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Handel on DVD and Blu-ray

23K views 114 replies 19 participants last post by  mountmccabe 
#1 · (Edited)
Here's a big thank you to jhar26, without whom I wouldn't have been led to this:



It arrived this morning. I've only had time to watch the first act, but, but ... what I saw and heard was stupendous. Sarah Connolly as Caesar is astonishing, but Danielle de Niese as Cleopatra is probably the most extraordinary operatic phenomenon I've ever seen and heard. The sheer eroticism of her performance - not just the singing, but the dancing too - is truly compelling; and just generally, the choreography of this production - the way in which the characters dispose themselves and move around the stage - is so intriguing that it's possible to miss major bits of plot just by being absorbed in the side issues. I can see this is a performance to go back to again and again, if only to keep picking up on details that have been missed on previous watchings.

It took me about 15 minutes to get used to the idea of seeing Romans in C19th costume, but my uneasiness changed to delight as I realised how this opened up the expressive capabilities of the production. Cleopatra's performance covers all sorts of ground, stretching from Egyptian schemer, to Victorian lady-on-the-make, to twentieth century vamp, and she makes all sorts of little references and gestures that throw forwards to the present, in a way that becomes possible only because of the ambiguities of the temporal setting.

And then there's the music. I'm relatively new to Handel opera, and completely new to this one in particular - but my goodness, what an introduction. And two more discs to go!!

Gaston - I hope you read this. Feel free to polish your Talk Classical Helper's badge. You've done me a brilliant good turn, here.
 
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#50 ·
Wow! This is going to be a most useful and excellent thread. Previously, I haven't been posting much on the DVD opera threads because items appeared "scattered". Many thanks for putting it all together.
 
#57 ·
OK, I've finished the Rinaldo, and I must say that in spite of the *extremely* silly production complete with a giant bobble-head puppet, this DVD is not so bad, for a number of factors: *very* good singing, two attractive leading females, some scenes with beautiful visuals especially in the second and third acts, and a *very* good one-hour documentary about Handel's operas in the bonus features. I can't say I wasn't entertained.
 
#63 ·
Alcis and Galatea

Is this opera nice? Very nice? Is the music beautiful? I don't know I have bought so many things lately...I think I should put it on my wish list for my birthday...but I'll have to wait until December! LOL I really loved Giulio Cesare ...But I don't like very much girls singinging for guys...I find this weird. I have two Poppea's versions (Monteverdi) one is with a woman singing Nerone (von Otter, she sings well...but still) th eother one, Nerone is a man.





I have Orfeo and Euridice sung by a girl...Not sure I like it...She looks like a Lesbian, I have nothing against them...but...



Martin
 
#64 ·
Martin, early baroque opera was played by castrati, and a male with a female-sounding voice wasn't considered to be effeminate at all. The going notion was that the male voice was unfit for sublime opera music. You have to get in the mood, but rather than transposing the writing, it is more appropriate to give these roles to women, or to very gifted countertenors.

I wasn't very fond of early baroque opera, but then it grew on me and now I love it.

Now, if I listen to one of these operas with characters that were originally supposed to be castrati, transposed to the tenor voice, that's when I find it weird and inappropriate.
 
#65 ·
We are very lucky that the art and technique of the countertenor has made such good progress since Alfred Deller pioneered it in the 50s and 60s. Now we have such luminaries as Andreas Scholl, Philippe Jaroussky, David Daniels, Bejun Mehta, Michael Maniaci (actually a natural soprano) and so on to take the castrato male roles.

That said I'd rather hear a really good mezzo in the role than a hooty counter-tenor. But drama-wise it's more convincing with a male in the male part.

Like Alma I feel strange hearing a tenor sing the role.
 
#78 ·
That said I'd rather hear a really good mezzo in the role than a hooty counter-tenor. But drama-wise it's more convincing with a male in the male part.
A well trained countertenor with the proper overtones in his voice shouldn't sound hooty. The hooty ones tend to be either not particularly well trained and/or never had quite the right type of voice for operatic work in the first place. A countertenor, singing in the throat and attacking the voice with hard onset, will cause the hootiness you refer to.

Apologies for jumping in here, just thought I would make this point. :)
 
#66 · (Edited)
Handel: Orlando on blu-ray



With this one, placed # 100 in our TC Top 100 Recommended Operas list, I have now seen or listened to all 100.:D

OK, folks, this one is a mixed bag.

It's William Christie, but not with his orchestra Les Arts Florissants. This time he is a guest conductor, at the helm of the Orchestra "La Scintila" of the Zurich Opernhaus. This is not an opera company I trust at all, but anyway, let's not allow prejudices to get in the way of a fair assessment.

The Stage Director is Jens-Daniel Herzog, apparently no relation to Werner Herzog.

The cast has Marijana Mijanovic in the title role, Martina Janková as Angelica, Konstantin Wolff as Zoroastro, Katharina Peetz as Medoro, and Christina Clark as Dorinda.

The plot is simple (LOL, it actually isn't, and it is quite ridiculous, but who cares?):

Zoroastro is worried because General Orlando fell in love with Angelica, and while lovesick, is neglecting his military duties. He tells him that he should go to war and forget about love, to no avail. Angelica keeps giving him hopes because she is scared of him but secretly loves Medoro, who is loved by Dorinda. Medoro encourages Dorinda as well but prefers Angelica. Orlando declares to Angelica his love and gives her a bracelet. Dorinda decides that the only way to avoid the ire of a jealous general which might get either herself or Medoro killed - or both - is to elope with Medoro in the middle of the night. However when they are making plans and start kissing each other, Dorinda walks on them and cries out loud, lamenting the fact that Medoro had been fooling her. They are afraid that she'll attract the attention of the general with her crying, and Angelica gives her the bracelet to calm her down. She does, but then rats on them to Orlando, who gets more and more upset, in a jealous rage. Medoro and Angelica elope, Orlando states he will pursue them and kill them, but gets delirious and loses his sanity. Angelica and Medoro come back (why???), Medoro wants to offer himself to be killed, but Zoroastro devises a plan to cure the general of his insanity. He makes Angelica - who is by now despondent because she thinks that the general will kill Medoro - offer herself to be killed by Orlando. Zoroastro manages to fake Angelica's death in the hands of Orlando (how? with magic, I suppose), who then wakes up of his trance, finds himself cured of his madness, and laments the fact that he has murdered Angelica. At this point and to Orlando's surprise, she resuscitates, tells him that she does love Medoro - who then shows up alive and well - and asks for Orlando's blessing. The general says that indeed love should not distract him from war, gives the happy couple his blessing, and everybody (including Dorinda who by then has renounced her love for Medoro - why??) rejoices. Curtain.

Technically, the blu-ray is impeccable. Perfect DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 and PCM Stereo, subtitles in Italian, English, German, French, and Spanish, full HD picture with 16:9 format, running time of 155 minutes. There is only one problem that knocks down some points in my evalutation: the only extras are trailers for 5 other operas; no interviews, or making-of. Camera work is very appropriate.

The staging is, of course, updated. These days directors make a point of staging baroque opera in any possible era, except the one intended by the composer and the librettist. :mad: This one is no exception. Oh, and there is the usual Regie re-interpretation. Zoroastro, instead of being a magician, is the head psychiatrist in a mental hospital where general Orlando is a patient. Dorinda, rather than a shepherdess, is a nurse. Angelica and Medoro are, well, Angelica and Medoro. We never get to know what in the hell these two are doing in the mental hospital (we know from the opera's libretto who they are supposed to be, but their positions in the original libretto don't really match the idea of the hospital setting - they aren't patients, aren't staff... which is another problem showing that updates have their limitations.

In terms of scenarios, they are well done for the premise, and not intrusive. Huge walls slide in and out and subdivide the stage in various ways, which are very effective to convey the different rooms in the hospital and to provide enough variety and ample space for the singers/actors, without ever looking too busy or cramped.

The hospital setting update is not too bad, but not very successful either. Let's say that it is less bad than other Eurotrashy productions (there aren't the usual purposefully shocking scenes or disgusting props that I came to expect from the Regie-gone-mad Zurich Opera House) but the singers visibly struggle to still convey Handel's opera in this environment while singing of completely disparate settings, such as woods, brooks, and deer passing by. But it isn't a complete disaster either - the psychiatric setting still works fairly well for this opera that includes a mad scene and a character who recovers from madness. But you know, it's right there on the edge - a little more Regie, and it would have completely derailed the production.

Other Regie issues are the added action that is not in the libretto. There is over-sexualization of certain scenes; for example, when Dorinda is singing of how she still loves Medoro while he tells him that his heart belongs to another; the scene is supposed to be one of renouncement and sadness for her, but of course, Regie-gone-mad Zurich Opera makes the poor singer try to frantically undress Medoro and zip down his pants - fortunately she doesn't go any further.:eek: There is also a scene in which Dorinda punches Angelica who gets a bleeding nose (this is not in the libretto), and the bloody nose becomes the object of several actions which don't match what is being sung at all. Continuity problems arise - Angelica's bloody-stained clothes suddenly appear clean, then bloody again, then clean again, then bloody again. Obviously the filming was a composite of different evenings and those blood stains weren't on the same spots.:lol:

OK, so, this all sounds terrible, huh? Why have I said that the Regie BS does not completely derail the production? Because it is saved by the superlative acting of the two women who play female roles (not the ones in trouser roles). Martina Janková and Christina Clark are two very accomplished actresses, and somehow they pull it off; they make it work and rescue the Stage Director's silliness. Their rivalry on stage is acted with such vigor and such comic punch (in spite of this being an opera seria), and they develop such an exquisite chemistry, that we forget about all the ridiculously unmatched action/libretto situations. Wow! Some artists these two are! They make this whole thing very entertaining, to tell you the truth, even if it is not exactly what Handel and his anonymous librettist had intended.

Konstantin Wolff acts his part very well too. The other two characters, however, are no match for this trio's acting abilities. Marijana Mijanovic does OK in terms of acting (not great as the other three, but OK, and her mad scene is not bad), while Katharina Peetz is not a convincing Medoro in a trouser role, and she is not helped by the ridiculous costumes that she/he gets. Most of the other costumes are appropriate (except for one scene when Angelica shows up - for no reason whatsoever - dressed as a Japanese woman - I guess I told you that the Zurich Opera House is Regie-gone-mad, right?), but Medoro's are particularly odd, especially in the final scene. They make of this character a buffoon, which again is not matched by the libretto, in which he does engage in some more noble actions in the second and third acts, after his first act two-faced flirting with two women at the same time.

In terms of looks, Marijana Mijanovic looks masculine enough (without need for facial hair) but she is just too svelte and tiny to be convincing as the great hero general Orlando. Katharina Peetz, again, is shorthanded by somewhat ridiculous fake facial hair (a thin moustache). Martina Janková looks very attractive and sexy, and her "assets" - cough, cough (those who know me, know what I'm talking about) are generously displayed during the first act when she is in her night gown, but she does dress more modestly during the second and third acts.:( Christina and Konstantin look their parts. The latter is not helped by the high definition of this blu-ray's image, because we can see that his bald head is fake. Sometimes HD gets in the way of suspension of disbelief...

Now, for the most important part, the music.

The opera itself is, of course, spectacular. I really like this one, it's considered by many to be one of Handel's top three in musical terms, and even though it's hard for me to rank them because I very much like pretty much everything that he did, I can see why this opinion could be defended. One of the best features is that Handel this time employs more ensembles than usual, and less da capo arias than usual. The few da capo arias are not extra long. These characteristics make for lively and varied vocal music that won't turn off the non-initiated (for whom the endless succession of long da capo arias in other baroque operas can be unpalatable). I particularly like the trio when Angelica and Medoro are trying to comfort Dorinda when she walks on them making up - they tell her to be brave and move on, she says "no... no..." and they reply "sì... sì..." (the effect is beautiful). The short overture and the instrumental ultra-short intermezzi (listed as sinfoniae) are very delicate and tasteful.

OK, how well (or not) is the music performed in this production?

Well, Christie is a Handel specialist and things click pretty well, helped by the spectacular quality of this blu-ray's sound track, and by the period instruments, including the so-called viola d'amore, which supposedly provides a fuller and more resonant sound. And yet... and yet... there is something missing. I believe that what is missing is Christie's own orchestra and his chemistry with them. He tries his best but can't inspire this "La Scintilla" to the same energy and brilliance of his Les Arts Florissants.

And what about the singing?

Marijana Mijanovic pretty much ruins this production. Apparently she was coming back after a long absence due to severe health problems and a pregnancy, but you know, she shouldn't have tackled this, if she wasn't well enough. She commits a large number of vocal errors, and one keeps longing for a countertenor instead, such as Scholl or Daniels. She seems too contained, passionless in her singing, and unable to survive her coloratura, which gets worse and worse and seems rather disastrous in the third act.

Martina Janková, on the other hand, steals the show. While at the very top of her range she doesn't do as well, she compensates for it with a pleasant timbre and a big dose of vitality. I loved her performance (I've talked about her acting and her looks already) and will be looking forward to catching her in other roles.

Christina Clark, while not as good as Martina (due to being uneven throughout the performance, unlike Martina who pretty much shines every single time she is on stage), sings beautifully as well, and at times exquisitely so.

Konstantin Wolff is a very good bass. He performs his part almost perfectly, except for a tendency to lose too much volume during his lowest notes, but these moments are rare and most of the time his singing is excellent.

Katharina Peetz does OK, with no fireworks but no blunders either.

My verdict: score/vocal writing 100, libretto 88, staging 75, acting 90, singing 87, orchestra 90, blu-ray technical quality 95 (not 100 due to the absence of interviews and making-of).

Average, 89, or B+.

It is worth buying? Yes, it is. There are better stagings of Handel operas out there, but this one is not terrible, and the opera itself is musically very beautiful. There is also no competition that I know of.
 
#67 · (Edited)
Alma...............

We must keep a sharp eye out to see if Natalie Dessay "cleopatra" gets released on DVD, we do have nudity (not that it is important to you)......



Singing by Dessay is fantastic, check this thrilling "da tempeste" at 2:50 mark of this video, this will be a must buy and seriously challenge the excellent Christie DVD



CD with highlights out now:

 
#68 · (Edited)
Alma...............

We must keep a sharp eye out to see if Natalie Dessay "cleopatra" gets released on DVD, we do have nudity (not that it is important to you)......
DA, you do realize that those boobs are fake, right? She is wearing those things on top of her own, which are much smaller. I don't know if I approve of the concept. Natalie is petite, and those huge things don't match her body type. I think Natalie, while not strictly speaking beautiful, knows how to use what she's got and is an attractive woman, and could have been a perfectly convincing Cleopatra without enhancements.

As for her singing, yes, absolutely, she beats Danielle de Niese hands down (but not in looks... ;))
But this production is serious competition for Christie's, no doubt about it!!!
 
#71 ·
Belshazzar

This is an advertisement for lovers of Handel's music. I don't yet have this new release but soon will!

Belshazzar (1744), dramatic English oratorio
Librettist: Charles Jennens (who provided Handel several other fine libretti, including The Messiah)

This may not be an opera, but it sure has dramatic qualities, and the clip below is an excerpt from the new DVD release of Belshazzar (first ever staging, I think), under the baton of Rene Jacobs, with Bejun Mehta, RIAS Kammerchor & Akademie fĂĽr Alte Musik Berlin (on period instruments).

A few arias:-

 
#72 · (Edited)
Handel: Hercules on DVD



Handel's Hercules sung in English, 2004(LI) - William Christie - Les Arts Florissants
Opéra National de Paris, stage director Luc Bondy
Hercules - William Shimell
Dejanira - Joyce DiDonato
Hyllus - Toby Spence
Iole - Ingela Bohlin
Lichas - Malena Ernman
Priest of Jupiter - Simon Kirkbridge

This is opera, folks. This is why opera is the most satisfying and complete art form.
This is why it's been enduring for 400 years.

The start point is Greek mythology. It passes by Handel's precise vocal and instrumental music that portrays these emotions so accurately. It lands on the 21st century with modern clothing, and the result is an arc that hails from Antiquity and touches the modern man, reminding us that it is all about the human condition, which remains the same for the last 3,000 years, and is exquisitly rendered here.

Every single note and every single facial expression contribute to a thrilling rollercoaster of emotions. All artists involved with this production, from chorus members to musicians to principals to conductor, are at the top of their art. This is one fine opera DVD! I'd say that it is strong competition to the likes of Giulio Cesare and Les Indes Galantes.

I've rarely seen such a competent team put together such a *perfect* product. I can't think of a single element to negatively criticize here. This product doesn't have a single flaw, all aspects considered:

The opera itself (vocals, instrumentals, pace, dramatic intensity, libretto) = 10/10
The DVD (image, sound, subtitles, extras, camera work, insert) = 10/10
The production (staging, props, costumes, adequacy of casting, concept) = 10/10
The acting (convincing power, nuances, accuracy of emotions, looks) = 10/10
The orchestra, chorus, and conductor (sensible reading, balance, tempo, musicality, sound) = 10/10
The singing (timbre, pitch, technique, projection, volume, agility, articulation) = 10/10

Overall: 10/10, of course. Outstanding! Sublime! Phenomenal!

Highly, highly, highly recommended! One of the best operatic DVD's ever released. Buy it! Buy it! Buy it! (this is the new rallying cry since that historic Natalie post).
 
#74 ·
Highly, highly, highly recommended! One of the best operatic DVD's ever released. Buy it! Buy it! Buy it! (this is the new rallying cry since that historical Natalie post).
I totally agree. It's wonderful and must be one of Joyce Didonato's best performances, and man, she has plenty of them under her belt.

Maybe they could, but it wouldn't have helped, since this is an Opéra National de Paris production, not Glyndebourne.
I think you got your revenge for the one blissful time I left you temporarily speechless. Unfortunately it was in a PM so I couldn't even broadcast my glory:D.
 
#82 · (Edited)
Agrippina is the only complete Handel-Opera that I've had chance to see on DVD. It was a modern adaption of this historical opera conducted by Jean claude Malgoire and presented by Dynamic Srl, which was not attractive for me at all but the music itself is superb and full of beautiful arias.



here is also the version in Amazon in a 3 CD box set.
 
#83 · (Edited)
Handel: Tamerlano on DVD



Alternative cover:



This is from the Halle Handel Festival of 2001, filmed live in the small baroque Halle Theater, with period staging and minimalistic setting. Trevor Pinnack conducts the period orchestra The English Concert.

Cast:

Tamerlano: MONICA BACELLI
Bajazet: THOMAS RANDLE
Andronico: GRAHAM PUSHEE
Irene: ANNA BONITATIBUS
Asteria: ELISABETH NORBERG-SCHULZ
Leone: ANTONIO ABETE

Technically this is a very high quality DVD, one of the best I've seen, including some outstanding special features such as the ability to project the score on the screen, simultaneously with the image (a good feature for music students). The 16/9 hi-def image is sharp and clear with good lighting and good camera work. The sound comes in LPCM stereo and Dolby 5.1 and has perfect clarity, fullness, and balance. Subtitles and menus are in several languages. Bonus features include a making-of, and a documentary about the Halle festival with snipets of several Handel operas. This is how it's done, folks. It is a flawless product.

The opera itself is outstanding, one of Handel's best. Oh well, every opera of Handel's I watch or listen to, I think it's one of his best. The man just didn't know how to compose anything less than excellent. What a composer! Regardless, this one is indeed sublime, particularly beautiful.

Costumes are great. While the scenario for the entire opera is just a throne and some golden pannels, the costumes make up for the simplicity of the scenario. They are luxurious, colorful, and very appropriate (it is refreshing to see a Handel opera staged like the composer and librettist intended, with no Regie trickery). Staging is a bit static.

Musically, this production is a bit more uneven. The sounds of the period orchestra are very beautiful but while for me it is hard to say because this is my first contact with this opera, I felt a certain lack of energy and languid tempi. Oh well, we can't get William Christie every time.:(

And then, Monica Bacelli in the title role is not entirely convincing, she lacks ferocity and intensity, and while she sings correctly, it's nothing special.

Elisabeth Norberg-Schulz on the other hand is fabulous. Her voice is very pleasant, her acting is good, and she looks attractive.

Thomas Randle as Bajazet is equally impressive. These two account for the best singing in this production, and they do carry it on their shoulders and make it musically good enough.

Graham Pushee as Andronico also disappoints.

I mean, nobody really sinks the ship, it's just that Pushee and Bacelli are sort of pale, while Randle and Norberg-Schulz are much better, which makes for a detrimental contrast for the other two.

Anna Bonitatibus as Irene is sort of in the middle of these two extremes. Her singing is very good without being as thrilling as Randle's and Norberg-Schulz's, and she acts a lot more energetically than Pushee and Bacelli.

So here is the bottom line: we are faced with a high quality DVD product (technically speaking), containing a production with good staging and excellent costumes, and with musical aspects that even out in terms of minuses and pluses - while the orchestra sounds good, the conducting could have been better, and while of the five main characters 2 singers are outstanding, 2 are so-so and 1 is in the middle. So while the musical side earns a score of about 80 out of 100 (oscilating between 70 and 90), the non-musical aspects do add some 10 more points, getting to a total of 90 or A minus, therefore, one can say that this DVD is highly recommended.

I wonder how it compares with the other Tamerlano in video, the one with Plácido Domingo which does have the advantage of being also offered as blu-ray.
 
#84 ·
This is from the Halle Handel Festival of 2001, filmed live in the small baroque Halle Theater, with period staging and minimalistic setting. Trevor Pinnack conducts the period orchestra The English Concert.

Cast:

Tamerlano: MONICA BACELLI
Bajazet: THOMAS RANDLE
Andronico: GRAHAM PUSHEE
Irene: ANNA BONITATIBUS
Asteria: ELISABETH NORBERG-SCHULZ
Leone: ANTONIO ABETE
I also have this production. The English Concert/Trevor Pinnock (on period instruments) is widely acknowledged as one of the best Handelian conductors around, judging by their mainly Handel orchestral works released on CD by Deutsche Grammophon. However, this Tamerlano didn't seem to live up to their very high standards many are accustomed to, considering their "benchmark" releases on CD of The Messiah and Belshazzar.

I also agree that Graham Pushee (Australian countertenor) wasn't really up to it. He's not the finest around. I saw him performed live once here taking Cesare in Giulio Cesare in Egitto. His voice was OK but lacked something that would push it up another echelon.

This is the only period instrument version of Tamerlano, which while is good overall, there are stronger versions on CD.

Personally, I tend to avoid modern instrument versions, that's just my preference when it comes to Barqoue music, but as the alternative DVD/blu-ray version is directed by another esteemed HIP conductor, Paul McGreesh with Placido Domingo, but with a modern band that I suspect will sound HIP, I think I will give it a go at some stage.
 
#85 · (Edited)
Handel: Admeto on DVD



My dear friend Natalie loves this, so, I approached it with high expectations.

2009(LC) - Nicholas McGegan - FestspielOrchester Göttingen

Admeto - Tim Mead
Alceste - Marie Arnet
Ercole - William Berger
Orlindo - Andrew Radley
Trasimede - David Bates
Antigona - Kirsten Blaise
Meraspe - Wold Matthias Friedrich

Mamu Dance Theater - Solo dance and choreography - Tadashi Endo

Staged by Doris Dörrie

Technical quality of this product: impecable. Perfect Hi-Def image (a blu-ray is also available) with vivid colors in 16:9 format; PCM stereo and DTS 5.1 sound with excellent balance; sutbtitles in Italian, English, German, and French, bonus feature with a 21-minute film on Baroque and Butoh dancing; insert with short essay and synopsis in English, German, and French.

Staging: Very interesting. The director is Doris Dörries of Cherry Blossoms fame. She has staged this Händel opera with a Greek mythology subject matter in a Japanese Samurai culture setting. The images are stunning, although some parts have humor that I find to be misguided and distracting (such as the scenes with the sheep), and some satirical costumes fall flat in my opinion (such as Ercole's ridiculous Sumo wrestler padding).

And then, I have some strong feelings about the use of boobs in this staging.

I haven't read all the credits attentively, so it is possible that at some point there was a phrase saying "no boobs were harmed during the making of this production." Fine, but then, you have to consider psychological damage as well.

Boobs are very delicate things. They are the most beautiful creatures on Earth, and they deserve worship, adoration, gentle squeezes and licks, and they must be displayed in all their glory.

Instead, Ms. Doris Dörries has allowed lovely naked boobs to be displayed by grotesque characters like the ghosts and spirits in the opening scene (people with crossed eyes and evil looks), and even worse, displayed by sheep!

I know, I know, isn't it despicable? I mean, lovely boobs being displayed by women disguised as dumb sheep??? Get out of here, Ms. Dörries, have a sense of eroticism, please!

Boobs are deservedly narcissistic creatures. I'm sure that these otherwise finely shaped boobs were deeply hurt by being forced to appear in such disgusting ways. Yeah, right, your lawyers must have inserted the phrase about no boobs being damaged; I'm sure they weren't physically hurt, but no self-respecting boob will fail to feel psychologically devastated by the way she was treated in this production!:mad:

Rest assured, Ms. Dörries, that I'll be talking to my lawyers, and to the AAABB (the American Association for the Advancement of Beautiful Boobs). You'll get a knock on our door one of these days, you boob hater!!:scold:

Conducting, orchestra - period instruments, competent conducting, very appropriate (no fireworks, though).

Singing: homogeneously good, but again, no big thrills. The male alto in the title role does a good job. Everybody sings beautifully.

The opera itself: lovely, of course. It is Händel. Has Händel ever composed anything that is not sublime?

And here is where this production doesn't earn my praise as much as it did for Natalie: doing it the Japanese way doesn't make it memorable per se.

The problem with staging Händel operas is that they are *all* very good. One after the other, you have this gorgeous vocal music, this thrilling orchestration, these finely nuanced characters, this good dramatic/theatrical impact.

But the problem with them being all so good is that then, each single one seems to be more of the same. When I try to rank the dozen operas by Händel that I know, I tend to be a bit confused; they are all so similarly enjoyable!

This is why, in my opinion, there are so many rather extreme stagings of Händel's operas. I believe that stage directors feel that they have to rescue the piece and make it somehow unique, as opposed to the consistently good, always sublime, always reliably beautiful operas that Händel used to churn out, one after the other.

Case in point, the spectacular, dynamic, thrilling, vivacious, lively staging of Giulio Cesare at Glyndebourne.

Has Ms. Dörrie achieved the same effect here? I don't think so. Transposing the opera into Samurai culture is not enough, as strikingly beautiful as the images are. You need more intensity, more dramatic power, and this staging for me is more visually stunning than substantial.

And then, there is the misuse of them lovely boobs, dammit!!!

I give to this production a score of about 85, or B. Recommended. But not highly recommended (which I reserve for those that I score at 90 or more, or in other words, A- or more).
 
#86 ·
He he I didn't even NOTICE that there were any boobs, let alone calling the the RSPCB.

When I saw this I was was still reeling from my previous exposure to Admeto which featured possibly the Hootiest Countertenor Voice Ever in the title role, and had a distinctly silly staging. Tim Mead and Japanese Noh theatre were a breath of fresh air after that.
 
#90 · (Edited)
Handel: Theodora on DVD



1996 - William Christie - Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment - Glyndebourne Chorus

Stellar cast of exquisite singers - Dawn Upshaw, Lorraine Hunt, David Daniels, Richard Croft, and Frode Olsen as principals, and chorus also very good.

I'm a little puzzled - if I understood correctly, some of our members object to this production (probably mainly due to the updated staging).

I find it absolutely spectacular. First of all, this an oratorio, not an opera. So, the staging shouldn't be considered subversive in any way, because it is there just adding visual elements, and they are strikingly beautiful. It's not like Sellars was tampering with Handel's stage instructions. I don't know if you all consider this to be a valid point, but for me it is. I think in a way that it is more acceptable to add some striking imagery to an oratorio than to frontally contradict the author's staging instructions for an opera. In this case there are no staging instructions, so, I feel that letting the imagination soar up to the sky is less upsetting; at least, to me. I'm fully aware of the internal contradiction in what I'm saying, since Handel never intended this to be staged in the first place, so some will say that it is even worse tampering... but strangely enough, the above is the way I feel.

Second, I've rarely seen such a spectacular MUSICAL performance on DVD. You all know that I prefer opera (well, generally speaking, because it's an oratorio here, but done in a very operatic way) with the visual/theatrical aspects, but I'm fully aware that my choice prevents me from spending as much money on the top recordings with the best singing artists (I spend enough on DVD's and blu-rays, I can't afford both my collection of opera on visual media - by now, somewhat extensive - AND an equally extensive collection of CD box-sets).

So, when I see a DVD that has exquisite singing, it's the best of two worlds, and I surely won't fault this production for what some will say it's objectionable staging.

You get a formidable conductor, a spectacular historically informed period orchestra, top singers in all roles and what you get is lots, lots, lots of pleasure.

I feel that I don't even need to write up a detailed review of this product. It would just be a boring gushing endless string of praise. I'll just say, A+, highly recommended!!!
 
#93 ·


1996 - William Christie - Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment - Glyndebourne Chorus

Stellar cast of exquisite singers - Dawn Upshaw, Lorraine Hunt, David Daniels, Richard Croft, and Frode Olsen as principals, and chorus also very good.

I'm a little puzzled - if I understood correctly, some of our members object to this production (probably mainly due to the updated staging).

I find it absolutely spectacular. First of all, this an oratorio, not an opera. So, the staging shouldn't be considered subversive in any way, because it is there just adding visual elements, and they are strikingly beautiful. It's not like Sellars was tampering with Handel's stage instructions. I don't know if you all consider this to be a valid point, but for me it is. I think in a way that it is more acceptable to add some striking imagery to an oratorio than to frontally contradict the author's staging instructions for an opera. In this case there are no staging instructions, so, I feel that letting the imagination soar up to the sky is less upsetting; at least, to me. I'm fully aware of the internal contradiction in what I'm saying, since Handel never intended this to be staged in the first place, so some will say that it is even worse tampering... but strangely enough, the above is the way I feel.

Second, I've rarely seen such a spectacular MUSICAL performance on DVD. You all know that I prefer opera (well, generally speaking, because it's an oratorio here, but done in a very operatic way) with the visual/theatrical aspects, but I'm fully aware that my choice prevents me from spending as much money on the top recordings with the best singing artists (I spend enough on DVD's and blu-rays, I can't afford both my collection of opera on visual media - by now, somewhat extensive - AND an equally extensive collection of CD box-sets).

So, when I see a DVD that has exquisite singing, it's the best of two worlds, and I surely won't fault this production for what some will say it's objectionable staging.

You get a formidable conductor, a spectacular historically informed period orchestra, top singers in all roles and what you get is lots, lots, lots of pleasure.

I feel that I don't even need to write up a detailed review of this product. It would just be a boring gushing endless string of praise. I'll just say, A+, highly recommended!!!
Yes indeed, this is one baroque modern production that actually works, mainly because Upshaw and Hunt are so good at those slower arias, very good camera work also catching body movements and close-ups at the right time etc. Great collection of talent here

The cover photo sets off alarm bells for me (euro trash warnings) but was pleasantly surprised at how nicely it was all handled. The final martyr scence for instance very nice with the cruciform death beds powerful visual symbols



 
#92 · (Edited)
Does anybody here have an opinion on this?



I'm trying to see if it's worth buying (it's priced at $35.50)
Apparently it's a staged version that is quite controversial.
Some call it profane, others call it sublime.
I'm not a religious person so I won't be turned off by the "profane" aspects.
But some also say it's depressing.
Mostly everybody agrees that the musical part is tops, with excellent orchestra, chorus, and soloists.

Opinions?

I found on YouTube this condensed clip (about 14 minutes) and I'm not convinced. I need someone who has seen it in its entirety and with the blu-ray sound to give me an opinion.

 
#94 ·
Does anybody here have an opinion on this?



I'm trying to see if it's worth buying (it's priced at $35.50)
Apparently it's a staged version that is quite controversial.
Some call it profane, others call it sublime.
I'm not a religious person so I won't be turned off by the "profane" aspects.
But some also say it's depressing.
Mostly everybody agrees that the musical part is tops, with excellent orchestra, chorus, and soloists.

Opinions?
Alma I thought after that painful "cadmus" DVD purchase ($50) you gave up those outrageous priced operas :eek:

BTW that is only a single disc blu ray for $35.......no freaking way, boycott!
 
#96 ·
The Messiah

I've been trying to think of whether to recommend it or not. The singing is very good so in that respect it's worth it, just for Bejun Mehta and Richard Croft. The staging is in no way an attempt to literally show what is in the text, and sometimes I have trouble even working out if it even illustrates it, but it is certainly intriguing and makes you pay attention to the words. I would say if the YouTubes didn't tempt you don't bother.
 
#98 ·
Many of us have excellent versions of The Messiah on CD, so to tempt one to get a DVD version, it needs to be pretty damn good.
 
#104 ·
Like I said above, the Sellars Theodora is so musically stunning thanks to the spectacular conductor, orchestra, and singers that no matter what Sellars does to the staging, it's one of my most cherished DVDs. It's not every day that we get such a stellar cast of performers in all the important musical positions. I can't stop saying how magnificent the music was, both the one coming from the orchestra and the one coming from the singers' throats. If anything, one can just close his/her eyes or turn the TV off and let the music come from the receiver's speakers. This is just a sensational performance, musically speaking, and a must have. And I didn't really mind the staging, it had some very beautiful elements, it added to my enjoyment rather than the other way around.
 
#107 ·
wow, interesting read. thanks :) I didn't catch the comparison of Bejun Mehta to Chris Colfer though (although I've sometimes wondered if the latter could be a countertenor if he wanted to). Now I just have to find some website to buy it from that ships to Norway and where I can get the all-region DVD version for less than a small fortune...
 
#108 · (Edited)
Handel: Partenope on DVD

Publication Poster Font Movie Book cover


I continue to have trouble with Firefox and inserting images. Now I can do it, but they are small.

Anyway, let's focus on the DVD itself.

This was recorded live at the Royal Danish Opera, Copenhagen, in October of 2008.
Lars Ulrik Mortensen conducts the Concerto Copenhagen.

Inger Dam-Jensen is Partenope.
Andreas Scholl is Arsace
Christophe Dumaux is Armindo
Tuva Semmingsen is Rosmira (a.k.a. cross-dressing Eurimene)
Bo Kristian Jensen is Emilio
Palle Knudsen is Ormonte

Technically speaking this is a good product from DECCA, region zero, filmed in HD, with 16:9 anamorphic widescreen, LPCM and DTS 5.0 tracks (one laments that the subwoofer is not fully activated - but the surround effects are good, and sometimes when the singing comes from a corner of the stage it only comes from that side of the surround speakers and the effects are pleasant - oh well, I'm inaugurating my new higher-end set-up - not the highest end but a significant improvement over my old one - with this DVD and I'm very pleased with the sound). Good image definition and colors (although the staging doesn't take advantage of it). There are optional subtitles in numerous languages and a bonus feature (documentary of the rehearsals, 17 minutes-long). The opera running time is 187 minutes.

The Pros:

Exquisite singing by all principals, some better than others (particularly Andreas Scholl, Inger Dam-Jensen and Bo Kristian Jensen) but even the slightly - and I do mean slightly - less good ones (Christophe Dumaux, Tuva Semmingsen) do an excellent job.

Inger Dam-Jensen has good stage presence and is a good match for the role of the proud, powerful and sexy queen - she is an impressive lady although not a beauty.

There is some eye candy for the ladies who like gents or gents who like gents, but not so for gents who like ladies (my case) or ladies who like ladies, in spite of the suggestive cover picture (which is misleading).

HIP in period instruments.

The Cons:

They are numerous, in my opinion.

Unattractive staging with dark scenarios and even darker lighting.

Overacting by many principals - yes, I understand that opera often includes overacting in order to reach the back of the theater but with the frequent close-ups of this camera direction it gets really distracting. And then, with the misguided attempts at humor (see below) the singers seem to be always indecisive between portraying the true complex feelings that the libretto calls for, and making a joke of it all which results in very uneven acting. This is stage direction gone wrong, folks. I don't mind at all updated stagings (this one is done with modern clothing and modern props) but it's gotta be well done. This one is not. It is not Eurotrash. There are no excesses. It's rather a question of guiding the acting into a coherent whole which definitely does not happen here.

It's the kind of product that would be better enjoyed with the TV monitor off, a good candidate for our project of good musical aspects of a DVD (except that I'm less than thrilled with the orchestra so I wouldn't include it there - I mean, the orchestra for me doesn't stand out as a strong positive for this performance as much as some efforts by, say, The English Baroque Soloists or Les Arts Florissants can be). I'm not an authority in orchestras, and maybe someone will say that this Concerto Copenhagen is very good. Maybe I'm just being influenced by the reputation of some other ensembles, but I do think I've approached this performance with an open mind and just wasn't awed like I've been when listening to an opera by some of the other baroque orchestras, when I can't stop dropping my jaw and saying "oh wow!" to myself about the instrumental playing. This awed feeling just isn't there for me, regarding this orchestra. Another way to say this is that conducting and playing in this production, while very good, like brilliance. I'd like to hear the opinion on this from people who know these things better than I do, like emiellucifuge. I'd be willing to reassess my understanding of this orchestra's playing if I'm flat wrong about this, but I repeat, there seems to be something missing for me.

Slapstick kind of humor that falls flat and is detrimental to the enjoyment of this rather dramatic work - case in point the battle scenes which in my humble opinion tried to be clever and ended up being ridiculous. The public seems to have loved it since they can't stop applauding at all little "clever" tricks, which is in itself distracting, I'd like to shout "shut up" when they applaud *during* the singing/playing just because the direction came up with something "clever" like a singer entering the stage by sliding down a rope. Yeah, big deal. Can we listen to the music, please??? Not to say that the laughing at the lame slapstick acting is also distracting since it happens during the singing. I don't know what is wrong with this public. Do they want to watch a comedy? Go to the movies, then, there are plenty of silly Hollywood comedies playing in multiplexes. Do they want to watch dramatic 17th/18th century opera? Then listen to the opera, dammit!!!

Too much stage noise. One would want the sound engineer to have generated some noise cancelling waves to compensate for those, before releasing the final product.

Abuse of close-ups and too many camera cuts that get to be shaky and dizzying. Some of the camera work (fortunately not a lot) is done with handheld cameras. Damn, this trend that spoils so many films is getting into opera as well??? I mean, I like the old efforts started by Lars von Trier and his pals, but the craze of action films with handheld cameras became very annoying and I'd hate to see it penetrate the world of opera as well.

The opera itself:

The libretto is one of the most convoluted ever set to music by Handel, and we know how some Handel operas have a knack for convoluted libretti (while some others - the ones I tend to like more, like the recent - for me - example of Hercules have more clarity and directness). This one overdoes it. There are so many plot twists and so much ambivalence and changes of mind and multiple shifting love allegiances that at one point it all becomes a turn-offish mess, to the point that one thinks - "oh, whatever, let me just listen to the music."

Musically of course the opera is very satisfactory. I'm still to find a work by Handel that I don't like musically. The man was a genius.

So, what is the verdict? It's a tough one. I guess I'd say recommended, given the excellent singing across the board and the formidable performance from Inger and Andreas (the latter is a singer who can't go wrong, he's consistently excellent in everything that he does), plus the good technical quality of the product. So, just the pleasure of listening to and watching two gifted singers/actors in the two main roles justify the buy. But certainly I've seen better in terms of camera work and updated stagings of Handel's operas.

Oh, I forgot to mention the culprits for the weak stage direction and the weak direction for TV: respectively Francesco Negrin and Uffe Borgwardt - so that others who think like me avoid their future works (although obviously there are some who love what they do, given the wild applause from the public - If I were there, it would be hard for me to restrain from booing the stage director - I never do this, but I'd be tempted).
 
#113 · (Edited)
View attachment 2110

I continue to have trouble with Firefox and inserting images. Now I can do it, but they are small.

Anyway, let's focus on the DVD itself.

This was recorded live at the Royal Danish Opera, Copenhagen, in October of 2008.
Lars Ulrik Mortensen conducts the Concerto Copenhagen.

Inger Dam-Jensen is Partenope.
Andreas Scholl is Arsace
Christophe Dumaux is Armindo
Tuva Semmingsen is Rosmira (a.k.a. cross-dressing Eurimene)
Bo Kristian Jensen is Emilio
Palle Knudsen is Ormonte

Technically speaking this is a good product from DECCA, region zero, filmed in HD, with 16:9 anamorphic widescreen, LPCM and DTS 5.0 tracks (one laments that the subwoofer is not fully activated - but the surround effects are good, and sometimes when the singing comes from a corner of the stage it only comes from that side of the surround speakers and the effects are pleasant - oh well, I'm inaugurating my new higher-end set-up - not the highest end but a significant improvement over my old one - with this DVD and I'm very pleased with the sound). Good image definition and colors (although the staging doesn't take advantage of it). There are optional subtitles in numerous languages and a bonus feature (documentary of the rehearsals, 17 minutes-long). The opera running time is 187 minutes.

The Pros:

Exquisite singing by all principals, some better than others (particularly Andreas Scholl, Inger Dam-Jensen and Bo Kristian Jensen) but even the slightly - and I do mean slightly - less good ones (Christophe Dumaux, Tuva Semmingsen) do an excellent job.

Inger Dam-Jensen has good stage presence and is a good match for the role of the proud, powerful and sexy queen - she is an impressive lady although not a beauty.

There is some eye candy for the ladies who like gents or gents who like gents, but not so for gents who like ladies (my case) or ladies who like ladies, in spite of the suggestive cover picture (which is misleading).

HIP in period instruments.

The Cons:

They are numerous, in my opinion.

Unattractive staging with dark scenarios and even darker lighting.

Overacting by many principals - yes, I understand that opera often includes overacting in order to reach the back of the theater but with the frequent close-ups of this camera direction it gets really distracting. And then, with the misguided attempts at humor (see below) the singers seem to be always indecisive between portraying the true complex feelings that the libretto calls for, and making a joke of it all which results in very uneven acting. This is stage direction gone wrong, folks. I don't mind at all updated stagings (this one is done with modern clothing and modern props) but it's gotta be well done. This one is not. It is not Eurotrash. There are no excesses. It's rather a question of guiding the acting into a coherent whole which definitely does not happen here.

It's the kind of product that would be better enjoyed with the TV monitor off, a good candidate for our project of good musical aspects of a DVD (except that I'm less than thrilled with the orchestra so I wouldn't include it there - I mean, the orchestra for me doesn't stand out as a strong positive for this performance as much as some efforts by, say, The English Baroque Soloists or Les Arts Florissants can be). I'm not an authority in orchestras, and maybe someone will say that this Concerto Copenhagen is very good. Maybe I'm just being influenced by the reputation of some other ensembles, but I do think I've approached this performance with an open mind and just wasn't awed like I've been when listening to an opera by some of the other baroque orchestras, when I can't stop dropping my jaw and saying "oh wow!" to myself about the instrumental playing. This awed feeling just isn't there for me, regarding this orchestra. Another way to say this is that conducting and playing in this production, while very good, like brilliance. I'd like to hear the opinion on this from people who know these things better than I do, like emiellucifuge. I'd be willing to reassess my understanding of this orchestra's playing if I'm flat wrong about this, but I repeat, there seems to be something missing for me.

Slapstick kind of humor that falls flat and is detrimental to the enjoyment of this rather dramatic work - case in point the battle scenes which in my humble opinion tried to be clever and ended up being ridiculous. The public seems to have loved it since they can't stop applauding at all little "clever" tricks, which is in itself distracting, I'd like to shout "shut up" when they applaud *during* the singing/playing just because the direction came up with something "clever" like a singer entering the stage by sliding down a rope. Yeah, big deal. Can we listen to the music, please??? Not to say that the laughing at the lame slapstick acting is also distracting since it happens during the singing. I don't know what is wrong with this public. Do they want to watch a comedy? Go to the movies, then, there are plenty of silly Hollywood comedies playing in multiplexes. Do they want to watch dramatic 17th/18th century opera? Then listen to the opera, dammit!!!

Too much stage noise. One would want the sound engineer to have generated some noise cancelling waves to compensate for those, before releasing the final product.

Abuse of close-ups and too many camera cuts that get to be shaky and dizzying. Some of the camera work (fortunately not a lot) is done with handheld cameras. Damn, this trend that spoils so many films is getting into opera as well??? I mean, I like the old efforts started by Lars von Trier and his pals, but the craze of action films with handheld cameras became very annoying and I'd hate to see it penetrate the world of opera as well.

The opera itself:

The libretto is one of the most convoluted ever set to music by Handel, and we know how some Handel operas have a knack for convoluted libretti (while some others - the ones I tend to like more, like the recent - for me - example of Hercules have more clarity and directness). This one overdoes it. There are so many plot twists and so much ambivalence and changes of mind and multiple shifting love allegiances that at one point it all becomes a turn-offish mess, to the point that one thinks - "oh, whatever, let me just listen to the music."

Musically of course the opera is very satisfactory. I'm still to find a work by Handel that I don't like musically. The man was a genius.

So, what is the verdict? It's a tough one. I guess I'd say recommended, given the excellent singing across the board and the formidable performance from Inger and Andreas (the latter is a singer who can't go wrong, he's consistently excellent in everything that he does), plus the good technical quality of the product. So, just the pleasure of listening to and watching two gifted singers/actors in the two main roles justify the buy. But certainly I've seen better in terms of camera work and updated stagings of Handel's operas.

Oh, I forgot to mention the culprits for the weak stage direction and the weak direction for TV: respectively Francesco Negrin and Uffe Borgwardt - so that others who think like me avoid their future works (although obviously there are some who love what they do, given the wild applause from the public - If I were there, it would be hard for me to restrain from booing the stage director - I never do this, but I'd be tempted).
Well, I know it's not Handel, but this one below is what I got (DVD and CD) and I love it:
 
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