8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
SPECTACULAR!, February 24, 2004
By A Customer
This review is from: Giacomo Puccini - Manon Lescaut / Robert Carsen · Silvio Varviso · Miriam Gauci · Flemish Opera (DVD)
MIRIAM GAUCI infuses this sumptuous production with STELLAR perfection! Brilliant set and costume design, but the focus always remains on this gifted artist. The final act - always somewhat of a 'let down' does not disappoint with its highly stylized 'view' of the American desert - neatly counterpointing the opulent reflections of European splendor [the salon sequences].
It is not a memorable score - there have been better, but for the purist - this one's an eye-opener of just how far one could go without flaunting bad taste!
Utterly charming and unforgettable once viewed - tech credits are fine, especially the cinematography.
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5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Production Stunk; Puccini Cringes, May 9, 2006
This review is from: Giacomo Puccini - Manon Lescaut / Robert Carsen · Silvio Varviso · Miriam Gauci · Flemish Opera (DVD)
What nonsense, what appalling garbage this Manon Lescaut is. I could NOT pay attention to the singing because I was so distracted not only by the loud stage echo, but the idiotic sets. I can't even find bad enough eptithets to fling upon this production. It was the worst piece of dreck I've ever seen in an opera. It made me queasy to look at the slanting, overwhelming scenery, the glaringly ugly costumes, the unfunny clownishness of the extras prancing around with their parasols. Each scene was more garish and ludicrous than the last, and the Louisiana finale was the topper - if Manon had access to a box of jewels - or had them on her in the first place - she could have bribed her way from being deported, or at the very least, if she'd been hiding them on her all along for protection, when she and Des Grieux were abandoned in the wilderness wouldn't one think that even a greedy, self-absorbed girl like her would have SOLD those jewels long before, in order to either buy passage back to France or at least get comfortable accommodations in a settlement? I know it was just supposed to be a "symbolic" gesture, representing probably Manon's hallucination, but come on, how stupid is the audience? If this Manon Lescaut was beautifully sung, I missed the whole thing, I was so disgusted by the stupid show.
The Muti performance of the other new Manon Lescaut on DVD has much more realistic, belieavable scenery and certainly a more heartfelt performance; I was sure it was as well if not better sung simply because nothing got in the way of it.
I, too, am wondering how to get rid of an overly expensive DVD.
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1.0 out of 5 stars
So bad it's funny, May 12, 2010
This review is from: Giacomo Puccini - Manon Lescaut / Robert Carsen · Silvio Varviso · Miriam Gauci · Flemish Opera (DVD)
The sets, acting, and directing in this production are so bad that they are comical. It makes the whole experience of watching this production mildly painful at times. It is unfortunate, for the singing is quite good. This would have been much better as a CD than a DVD.
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