Customer Reviews

J. Strauss - Die Fledermaus

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The previous reviewer had it right--this is a "traditional" Fledermaus for lovers of Strauss and Vienna. The production brims over with comic high spirits, while Carlos Kleiber's sensuous, echt-Viennese musical idiom makes you forget that the theater and orchestra are not Austrian but German. The mostly Austrian male and mostly British, and very attractive, female principals are outstanding singers and comic actors. Tenor Eberhard Wachter, late in his career, creates a vain, blustering, but always lovable Herr von Eisenstein, the wayward husband of classic comedy. The hilarious jailhouse third act with its tipsy guard and warden likewise feeds on central European ways of making jokes. The sound is full-bodied and detailed, but the video has a slight yellowish hue, much less pronounced than in the old laserdisc version. Fledermice can't go far wrong with this DVD.

The competing Glyndebourne production on Opus Arte DVD is a different creature, a sumptuously trendy, sarcastic (and later, with sharper digital video) production. It has a dark, post-modern ideological agenda, familiar and superfluous. The libretto has been rewritten--in English, then translated back into German and re-translated into English sub-/supertitles!) to highlight social hypocrisy and women's oppression by--but you know the rest. Strauss and his librettists knew and described all of this perfectly well too but they managed OK without the pretentiousness and penis jokes. Glyndebourne's Fledermaus is impressive musically and technically, but its spiritual sourness may leave devoted operetta fans feeling a bit used.

Carlos Kleiber (1930-2004) was often considered the most enigmatic conductor of the post World War II era. The son of noted conductor Erich Kleiber (1891-1956), Carlos never leaned on his father's reputation for fame, but made his own way. Carlos Kleiber disliked the recording process and made very few recordings for commerical labels: Beethoven Symphonies 5 and 7 (DG, Vienna Philhamormonic); Brahms Symphony 4 (DG, Vienna Philharmonic); Schubert Symphonies 3 + 8 (DG, Vienna Philharmonic); Verdi: La Traviata, with Placido Domingo and Ileana Cotrubas (DG, Bavarian State opera); Wagner: Tristan und Isolde (DG, Dresden State Opera); Weber: Der Freischutz (DG, Dresden opera); Strauss: Die Fledermaus (DG, 1975 - different singers than this recording, but with the same orchestra). Most of Kleiber's other recordings are from live concerts on CD or DVD format. There may be as many or more Kleiber recordings on DVD, as in CD medium.

That said, it is nice to have any new Carlos Kleiber recording, and this one is no exception. You can tell from the first bars Kleiber dearly loved this music, and has orchestra and soloists on their toes every measure. The Overture sizzles and crackles, and sparkles with joy and life. The singers are all excellent, although I must confess a reservation about Eberhard Waechter, who here is an excellent comic actor, yet his voice wobbles in sustained passages, and he sounds frantic and strained at times. Pamela Coburn, Janet Perry, Wolfgang Brendel, Franz Muxeneder, Benno Kusche, and Brigitte Fassbaender are all excellent in every way.

I really enjoyed this as a video, especially the Act II Party scene, where the music and flow are very engaging. Brigitte Fassbaender takes a little getting used to as Prince Orlofsky, in this production a trouser role like Cherubino in Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro." But her singng and acting are so fine, I enjoy it thoroughly with repeated view/listenings.

From this DVD, it's easy to see why Johann (II) Strauss's "Die Fledermaus" is his most famous and often performed opera. Like
Rossini's "The Barber of Seville," Mozart's "Marriage of Figaro" or "Cosi fan tutte" it is an everflowing spring of melody, beauty, comedy, and love in a healthy sense of the word.

For audio only "Fledermaus" recordings, I like Carlos Kleiber's 1975 studio recording, with Bernd Weikl, and Hermann Prey (DG, Bavarian State Opera); and Karl Bohm's 1971 Decca recording with Eberhard Wachter in the same role as this DVD, + a stellar cast of Austrian and German singers in the other roles. Bohm may be hard to find in the US, and have to be imported from England, for those interested, but it is 2-for-1 price and well worth the effort.

This version of Die Fledermaus, is an all-round excellent performance. I have a personal interest in the operetta: it was composed in the house in Vienna where my father grew up in, and which is now owned by my cousin. The conductor, Carlos Kleiber, who passed away in July 2004, was little known, but he showed he could lead in an interpretation of the operetta in the spirit that it was written in. The persons on the stage had the fortunate combination to be both excellent singers and excellent actors. The production, by Otto Schenk, is the same that has been used at the Wiener Staatsoper and the Metropolitan Opera. There is one small drawback: the beginning of Act III has a few spoken lines by the jailer, Frosch, which are comments on what was happening at the location and time this DVD was recorded: live on 31 December 1986 in the Munich Nationaltheater. Aside from this minor point, I highly recommend this DVD especially if one has not seen Die Fledermaus before; if another version has been seen then this is an excellent version to compare it to.

Between Carlos Kleiber's conducting, and Otto Scheil's direction, the entire operetta is delightful. The cast from Eberhard Wachter, to Franz Muxender's Fosch, everyone acts. They don't just face the conductor and posture each aria. They sing and dance and act. Of course Johann Strauss's music is ideal. This production is simply fun.

Although purely speculative & presumptuous, my guess is that Johann Strauss would have loved this production.
Carlos Kleiber and his orchestra were spectacular.
All principals were more than excellent. Eberhard Wachter IS Eisenstein. Janet Perry IS a wonderful Adele. Pamela Coburn likewise portrays Rosalinde more than well. Wolfgang Brendel (Dr. Falke), Ferry Gruber (Dr. Blind--could there be another?), Joseph Hopferweiser (Alfred) sang and emoted gleefully. Benno Kusche (Frank) displayed great acting and physical skills. Franz Muxeneder (Frosch) IS the perfect jailer. And Brigitte Fassbaender (Prince Orlofsky) Is appropriately twinkly-eyed & bored. Minor singers and chorus are also excellent
Sets & costumes, lighting, stage directions and cinematography all sparkled.
Loved the finale of Act II - sparkly, bubbly and the snake dance & domino-effect a stroke of genius and great fun. Unlike other reviewers, I think the spoken drunken banter of Kusche & Muxeneder at the beginning of Act III is fun and more than fitting for this joyful Viennese operetta!
Although not blu-ray nor 16:9 aspect visuals were more than adequate. The sound was very good.
Looking forward to playing this production many, many times- hopefully accompanied with a bottle of good Champagne next time!
Comment

J. Strauss - Die FledermausI have been chasing this version for ages.Should have gone to Amazon in the first place as one always deals with this most trusted organization.I first saw this version originaly on Laser Disc(remember these)and it was just superb.Strauss himself would have enjoyed this version it is simply the best,and I have just placed my order with Amazon.Please note at the time of this review they only have 1 copy left so be quick.As a Film Producer I feel one can speak with some authority regarding production etc.and this is simply the best you will see.Icannot for the love of me understand how some people are critical of this particular production,perhaps some folks just love having feet that run swiftly to criticism. NOT TO BE MISSED.!!
Thomas Knight,
Wintergarden Film(Aust)

Great sound, sterling performances all around, done in echt-sounding Viennese accents and dialect (e.g. "Sofe" for "Dienstmaedchen"). Though there are no cuts, there is no extended gala performance in Act II as is semi-traditional, but that just leaves the length, 137 minutes, more manageable for an evening at the operetta. One standout is Windgassen, a big burly Heldentenor who would look at home in a wresting arena, cast contrary to type as the world-weary, effete Prince Orlofsky, a role usually played by a woman. The Vienna Philharmonic's performance under Karl Boehm is spirited and lively without overwhelming the performers, and director Otto Schenk does double duty in the non-singing role of the seriously drunken jailer Frosch. I paid $90 for a DVD of this operetta pressed in Japan, at that time the only version available, and consider it money well spent. Don't let it slip away now that it's so much more affordable!

BEING 89 YEARS OLD AND HANDICAPPED AND HAVING SEEN THE FLEDERMAUS PERFORMED IN THE VIENNA STAATSOPER IN PERSON IT BROUGHT BACK SPLENDID MEMORIES.IT ALSO BROUGHT BACK WALTER CRONCKITES YEARLY NEW YEARS DAY REPORT FROM VIENNA.
ALL IN ALL LOVELY!

I would expect better than I have received. Having just purchased another Unitel product, I fault NOT the production, the music, the performers, or any of the artists involved in bringing this joyous bon-bon into my home theater. I DO take exception with the packeging by Unitel, the company who markets these products, who can give me 5.1 surround sound, but then reduce the picture to last millenium's antiquated aspect ratio standard of 4:3.

I would think that the Germans (Unitel/Munich), who wish to be acknowledged as cutting-edge in technology, would get their act together and deliver a superior product.

This is a lame performance compared to the Royal Opera one with Kiri Te Kanawa and Hermann Prey. This version has a leading lady who does not understand her character, and a husband who acts and sings as if he were her father. Costumes and sets are average, sound quality is great. After watching this Deutsche Grammophon verson, I truly appreaciated the fabulous performance of the Royal Opera and its main characters' joie de vivre, their performance is like musical champagne, while this production never even had the fizz or it went flat long time ago.