Customer Reviews

Gounod - Roméo et Juliette / Alagna · Gheorghiu · Anton Guadagno

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

 

 

I'm really surprised that, in 2003, is still possible to see films like this: Gounod's magnificent opera here is cut by a butcher (running time 73 minutes, against the three hours of any integral recording!!!) who is trying to restore the 40s and 50s mode for b movie based on opera.
It's really a shame, since we have the most beautiful Romeo and Juliet of the century, Alagna and Gheourghiu, giving a marvellous and poignant musical and theatrical superb performance, but what a frame! the set (supposed to be in Verona but here in Eastern Europe, in a Snow-White-looking castle really funny)is near to amateurish (as well as frame characters, the out-of-tune Laurent and Mercutio) and the production is relly a bad trick to Gheorghiu and Alagna's exceptional performance. What a waste!!!A performance of the couple in their last Salzburg show would have been thousands times better then this!!!Anyway, their singing is worth enough to purchase the dvd.

After seeing this DVD, it does make me wonder if it truly makes sense to present an opera in a cinematic context with facial close-ups, kinetic cameras and actual locations. The preservation of a basically theatrical experience is one thing, but what director Barbara Willis Sweete does here is something else altogether, admirable and even enthralling in some respects but somehow out-of-kilter in others. Filming Gounod's "Roméo et Juliette" is a smart marketing decision given the immediate familiarity of Shakespeare's fatalistic love story and its many iterations over the years. The music itself is stunning and nicely orchestrated.

Having two superb singers in the title roles is an aural treat, especially since soprano Angela Gheorghiu and tenor Roberto Alagna are in peak vocal form. Gheorghiu's powerful voice threatens to overwhelm her character at the beginning, but its inarguably luscious tone envelops the growing tragedy quite effectively. Alagna does not display as much variety in his range, but he maintains a masculine, radiant quality and generates a fiery romanticism throughout. However, the camera can be unkind, as these two veteran performers, married in real life, were in their late thirties when this was filmed and hardly the adolescent lovers they are supposed to be portraying. Both are photogenic and move well, but Gheorghiu, in particular, looks too mature to get away with the adolescent behavior she needs to display, especially early in the film. The other aspect that will disappoint purists is that the five-act, nearly three-hour opera has been condensed to a 73-minute film of aria and duet highlights with supporting roles reduced almost to walk-ons. On one hand, the daunting length of operas has alienated non-aficionados in the past, so clearly condensing the story to Gounod's musical high points will inevitably generate greater awareness of opera as a more commercial genre. On the other hand, artistically, this film feels like the Cliff's Notes version of the story, as the young lovers are entranced with each other within the first five minutes. Besides which, there is little time to absorb the dramatic impact of the music since the film goes from one aria to the next with little break.

Shot entirely on location in and around a 13th-century Czech castle, the film effectively contrasts the pastoral setting of the woods and the adjoining lake with the dark, Hamlet-esque interiors of the castle. The castle itself has a rather scrubbed look that makes it look more appropriate for a Disney theme park, but Sweete has a good feel as to how to use the various locales for her shots. Where she goes awry is when she introduces symbolic elements like the solemn, gray-clothed chorus looking as if they walked off the set of Ingmar Bergman's medieval allegory, "The Seventh Seal". Sweete also makes the fight scene between Tybalt and Mercutio look particularly contrived as she stays true to the exaggerated staging rather than reinvent the action for the camera. Personally I think the film is a good step forward in integrating opera into more of the entertainment mainstream, but I also think it will take someone of the artistic caliber of a Baz Luhrmann or a Rob Marshall to be able to understand how to harness the powerful music within the medium's given constraints and visual possibilities.

I was appalled by this video. If the intent was to attract younger audiences (read: viewers with ADD)to opera, viewers would be surprised to learn that it's actually a five-act opera that runs for close to three hours. This is a slash and burn affair benefitting the Alagnas; the supporting cast has little to do except look Nordically detached and sing a few lines here and there.
There's a good case to be made for limning this opera into a chamber piece but the setting doesn't do it any favors. Almost as comical as the setting is the staging: everyone is clothed in drab grays and browns and at one point Juliette is seen singing in a field (of wheat???!)surrounded by Bergmanesque extras frozen into position looking stage right. The director takes advantage of the castle by having Gheorghiu do a lot of running around: up and down staircases, around the castle battlements and through courtyards. Even if this isn't three hours, I was exhausted.
Alagna and Gheorghiu sound fine; this is really a vehicle for them and everyone else seems like an afterthought.
If it's a full production you want, you will be far better served watching the ROH production with Alagna and Vaduva, another Romanian soprano, who captures Juliet's adolescent edginess and passion. She may not have Gheorghiu's glamour but she's a far more believable and adorable Juliet. And it's great production, conducted by Sir Charles Mackerras.

If I taught English lit in high school, I would use this production as an example of the breadth of scope available to writers. Shakespeares best story turned into a costume romance with music. It doesn't hurt that both stars are easy to look at, and that the scenery is beautiful. That they cut out some very beautiful parts (as well as some boring ones, ie dance music for 20 minutes) is a shame. That they get it done in just over an hour, keeping the bones of the story and the opera intact makes it a useful tool to expose people to opera as a concept. It would be great if someone did this with Don Gionanni!

My introduction to Roberto Alagna was through the Covent Garden vhs version of this opera. I was totally won over by Roberto, who is one of the most convincing actors in the opera world today. His portrayal of Romeo is second to none. I was very excited when I found out that he and his wife had filmed a new version of Romeo et Juliette. I was not disappointed in the least.
This is the most beautiful film adaptation of an opera that I have ever seen. Yes, they cut a three hour opera down to a little over 70 minutes. Yes, the supporting cast doesn't have much to do and they walk around in drab gray costumes.
But frankly, I couldn't care less about those things.
Calling the sets amateurish is rather ridiculous, considering that this was filmed in an incredible 13th century castle in the Czech Republic and the location is gorgeous.
Some of the most beautiful love duets in the whole of the genre are in this opera and most of them made the cut in this shortened version. Yes, a lot of the well known arias from secondary characters were left out, but does anyone watch/listen to R&J just to hear Mercutio's Queen Mab speech?
Roberto and Angela give stunning performances as the doomed couple and vocally, they have never sounded better. He definitely has the edge over her in the acting department, but they do work well together.
This version and the Covent Garden version are wonderful and I enjoy them both. Watching 70 minutes of Romeo and Juliet play out their tale in an authentic castle is just as satisfying as the three hour full production from Covent Garden. It just depends on your mood.
Yes, it would have been great if they had been given the budget to film the entire opera. However, I give this a 5 star rating on the basis of what it IS, rather than on the basis of what it IS NOT.
This is a beautiful and emotional production, albeit a shortened one, that manages to tell a much loved and frequently adapted tale that has captured the human imagination for centuries. Considering that Gounod based his opera on Shakespeare's play, I think old Will would be proud of this production.

First of all, I am not at all familiar with the complete Romeo and Juliet opera by Gounod ... so, maybe I don't know what I'm missing. Nevertheless, on its own merits, this 73 minute cinematic version of the opera has much to offer.

Equally as wonderful as Angela Gheorghiu's performance is the beautiful cinematography - the setting for the opera is a genuine and well preserved 13th century European castle. Scenes for the production are filmed both within the castle and outside in the surrounding forest.

The video reproduction is first rate and a treat for the eyes. The audio is fine.

Regarding the editing down of the opera from 3 hours to 73 minutes (?) ... well, it might be just right for some viewers who for instance, like me, have a special someone who is not as passionate about opera, but will watch one with me 30 to 60 minutes at a time. We therefore enjoy a complete opera in 3 or 4 sittings ... that's what we do and it works out just fine. Most anyone reading this can, of course, sit through an entire opera, but that's not for everybody. So this offering is actually one that my wife and I can sit through in its entirety. Ahhh, compromise :-)

In short, this version of Gounod's Romeo and Juliet has much to offer - wonderfully performed highlights of an operatic masterpiece that fit together well and also visually satisfying. It is therfore well worth having for the reasons stated above.