Customer Reviews

Amor, Vida de Mi Vida: Zarzuelas by Palcido Domingo and Ana Maria Martinez [Blu-ray]

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A delightful concert given by the best of the best. Zarzuelas never caught too much outside Spain. Domingo is doing his best to expose to the rest of the world this slightly different form of opera/operetta. The melodies in this Blu-Ray are well chosen and beautiful. There is no doubt that Domingo, Martinez and Lopez Cobos really enjoy performing in this concert. The audience also seems to like it, but.. at the end the performers have to please their audiences, so the last encore is a known melody from the Marry Widow sung in German.
The imagery and sound are perfect. In summary, a great concert to enjoy and get exposed to great Zarzuela melodies.
I am still waiting for great full Zarzuela productions on DVD and Blu-Ray available in the US. Luisa Fernanda is one of them, not surprisingly with Domingo in the cast.
Highly recommended.

Wondering if this is worth the price, since it is a little higher than that of the usual blu-ray or DVD? Oh, yes. Every penny.

The 1080i blu-ray picture (in 16:9 format, filling the entire HD TV screen) is stunning. You can even see the veins under Ana Maria Martinez's porcelain skin. If you're thinking that perhaps this indicates there's TOO much detail and you'd rather go for the lower-resolution DVD, think again. All that fine detail the blu-ray provides helps produce a picture that is incredibly lifelike.

Combine that with the crystal-clear, open sound that the blu-ray distributes to all speakers and you have an immersive experience. It feels like you are there in the theater -- but better, with close-ups. I was mesmerized and engaged in a way I haven't been outside of a live performance. And by owning this blu-ray, I can experience it again and again for only a small fraction of the price paid by those in the audience. (By the way, before viewing the concert be sure to go to the settings in the blu-ray menu to change the audio from the default -- PCM stereo -- to PCM 5.1, if you have a home theater setup. It makes all the difference.)

But superior picture quality and sound would be for naught if the performance being captured weren't worthy. This one is.

What can one say about Placido Domingo? It boggles the mind to think he's been singing for about half a century. He's truly a wonder of the opera world. His tenor voice may sound more baritonal than ever, but it's fully intact, and his artistry is at its peak. Long may he live and provide us with pleasure through his singing.

Ana Maria Martinez was a revelation to me, and you're hearing this from someone who thinks great singers are few and far between nowadays. This Puerto Rican soprano has a gorgeous voice with a rock-solid technique that makes her exquisite singing seem effortless.

The Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg, an Austrian orchestra here playing outside its usual repertoire, does a beautiful job under the baton of veteran Spanish conductor Jesus Lopez Cobos.

So, don't hesitate. Buy this while it's still available. You won't be sorry.

What can you say about Placido Domingo and Ana Maria Martinez. Individually, they are great but together... they are on fire!
Zarzuela is such a nice music form. Too bad it is not more popular in the US.
The orchestra was incredible and the recording was exellent.
The blue Ray version is great. The colors are so vibrant and the sound is crisp.
If you like zarzuela you will love this. If you don't like Zarzuela... you will love it after seing this Blue Ray DVD.

Un beso a mi prima Ana y a Placido por tan buen regalo musical para todos nosotros.

I'll Be waiting for the next Domingo- Martinez DVD!

A. Colon
PS: Already have Misa Tango and Merlin

Short and sweet: this is a sensational disc. If you enjoy the human voice, you can't not love this concert. The orchestra was a match for the singing and watching the conductor silently sing along brought back memories of Toscanini singing aloud on some of his opera recordings.
Video and audio outstanding. Bravo!

Other than his virtuosity as a lyric tenor, Placido exhibits at large his innate attributes of Spanish singer; surely the mark of his parents Placido and Pepita Embil both zarzuela singers. The adorable presence and voice of Ana Maria Martínez, so natural and versatile in her expression, and with those sweet and clean altos, make of her the perfect mate to Placido in this style. The conductor López-Cobos succeeds in drawing the spirit and rythm of zarzuela from the fine Mozarteum Orchestra. Though I missed some emblematic zarzuelas like Los Gavilanes and La Leyenda del Beso, this DVD is the most enjoyable fiesta madrileña.

I can not say enough about this performance of Zarzuela music. The soprano (Ana Maria Martinez), the tenor (Placido Domingo) and the director (Jesus Lopez Cobos) are all at the top of music world and performed with much gusto and flair.

The mature voice of Placido Domingo is the perfect frame to the work of art soprano voice of Ana Maria Martinez, in the best selections of Spanish Zarzuela, not forgetting the Mozarteum Orchestra of Salzburg accompanienment. Bravo, bravo y bravisimo!!!

This is a wonderful music video featuring excerpts from Zarzuelas (Spainsh Folk Operas) made in Salsburg, Austria in 2007.

Placido Domingo is remarkable as always. He grew up singing this type of music with his parents, so it's in his DNA. And every number he sings shows his passion and involvement with the genre. His partner, is the elegant, lovely young soprano, Ana Maria Martinez, from Puerto Rico. A Julliard trained singer with a Masters in Music she is every bit the professional. Her style and ease in this music is very natural. What a beautiful voice and vocal technique. She and Placido make great partners. As the video shows, both obviously enjoyed themselves very much.

The setting for the concert is ideal and the "house" is full, which is to be expected. The final encore of the evening will surprise you, as it did the audience!

This is a video that all classical music lovers should have. You'll play it over and over again. I have already given it as a gift to friends!!

BASIL WALSH

This among my ten favourites concerts one of the most importants.Placido Domingo and his protégée Ana Maria Martinez offers a unique concert that have to be in all the shelves of people that love quality and performance.Ana Maria is at the level that Placido requires

Worth every cent. Wonderful choice of Zarzuela music, great conducting by Jesús López Cobos and singing by Plácido & Ana Maria. The comment left by Bravi actually says it all - "What can you say about Placido Domingo and Ana Maria Martinez. Individually, they are great but together... they are on fire!" This is a performance you will watch over and over again.