Customer Reviews

Giacomo Puccini: La Boheme

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

There seems to be a little confusion with Mike Smith's review of the various versions of "La Boheme". Yes, the 1977 DG version was historic...I remember it well. But Scotto WAS Mimi and not Musetta...(that role was sung by Maralin Niska). The 2008 EMI version was a total waste (as most of the EMI HD DVDs which it offered). The 1977 DG version is the BEST, in my opinion, because it offers us the Mimi of the great Teresa Stratas and not Scotto as Mike Smith states...Scotto is Musetta on this DVD and is wonderful. I was a great fan of Scotto and would give my eye teeth to have her Met performances of "Butterfly" and "Il Trittico" on DVD.
The combination of Stratas and Carreras on this DVD is overwhelming. Pavarotti was a magnificent singer but could never muster up enough emotion in any of his roles. Plus we have this wonderful and atmospheric Zeffirelli Production!!!
I strongly recommend this version. DG does a great job with remastering the video and audio of the former Pioneer Met DVDs giving us perfect clarity and surround sound. Once you SEE and HEAR Stratas, you will want no other Mimi.
I HAVE ADDED THE FOLLOWING COMMENT ON OCTOBER 28, 2009: I received this new DVD yesterday. DG has done a masterful job with it. The DTS 5.1 sound is out-of-this world....sounds as if one were actually sitting in the audience at the MET. The video is much brighter and clearer than was the old Pioneer version. It has more language choices. There are two excellent mini-documentaries: Zeffirelli working the La Boheme rehearsal at the Met and one on Puccini. This is a MUST buy.

This grand Zeffirelli production has a perfect cast. All singers look the parts and act well. Teresa Stratas was considered the greatest singing actress of her generation. Her fragile Mimi really hit the benchmark! Jose Carreras'passion and drop-dead handsomeness, coupled with a great voice and vocal technique provide the perfect Rodolpho. Renata Scotto's Musetta was brilliantly acted and sung by the greatest Italian diva of the day. All the other roles were well cast. The great Maestro and Music Director of the Metropolitan Opera,James Levine, presented an impassioned reading of the score-remarkably cognizant of the composer's wishes. The Met Opera orchestra is at it's best and the choruses are great!

I have this on vhs and have been waiting for this magnificent Zeffirelli production from the MET to be released on dvd. Stratas and Carreras are wonderful. 28+ years later, the audience still applaud the set when the curtain goes up on Acts 2 and 3. Bravo to all involved.

With all the versions and different casts available, this is still the best version of LA BOHEME with the Covent Garden (Allen, Shicoff et.al) producton second due to quality of singing, acting, costumes and sets. The chemistry and emotion is all there after all these years. I recommend this version as far superior above all others including the new movie with Villazon and Netrebko. This should be the first one in your collection!

I am not a professional musician and lack the skill to critique each turn of phrase and musical subtlety. I am a devoted listener and observer who wants to be moved by the characters and music. This stage performance achieves that with great impact. The principals look right, they sound great and the staging gives the characters the background they need to bring the story and music home in the best light. It isn't necessary to suspend belief and imagine that over-age, over-weight singers are something they are not. This isn't the only excellent video presentation, but it is near as a person is likely to get to attending and outstanding live performance.

Probably best, overall production, given singing, acting, staging, direction and sound. I prefer the Australian version with Barker and Hobson for acting, sets and direction, but that version has marginal sound. In contrast, this version with Stratus, Scotto and Carreras has all strong actors, singers in principal roles, with Zeffirelli sets and direction with no weaknesses.

I agree with a previous reviewer, the combination of Jose Carreras and Teresa Stratas in this La Boheme is overwhelming. The singing is sublime and Carreras's interpretation of his character is done with enormous sensitivity and skill. Not to be overlooked is the fine voice and acting skills of Richard Stilwell, Allan Monk and James Morris. I was spellbound with the emotion that was conveyed in what can only be described as an outstanding production.

I have now viewed each (Scotto-Pavarotti and Stratas-Carreras versions)....too many times... and while I know its not a competition- here is what I wish could happen (and can never in reality be). Teresa Stratas as Mimi, Jose Carreras as Rodolfo (but with Pavarotti's' voice) Keep Maralin Niska as Musetta and Ingvar Wixell as Marcello. Teresa Stratas acting is matched only by her exquisite voice, a voice that is quite unbelievable, really. Even as Musetta, Scotto's voice seems a bit harsh and lacking in timbre, for me anyway. Carreras' acting is rich, measured and full of emotion, much better, I think, than Pavarotti. His voice is wonderful but seems to me a step down from Luciano's. Oh well, I highly recommend this DVD for all the right reasons... especially Teresa Stratas!

This is the best performance of this opera that I have seen. Cararas is at the peak of his powers and the supporting cast was right there with him. The production is as lush and colorful as it could be given the nature of the opera. I had seen this performance on a earlier recording and had to have one of our own. My wife agrees. She was enamored by the experience.

This was my first opera, the one that really got me into opera, and I probably watched our VHS of it over 100 times during college (there was a span there where I was literally watching it every night). Anyway, I was really sad when we got rid of our VHS player, and had been looking for a DVD version of this particular production, which for me will always be the quintessential La Boheme, for a long time. It's so exciting to finally have it in my possession, however, when it came time to watch it, it would not work in my laptop, nor in the DVD player at school. It did work in my friend's laptop (we both have macs, but hers is slightly older).