Thread: Future opera releases on DVD and Blu-ray

There seems to be a new DVD of one of my favourite operas, Korngold's Die Tote Stadt. It has been not reviewed yet but it does seems rather interesting.

Vinke, Kringleborn, Genz, Mayer, Marguerre, Oesch, Potente, Yijie, Schulz. Orchestra & Chorus Teatro la Fenice Venizia, Eliahu Inbal, conductor. Pier Luigi Pizzi, direction.



and the trailer:

Die Tote Stadt is my favorite too. There are so re really good operas on this label and some stinkers, let's hope the Italian audience is behaving and not walking in whilst the opera is starting In full view of the camera!

Perhaps. In this one, at least the staging follows the storyline and the intentions of the Korngolds.

Originally Posted by mamascarlatti

It was released last week in the States, and hasn't yet been released in the UK, which I usually buy from now, so it still counts. I'm still wondering whether to order it, and whether it might make me like the opera more than the other DVD I own.

Yeah I was also kind of thinking whether to post it on this thread or not but yes it's not released here in Europe yet...

Speaking of future opera releases and Die Tote Stadt, Finnish National Opera is supposed to release later this year DVD recording of their production of Die Tote Stadt. I saw it live last fall and it will be definitely worth of buying. I hope they'll also release it on BD. I thought the production was wonderful and the cast as well (including Klaus Florian Vogt and Camilla Nylund).

Good news then, I might wait too....but then again I might just get them both! I really love ther Torsten Kerl and Angela Denoke DVD but I see many don't like it and even some think it is one of the worst pieces of eurotrash opera productions. How I long to see the full James King DVD.

Originally Posted by Yashin

Good news then, I might wait too....but then again I might just get them both! I really love ther Torsten Kerl and Angela Denoke DVD but I see many don't like it and even some think it is one of the worst pieces of eurotrash opera productions. How I long to see the full James King DVD.

Well, you can see the whole performance in youtube, as I guess you are aware. Again, the production is not faithful to the libretto, ending with Paul's suicide, instead of leaving the dead city for good. King's singing is not the best, either.

Well, for me he sings beautifully in an old fashioned way rather than a light tenor such ad Klaus Florian Vogt or Torsten Kerl. I also love the ending with the gun pointed to his head, is just brilliant. I also like the Torsten Kerl DVD where he slits his wrists and slides down the door saying "no exit"....what a brilliant ending. Pure eurotrash but so powerful. I defy anyone to watch this opera and not have a tear in their eyes. Meloncholic nonsense maybe but it hits you straight in the heart.

I watched the Lulu from Liceu back in November.

It's true that Py's staging distract from the drama, and it seems pretty much divorced of the text and music, during much of the action. A kind of Playtime, by Tati, in a german expressionist environment.

On the other hand, while Ms. Petibon's voice is indeed small, it was very well projected and filled the Liceu (a big house) without any problems (apart from some low notes). Very impressive to see her at the end, stabbed, naked, with all the characters surrounding her, as is she magically recovers her seduction powers, once dead.

It was also nice to see Mr. Grundheber, already in his seventies, as Schigolch. Very solid, as usual, Julia Juon as the Countess Geschwitz. The rest of the staff, from just nice to poor. The poorest, unfortunately, were Alwa and Dr. Schön.

In the pit things were mostly neutral, nothing to be excited about, but no major disaster either. Mr. Boder knows very well his Lulu, but the Liceu orchestra is, what it is.

As mentioned in the review, at the beginning there were around 3/4 of the capacity, and at the end no more than 50%. But this was not for the production. To understand this better, you need to know the Liceu patrons. It was something to be expected, even with the best possible Lulu on stage.

All in all, I think this could be an interesting purchase.