Customer Reviews

Bernstein: Candide [VHS]

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3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
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Amazon has created a muddle by listing reviews of a VHS concert performance under what is obviously the well-known New York City Opera audio recording of "Candide." The composer held out for twenty years after the failure of Tyrone Guthrie's original staging on Broadway in 1956, denying all preformance rights until drastic revisions could be made to the flawed book by Lillian Hellman. Sadly, when he gave in, the revision by Hal Prince and Stephen Sondheim was a dismal betrayal -- Voltaire's biting satire was ditched in favor of doltish clowning, Candide and Cunegonde being transformed into faux-naive children with straw for brains.

In the mid-Eighties that version was subsumbed into an official "opera house" version that was soon to fade from sight. Some of the show's original intent was preserved, and most of Bernstein's incomparable score was intact, more or less. Alas, the cobbling together of styles left the audience confused. Was this supposed to be satire, mock-operetta, farce, or an olla podrida of disconnected vocal numbers? To my ears, it's the last, a shapeless mass that's at best a make-do until we get -- when, oh, when? -- a satisfactory revamping.

As for the performance, you'll hear lots of reorchestration that was later jettisoned in favor of the much-better original. Lyrics are randomly tacked on to melodies -- some of these remained, others were ditched. But the overall problem is John Mauceri's bloodless conducting and the cautious, utterly inert singing. None of the principals are worth criticizing since they are all such blanks.

In short, this is a Candide for completists only, one of a long line of bastardized versions that litter the trail of a hapless musical struggling to fulfill its musical potential. Note, too, that all dialogue has been excised, which makes the proceedings twice as confusing.

I am a big fan of this work and purchased the video in the hopes that it would be a theatrical presentation. To my extreme disappointment, it is basically a filmed concert with narration, and is not a complete performance of the work. It seems that much of the dialog is only replaced by narration. As a collection piece it may be well worth the money asked, but as a visual entertainment I suspect your money would be better spent on actual seats to a live, local symphony concert. Not only will you be entertained, but will be contributing to your local arts.
As an audio entertainment this tape is very good. However, there are many recordings available that are also delightful, and in some cases substantially lest costly. I have enjoyed the 1956 Broadway recording and the 1982 New York City Opera recording (both on CD), as well as the 1974 Broadway revival (sadly, only available on LP, but includes the entire dialog). If you are interested in audio and looking for operatic style go with the NYC Opera recording. For complete work, it looks like the 1974 Broadway revival is the only option.

I've heard a number of recordings of this, Bernstein's often overlooked masterpiece, and I must say this recording has the finest performance.

Stripped from the drudgery of a difficult script, this video showcases Bernstein's classic score. Stellar performances by an outstanding cast--who could pass up Adolph Green! A must for any enthusiast's library!

I didn't see the other user comments when I ordered this. I must have been distracted. What a disappointment! I thought I was ordering a theatrical version - a play as I had seen it in 1978. Instead, it's an orchestral version with narration. If I want the music, I'll just order an audio. I can't see that this version does any justice either to the music or to the play.

I first read Candide as a book, not a book I tried to see under its layer. The result was a fairy tale: a country where gold and precious stones are considered as nothing etc. The ending was very disappointing for a fairy tale. But after I read it, i realized there was an inside meaning, Voltairan philosphy. Then I saw how each event supported his philosophy. Overall, its a good but confusing book to read. One is required to look under the superficial meaning of the book and see how Voltaire mocks society. END