Customer Reviews

Herbert Von Karajan - His Legacy for Home Video - Mozart - Don Giovanni

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Oh my. This is my first DVD and my favorite production of "Don Giovanni." I have a video of the same 1987 Salzburg Festival production, taped from the TV but the technical quality of the DVD is an order of magnitude better. I can see a mute at the Commendatore's funeral who I never noticed before--most of the scenery looks like it was built out of black marble and he just blended right into a wall in the video version. I can also now see some of the singers sneaking peeks at the prompter, especially Ferruccio Furlanetto (Leporello) as he catalogues his master's 2,065 conquests in 'Madamina.'

The role of Donna Anna is sung by the Bulgarian soprano, Anna Tomowa-Sintow. Her association with the Salzburg Festival and Maestro Karajan has been long and fruitful. In the years from 1973 to 1991 she was a permanent guest at the Salzburg Festivals and was one of Karajan's favorite singers. You'll know why when you listen to this DVD. Tomowa's soprano is big but never out-of-control, and it rings like fine crystal in spite of its size and the heavy demands of Mozart's music. She acts the role of the rape (or near-rape) victim whose father was killed by her attacker, with the glassy, thousand-yard stare of a trauma survivor (very glassy--after watching the DVD, I wondered whether she was wearing contact lenses for the first time).

The basso buffo role of Don Giovanni's servant, Leporello fits Italian bass Ferruccio Furlanetto as closely as a pair of his master's discarded unmentionables. He is by turn angrily aware of his inferior position (a sort of embryonic Figaro), slavishly obedient (suspiciously so), lecherous, or primly lecturing his master, for whom he seems to harbor a real fondness. I understand that Furlanetto and Ramey alternated the roles of master and servant, but I have trouble imagining the former as a Giovanni. He's such a perfect Leporello.

According to Peter Conrad, Don Giovanni is an archetype, not entirely human, and the singer must display his own personality while inhabiting the role. If so, Sam Ramey is a pantherish, mercurial, but ultimately friendly lover. When the festivities in the ballroom are in full swing and he drags Zerlina off to ravish her, it's as though he were only teasing. What he really means to do is dunk her in the fountain or throw her slipper over the wall.

Ruggero Raimondi was a joyless, scowling satyr in Joseph Losey's movie of the opera. Most of the dons I've seen on stage at the Michigan Opera Theatre were ribald Errol Flynn types who mounted a servant girl or two just before the Stone Guest rumbled onto them (Dang it, the Don is supposed to be eating dinner in this scene, not rutting like a boar, although we know he does that, too!). However Ramey's Giovanni is elegant, beautifully sung, and somehow very American.

The thankless role of Don Ottavio is sung by the Swedish tenor Gösta Winbergh, who studied structural engineering and played in a rock band, before pursuing his operatic career. I was sorry to hear of his unexpected death last year, because he is the perfect foil for the slightly hysterical Donna Anna of this performance--noble, kind, and stodgy. He propels his fiancé around the stage as though she were a sleepwalker.

Julia Varady sings a thoroughly intelligent, elegant Donna Elvira who is desperately in love with the Don, even when she sings about killing him. I've heard this character described as an hysteric and have seen her played as a slut, but Varady's performance is light years beyond either of these characterizations. She is a real, anguished woman.

Swiss bass-baritone, Alexander Malta is a dignified Masetto (I hate to see him played as a clownish simpleton) who seems older than his new bride and cynical about her motives for hanging around with the Don. Malta is a big teddy bear of a guy and you wonder how Zerlina could ever have been tempted by the false glamour of her aristocratic would-be seducer.

Kathleen Battle's lyric soprano voice and her beautiful stage presence made me wonder if her character (Zerlina) were marrying beneath herself. She seemed slightly self-conscious (and over-dressed) to be playing the role of a peasant. The Don is dead-on about her in their initial scene together.

Karajan's tempi were somewhat funereal, especially in the overture, but overall this is a world-class performance by the old maestro, fully worthy of being conducted in the city of Mozart.

P.S. Raimondi's Don is out on DVD, too, but I'd buy this one first.

This is a fine film record of Mozart's Don Giovanni from a Salzburg produciton from the 1980s. It is a nicely paced, well-staged production with some excellent singing. Samuel Ramey really acts the part of the Don with great zest and other characters both sing and act their parts very well. The staging is pretty much traditional. I thought one very nice touch was at the end of the opera when the statue appears -- the backdrop consists of gorgeous astronomical images and the Don is engulfed into these images as he dragged to hell.

Von Karajan conducts a superb orchesteral performance that is somewhat on the spacious side, but which in no way drags. He definitely captures the humor of the score, especially the Leporello scenes. The sound quality of the DVD is excellent, comparable to a good set of CDs, with very nice balance between the voices and the orchestra. Eveything on the DVD is very clearly recorded and von Karajan really brings out the details in the score. There is, on the downside, a modest amount of stage noise.

The DVD has very ample tracking and comes with subtitles and good program notes. It is definitely a very good Don Giovanni to have.

This is a wonderful DVD, having all the best of ingredients that blend together to make a near perfect Don G.

Herbert V. Karajan has done a magnificent job with the orchestrated music and the performers are top notch (acting as well as singing). I found the setting perfectly suited to the style and mood of this great work: dark, seductive and secretive. The camera angles are well placed and the audio is superb.

Samuel Ramey is a perfect Don G. Unrelenting in his persuit of the fairer sex and unrepentant as well: great voice and obviously enjoys his role as the world's number one philanderer.

Julia Varady is the frequently scorned and forever forgiving damsel. Her non singing part in Leporello's "Madamina" is delightful to watch.

Kathleen Battle plays a coquettish Zerlina and her arias and the duet with Ramey are magnificent to behold.

My favorite performance however, is by Ferruccio Fulanetto as the roguish Leporello; playing the role of a scoundrel who knows he should know better but is having too much fun to stop.

One final point: I liked the menu on this DVD. Giving you the option to play the entire concert or go to a particular scene. Also the choice of language for the subtitles was nice as well: although I speak English only, I find that once you get used a particular opera, it really is nice to follow along the voices in the recorded language, in this case Italian. I must admit that my favorite opera language is Italian.

The true measure of pleasure an opera gives me is how often I listen to my favorite sections and it comes as no surprise that I play several sections very often. It seems every time I observe something new.

If you were considering getting Don Giovanni I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this DVD. You will not be disappointed.

The singers in this production all look right for their roles. Ramey is dashing and his sidekick is a real charmer...the best, most natural Leporello I've seen. Tomowa-Sintow is a handsome woman with an opulent voice...too opulent for Mozart I feel but she does a good job. Varady is committed and sings well. Don Ottavio sings beautifully and looks like the stiff that he is supposed to be. Battle's Zerlina has been criticized but I see no reason for that. The voice is extremely well produced and she is musical. Her acting is certainly as good as the rest of the cast. Massetto cannot be faulted in this somewhat thankless role. The trouble is that Von Karajan was not in his element in directing the production. It does not satisfy. Perhaps we see too much of the aging maestro during the overture and his body language trumpets his legendary egotism to an offensive degree. It doesn't put one in a mood of eager expectation. But if an opera buff comes upon this DVD for a good price they should buy it. It's not an embarassment and you will see some very skilled proffessionals at work on the stage.

Herbert von Karajan had an throughout passion for Mozart's Don Giovanni, and he put on it in Salzburg with Wiener Philharmoniker for many times. Karajan's idea to this drama changed with time. In 1960's recording in Salzburg, he had a little Toscanini-like obstinacy in fast-speed, and singers even like Schwarzkopf or Waechter sometimes hardly followed. In 1969's live recording, the music is not so pressing but still dramatic and even more powerful. However, in '80s, Karajan seems like want to change his attitude and to handle music more leniently; that make music not so direct toward but show a roomy and widely feeling.

In this video, the stage design in Great Festival Theater is adequately symmetrical to the spacious idea that music show; it's very huge and a little too gloomy for an 18th centery opera. The cast, as before in Salzburg, is outstanding. Ramey is a very man-like Don Juan, and quite characterful. Furlanetto may still be too elegant in looking, but his singing is excellent. Tomowa-Sintow sounds like have quite a dramatic voice, so "Or sai chi I'onore" may be more suitable for her than "Non mi dir, bell'idol mio". In general, I think she is better in style than Gruberova who sings Anna in Muti's La Scala version; at least she can really sing a trio with others. Battle is a little artificial, but anyway she is still beautiful, in looking and in voice, enough to shine on a big stage. Varady sings as good as she acts; she is absolutely no inferior than Baltsa in Karajan's CDs. Winbergh has a worried face; you may like Wunderlich or Schreier better, but althogh Winbergh's voice somehow lacks a kind of glossiness, he sings quite not bad. Burchuladze's bass voice is large enough for the big theater. Malta is a happy Masseto, but looks a little too old. Wiener Philharmoniker has a warm, exquisite sound, which might not be as bright as Berliner Philharmoniker in CDs but more soft and dexterous.

There is still defect: too serious. The unfold speed and the dark sence sometimes make a somber and even sleepy atmosphere. Taking the whole stage scene make things worse. However, the singing and orchestral playing are so superb that lovers of this opera may still enjoy it. Better than other Don Giovanni video recordings in many aspects.

I bought this DVD today and was so excited by the performance that I had to review it. This is the best performance of Il Don Giovanni I've seen on video (second only to the Metropolitan Telecast with Bryn Terfel in the title role under the baton of James Levine in 2000 [not available on video, sorry]). The staging was beautiful but a little dark at times. I took off half a star for that. Another little problem: The classic staging and costuming was mixed with modernistic ones and that bothered me a little (having seen the Metropolitan's very beautiful, classical stage design). Just look at the Commendatore scene at the end of Act II. This scene looks more like a scene Star Wars than of an 18th-Century opera by Mozart. I took off another half-star for that.
However, Karajan's interpretation is clearly one of the best available, and it makes for a totally gripping opera that seems to fly by quickly. It is never monotonous and it is also thoroughly absorbing.
The soloists are first rate in singing and in acting. Kathleen Battle, I feel, is the perfect choice for Zerlina. And Furlanetto's comedic acting is also perfect for Leporello. He'll make you laugh inside!
Even considering the somewhat akward stage design (especially in the Commendatore Scene), I found this a highly reccommendable release. Buy it now!

I was surprised that only one of the previous reviewers mentioned technical flaws in the DVD, without elaborating. I found that there were some definite problems in reproducing the high frequency transients emitted by Donna Anna and Donna Elvira, especially the latter. At several points in Donna Elvira's arias, her voice distorts on the loud high notes, especially in the left channel.

I first considered that the problem could be in my DVD player, although it has not occurred with other DVD's. But after trying the DVD on another player with other speakers, I found the same problem. In both cases, I was using the analogue signal from the DVD players, so I'm forced to conclude that there was a problem with the digital-to-analogue conversion within the players. In other words, the digital signal - on high frequency transients from the DVD - converts to an analogue signal that exceeds the capacity of the built-in analogue preamplifiers and clipping (distortion) occurs. I don't know if this pertains only to my DVD of this opera, or whether it's general for this production. In any event, it is a pity, because I have to prepare to feel a cringe in my body each time Donna Elvira hits a high note.

I would have given this production five stars, except for the problems with the sound.

From the opening notes of the opera to the very end, this recording of Don Giovanni will captivate you. On top of the excellent orchestral support from the Wiener Philharmoniker and Herbert von Karajan, there is a very strong cast of characters. My personal favorite is Leporello, sung by Ferruccio Fulanetto. His voice is strong, deep, and resonant. All of the characters are not just singing but act well to make the DVD interesting to watch. Samuel Ramey is excellent in the role of Don Giovanni. He makes you sickened by the character and in the end when Don Giovanni is pulled down into hell, you feel like the the bad guy finally got what he was deserving. In summary, the plot is captivating. The performance truly is first rate with great performances by Kathleen Battle as Zerlina, Donna Anna, sung by Anna Tomawa-Sintow, and Donna Elvira, sung by Julia Varady. Another great highlight is the trio sung by Donna Anna, Donna Elvira, and Don Ottavio. Pure magic results when these three sing about bringing down the Don. This DVD is a must for anyone that is a fan of the operas of Mozart and a great place to start for someone looking into opera. Great sound and video too!

This DVD of Mozart's Don Giovanni is a really good one by my standards. The top-notch cast, brilliant scenery and costumes, and wonderful orchestra make this one of my favorite Don's ever. I personally don't like Herbert von Karajan, but I learned to tolerate him. Samuel Ramey as the vile Don was a great casting decision. He blends vivacity and vileness it one very impressive package. Anna Tomowa-Sintow is a brilliant Donna Anna. Her high notes are absolutely stunning and sings with a firm foundation. The Don Ottavio of Gosta Winbergh is stunning, but he lacked something. Nevertheless he was very pleasing. The Commendatore of Paata Burchuladze is good for all that he's in. Now for the best: Julia Varady as Donna Elvira. I think she was Karajan's substitute for Agnes Baltsa but Varady surpasses her in EVERY way. She is velvety-voiced and gives light to the aguishly played Elvira. The Leoporello of Ferrucio Furlanetto is very pleasing. Kathleen Battle as Zerlina was also a good casting call. Alexander Malta as Masetto is a little guff now and then but gives a solid performance. A good DVD for an expert or a beginner.

Some faults on this DVD: you need to change the sides at the end of each act; it doesn't comes with a booklet about the production (only advertisings - Karajan, Sony, etc.); the picture quality is sometimes a little dark, with low definition, and the sound is only good. Otherwise, is a very good "Don Giovanni" to have.
Von Karajan's conducting may be controversial: in some parts, like in the recitativo before "Mi tradi quel'alma ingrata", is very slow. But this is a question of taste: in these times of "authentic fast tempi", some more "relaxed" conducting may be good for tired ears. And in moments that requires fast tempi, they are there, like in the supper.
And we have outstanding singers here: the very "macho" Don of Ramey is almost perfect. He can be a seductor with the ladies, a sadic "padrone"to Leporello, and a men full of fear in his final appointment with the Commendatore (the great bass Burchuladze). The role of Leporello is in charge of Ferrucio Furlanetto - good voice, very good acting. Windbergh is Ottavio: his voice can be excessively "lyric" for this role (more a Ferrando than an Ottavio), but he sounds good at all. Malta seems a little old for a Masetto, but sings well. The ladies are all very nice: a great Anna in Tomowa-Sintow, a outstanding Elvira in Varady (the portrait of a insane woman), a charming Zerlina in Battle.
The orchestra is the Wiener Philharmoniker - that's enough to say. The scenarios are sometimes very dark, but not necessarily unclear.
If you love this opera, this is a good choice: a very good cast (there are not a single bad or misscasted singer here); a good conducting (here, von Karajan is controversial in some tempi, but a master in orchestral balance and texture); outstanding orchestra and chorus; at last, a terrific statue scene.
Good picture and sound quality. And a nice price.