Product Details

• Actors: Judith Howarth, Louis Otey, Bonaventura Bottone, Nancy Gustafson, Eric Garrett
• Directors: Humphrey Burton
• Format: Classical, Color, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 2
• Studio: Kultur Video
• VHS Release Date: April 29, 1997
• Run Time: 121 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 630446956X
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #192,827 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

112 of 113 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fun Fledermaus! A Fond Farewell to Dame Joan!., December 30, 2000

By 

Dan Sherman (Alexandria, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Johann Strauss - Die Fledermaus / Bonynge, Cox, Ashton, Royal Opera (DVD)

This is a very plush production of Fledermaus from 1990 at Covent Garden that also was Dame Joan Sutherland's farewell to a house in which she had been singing for nearly 40 years. The production of Fledermaus is very well done, with very lavish settings from the Vienna of Johann Strauss, including the centerpiece ball of Act II. The cast is excellent throughout and the singing is in English ((with subtitles available). Dame Joan's husband Richard Bonygne leads the orchestra and the chorus under John Brown is excellent.

Although this is in itself a superb Feldermaus, many will want to see this production for its farewell to Miss Sutherland. She and her long-term colleagues Marilyn Horne and Luciano Pavarotti treat us to several solos and duets in the Act II gala sequence, always a great vehicle for bringing out star talent for their turn. The gala is a lot of fun and quite moving too when Dame Joan sings "Home Sweet Home." The gala lasts about 40 minute and also includes two ballets to Strauss tunes. We see Dame Joan at the curtain calls at the end of the opera too when she speaks her farewell to the ecstatic house.

This is a great DVD to have if you either love Fledermaus or Dame Joan Sutherland. A definite buy!

98 of 100 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AN HISTORIC COVERT GARDEN FLEDERMAUS GALA!, March 5, 2000

By 

Mike Smith (Tonkawa, Oklahoma United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Johann Strauss - Die Fledermaus / Bonynge, Cox, Ashton, Royal Opera [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This video of the 1990 Covert Garden New Year's Eve Gala is so important, not for it's cast (With names we never heard of), but, for its guests. Pavarotti is there, so does Marilyn Horne. But, the real star of this gala is of the final performance ever of Dame Joan Sutherland. Of course, as always, her hubsand and mentor, Richard Bonyage, is at the podium.

A great document of a great gala!

For its historic moment, I give it 5 stars. But, for its cast, I still perferred the 1984 Covert Garden Gala (With Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and Placido Domingo at the podium) the best!

43 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How can anyone bash a tearful farewell to a 63 diva, July 14, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Johann Strauss - Die Fledermaus / Bonynge, Cox, Ashton, Royal Opera (DVD)

To be truthful, I never watched the opera Fledermous itself. I bought this mainly for Dame Joan Sutherland, whom I love both as an artist and a person.
The fanfare and the ovations are both exciting and bittersweet. It was a farewell party to end all farewell party. I must have watched this a thousand times, and never tire of it.
I am sadden that someone would hate this great lady so much that he gave three star to this just because Miss Sutherland was the person being honored here. He added that had Dame Joan not be there, he would have given five stars.
My word, this is a 63 year old soprano who has given so much to opera. She's opened doors to so many great singers such as Domingo, Pavarotti, Horne, among others who may not have reach their zenith as quickly had Dame Joan not promoted their talents.
I do not think she sang terribly. She's 63 years old! Her voice is a shadow of what it once was, which was the most magnificent soprano in the world. But a shadow of La Stupenda's voice is still better than almost everyone else in opera today, she is that great. I personally found the Traviata duet with Pavarotti very beautiful and touching. You can clearly see how much the great tenor adores our diva.
I do have to say that the "Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix" sung by Marilyn Horne was gorgeous. What a voice she has.
I'm sorry, I have to change the subject. As I'm crying as I watch this video. The overwhelming ovations are well deserve. She will, and always will be the one and only, Prima Donna Assoluta.