21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
EXCITING & ADVENTUROUS MUSIC, January 19, 2002
Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht's "The Rise and Fall of The City of Mahagonny" is not only one of the most important operas of the twentieth century, it is also one of my personal top ten on a 'desert island' list. The music is exciting and adventurous, melodic, frantic, descriptive, beautiful, harsh and absolutely unforgettable.
On my first day of video shopping, after purchasing a DVD player, I saw this brand new release of the 1998 Salzburg Festival production directed well by Peter Zadek, conducted brilliantly by Dennis Russell Davies. The latter obviously has a true affinity for Weill's music: his recording of the ballet "The Seven Deadly Sins," featuring Marianne Faithful, is certainly one of the best available.
The quality of the picture and the sound on this DVD is, naturally, top notch. The question, however, must be raised as to whether television cameras are really all that helpful in a medium like opera where the singers sometimes distort their faces and bodies in order to produce the correct tone. This must be especially strange for a viewer coming to opera for the first time via television tapes or DVD's. Although the leading performers in this "Mahagonny" all have the acting chops to make their characters true and honest and exciting, they also must be true to the music and so we have many close-ups of their faces which, to be honest, are simply unflattering to the point of grotesquery.
Gwyneth Jones, as 'Leocadia Begbick, is still a beautiful woman, but, since her best career years are behind her, she can no longer handle alot of Weill's music and, thus, resorts to growling; Jerry Hadley as 'Jimmy Mahoney' acts and sings well enough but Catherine Malfitano is, I'm afraid, too mature in voice and body, to play a convincing 'Jenny.' Two other of the major roles are played by singer-actors who would do this piece proud anywhere: Dale Deusing as 'Pennybank Bill' and Udo Holdorf as 'Jake Schmidt.'
The designs for Salzburg are evocative, although they seemed to dwarf the actors at times (certainly they are more fitting than the ones used presently by the Metropolitan Opera in New York), the chorus sings well and acts adequately, although I question the use of full nudity. Was this really necessary to convey the sense of a brothel when the music and libretto do so already? The Radio Symphony Orchestra Vienna plays this difficult, wonderful score magnificently under Dennis Russell Davies. I also wanted to commend the uncredited fight director. The extended fight scene in Act 2, is one of the best and most realistic of any theatrical fight I've witnessed.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Wild, Weill West, September 24, 2004
Right from the get go Dennis Russell Davies has the orchestra playing with
a fine "Weill" sound - clean and intense with impressive brass playing as
the strings chug-chug away. The very opening bars of Mahagonny (especially
when played this well) can really get me going on the ride.
Immediately we're introduced to a hot, doe-eyed announcer who saunters on
and off before each scene and before we know it we're being introduced to
our three fugitives from justice. As Trinity Moses, the pinstriped Wilbur
Pauley is long and lean and looks just "too cool" sporting the sharpest
sideburns in the biz. R. Cornelius Smith is his complete physical opposite
and together they make a great comedy team while pouring out vocal gold.
Dame Gwyneth appears with her trademark hair and looking hard as nails.
Vocally, her Begbick is worn and the wobble is now so large as to have
become a thing of wonder. Still, she sings with great conviction and turns
in a gutzy, biting, scathing and memorable performance.
Peter Zadek's production is nothing short of astounding with sets from
Richard Peduzzi and lurid costuming by Norma Moriceau. The set, beginning
as blank walls colored only by lighting, grows with each scene reaching its
apotheosis as a 30's Holly set of a Babylon movie complete with life sized
statutes of elephants and is most impressive.
Zadek trusts his actors and they in turn seem to trust him right back all
giving inspired performances, down to tiny touches that make all the
difference. An example: Begbick, kicking back into relaxation states how
the new city will be all relaxation, no work for anyone. Yet, as she
mentions this the reality is Moses and Fatty are sweating their asses off
hauling her cargo with all the zeal of a prison work release hand assigned
to paint a factory or clean out a pig sty. Irony, lies, contradiction and
self deception all go hand in hand in Mahagonny.
As Jenny, Catherine Malfitano's wide vibrato nearly puts her in Dame
Gwyneth's camp, but like Dame Gwyneth here is a consummate operatic
actress, investing everything with passion and she fills the role of Jenny
from teeth to toes.
The quartet of ax-swinging lumberjacks invests the opera with even
more "real" fun. Weill and Brecht have created this foursome with such
craft and inspiration it's impossible not to fall in love with these guys.
One also can't help fearing for their wellbeing as Begbick welcomes them,
trapping them into her spider web Mahagonny.
Marco complains about the ugly voice of Jerry Hadley. I can't agree. It's
not a "beautiful" voice, but here is a characterization and development of
a role which succeeds on every other level. I've never been a big fan of
the tenor's, but he gives such a gutsy, mindboggling performance and he
really SINGS the role as opposed to some of the Herodes-style barking I've
heard passing for Jimmys in the past. The voice sounds free and sizeable
and is deployed with an abandon I'm not used to hearing from this singer.
Hadley also gives a physical performance that is hard to believe: jumping
from table to table, flinging furniture, dancing with his axe, falling from
platforms, slapping whores' asses and dancing his very big heart out. I
had to make sure it was Hadley!
The scene where Jimmy tries to leae Mahagonny is a most powerful one. The
boys in peppermint stripes the scene turns into a gay-90's barbershop
quartet before Jimmy jumps into the pit and into the aisles with enough
energy I wouldn't be surprised if he had callbacks for Cabaret . . . or
Grease!
Former lister (or is he?) Udo Holdorf is hilarious as Jakob Schmidt,
receiving encouragement and cheers as he glutonously prepares to eat his
3rd calf in a row before. The cheers continue until, meat hanging out of
his mouth, poor Jakob . . . well, you know . . .
There is much to enjoy here: the boxing match (gruwesome and hilarious)
between Trinity and Joe; "Pirate Jenny" with Malfitano atop the billiards
table (some interesting symbolism here), a touching "Crane Duet" and Dale
Duesing's performance as Pennybank Bill showing why he's one of the very
best of American Singers - taking a rather small, ensemble role and
creating a genuinely memorable character that touches the heart.
I'm not sure what other videos/DVDs are available of Mahagonny . . . but
they'll have to go a long way before they can touch this one.
Highly recommended.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
