Customer Reviews

JESSYE NORMAN: A Portrait

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4 star:		(1)
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For fans of Jessye Norman this is a must have. While it's a "documentary" - it's not quite the in-depth, probing, revelation or examination of the singer I was hoping for, but rather a series of conversations on topics ranging from childhood, spiritual beliefs, politics, dedication to her art, early career dealing with loneliness, and the like. Little of it plumbs the depth of the woman or of her art, (how could 90 minutes do that?) but once I settled in, I found myself smiling, happy to have this force of nature sitting in my living room and talking casually about a thousand things.

Jessye speaks mostly in English - but since this was a German production, she moves back and forth between German and English - sometimes in the middle of a sentence, or thought.

The film is broken up by a dozen music videos with Norman lip-synching to some of her more remarkable recordings. While I know some shall be put off by this sort of thing, I adored it. Each video is performed as part of an art installation, the singer gowned and jeweled, in headdresses, turbans, wild wigs and haute couture, moving, expressing herself physically to her own recordings. Some will dismiss this as artifice, but - and I mean this as a compliment - few in history (and no one I can think of) does artifice come so naturally to as it does Jessye Norman. She makes me believe every breath, every moment - she creates a world that seems, somehow, better than it is - or maybe, just maybe, it really is as great as she makes it, if even for only the brief moments that she's in it with me, making me forget the rest.

There are touching, moving reminisces of her childhood. One in particular, where as a child, her mother worked for the Democratic party registering voters, and young Jessye assisted her. At certain times, Mrs. Norman would ask her daughter to leave the table they were working at. It wasn't until after college Jessye asked her mother why. It was because certain members of their congregation and community could neither read nor write and had to sign only with an "x" and her mother didn't want her daugther to see or know that about these friends. It was one of those "lump in my throat" moments.

Norman talks about wanting to understand why racisim exists; why governments are more interested in the sexuality of its citizens, than more important matters, why can't we live and let live? "I want to know. It could be that only God can answer such a question."

"A society is responsible for helping people to pull themselves up by their bootstraps - but's let's make sure that they are wearing boots!"

The music, coming as it does from some of her legendary recordings - is breathtaking - sometimes literally! A video ot "Erlkoenig" opens the "recital" portions and it is stunning mini film in and of itself. I can probably list a dozen favorite recordings of this song: Jessye's is at the top of that list.

I can think of few better ways to relax and escape "the real world" for 90 minutes than to bask in the glow of Jessye Norman.

Brava, Jessye!

p.

First saw this on a TV Arts program here in Australia. A German production (Jessye mostly speaks in English) of the highest quality.
Jessye is gorgeous and formidable and the interview is interspersed with some wonderful recitals. We just had to have a copy for ourselves and were glad to find one on Amazon. Many thanks to all who made this possible. Regards Derek

It only gives you a glimpse on the work of this huge (in every dimension, of course), magnificent, divine singer, but still it's a very valid and well done documentary. However, I would rather prefer to have live excerpts from her performances. It would be more realistic. It's just a mere opinion...no critics about the takes' production.
I watched it over and over, even before the official release. After I received the DVD, I watched it at least more 3 times, just to breath her words and feel the smell of her art.

It's very difficult not growing into a Jessye's lover after this film.

Enchanting.

For younger fans of Jessye, who have never had the opportunity to see/hear her live, this visual brings you a little closer to the magic that is Jessye Norman. Yes, it is a little contrived having Jessye lip-sync to her audio recordings and the camera get all orbital around her, but then again if all I wanted was to hear a recording, then I wouldn't buy the dvd then would I?

The only thing that gripes me is that my copy of the dvd seems to have the audio track (for spoken interviews) seems to be out of sync with the visual. Rather like watching a dubbed movie. While it doesn't bother me so much when she is lip-syncing, it bothers me greatly during the interviews. If you're going to interview the great Jessye, than at least lay your master audio and video tracks so that they sync. Or is it just my copy?

Here's the deal: this one-of-a-kind singer deserves better than this. And yet she was entirely complicit. The singing herein is all (except for an impromptu snippet that erupts during an interview) lip-synched. Not only that, but it's poorly, inaccuarately lip-synched. She's lipping some of my favorite stuff: one of Mahler's Kindertotenlieder, the Strauss piece from Four Last Songs which plays a role in the film, "The Hours"; one of Alban Berg's songs. Most of the selections were recorded 20 years prior to this production. She's the sort of artist for whom each performance is unique, finding something new each time. So, of course, lip-synching is a skill antithetical to her art. Who's the fool that put her in this place!?

The conductor of our community symphony recommended this video. I found it to be very impressive, insightful and educational for anyone in the performing arts. Thank You Jessye Norman for sharing your wisdom and experience in the world of opera and performance.