Product Details

• Actors: Colette Alliot-Lugaz, Georges Gautier, Jules Bastin, François Le Roux, Ghyslaine Raphanel
• Directors: Bernard Maigrot
• Writers: Albert Vanloo, Eugène Leterrier
• Format: Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, Subtitled, NTSC
• Language: French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), French (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Image Entertainment
• DVD Release Date: June 11, 2002
• Run Time: 101 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00006674K
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #95,888 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Chabrier - L'Etoile / Gardiner, Alliot-Lugaz, Gautier, Opera National de Lyon" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The first of Emmanuel Chabrier's five operas is wickedly witty, musically delightful, and, in this bright, well-directed, and superbly conducted performance, utterly charming. The composer is best known for two small orchestral showpieces, the "España Rhapsody" and the "Marche Joyeuse," which are in the repertoire of virtually every orchestra. His operas are less familiar in France and virtually unknown in the United States (though the Glimmerglass Opera has produced L'Etoile). His operas deserve to be as well-known as his orchestral music, and this performance is a long step in the right direction.

L'Etoile has a silly, complicated plot that the Opera de Lyon's cast handles with the right light touch--particularly Georges Gautier as Ouf I, ruler of an imaginary kingdom, and Colette Alliot-Lugaz, performing brilliantly in the trouser role of the little peddler Lazuli, who is chosen to be executed in celebration of Ouf's anniversary. --Joe McLellan

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous music, funny production, May 2, 2004

By 

C. Harbison (Montague, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Chabrier - L'Etoile / Gardiner, Alliot-Lugaz, Gautier, Opera National de Lyon (DVD)

When I first bought and listened to this DVD some of the voices did not seem completely coordinated with the visuals. On later viewing this does not seem such a problem, but the sound is a bit more closely miked than you would expect in a theater. The music is simply superb, the production very clever, the singing and conducting (also available on CD) are wonderful and lively throughout. The performance is unfortunately not filmed before a live audience, instead the camera moves around on the stage in ways that are disconcerting at first and acceptable in the end. As so many later French composers proclaimed, Chabrier produced more fertile, delightful melodies in one work like L'Etoile than most composers do in a lifetime--this is an inspired and life-enhancing opera bouffe.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars L'étoile by Emmanuel Chabrier, April 26, 2011

By 

cindy - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Chabrier - L'Etoile / Gardiner, Alliot-Lugaz, Gautier, Opera National de Lyon (DVD)

I needed the opera for an academic paper, and it came quickly. The performance was excellent. The only drawback -- but it was a big one -- was that there was no accompanying booklet (libretto), only an advertisement for other dvd's. This is highly unusual, and was a disappointment because 1. I couldn't scan the text, but had to wait for each subtitle on screen as it was sung, and (especially) 2. the dvd booklet often contains interesting information about the work, which is valuable to a scholar.

3 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Chabrier L'Etoile, July 9, 2002

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Chabrier - L'Etoile / Gardiner, Alliot-Lugaz, Gautier, Opera National de Lyon (DVD)

This L'Etoile is thoroughly enjoyable after a slow start, and very well sung & acted. If you enjoy Gilbert & Sullivan or Offenbach operettas, I would highly recommend this DVD.