Mozart Le Nozze Di Figaro Bohm Ponnelle Review
Generally excellent!
Despite the rather old-fashioned German romantic approach that Böhm takes to the music, this is certainly the well-nigh satisfactory recording, with a stellar cast, of the opera. I thought that Maria Ewing was specially convincing as the boy Cherubino and Fischer-Dieskau, Prey, Freni and Te Kanawa both sang and acted beautifully. If yous adopt a modern musicological arroyo, then endeavor elsewhere but for a cast of stars near their superlative, this is the 1.
But I am reminded past another review, that at that place is ane annoying characteristic of this movie: this is the tendency to make everything more "realistic" by having the characters keep their mouths closed while their pre-recorded voices proceed to sing. I find this unconvincing and I call up the managing director should take accepted the fact that singing in real situations is not realistic.
Forget realism; this is opera!
8-x
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Sublime video version of Mozart's wonderful opera
Warning: Spoilers
This version of Mozart'due south Marriage of Figaro was sublime from start to cease. Though if I had one modest complaint, asides from the lip synching, information technology was that there was once or twice, particularly in Not Piu Andrai, when the camera-work was a little dizzying. Only compared to how well performed and designed the production was, that is a minor criticism.
The photography, apart from beingness a little dizzying, was lovely pretty much everywhere else. There is one bit I think in human activity 1, when Susanna looks equally though she is about to faint, and the camera takes close upwardly of Basilio and the Count's faces, as if they were leering over her, and that was a very effective touch. It perfectly captured the beautifully designed if not particularly fancy(dissimilar Magic Flute) costumes and sets, the garden in Act 4 was an peculiarly prissy touch.
The story is a great complex one, seen every bit a continuation of what happens in Barber of Seville. I don't really need to say how good Mozart'due south music is, it is obvious Marriage of Figaro is an operatic masterpiece, with highlights such every bit Voi Che Sapete, Porgi D'Amor, the Count'south recitative and aria in Act three, Non Piu Andrai, The Letter duet and the terrific finale.(even if the whole of Human activity 4 has literally nothing as entertaining compared to the other three happening)
The performances were infrequent, Hermann Prey was hugely entertaining every bit Figaro, bring a sense of vibrancy and hilarity into his operation besides as having a hearty vocalism that is as well beautiful in tone. Mirella Freni was merely stunning as Susanna- I completely forgave the fact she was in her early forties when she did this. She just has this alluring presence and beautiful big vocalisation, that pours out similar whipped cream on a coffee. Who could think a fantastic soprano, who excels peculiarly in Puccini and Verdi, could as well exist such a gem in Mozart too? Kiri Te Kanawa was lovely and elegant as the Countess, she did accept a tendency to sing sharp, merely singing sharp is preferable to singing flat, and she sounded like she was in good vocalism. Maria Ewing was a bully choice for Cherubino, not just did she look the part, but she sang similar a nightingale and is a good extra. And the best way to describe Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau(whose proper name I still can't pronounce) is outstanding, with his tremendous interim ability and enormously resonant voice, he was perfect as the count, simply born to play him. His scenes with Freni were particularly brilliant, you could really experience the chemical science between the two then. Everyone else was fine too.
Overall, sublime, there is i small flaw(one or two moments of boundless photographic camera-piece of work), other than that, well recommended, if y'all like opera, or love Freni or Fischer-Dieskau. ten/ten Bethany Cox
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Bravo
Warning: Spoilers
Jean-Pierre Ponnelle, product designer of 1972's "Barbiere di Siviglia," takes the director's chair this fourth dimension and does a bravura job. Whereas the Hairdresser started with an film of (a surprisingly young) Claudio Abbado conducting the overture, "Figaro" begins with action. It's not heavy activeness, but it does avoid the static beginning of "Hairdresser".
Herman Prey has a return engagement equally Figaro. Paolo Montarsolo also returns from Barber's bandage, only this time every bit Bartolo rather than Basilio. Calculation Mirella Freni every bit Susanna, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau as Almaviva, Kiri Te Kanawa as the Contessa and Maria Ewing filling out her trousers well as Cherubino, Ponnelle presents us with nearly an all-star cast.
"Figaro" is slightly more daunting, non only because of its length (like the Emperor in "Amadeus" 1 is tempted to yawn during the concluding human action), but also because of the recitatives. The major singing is done to playback, which gives the singers a chance to act. Ponnelle plays with the playback, sometimes playing it while the singers aren't singing so it appears to be going on in their heads. This is effective in one case you're used to it, just in early scenes with Cherubino it unfortunately has the advent of carelessness on Ewing'south function, which it is non.
All the big hits from the prove are here, some with superb staging. Figaro's "Se vuol ballare, Signor Contino" is very effective. The delightful "Non piú andrai" is a chip dizzying every bit Figaro sings directly into the camera with the groundwork whirling behind him, but it does emphasize Cherubino'due south growing panic.
Ponelle went on to do a wonderful movie of Rossini's "Cenerentola," which may be the finest opera picture ever. Simply his "Figaro" deserves a peek from any opera lover.
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Slap-up, except for the lip synching
This is one of the best performances of Figaro in recordings. Bohm's conducting is superb, it's an outstanding cast overall, they work well together, and the recorded sound is great. The only drawback to this tape is that the arias were recorded separately and lip-synched (or, often, not even lip synched) in the video. I guess Ponelle's idea was to convey the concept that the arias were the thoughts of the character, and not spoken aloud. However, the effect is lamentable, particularly Cherubino's outset aria. Notwithstanding, the voices are all solid here. Casualty [Figaro] has a wonderfully hearty voice and plays the character with swagger. Freni [Susanna] is the embodiment of the sugariness servent girl who gets wised up to the facts of life. Fischer-Diskau is great as the menacing count. Heed to the duet scenes between him and Freni, they've both taken such care to blend in together. The Countess is ane of Te Kanawa'due south signature roles, and she plays the part elegantly. Also, the duet'due south with her and Freni are particularly wonderful. If they took the soundtrack to this film, and put information technology on CD, information technology'd exist the best CD recording of this work. If you can deal with the lip synch, you'll really like this.
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Something to enjoy, even if y'all are non an opera lover.
I accept never been much of an opera fan, but it is hard to resist the appeal of this film. The bandage is elevation rate and the product values are of equal quality. The sets and costumes are done with obvious care and add much to the overall issue. And who could non be in thrall to such beautiful women with such cute voices?
If the somewhat inane story of accidental eaves-droppings, deceptions, jealousies, characters hiding under beds and in closets, mistaken identities, and so forth gets to be a bit much, you can always close your eyes and just listen to the music--you never take to expect long for an outstanding aria or duet. And, given that this is advertised as a comic opera, I suppose yous can't mutter too much nigh its situation comedy tendencies. There *is* some serious commentary almost the relationships between classes, e.g. i theme is whether Count Almaviva has the right to sleep with his retainer Susanna on her wedding 24-hour interval to Figaro.
As has been mentioned, the lip-syncing is sometimes off putting, particularly when the characters remain mute while the vocal soundtrack continues, representing their thinking. And I plant the farthermost close-ups a bit distracting.
At 3 hours and twenty minutes this requires some stamina to lookout in ane sitting. It makes y'all capeesh the stamina required of performers who do this alive.
The "Countess, forgive me" scene at the end has to exist one of the nearly elegantly staged scenes of pure dazzler ever recorded on film.
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Source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0220672/reviews
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