Customer Reviews

Die Fledermaus [VHS]

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Althrought the guest lineup (Charles Aznavour, Dr. Evadne Hinge & Dame Hilda Brackett, Merle Park and Wayne Eagling) is no match to the 1990 Gala (Which have Pavarotti, Marilyn Horne and Dame Joan Sutherland in her last performance ever), this video of the 1984 New Year's Eve Gala have a great cast (Headed by Dame Kiri), and a fun conductor (YES! THAT IS THE PLACIDO DOMINGO!), and great fun from start to finish (And, WHAT A FINISH THEY GOT!). Althrought I didn't like the look of Doris Soffel's Orlofsky, I do enjoy Josef Meinard's Frosch a lot (You ought to see the interplay between him & Domingo). Hermann Prey & Benjamin Luxon is pretty good, and Dame Kiri? She's Yummy throughout, with her best fun comes at the finale and curtain call! And, Domingo? Wonderful at the podium, as he does on stage!

All in all, one of the best Fledermaus Gala videos ever!

Johan Strauss II didn't get his reputation as Vienna's Waltz King for sitting around eating strudel mit shlag. He wrote glorious melodies...waltzes, polkas, mazurkas...that set people to dancing and smiling. His music still does.

Die Fledermaus is a Viennese fable of lechery, love, revenge and romance, of beautiful wives, juicy maids, amorous husbands, clever friends, a mysterious count and a drunken jailer, of white tie and tails, beautiful gowns, a gold watch and lots of champagne. Most of all, it is a light-hearted and mischievous story that features some of Strauss' most romantic and bubbling music which just washes over the audience. The story is too comically complicated to go into. Just remember that it's all about a bit of revenge for a practical joke played by one friend on another a year earlier. In Act One we're at the home of Gabriel von Eisenstein (Herman Prey), who is about to spend eight days in jail for an indiscretion. But his good friend, Dr. Falke (Benjamin Luxon), convinces him to delay the trip to the jail until the next day, so that the two can go to a magnificent dinner party, without telling Eisenstein's beautiful wife, Rosalinda (Kiri Te Kanawa), held by the mysterious Russian nobleman, Count Orlofsky (Doris Soffel). Ah, but then the plot thickens. Through clever stratagems, invitations have also secretly arrived for Rosalinda, who is to go in disguise so she can see for herself her husband's amorous ways, and for Roslinda's maid, Adele (Hildegard Heichele). All that follows is a story of mistaken identities, beautiful songs and, eventually, happy endings.

What makes this particular production at Britain's Royal Opera House so effective is that it's not only sung superbly, it's not only sumptuously mounted, but it's funny. The dialogue is spoken in a mixture of German, French, English and Italian in an amusing play on the characters' nationalities, but also on the nationalities of the singers. And the singers are not only in great voice but are seeming to take great delight in playing the characters. All of them, especially Herman Prey and Benjamin Luxon, appear to be having the times of their lives. Their good spirits are as infectious as the music they sing.

It's traditional for the party at the Count's to be interrupted by special surprise guest performers. Making appearances are Charles Azvanour, ballet stars Merle Park and Wayne Eagling in a stunning pax de deux choreographed by Frederick Ashton, and two genteel English ladies, Dame Hilda Bracket (who sings) and Dr. Evadne Hinge (who accompanies on piano). If you didn't know they were really...well, see for yourself. To fully appreciate them, you'll need to use Google. Joseph Meinraad plays the 3rd act non-singing drunken jailer, Frosch, who has several comic moments bantering with the conductor, Placido Domingo.

This is a filmed record of the performance. Clear subtitles are available and are probably recommended if you're not already familiar with the story and the songs. The only drawback is the quality of the DVD. It's not really bad, but is about at the level of a middling VHS tape.

These comments refer to the performance of Strauss' Die Fledermaus done by the Royal Opera, Covent Garden, conducted by Placido Domingo, starring Kiri Te Kanawa and Hermann Prey as the Eisensteins. (sung mostly in German, with subtitles in English, German, Spanish, and Japanese.)

This performance is a good introduction to Strauss' Fledermaus because Dr. Falke explains to Prince Orlofsky IN ENGLISH! the plot of his complicated prank on his old friend Gabriel Eisenstein.

As if the cast of excellent singers and the beautiful costuming were not enough, Prince Orlofsky's celebrity guests make this an evening to remember. In addition to an appearance by French crooner, Charles Aznavour, there is a ballet vignette with such superb dancing that it will leave breathless even those (like me!) who usually eschew ballet--it's dazzling!

Recorded in 1984, this is a New Year's Eve performance that you'll want to enjoy again and again with family and friends.

This the very best video available of "The Bat" from Covent Garden with Hermann Prey and Kiri, conducted by Placido Domingo performing at their very best with a wonderful supporting cast. The jailer pulled a great surprise in rehearsal and it stayed in the production, but I'll leave that for your viewing pleasure. I have a German production with Wolfgang Brendel that is quite good but this production is the best of the video versions I've ever seen. A truly amusing opera with great fun to be had by both the cast and the audience. It is a tradition among my opera loving friends to watch this New Year's and always such a delight. Costumes, production and cast are first rate! If you like this opera or have never seen it - Buy this version and sit back and enjoy! You will love seeing it again and again! Highly recommended!

Johann Strauss' Die Fledermaus live from covent Garden is a wonderful New Years Celebration performance with Kiri Te Kanawa, Hildegarde Heichele, Hermann Prey(you looking for "leb wohl, du kuhnes, herrliches kind?" you'll laugh), Benjamin Luxon(la la "mit mir", la la "mit mir" keine nacht dir zu lang"), and Placido Domingo conducting. We have extras in the second act, including a song Charles Aznavour sings called "She". Trust me, you'll love that moment. Herr Frank and Eisenstein say "bon chance! Vive la France" later on in that act. You'll be cracking up during Act 3 with Josef Meinrad as Frosch with his "ruhe! quiet!" He really does sound drunk. Frosch later on sings "Die Olga und die Ida" to the tune of the famous aria "Celeste Aida". Right after the first stanza, Frosch pretty much gives out an explosion of laughter saying "At least once I've sung with Placido Domingo". A highly reccommended Fledermaus. You won't be sorry when you spend your do.

As with everything with Placido Domingo's touch, this performance is superlative. Far from being distracting the language French, German, Italian, and English, and opera humor is hilarious. Josef Meinrad, as jailer Frosch, is worth the purchase alone. Guest appearance by Dame Hilda Bracket with Dr. Evadne Hinge was charming, and ballet duo Merle Park and Wayne Eagling absolutely lovely. All of which embellish a consistently excellent cast. Especially enjoyable were Hildegard Heichele's Adele, and Dennis O'Neill the tenor who wouldn't stop singing. The only disappointment was lack of spunk in Rosalinde's Hungarian song, which should be the showpiece of the operetta. You'll like it, especially if you're multi-lingual.

I grew up in an opera household but didn't get the opera bug like my parents. This is one opera that I did enjoy growing up because it is lighthearted and very easy to follow. This DVD version does include subtitles. The cast is great and the voices all blend nicely. Really, if you are starting on opera and don't want to get into the "heavy hitters" first like Wagner, try this one. You'll find yourself smiling when you watch it and humming some of the music afterwards.

The first and third acts are both delightful, the second act is where I had a problem. Whereas the first and third acts followed the score fairly closely, the second act is greatly expanded with specialty performances that vary considerably in their ability to communicate. On repeated viewings, I found it increasingly easy to fast forward over several of the added performances. Such is the beauty of the DVD.

The first and the third acts generally make up for the somewhat bloated second act. The second act does have some enjoyable parts, and one can pick out the parts that will stand repeated viewings, and just skip over the others. I will admit that I've viewed the DVD in it's entirety only once; I have, on the other hand enjoyed the first and third acts, as well as selected parts of the second act many times.

The added performances are, in their own ways, competently done. I just feel the flow of the second act is seriously compromised by all of the extra performances.

On balance, I'm glad I have the DVD; the portions that I've mentioned favorably above are really quite good.

This production is Covent Garden plush with some of the best singers in the international class and a credible conducting job by Domingo. Te Kanawa's high notes were squeezed due to some lack of support, probably the corset she had to wear for the gowns but Prey is wonderful! There is a great surprise in the last act between the conductor and the jailer! An accident in rehearsal that stayed in the production because it was so funny! Watch this every New Year's Eve when possible and really enjoy it. A recommendation as the best video available of this opera! Buy it! Great fun!

SOURCE: Live 1983 performance at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London.

SOUND: Reasonably good stereo. The singing of the soloists is generally well caught, the orchestra and chorus slightly less so. Some dialogue fades occasionally, but that may be due to the performers as much as the sound pick-up.

CAST: Gabriel von Eisenstein, a prosperous Viennese gentlemen with a roving eye - Hermann Prey (baritone); Rosalinde, his wife - Tiri Te Kanawa (soprano); Alfred, Rosalinde's would be lover - Dennis O'Neill (tenor); Adele, Rosalinde's maid - Hildegarde Heichele (soprano); Dr. Falke, Eisenstein's good friend but also the victim of one of his practical jokes - Benjamin Luxon (baritone); Frank, Governor of the City Prison - Michael Langdon (baritone); Prince Orlowsky, a jaded and bored visiting aristocrat - Doris Soffel (mezzo-soprano); Dr. Blind, Eisenstein's lawyer - Paul Crook (tenor); Ida, Adele's sister - Ingrid Baier (speaker); Frosch, a jailer - Josef Meinrad (speaker).

CONDUCTOR: Placido Domingo with the Royal Opera House Orchestra and Chorus, Covent Garden.

TEXT: The lyrics are sung in a German not heavily burdened with Viennese lilt. Spoken dialogue veers wildly from one language to another.

SETS AND COSTUMES: The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, is a very large theater with a big stage. The settings are of necessity of large scale. This makes Eisenstein's residence, which ought to be the well-appointed townhouse of a prosperous but nevertheless middle-class Viennese banker who keeps only a single servant, seem out of scale. The ballroom set for the second act and the jail in the third are serviceable. The costumes are generic, late 19th Century, but attractive and appropriate.

STAGE DIRECTION: Overall, the stage blocking is quite traditional, even sensible, leading one to make wild speculations about the director having actually read the libretto before staging the piece, improbable as that seems. The decision to sing in German and speak the dialogue in polyglot form is a questionable one, probably earning, I imagine, about equal quantities of praise and disdain.

COMMENTARY: The roots of Johann Strauss II's "Die Fledermaus" stretch back to an 1851 German farce by Robert Benedix, "Die Gefängnis" ("The Prison"). In 1872, that admirable pair of hacks, Meilhac and Halévy, cobblers of libretti for both Offenbach and Bizet, converted the old German play into a French vaudeville called "Le réveillon" ("The Revel" or perhaps "The Christmas Eve Party"). In 1873-4, the French text was re-translated back into German for Strauss to set to music, but with all references to Christmas carefully expunged as a sop to respectable Viennese sensibilities. Oddly enough, the one-time Christmas Eve tale that premiered not far away from Easter in 1874 has taken firm root in Austria and elsewhere as a New Year's Eve entertainment.

If there exists a poor sound recording of "Die Fledermaus," I have never encountered it. Each major recording has its unique merits and its champions. Choosing the best among them is simply an exercise in expressing personal taste. "Chacun," as we are wisely advised, "à son goût." Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for all the DVD outings of "Die Fledermaus" (and especially not for two recent outright horrors from Salzburg and Glyndebourne, respectively.) Let me now hasten to allay fears by assuring you that this DVD "Fledermaus" is a good one. Many, including the Good Grey Gramophone Magazine, regard it as a very, very good one.

The cast is a generally sound one, and everyone (but Heichele) seems to be having an infectiously good time, especially Domingo, conducting in the pit. They are all right, but neither Te Kanawa nor Heichele would be my first choice for Rosalinde and Adele, respectively (nor, indeed, my twenty-first choice, if it came to that.) Hermann Prey is a sprightly Eisenstein, although perhaps a bit too old and stolid-looking to make Eisenstein's shenanigans entirely convincing. Eisenstein is a low-lying tenor part or a high-flying baritone role. I prefer a character tenor as Eisenstein, especially in Act II where he will be the only tenor voice. Dennis O'Neill sings pretty well as Alfred, here translated into as Alfredo. Benjamin Luxon, oddly enough for an operatic baritone, is adequate singing but notably better in speaking the dialogue. Doris Soffel, is a tall, splendidly epicene figure as Prince Orlowsky. Soffel, a very fine and well-known mezzo-soprano, here sounds very soprano-ish. Had I been given the choice, I'd have cast her as Adele and Heichele, if I had to use her at all, as Orlowsky.

While the performance is enjoyable enough the first time through, there are problems that emerge on subsequent viewings. The choice of having characters speak in different languages to one another--Te Kanawa in English to Dr. Falke but in German to Eisenstein and Adele, for instance--gets real tired real fast. The part of Alfred was intended for a Viennese tenor--imagine the young Richard Tauber. Strauss wrote appropriately Viennese music for him. Performance tradition, however, has turned Alfred into a caricature of an Italian tenor, Alfredo, and interpolated all kinds of tags and snatches from Puccini and Verdi. Here, they have gone one step further and made him speak in Italian--hardly the native tongue of a Dennis O'Neill, I fancy. It's a wearisome conceit. (When they extend the idea to make Eisenstein emulate Wotan when he bids "farewell" to Rosalinde, it's really just too much!) Even more wearisome is the "gala" in which outside performers offer a mixed bag of turns during Orlowsky's ball ... amusing once, tedious thereafter.

Finally, there is the matter of Domingo's conducting. The Good Grey Gramophone calls it "stiff." Since the Royal Opera House Orchestra is manifestly not a Viennese band, I'll give Domingo a pass on that point. On the other hand, he seems to me to be a little over-indulgent on making comedic points at cost to the essential snap and crackle of Strauss' champagne-soaked score.

Compared to the overall enjoyability of the show, my negative comments count as relatively minor. You can certainly do worse--much worse--than acquire this particular version of "Die Fledermaus."

Four stars.