Rossini: Il Barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville) (1974) Review

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Rossini: Il Barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville) (1974) ReviewNobody will deny that this opera is the masterpiece of Rossini. Everything in this opera reflects his genius talent and is so enjoyable from the beautiful melodious music with so many belcanto techniques to the comical story itself. I have seen this opera performed in three versions and performances, and this DVD performance is the best of all the three.
In this performance we will be enchanted by the naughty acting and delicate singing of wellknown Teresa Berganza as the mutinous Rosina, in her rich soprano voice singing perfect belcanto techniques. She is matched by the comical performance of Luigi Alva as Count Almaviva alias Lindoro in his soft light tenor voice, his belcanto singing adding to the magnificence and beauty of the music. Herman Prey in his clear baritone voice as the mischievous Figaro and wellknown Bass Baritone singer Enzo Dara contributed to the excellent performance, so that the whole opera become a continuous joy to be watched and listened to.
We also liked the beautiful and matching background scenery and the harmonious choirs.
In short there is no such performance is as magnificent and excellent in singing or acting as this DVD version.Rossini: Il Barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville) (1974) OverviewClaudio Abbado gives a commanding performance in this production of Rossini's comic opera The Barber of Seville.Hermann Prey brings to life Rossini's character of Figaro and his hectic life with a terrific supporting cast of Teresa Berganza, Luigi Alva, Enzo Dara, and Paolo Montarsolo.Directed by Jean-Pierre Ponnelle, the film is visually stunning and one can see why this production is destined to be a classic.Hermann Prey: Figaro Teresa Berganza: Rosina Luigi Alva: Count Almaviva Enzo Dara: Bartolo Paolo Montarsolo: Don Basilio Renato Cesari: Fiorello Stefania Malagu: Berta Luigi Roni: Officer Hans Kraemer: Ambrogio Karl Schaidler: Notary Bruno Bartoletti conducting New Philharmonia Orchestra and Ambrosian Singers

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Rossini: La Cenerentola - Metropolitan Opera (2010) Review

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Rossini: La Cenerentola - Metropolitan Opera (2010) ReviewI saw this production live onstage in 1997 with Cecilia Bartoli in the title role (Alessandro Corbelli was the Dandini, Ramon Vargas the prince, Michele Pertusi the Alidoro, with Levine conducting), and have to say that I'd rather have had that cast on DVD. That said, there is some wonderful singing and music-making among this cast. Corbelli, one of operatic history's greatest Dandinis, is now very much in demand as Don Magnifico, as is Lawrence Brownlee as Prince Ramiro. Garanca is a physically lovely and vocally elegant Cenerentola; her heroine is both touching and strong. Brownlee possesses considerable musicality and a formidable technique, despite his tendency to sing with his head a bit sideways; and Corbelli displays his usual undisputed mastery with character and text, creating a more "human" and less farcical Magnifico than is more often seen. The Alidoro and Dandini are quite serviceable, if unremarkable.
Soundwise, there seem to be some problems with the mics downstage left--whenever the singers have to go to that quadrant of the stage, they suddenly sound as if they're singing in an adjoining bathroom with a very echo-y shower.
As for the production, I didn't much care for it in 1997, and it still hasn't grown on me. Visually cartoonish, there are too many predictable moments in the staging. For example, in the famous sextet "Quest'e' un nodo avviluppato" ("This is a tangled knot"), Ramiro winds a rope around the other singers. And at the end, he and Cenerentola appear on top of a huge wedding cake. How imaginative is that??? I've seen much better. Still, for over-all singing and Corbelli's Magnifico, this is a good DVD to have.
BUT FOR A BETTER ALL-AROUND PERFORMANCE, stick with the 1995 production from Houston Grand Opera with Bartoli, Gimenez, and Corbelli (as Dandini).Rossini - La Cenerentola The singing is more stylish, and the ensembles much more razor-sharp in the Houston production than on the Met DVD.Rossini: La Cenerentola - Metropolitan Opera (2010) Overview

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Puccini - Madama Butterfly (1974) Review

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Puccini - Madama Butterfly (1974) ReviewThis supposedly new release from Deutsche Grammophon is actually the same 1974 production previously released under the Decca label in 2001. That older title is still available at Amazon. This is a film version, not a stage production. It was directed by Jean-Pierre Ponnelle and starred some of the finest performers available at the time. The great Herbert von Karajan conducts the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and Vienna State Opera. It is without question a magnificient performance. Mirella Freni sings the role of Butterfly as few others can match. Placido Domingo is in equally fine form. Christa Ludwig is excellent as Suzuki. And yet the film as a whole doesn't really work. The trouble is that while Ponnelle tries to make this into a movie version of Butterfly, he neither has the resources nor the capability for doing so. The staging looks decidedly cheap, lacklustre and as some have commented, tacky. An effective movie version would benefit from realistic settings, a real house on a hill, with a sparkling Bay beneath. It could have done without some of the sensationalist/ridiculous set directions, like having Domingo jump out through the paper walls of the house, ostensibly for dramatic effect. This production could have worked (indeed would have been a triumphant success) if filmed purely as a stage based opera. However Ponnelle's final choice puts it neither here nor there. We have sets that look like they belong on stage (and not a very good stage at that), yet the performers are made to act as if they were in a movie. We get to see Placido Domingo chewing gum while he contemplates marrying Cio Cio San, presumably to show what a cad he is. And he continues to chew gum even while he's supposed to be singing. While this is still set in 19th century Japan, Domingo is seen to wear an obviously 20th century T-shirt. Domingo can act far better than what is shown here. As for the singing, the performances are all dubbed post-production. Lip synching ranges from poor to laughable. Because this is supposed to be a movie, and not a staged opera, we get the truly unbelieveable sight of these great performers singing without having to open their mouths - as we are supposed to be hearing their thoughts. Again, this could work provided the director is able to convince the audience that they are in a realistic film world. Unfortunately we are never transported into that world, we are all too aware that this is an opera sung on stage, albeit lip-synched.
The original Decca DVD sported a very soft, grainy transfer in fullscreen (pan & scan), littered with dirt specks and film nicks, looking very much like a poor quality VHS tape and this DG reissue looks no different. I can do without the DTS remix. This was recorded in stereo and the original release, in addition to a Dolby 5.0 surround, already had an excellent uncompressed Linear PCM audio track with quality equivalent to that of a good CD.
The original Decca release received mixed reviews. Aurally it is superb, one of the finest Butterflies ever. Visually it is close to a disaster. If you believe opera is only meant to be listened to, then this will be a top choice. If you believe opera should be an experience for both the eyes and ears, then pass this by. Even today, I still play the old Decca DVD, but only to listen to. I leave the TV off.Note: It's not strictly correct to say that the singers were dubbed post-production. This movie has a curious history. It began as an audio-only studio recording with the exact same cast except that Luciano Pavarotti sang the role of Pinkerton. That recording was made in early 1974 at the Sofiensaal in Vienna. It received critical acclaim. The decision to make a movie using that original recording as a soundtrack came later that year. For the movie, they re-recorded Placido Domingo in the role as Pinkerton and spliced it into the earlier recording of the original cast. So the performers are in fact miming or lip-synching to the pre-recorded music while the film was being shot.Puccini - Madama Butterfly (1974) OverviewPUCCINI:MADAMA BUTTERFLY - DVD Movie

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