Customer Reviews

Berlin Concert: Live From Waldbuhne [Blu-ray]

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This Berlin concert in Waldbuhne, the largest outdoor arena in Europe, is so great that you can watch over and over again. All three opera stars are brilliant and amazing! Domingo looked older than I thought but he's still a great singer with all the power and techniques. I just hoped he could be around for a long time. Both Netrebko and Villazon sing with such power and confidence as if they want to brag themselves telling how good youth is. Without a doubt, they are new "BIG" stars in a new generation. Yes, the vision and audio are at top notch. One drawback is, however, one (at least) of many cameras was probably not in HD so the vision suddenly changes to unclean and grainy look from time to time, which is actually rather annoying. All in all, you will love this blu-ray with the outstanding concert.

Here's the track List:
1. Opening Credits [0:36]

Giuseppe Verdi (1813 - 1901): Nabucco
2. Overture [8:15]

Francesco Cilèa (1866 - 1950): L'Arlesiana Act 2
3. E'la solita storia (Il lamento di Federico [4:58]

Giacomo Puccini (1858 - 1924): Gianni Schicchi
4. O mio babbino caro [3:20]

Jules Massenet (1842 - 1912): Le Mage Act 2
5. Ah! Parais! Parais, astre de mon ciel [4:12]

Giuseppe Verdi (1813 - 1901): Otello Act 1
6. Già nella notte densa (Love Duet)[10:40]

Georges Bizet (1838 - 1875):
7. Carmen: Entr'acte [3:37]
8. Les pêcheurs de perles Act 1: Au fond du temple saint [5:19]

Gioacchino Rossini (1792 - 1868): Semiramide
9. Overture [12:24]

Maria Grever (1894 - 1951)
10. Jurame [5:07]

Franz Lehár (1870 - 1948): Giuditta Act 4
11. Meine Lippen, die küssen so heiss [6:04]

Ernesto de Curtis (1875 - 1937)
12. Non ti scordar di me (Arranged by Andreas N. Tarkmann)[3:55]

Giacomo Puccini (1858 - 1924): La Bohème Act 1
13. "O soave fanciulla" [4:50]

Pietro Mascagni (1863 - 1945): Cavalleria rusticana
14. Intermezzo sinfonico [3:55]

Furio Rendine (1920 - 1987)
15. Vurria [4:17]

Leonard Bernstein (1918 - 1990):West Side Story
16. Tonight [4:55]

Gioacchino Rossini (1792 - 1868): Soirées musicales
17. La danza [4:10]

Giacomo Puccini (1858 - 1924): La Bohème Act 2
18."Quando m'en vo" [3:35]

Pablo Sorozábal (1897 - 1988)
19. La Tabernera Del Puerto: No Puede Ser [4:38]

Giuseppe Verdi (1813 - 1901): La traviata Act 1
20. "Libiamo ne'lieti calici (Brindisi)[4:34]

Franz Lehár (1870 - 1948): Das Land des Lächelns Act 2
21. Dein ist mein ganzes Herz [3:43]

It is like being there, time and again. The images are incredible crisp and bright and the sound is wonderful. Three of the greatest voices of today perform well selected areas of operas and popular songs. You will enjoy every minute of it. Bluray technology really proves itself.
I strongly recommend this DVD to watch and listen alone (and may be sing with your favorites singers) or with your friends and family and have a great time. Just like being there.

I have had the standard dvd version since it was released however I was shocked to see the vibrancy of the colors, the clarity, and hear the incredible uncompressed sound of this blu-ray. Opera has never sounded or looked this good- we are very lucky indeed.

I have a collection of classical DVDs recorded at this venue but this blu-ray release is definitely one of the best, both in sound and picture. While the program itself lacks originality, the performances of both the orchestra and soloists are truly outstanding. I would have given this disc a 5-star rating except that I have a couple of minor criticisms. First the camera work is not top-notch in my opinion - it is too abrupt at times and too much use is made of zooms. There are also some very odd camera angles and sometimes the singers are not on screen when they are singing. Video directors of other concerts from the "Waldbuhne" have done a much better job in this respect. Secondly, the subtitles are sometimes a little difficult to read - for maximum readability, the white letters should really be overlaid over a grey background. This appears to be a problem with other Blu-ray classical concert and opera releases.

If you love music at its finest, appreciate great artists (vocal and orchestral), and enjoy it in one of the world's greatest performance centers(Waldbuhne), then you owe it to yourself to own this Blu-ray DVD.

Nothing I have seen showcases high-definition video, top-end audio reproduction, and artistically choreographed musical performance quite like this.

I cried, it was so beautiful.

The best opera live concert I've ever seen. A great demonstration of Blu-Ray technology! Anna Netrebko is superb.

This is a preeminent Blu-Ray release in all aspects of performance, HD video and 5.1 DTS-HD Master audio achievement.

Incredible concert. Just wish I had been there, but future generations are SO lucky with something like this, not to compare, but to enjoy and enjoy they will. Every minute of it.

Even if you're not a big fan of classical music or opera, you'll like this tour-de-force of vocal artistry. The setting is gorgeous: a hillside amphitheatre on a summer's eve before sunset, ending with then possibilty of a summer night's storm inundating the scene (but that didn't happen).

We all knoow about Placido, after all he's one of the two surviving "Three Tenors," and he's been on Letterman! (Just like Madonna!) But you'll be pleased by the performance of the up-and-comers Rolando Villazon and Anna Netrebko (by the way, gorgeous eye-candy in Blu-ray).

There's a healthy selection of French and Italian composers, but the only German selection (without double-checking the liner notes) was a rousing and boisterous drinking song that was a fitting prelude to the tri-partite finale selctions.

If you have any affection for Placido, you won't be disappointed by this concert disc and the happy selection of his musical companions.

My second favorite Blu-Ray opera disk (second only to the following year's "The Opera Gala" by the same company, Deutsche Grammophon). Anna Netrebko is amazing, as usual. (What else is new? What else would you expect?) And Placido Domingo is deep and deeply emotional. (His Sorozabal "la tabernera del puerto" is one for the ages.) This is a great concert filmed and edited intelligently and respectfully. And when Netrebko does her encore as Musetta (in Quando men vo), it has never been done like this before!! I don't want to be a plot-spoiler, so I won't say more than that she almost stops the orchestra and conductor (the very able Marco Armiliato) dead. They are so shocked they almost stop playing. What a moment. What a voice. What a star she is. Rolando Villazon is left just a little in the dust, behind the other two, panting to keep up, but he holds his own in most of his duets, and I'll cut him some slack since he is still young, and look who he's competing with! Highly, highly recommended (just a nose behind the Blu-Ray of the "Opera Gala" disk, if you can only afford one--but don't afford just one. Skip a meal; walk to work; don't pay the gas company; this is more important!).