provence "Semiramide," but the tenor was terrible and the costumes were atrocious--almost everyone was dressed up to look like chunks of ancient Assyrian architecture (perhaps because the soprano resembled a chunk of ancient Assyrian architecture, even without a costume). I'd give Caballé the edge over June Anderson vocally, but dramatically Anderson is 'the' personification of the flamboyant Met Semiramide.

Ramey is superb both vocally and dramatically in the role of the villain Assur. His powerful, agile bass is displayed to perfection in the long and very difficult duets with Semiramide ("Se la vita ancor t'è cara") and Arsace ("Bella imago degli Dei"), and in his own aria, "Il di già cade" toward the end of the opera. His singing is always elegant, never over the top, even in the basso mad scene (with chorus) when he sees the ghost of the king he and Semiramide had murdered.

The role of Arsace was practically invented by Marilyn Horne. She has trouble moving around the stage in this Met production and she is quite a bit shorter than the other principals, but that's not what you'll notice when she sings. Lovely. The notes just pour out in rich, musical passages with all of the dark coloring that makes her perfect for this role. I've got a CD of Jennifer Larmore singing Arsace (to Cheryl Studer's Semiramide) and as much as I love her voice, I've got to give my vote to Horne.

Stanford Olsen does a fine job as the thwarted Indian prince, Idreno (he has a much more brilliant and disciplined tenor than the Idreno in Aix-en-Provence).

The Met chorus performs with distinction in the grand manner but rather static staging of this John Copley production. ... Read more

Description

This is a prime example of the lush musical style of the late Romantic era. The production features opera greats Placido Domingo, Cornell MacNeil and Renata Scotto. Riccardo Zandonai's Francesca may be one of the most beautiful in the Metropolitan Opera company's recent history. The sets and costumes match the lushness of the music. Conducted by James Levine. Includes English Subtitles. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

disappointing production
although this DVD has very good performances by Domingo and Scotto it is flawed by very poor filming. Yes the set and costumes are lush, but it is so dark you can't see them. I bought this in spite of it being a Pioneer production, but I
will not make this mistake again.

Met puts best foot forward
The Metropolitan Opera went all out to make its production of this rarely performed work a success. The sets are beautiful and match the music perfectly. The conducting and playing could hardly be bettered. Scotto is nearly perfect in the title role (just a few years earlier she would have been absolutely perfect). Domingo was at his best as Paolo. Nevertheless, veteran baritone Cornell MacNeil nearly steals the show as the nasty, brutish Gianciotto. At this stage of his career, his voice was no longer beautiful, but it still had the range, power, and expressiveness to personify this evil character. The opera falls somewhat short of being an unqualified musical masterpiece, but it is a fascinating and dramatically effective work and has some stunning scenes, including the longest battle scene I have ever seen on stage in an opera theater (Die Walkure, Act III Scene 1 is shorter and the actual battle seems always to take place off stage). I recommend that you get this one. You won't be bored.

Francesca da Rimini at the Met (DVD)
Francesca da Rimini is a fascinating opera and in parts - the end of act 1, the second half of Act 3 - truly magical. It is not the sort of opera which would take kindly to a minimalist production or to updating, so - in this case - the lavish sets and costumes provided by the Met are entirely appropriate and highly effective (though I do wish the audience would refrain from applauding the scenery). The opera stands or falls by the casting of Francesca and Paolo and in this production it definitely stands. In 1984, Placido Domingo was a dashing and handsome Paolo acting with verve and on top vocal form. We perhaps too often take him for granted because he has been so good for so long. Francesca is supposed to be young and beautiful. Renata Scotto is neither, but for much of the time she makes you think that she is. Her acting is most certainly of the operatic variety, but it works. At this stage in her career, when she is called upon to deliver the highest notes her voice turns hard and wobbles - fortunately there are not that many of the highest notes in this part. The rest of the voice remains gorgeous and infinitely expressive. Levine and the Met orchestra play superbly.

A LITTLE-KNOWN WONDER
This opera doesn't find its way to the stage very much, but I fell in love with this video version and look forward to seeing it live somewhere. The first act sets the stage with a great Pre-Raphaelite look, as Francesca and Paolo meet and begin their doomed love. The music, highly melodic in the first and final acts, is charged with drama. In between, you have the brutal scenes of war, hate, violence--with Paolo's brothers, a nasty pair, contrasting nicely with the languid beauty of the two lovers' encounters. This is truly a case where the sets and costumes create a jewel-like setting for the sensual emotions displayed in Zandonai's music.

Beautifully pictured! Domingo and Scotto are fantastic!
Both Domingo and Scotto sang in great passion in this love tragedy. Their voices are without doubt, and everything else is just as beautiful as their singing, the acting, the stage, the picture, and the costumes.

The story is derived from Dante's Inferno. In the fifth canto of Inferno, Francesca, Dante's ancestor and Paolo, her brother-in-law were punished for their faulty love by drifting in wind to eternity. But their great and tragic love was brought to live by Riccardo Zandonai's Francesca da Rimini, opera in four scenes. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Rebelling against the increasingly formulaic operas of the time,Christoph Willibald Gluck's "reformist" opera Alceste (1767) was asuccessful attempt to return to a purer form of musical drama. It is highlyappropriate that this 1999 production of the revised 1776 Paris version shouldbe conducted by Sir John Eliot Gardiner, with the English Baroque Soloists andMonteverdi Choir, the same forces responsible for many fine Bach performancesequally emphasizing character and text. In setting the tragic story of theprofound love between Queen Alceste and her husband King Admète, Gluckprovided a score of austere, rending beauty.

Principals Anne Sofie von Otter and Paul Groves dominate the production as muchthrough the power of their acting as their musical prowess. The major scenes areelectrifying in their emotional intensity. Contrasting with this psychologicalrealism are the simple, Greek-inspired designs by Robert Wilson. Silhouetted,geometric shapes glide gracefully through the slow-motion movements of theactors, bringing an hypnotic, dreamlike quality to the work. Near-constant bluelighting adds a sense of late-evening tranquillity, giving the stage a highlydistinctive look and a feeling of dislocation in space and time. Both chillingand uplifting, this Alceste is a triumph. --Gary S. Dalkin,Amazon.co.uk ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Yee Gads What Is This?
Okay, I'll admit to the fact that this period of music is not of great interest to me. But, I decided to get it a chance. While beautifully sung and played, this is the most boring thing I have ever seen in my life. For over 2 hours the principle singers moved in slow motion most of the time with the arms and hands in statuesque like positions -- it literally put me to sleep! Maybe it was effective in theatre but it sure wasn't on video. If you want it for the music and singing I would highly recommend it -- but don't bother watching it.

ALCESTE!
CHRISTOPH WILLIBALD GLUCK's sublime work is presented in a most interesting way by stage director Robert Wilson! On the one hand, "Alceste" is performed by a period instrument ensemble, the ENGLISH BAROQUE SOLOISTS, joined by the singers and dancers of the MONTVERDI CHOIR, directed by Sir John Elliot Gardiner. On the other hand, Wilson uses striking theatrical symbolism with decidedly modern overtones! Certainly worth checking out, as the singing alone is great!

The Cover Tells It All
This opera is played by an excellent orchestra led by the excellent John Eliot Gardiner. The singing seems well-done though several of the main singers seem to sing in a style more appropriate for a later musical period with relatively pronounced vibrato. The real problem for me is Gluck's music. It is intended to be simple and unadorned as indeed the case. I find little merit or interest init. What is worse is that the stage action is very stylized and static. During an aria, it is possible that the singer will remain almost expressionless and perhaps raise his/her hand in two or three stages from waist to shoulder level. A background of stationary figues on the stage may remain almost unmoving for long periods. My wife calls this human hieroglyphics and she, justly, refuses to watch it even though the singing is quite good.

Beautifully performed reform opera
Gluck's Alceste was given a wonderful and moving performance by Gardner and company on this new DVD! The music is beautifully expressive, the singing by all the cast was suberb, esp. Annie Sofie Von Otter in the title role. the English Baroque period ensemble under J.E. Gardner was fabulous, as usual. The sets are quite beautiful and very well designed...but there isn't a lot of physical action, which could be troubling to modern audiences used constant action in movies, etc. I was impressed by the choreographers effective use of Kabuki (traditional Japanese opera)for the inspiration behind the stylized hand gestures. I am an 18th century opera fanatic and would like to see more staged productions of composers operatic works such as Gluck, Jomelli, Sacchini,Rameau and other composers that have unjustly slipped between the cracks of music history. From a technical perspective,both the audio and video quality are excellent. Bravo to everyone involved in the performance and production! ... Read more

Reviews (8)

A very impressive Rheingold
First and foremost...Jerusalem's Loge is the best out there. The part is perfect for him. He does very well in the Met's Siegfried as Siegfried, but it's a bit too heavy of a role for him at times (which is understandable of course...what a role!). Loge suits him pefectly in manner and signing.

As for the rest, Morris is an excellent Wotan has all the command usually exhibited by great Wotans. H does a wonderful job. I was also impressed by whoever sang Fasolt, he just gave an extremely sturdy peformance. Great tone and a very reasonable Riese (giant).

The first scene (Rhine Maiden's scene) was a bit awkward but to be honest, I've yet to see a production of that scene that I actually did like. Maybe it's just an awkward scene in general. Anyway, the next scene more than makes up for that as the stage becomes littered with talent and most of the characters of the opera show up.

The third scene down in Nibelheim is almost as good as the second scene except that I would've have liked to see more out of the other Nieblungs (besides Alberich and Mime) to give more of a sense of dread of Alberich's rule.

I'm not a huge fan of the fourth scene in general (I guess I find it kinda slow) but this is of course in keeping with the rest of the production an extremely admirable scene. Espescially in the staging of Froh's rainbow bridge. It is a fairly amaizing special effect for the opera stage.

To sum it all up, this production is certainly worth what you'll pay for it. Levine's direction and the cast are almost impeccable so the distraction are minimized about as far as they could be. You'll certaily enjoy the Ring at the Met.

"All you gods I'll grip...in my golden grasp!"
There is more to like...and less to be somewhat
dissatisfied with...in this Metropolitan Opera
Television Production of -Das Rheingold-. In the order
of my preferences, from best to lesser, are the
visual effects, the sets, the music and conducting,
the costumes, and some of the singing. But even
the singing which is less pleasing is only unequal
in certain parts, such as parts of the opening
Rhine scene and with the giants and the gods
in their first encounter. But this was a live

production, and the mircrophones were placed
as a distance, not right in front of the singers,
as they might be in a recorded version. So some
of the singing by Alberich in the first scene
seems not quite loud and forceful enough, but
then he is clamboring over the rocks. The
singing of the giants is also less than a bit
loud enough...and forceful. But then, things
change...and Alberich's singing in Nibelheim
is very good.
The visual effects are very captivating to me...
the mists...clouds...that rise from the blue
watery murkiness of the Rhine up to the god-
haven...as the camera pulls back, there is
a wondrous castle in the background...and Fricka
and Wotan are somewhat "dwarfed" by it as they
recline on a spiral, slanted set -- meant to represent
some sort of gigantic saucer-shaped rock or cliff
top...but which has wondrous similarity to a
textured, rough, rocky spiral galaxy. Then
there is the red mist...cloud...on the descent
into Nibelheim...and the passing shot in the
background of small dwarves at work in their
cave compartments with shining gleams cast off
here and there...the Nibelheim section is the
best part, as far as I am concerned...the
set is wondrous...a circular cave opening in
the back with the red background...it looks
like some eternal eye...or a gigantic worm-hole
into a fated eternity...
Also what should be mentioned is the English
translation of the libretto which can be added
by clicking on the opening bars...the translation
is very tough...elemental...pagan...not poetic
or lyrical. It gives a very real, ominous...compelling...
forceful...underpinning to the visuals and the
German singing going on in the visuals.
The style of the production is of the Wagnerian
Romantic late 1800s style...the costumes have
that "period" look, but the sets are timeless
and elemental, not weirdly modern and anachronistic.
I much prefer the look of this production over the
descriptions given by some of the posters of
the Bayreuth production conducted by Boulez where
the opening Rhine scene, apparently, is set
under the shadow of a hydro-electric dam! And
the Rhine Maidens appear to be "call girls."
The viewer should also consider several levels
of meaning and awareness as he or she watches
this production...and relates the meaning of what
is being said...thoughts about gold, and wealth,
and power, and greed, and revenge...and renouncing
love in order to gain power. There is definite
social...and psychological critique going on here.
Alberich's critique of the pleasure lives of the
gods sounds as if it might be from the lips of
a Platonist contemplating the fate of the Atlanteans...
or of a 19th century socialist...or of a transcendental
critic/rebuker like Thoreau. The giants' warnings
to Wotan about the sacredness of contracts and
the bond of one's word, sound like thoughts to think
about in relation to government and governing...
and law...their talk of how Wotan used the pledge-
power of his spear to wield their compliance, sounds
like something out of Thomas Hobbes, and the whole
idea of the social contract. The more one watches
and listens...and lets several levels of possible
meaning come together, the richer and more
powerful and gripping the genius of bringing
so much myth/psychology/and inspired alienation
and passion together in a work of art, and drama,
and music becomes...
If you think an opera can't be overwhelming
and stun you...watch the giant Fafner kill the
other giant Fasolt...and watch the stunned,
horrified looks on the gods' faces...and Wotan's
shocked, chastened, brooding look as he realizes
what is happening as a result of the ring's curse.
The scene is powerful...and gripping...
and moving in a profoundly deep and elemental
way... you are truly "within the spell" of
the cycle to come...and its relentless
unfolding possibilties...moving ever slowly
but enigmatically...and sadly... toward fatal
fated conclusion...

Too ugly to be laughed at....
Wagner's masterful score is well-executed by Levine, if you can ignore the audience, which coughs like it has TB. Visually, this production is atrocious. The Rhine-daughters are about as graceful as three-legged cows and are costumed like cheap mermaid prositutes or fishy spokesmodels for a seafood place. Loge looks like he's wearing Star Trek TNG latex. As he climbs the rock to get the gold, Alberich makes the whole thing wobble like something put together by middle-schoolers for their first production of The Ring. Bad stage direction all around. The only part I think lived up to Wagner's vision was the cool rainbow bridge at the very end, but you can see that by looking at the DVD case. Remind me not to attend the Met. Sounds good but best to watch when blind.

Disappointing production and performances
I'm disappointed by the production and the performances. While it's a good idea to stage this opera in a naturalistic manner, the stage direction is disappointing, as can be witnessed from the comical episodes involving the Rhinemaidens and the various transformations by Alberich.

The cast fails to do justice to Wagner's score. Morris is hampered by bad stage direction all the way and he is less than dramatically vivid. Ludwig is well past her prime, as is the Alberich. In fact, the other roles are not that well taken, too, with the single exception of Jerusalem's Loge. But a good Loge cannot rescue the entire opera. Levine's slow tempo is also a liability even though the orchestra performed well.

The art and the artist
It is gratifying and most helpful that a prominent Jewish conductor has presided over one of the best interpretations of the Ring I have ever seen.

Helpful, because on the heels of Jean Shinoda Bolen's Jungian interpretation of the Ring mythology, Levine has helped all Wagner fans move further away from the Nazi stereotype that has always dogged the operas. For too long, the Wagner fan has been seen as a caricature Lone Nutter, who listens to Wagner at full blast while easing back into his armchair with a copy of Mein Kampf and a stein of lager, with a huge swastika draped across the wall in front of him.

Levine and other Jewish Wagner fans have been able to, as Dimitri Drobatschewsky put it, separate art from the artist. It's not as if Wagner was alone in his anti-semitism, anyway. It was primarily Hitler's adoption of Wagner for his own ends that created the Evil Composer tag.

The Rheingold sets the standard for the rest of the Cycle, this being the prelude to the trilogy. Levine is both inspired and inspiring and delivers at every level throughout. Morris is an impressive, if at times, a little under powered Wotan, his passing resemblance to Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees notwithstanding. Behrens consistently proves why she has long been considered the ultimate Brunnhilde. The only visual blip being that, through no fault of her own, she is rather too close in age to Morris to be a credible daughter.

The sets are generally adequate, and at times, excellent, although other productions have slaughtered this version, especially in the Rheingold - the controversial, yet visionary 1983 Bayreuth production (The English Ring) above all. In the Bayreuth '83 Ring (which also featured the superb Behrens), the Rhinemaidens were sylph-like and naked against a stunningly original backdrop, which gave the production a pagan and elemental flavour that is somewhat lacking in the Levine version.

However, this remains a top notch production and one of the few versions to be currently available. At the prices Amazon are offering, you simply can't go wrong. Having just received my copy of Gotterdammerung, I now have the entire Ring and I certainly take my hat off to James Levine and his superb cast and crew. Get it while you can, people. These things have a way of becoming unavailable rather quickly. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Norman, Troyanos and Berlioz are superb!
This is the only video version of Berlioz's masterpiece, and I think it's one of the best performances from the MET series. Levine holds everything together admirably. The chorus is a bit variable, but acceptable. Norman is wonderful, she was born to play Cassandra. She acts impressively and sings with ease and drama. Domingo as Aeneas sounds tired, his voice is too light for this demanding role. From the very start, it's obvious. I think Domingo is great in roles like Alfredo, Riccardo ("Ballo") or Hoffman, not in parts like this. Troyanos as Dido is a marvel, frail yet powerful, moving in the last scenes. And she is physically appealing. Allan Monk is very well cast as Corebus, his beautiful voice fits the part like a glove. Douglas Ahlstedt and Phillip Creech deserve mention. The others sing well too. Perhaps Claudia Catania is a bit shrill, but she performs professionally. The production is very effective, and all the singers move well (though Domingo is a bit uncomfortable even in acting). Video is very good, especially in the love duet. Sound and camera work are first-rate. But, above all, the opera is outstanding, perhaps the gratest French opera ever, superbly orchestrated, touchingly lyrical and powerfully dramatic.

A great opera and a great cast
Berlioz's LES TROYENS is a unique grand opera. It really deserves to be heard, but also seen. And with the extraordinary staging demands of this opera, now is the time for the major opera companies of the world to be staging this demanding and rewarding work.

The Metropolitan Opera decided to open its Centennial year with a revival of its 1976 (?) production. The sets are too dark and drab, leaving much to be desired. And the staging is stodgy.

But the music-making is first-rate. I concur with all the other reviewers that Jessye Norman is singularly magnificent as Cassandra. Having also heard an audio recording of her Dido (in a radio broadcast in which she sang Cassandra as well!!), I wish that this video/DVD could have captured Norman's Dido as well. Her rendition of this role is even more remarkable than her Cassandra. MET audiences gave her several-minute-long ovations when she sang Dido in the 83-84 season.

Having said that, Troyanos is still wonderful in this performance. Domingo is also top-notch. However, the role was generally too high for his voice and he had to transpose down entire chunks of the music. The rest of the cast is also great.

James Levine leads a rewarding performance, skilfully conveying the grand drama as well as the subtle details of the score.

I'm looking forward to a new production of this opera at the MET this season. However, the 1983 cast won't be matched for quite a while.

sheer excitement
I have seen this production at the Met in person twice, and it is a joy to own the DVD. Jessye Norman is perfection as Cassandra. The rest of the cast is superb as well. And Bravo's to the Met Chorus who is as much a star in this opera as any of the soloists.

The most beautiful french opera.
When Berlioz chose to compose his last opera after Virgil's Aeneid, one of his goals was to compete with Wagner's then growing project: the now widely famous "Ring des Nibelungen". What came out of it is, to me, some of the most powerful and beautiful music ever composed. The strength and beauty of expression in this opera feels equal, if not superior, to that of Verdi's Otello, Strauss' Elektra, or Wagner's greatest works, and feels deeper than either. As Gluck's greatest supporter, Berlioz was the only one who could continue the operatic tradition of French mythological "lyrical tradedy". But "Les Troyens" is much more than a "nostalgia attack"; it is the apotheosis of a tradition, as well as a worthy contender against Wagner's system (which Berlioz judged useless and nonsensical). And it contains many moments of such beauty, of Virgilian pathos, that even a life-long wagnerite can appreciate.

This can also be explained by Berlioz's tremendous personal involvement and thematical deepness. Its theme bears many similarities to Victor Hugo's "Les misérables"; except that in this case, the great force that drowns persons in misery is not society, but fate. Not "fate" as in "luck", but as the unstoppable advancement of humanity. Berlioz, in it, takes the side of all those peoples who have to suffer because of this "advancement". In the utter solitude he ended his life (his two wives and his only son being both dead, his music unpopular in Paris, and his best friend Liszt supporting Wagner), Berlioz had all the rights to feel as abandoned as his characters, and you feel it all throughout the work.

Regarding the performers, Jessye Norman, as Cassandra, proves very convincing when it comes to portraying the prophetess who is the only one to know of Troy's misfortune, without being able to prevent it. She truly becomes this wretched victim who knows what will happen to her collapsing world when she sings her aria "Malheureux roi", or her subsequent, not-so-love duet with her lover Coroebus. However, her French diction leaves a bit to be desired, which may get annoying though not a big hindrance. Still, don't worry about it if your first language is not french, you'll probably only notice her wonderfully lyrical voice.

The young Placido Domingo, as Aeneas, is also very believable as the young hero, son of Venus, who has an important mission to complete for the sake of his people. He looks both young and manly, and though he must lower the notes of a few of his interventions, his intense lyricism makes him very convincing, and allows some great musical moments. He gives an overall believable portrayal of the "pious Aeneas", burdened with his un-forfeitable mission, especially in his aria "Inutiles regrets", stunning in psychological insight; being given it is only then that you can see the man behind the hero. It is the only time where he is left to himself, and we finally fully see through him (for even when he chooses to live his love with Dido, his mission is unable to get off his mind. And Dido feels it, as it is shown in the beautiful love-duet "Nuit d'ivresse et d'extase").

Tatiana Troyanos, as Dido, seems almost born for the role (just look at her last name!). She is both noble and full of dignity as a queen, and incredibly heart-rending as a rebellious victim of her love. Some other reviewers have said they would have preferred to hear Norman, but Troyanos' acting talents are so perfect, and her depiction of Dido's despair and vain opposition so moving that I don't think Norman could have done better. And, giving two such different characters the same face is nonsense. Troyanos is completely believable, from beginning to end. From the start, Aeneas and Dido knew their love was not made to work. They knew it, but they chose to live their love as much as they could, in open rebellion against the order of things. All of this can be read upon her face, during the final scene.

The supporting cast gives, overall, a very good performance. Everyone does his/her best, and it is more than enough to breath life into Berlioz's wonderful score. Levine's conducting makes you feel both the nostalgia and distress of the whole work, and his orchestra envelops it in its epic aura.

The staging, rather simple and un-colorful, only partially goes with Berlioz's original idea. The worst thing about it is when the Trojan horse enters Troy at the end of the first act: we only see its head making a circle around the stage. Also, in the middle of the opera, where instead of seeing a mob of peoples receiving golden tools in association with their respective duty, you see three dancers receiving geometric figures. However, this thing about the big crowns another reviewer talked about is grossly exaggerated. Overall, I'd say it is a sufficiently effective and sober production (and a very good staging, if you compare it to what Salzburg made of "La damnation de Faust").

The sound on the one dvd is NTSC. The subtitles are only in English and the translation is merely functional. It's a bit of a problem if French is your first language (like me), since no one has a perfect diction. Having the libretto with you can come in handy. You can find it on the internet.

Overall, though it is not the definitive version, it is the best right now. And, believe me, it's worth your money. As far as I'm concerned, it gives you all you could ask for in an opera. The music is so heart-wrenching that it makes my other opera dvds (which go from "L'Orfeo" to "Le dialogue des Carmélites") almost pale in comparison. Seriously, if catharsis is your thing, if crying is your thing, buy this dvd now. It is a great gift to give yourself, or any opera fan that thinks French opera is mainly about "Carmen", "Faust" and "Pelleas et Mélisande".

Lots of high points, a few lows
I fell in love with the story of the Trojan War, even before I sold my soul to classical music. So naturally I was drawn to this production of "Les Troyens." And there are some astonishing moments here! Norman is wildly gripping in the part of Cassandra, totally dominating the stage and the first part of the opera. Domingo makes for a strong, masculine Aeneas, and although he had some doubts about singing the part, does a fine job with it. Troyanos is good, but not as blisteringly magnificent as Norman. I do have some problems with the staging, however. Right from the beginning, which should burst at the seems with wild excitement, we get the Trojans walking out, lining up, and declaiming that they are generally pleased the war is over. Um, couldn't they scurry, dance, hug...? The costumes seem to be of the historical epic type, but the er, "sets" are modernist symbolic. Is that the Trojan Horse they drag within the walls...? But don't get me wrong -- a solid production with some incredible singing, acting, and orchestral playing in a rich, fascinating opera that is too vast to be produced regularly. Very rewarding. ... Read more

Description

"Horowitz In Moscow" not only captures the drama and excitement of Horowitz's superb performance, it also includes the highlights of his return to his native land. The demanding program of Scarlatti, Mozart, Rachmaninoff, Scriabin, Schubert, Liszt and Chopin was lovingly chosen by Mr. Horowitz as much for its personal meaning as for the historic significance of the composers whose works he performed. Intimate close-ups of Mr. Horowitz's agile hands are interspersed with cutaway shots to the faces in the audience, showing their emotional response. "Horowitz In Moscow" - the world's leading romantic pianist in his most magnificent, historic performance. Includes a 5.1 audio track and additional documentary footage not seen in the original U.S. television broadcast. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Mediocre production
I must first admit that Siegfried is my least favourite opera in the entire Ring cycle. Maybe it's because of this reason that I'm disappointed by what I see and hear on this DVD recording, as there's nothing which can make me like this opera more.

I have nothing really against the staging and direction. However, these come across as being rather perfunctory. At times, the singers are left with nothing much to do for a long period of time. Things are sometimes too static for the music, which are often much more lively than the stage action.

The singing is mediocre. I like James Morris's Wanderer. Siegfried Jerusalem, though musical and mostly accurate, is a little too slender in tone for the hero. I'm not impressed by the Brunnhilde of Hildegard Behrens. The other performers are adequate but no more. The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra under Levine gives a good though not transcendant performance.

Maybe I'm being a little too harsh. But I think this opera has much potential that has been unexplored by the performers and the director here.

A truly great production!
This was a very grand production of Seigfried. Master Levine does an incredible job as conductor and his interpretation of Wagner is grand. I do not think the production is dull. The lighting is a bit dark at time, but I think that James Morris is superb as the Wanderer. As expected a very good Metropolitan Opera performance. This completes the Ring Cycle for me.

NOT a dull production
I disagree strongly with the reviewer who complained that this production is "dull". It is rescued from dullness by Heinz Zednik, the genius who plays Mime, and by fantastic sets. Also, James Morris is at his peak as the Wanderer, totally convincing visually and vocally, and he's the only one I've heard so far who can sing the line: "Ha-ha, ha-ha, ha-ha-ha-ha, der witzigster bist du ..." with all the "ha"s correctly timed. Everyone else--especially Hans Hotter--consistantly screws up this line, even in studio recordings.

Ekkehard Wlaschiha hits a homer as Alberich. Superbly menacing as he threatens the Wanderer and a great bully when he fights with Mime over the treasure.

A dull production
This is a rather dull production. The singers are OK and whatever one thinks about Jerusalem, he's still a serviceable Siegfried. The other cast members are, however, mediocre and the direction is ordinary.

Great!
Although Jerusalem is not well-done, but none of the production from the MET is not GREAT,the scenery,well,was terrific and the last scene, I can only use the term "perfect" to describe that! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Antonio Vivaldi was an important opera composer, with at least47 operas--and perhaps twice that many--to his credit. But he firstbecame known to modern audiences almost exclusively for hisinstrumental music. This unbalanced view does not mean that hisoperatic music is inferior to his concertos. It reflects insteadeconomic conditions (opera costs a lot more to produce thaninstrumental music) and major changes in the tastes of the operaaudience during the 19th century and much of the 20th.

Baroque opera has made a comeback in popular taste in recent decades,and this production of Orlando furioso embodies the genre'sdistinctive qualities: elaborately ornamented da capo arias, the use ofhigh-pitched voices (originally castrati) in heroic roles, and anintricate plot full of implausible relations, misunderstandings, anddeceptions among star-crossed lovers. The primary reason for therecording's existence is the spectacular performance of Marilyn Hornein the role of the medieval knight Orlando, legendary nephew ofCharlemagne, including a long and technically dazzling mad scene. Butthe San Francisco Opera has assembled a stellar cast for the sometimesextraordinary demands of the other roles. Particularly impressive areSusan Patterson as Angelica, whom Orlando loves to the point ofmadness, and Kathleen Kuhlmann as the wicked witch Alcina, but thewhole cast performs without significant weakness. Visually, theproducti