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DVDs that make you go WOW now i understand it!

4K views 14 replies 7 participants last post by  starlightexp 
#1 ·
I am sure you will agree some DVDs make you either (1) switch off (2) not really understand or (3) never want to see it again. But sometimes a version makes you go wow I really understand it and love it now. Here are some wow DVDs for me.

1. Jenufa from Glyndebourne conducted by Andrew Davis and staring Anja Silja and Roberta Alexandre. Nikolaus Lehnhoff was the director. What a brilliant version with a very powerful cast and a brilliant ending.

2. Die Zauberflote from Zurich with Nikolaus Haroncourt. Director was Martin Kusej. I watched this from start to finish in one go and was riveted by he production. I loved The Papagano and Tamino sung by Ruben Drole and Christoph Strehl.

3. Wozzeck conducted in Paris by Barenboim with Grundheber, Meier and Clarke. Wonderful performance, partially staged I think. Had it on video but think they released it on DVD but have never found it.

4. Lulu from Glyndebourne with Christine Schaffer conducted by Andrew Davis. What a brilliant production. I loved it and thought it perfect.

5. La Traviate with Mirelle Delunsche and Peter Mussbach is the director. Was a dubious purchase And at first I found the raindrops on the camera lens odd but the performance is just superb from Delunsche. Yes, she is not everyone's cup of tea as Violetta but she gives it everything and is so believable.
 
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#3 ·
Ditto for the Christine Schäffer Lulu. You're right, that production was quite spectacular.

I find that this one is impressive in your sense of "wow, now I get it" - Salome wasn't one of my favorite R.Strauss operas until I saw it, now it is:

 
#4 ·
I've mentioned this several times already, but going way back, it was the Chereau Walküre that really made this my favorite opera (still to this day, some thirty years later).

On a more eccentric note, Hans-Jürgen Syberberg's strange film of Parsifal made me first appreciate that opera.

And it was the Met's production of Don Carlo that made me love that great Verdi work.


 
#13 ·
Had a 'WoW' moment again with the Rigoletto starring Florez, Damrau and Lucic as Rigoletto. After the first few minutes where Florez looks a little too tanned -or rather Umpa-Lumpa like (from Willie Wonka) this settled down into a wonderful production and performance. I was rather taken with Damrau and i quite like Lucic's voice. Best of all is the set and production by Lehnhoff.

Now i am no expert when it comes to Rigoletto. I have struggled to find a 'decent' recording for years and settled with the Chandos in English cd set. The alternatives either had the wrong Duke -Domingo, or a Gilda who wasn't to my taste -Sutherland etc.

So now i really understand this opera.......and WOW after all these years!!!
 
#15 ·
It is a rather odd mix that made me finally 'get it' After sitting through the Live in HD Ring cycle last year I was very much enamored with the Ring Cycle. While I love it am fully aware that my love for mythology and symbology may make me bias to it and that not everyone should start there. A friend of mine that does like opera told me most people end on The Ring not start on it. For a while there the Ring is all I wanted to get into and not opera as a whole. Then I watched the Anna Netrebko La Traviata and thought 'hey I could get to like this stuff" I think it really was Martin Kusej's production of Der Fliegende Hollander that drove the final nail in and now I can't stop. Got myself season tickets to the Lyric here in Chicago this season and am driving my friends and relations to drink talking about opera.
 
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