Customer Reviews

Aida [VHS]

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I am new to this Aida and its magic spell is now upon me. Of course any Aida will rise and fall on the title role and this is a superior Aida on all counts not least vocally and interpretatively. Some will argue that Leontyne Price is the Aida of our times. I disagree since Price, to these ears, is a singer of the stand and deliver variety. What Cheryl Studer accomplishes in the title role is an unexpected pleasure. Listen to her "O patria mia" to understand what I mean. I could go on and on. For example, d'Intino is also a superb Amneris. Less so is O'Neill as Radames but you can't have it all. Bravi!

This performance is horrible. Want to see king of Egypt dressed like a Neonazi with a flat top? Radames in some kind of military uniform? Aida looking like a laundry woman? You got it. I guess there is some kind of "concept" here that just eludes me. It is NOT what I would expect from Convent Garden Opera House. The sets are laughable and very cheap looking. The Triumphal march is a joke: I don't think I've seen a more boring dancing. What makes this really heart-aching is the presence of some good singers. I've seen Cheryl Studer and Robert Lloyd in other performances. For example, Lloyd in Verdi - Don Carlo / Lima, Cotrubas, Zancanaro, Baglioni, Lloyd, Haitink, Covent Garden Opera was terrific but he sure does not impress here.

If you want to watch a good performance of this opera, I'd recommend Met Verdi - Aida / Levine, Domingo, Millo, Metropolitan Opera with Placido Domingo and Aprile Millo. It's a solid classical interpretation with amazing sets and the grandiose Act 2, which is, by the way, hard to pull off.

So don't waste you money unless you like Eurotrash style or want to see how not to do operas...

I never thought that Cheryl Studer could pull off Aida. But she does. She sings with her usual committment vocally and the audience love her. The staging is impressive and the chorus and orchestra under Edward Downes add to the production. The remainder of the cast perform excellently.

I bought this Aida because of Cheryl Studer. She did not disappoint. Luciana d'Intino as Amneris lent credibility. The rest stunk. I expected more from the Royal Opera House. I cannot imagine worse staging: meaning-less background screens, and poles with silly emblems. Radames had black hair. After he was sentenced to death, his hair turned completely white. Edward Downes' pace was uncoordinated with either the chorus or the singers at spots. The worse part was the intended triumphant scene. It was Eurotrash, with top-less acrobats jumping around. Verdi would turn over in his grave. As a final insult, Kultur managed to mis-spell Cheryl Studers' name.

The Aida to buy is the one by Kate Aldrich, Adina Aaron, and Scott Piper. It is beautifully done, guided by masterful mentors, Franco Zeffirelli and Carlo Bergonzi.

Singing isn't all that great, but it was probably the best part of this production. The conducting was bad, the acting was bad, the staging was bad...I think you get the clue. I couldn't watch it all in one sitting. I had to stop after the first act and watch the rest later. Poor Verdi, he'd be rolling in his grave if he knew these terrible musicians had ruined his art!

Very disappointing production. The singing was OK but the staging and acting very less successful than other productions of Aida that I have seen