77 of 79 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Real Gala with More Stars Than You Can Count, February 19, 2006
This review is from: Vienna State Opera Gala Concert / Domingo, Terfel, Gruberova, Urmana, Hampson, Baltsa, Kirchschlager, Polaski, Struckmann, Schade, Furlanetto (DVD)
On November 5, 2005 the Vienna State Opera held a gala to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the reopening on November 5, 1955 of the Opera after its destruction by Allied bombs in 1945 followed by the ten-year-long reconstruction. They pulled out all the stops and had a cast of stars (as well as current stalwarts of the Opera): five conductors (Ozawa, Gatti, Mehta, Thielemann and Welser-Möst) and such luminaries as Domingo, Baltsa, Gruberova, Hampson, Terfel and Kirchschlager, as well as the fabulous Opera chorus and the Vienna Philharmonic. The gala featured scenes from six of the seven operas given new productions in that 1955 season -- Don Giovanni, Der Rosenkavalier, Aida, Meistersinger, Frau ohne Schatten and Fidelio. The whole thing lasted over three hours (and takes up two DVDs), was produced by the redoubtable Brian Large and shown on Austrian television. Here we are only four months later with this beautifully produced package that preserves that evening's performances. It seems that these special occasions make it to DVD more and more quickly.
Since Amazon has not as of the date of this review listed the scenes and arias presented, I shall do so in slightly synopsized form, listing the participants as I go.
Beethoven's Leonore No. 3 Overture with Ozawa conducting. A moderately interesting performance. The VPO sound wonderful here, though, and throughout the evening.
Don Giovanni: Madamina, il catalogo (Ferruccio Furlanetto as Leporello); Non mi dir (Edita Gruberova as Donna Anna); Finch'han dal vino (Thomas Hampson as Giovanni); Act I finale (with Hampson, Ildik' Raimondi as a fabulous Zerlina, Boaz Daniel as Masetto, Soile Isokoski as Donna Elvira, Gruberova as Donna Anna, Michael Schade as Ottavio, and Furlanetto as Leporello). Furlanetto was great, Gruberova was tired-sounding, Hampson's aria wonderful but the finale never did quite catch fire. Mehta conducting.
Der Rosenkavalier: The final trio (Hab mir's gelobt) and duet (Ist ein Traum) with Angelika Kirchschlager as Octavian, Soile Isokoski as Marschallin, and Genia Kohmeier as Sophie. One couldn't ask for a better performance. I'd never heard of Kohmeier but she's definitely a comer.
Aida: The entire Nile Scene with Furlanetto as Ramfis, Nadia Krasteva as Amneris, Violeta Urmana as Aida, Franz Grundheber as Amonasro, Johan Botha as Radam's. Urmana and Botha outstanding. Followed by the Act IV, Scene 1 duet with Amneris and Radam's (Baltsa and Domingo). This is how it was meant to be done. All conducted by Daniele Gatti, a rising star.
Die Meistersinger: Overture (led by Christian Thielemann and quite exciting). The Flieder-Monolog sung by Bryn Terfel as Sachs -- an incredible performance. It got the biggest individual applause of the evening. This was followed by the Wach auf chorus from Act III, the VPO chorus sounding incredible. All led by Thielemann.
Die Frau ohne Schatten (led by Franz Welser-Möst). Mir anvertraut sung by Falk Struckmann as Barak and Deborah Polaski as the Dyer's Wife. Polaski not quite warmed up and a little squally. Finale of Act III with Botha as Kaiser, Ricarda Merbeth as Kaiserin and six comprimarii as The Unborn). Excellent.
Fidelio: Finale from Act II. Chorus again sounding fabulous. Hampson as Fernando, Walter Fink as Rocco, Struckmann as Pizarro, Deborah Polaski as Leonore (and sounding much, much better than a little earlier), Raimondi as Marzelline, Johan Botha as a marvelous Florestan, Herwig Pecoraro as Jaquino. A fitting finale for the evening. One can never hear this finale without being moved.
Visually and sonically this is a first class production. Subtitles in English, German, French, Spanish. Sound: PCM Stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS 5.1. Total time (2 DVDs): 188 mins. No extras.
Recommended for those who might want to hear these artists in this exciting gala format.
Scott Morrison
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Consummate Musical Feast!, March 16, 2007
This review is from: Vienna State Opera Gala Concert / Domingo, Terfel, Gruberova, Urmana, Hampson, Baltsa, Kirchschlager, Polaski, Struckmann, Schade, Furlanetto (DVD)
This is a perfect DVD for showing family or friends why you like "great singing."
This gala performance celebrates the 50th anniversary of the reopening of the Vienna State Opera--and they do it in a way they can be proud of.
At the beginning of several pieces, they intersperse photos of performances from 50 years ago with some of today's top performers in classic roles.
After the first solo--Ferrucio Furlanetto's rich voice and ultimate personification of Leporello in his "Madamina, il Catalogo e questo," from Don Giovanni, you think to yourself, "How is anyone going to equal the quality of this magic moment?" You don't have to wait even minutes: Edita Gruberova responds with Donna Anna's "Crudele?" in an exhibition of beautiful singing that would leave even Amadeus clapping like a seal. Yes, she gives us all a singing lesson. Applause brings down the house.
What else? There's the "Marie Theres" and "Ist ein Traum" of Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier, with Angelika Kirchschlager and Christian Thielemann drawing deserved thunderous applause. Again, you think to yourself, "How can the next singers equal this beautiful moment?" Bryn Terfel sings a Hans Sachs from Meistersinger, that leaves us praying that he might undertake that role in a performance soon.
There are many other items in this 2-DVD set, that are equally enjoyable. I was not familiar with Strauss' Die Frau Ohne Schatten (The Lady Without a Shadow), but Falk Struckmann's ebullient Barak left me ready to grab up anything by him, and also a copy of Frau Ohne Schatten. Perhaps the words from this scene from Frau Ohne Schatten sum up what your feeling is likely to be after watching this gala performance:
"Was there ever a feast at which we were not secretly always the guests, and also the hosts!"
Invite yourself--and some friends who enjoy great music--to this consummate musical feast!
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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Vienna State Opera Gala, 50th Anniversary, September 20, 2006
This review is from: Vienna State Opera Gala Concert / Domingo, Terfel, Gruberova, Urmana, Hampson, Baltsa, Kirchschlager, Polaski, Struckmann, Schade, Furlanetto (DVD)
This is the DVD I wanted. However, had it not been for your one review detailing the contents of the video--- I would have still been looking as I was not sure if this was the one I viewed on television. It is a beautiful performance which I believe will be enjoyed by all. Thank you, reviewer, for helping out!
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