Customer Reviews

Johann Strauss Gala - An Evening of Polka, Waltz, and Operetta

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

 

 

The audio and video are of top quality. However, in the video several shots are repeated. Having the splendid city of Viena as a background other shots could have enriched the event. Also, having Carreras as a main figure I had expected more performances from him from the very beginning. My rate of 4 is due basically to what in my opinion are slight drawbacks.

Juan Mansfield

This Video of Johann Strauss is just GREAT. It even has the menu in english, spanish, french and japanesse. The Music is great and the scenary could not be better since it is in front of some famous palace in Vienna. It is a live concert with a very special director and very great musicians. The selections used in this video are fablous, since they include marches, polkas, and, of course, waltez. I can also say that one of the violinist is a decendant from Johann Strauss; I am guessing this because it is the only explination to the treatment that he received by everybody: musicians and public. The sound is fantastic and the video is great with all those fantastic takes of the palace and statues arroung the palace. It is a great performance of the music by Strauss in the perfect scenary. And how it is custom already, the video ends with the worlwide known Redesky March by Johann Strauss Senior. You MUST buy this DVD because is just great.

(This really rates higher than a 4, but less than a 5.)

It's a collection of 19 waltzes, polkas, and pieces from operettas, performed by the Vienna Philharmonic led by Zubin Mehta.

There are favorites, such as The Blue Danube, Wienerblut, Gypsy Baron, and of course the Radetzky March.

To me, it appeared Carreras seemed to struggle just a bit with German, but his voice was strong and enthusiastic.

The high points of this live performance were the duets and the two solos by Andrea Rost. This beautiful singer appeared in three different lovely gowns, sang with warmth and infectous enjoyment, and even hit all the high notes with confidence and grace.

During the "Im Krappenwald'l" polka the camera close-ups let you see the two unusual instruments which make the sound of the cuckoo and the bird chirping in the forest. You even see Zubin Mehta apparently coaxing the muscician into an extra chirp or two.

One improvement would have been to allow some of the audience to dance--Strauss's music was made for dance. Another would have been to have more than Andrea Rost's mere two solos and two duets with Carreras. One more comment: the photography really was excellent--you see far more than most of the concert-goers saw, and at the end, you feel you've enjoyed a night in Vienna.

This Video of Johann Strauss is just GREAT. It even has the menu in english, spanish, french and japanesse. The Music is great and the scenary could not be better since it is in front of some famous palace in Vienna. It is a live concert with a very special director and very great musicians. The selections used in this video are fablous, since they include marches, polkas, and, of course, waltez. I can also say that one of the violinist is a decendant from Johann Strauss; I am guessing this because it is the only explination to the treatment that he received by everybody: musicians and public. The sound is fantastic and the video is great with all those fantastic takes of the palace and statues arroung the palace. It is a great performance of the music by Strauss in the perfect scenary. And how it is custom already, the video ends with the worlwide known Redesky March by Johann Strauss Senior. You MUST buy this DVD because is just great.

(This really rates higher than a 4, but less than a 5.)

It's a collection of 19 waltzes, polkas, and pieces from operettas, performed by the Vienna Philharmonic led by Zubin Mehta.

There are favorites, such as The Blue Danube, Wienerblut, Gypsy Baron, and of course the Radetzky March.

To me, it appeared Carreras seemed to struggle just a bit with German, but his voice was strong and enthusiastic.

The high points of this live performance were the duets and the two solos by Andrea Rost. This beautiful singer appeared in three different lovely gowns, sang with warmth and infectous enjoyment, and even hit all the high notes with confidence and grace.

During the "Im Krappenwald'l" polka the camera close-ups let you see the two unusual instruments which make the sound of the cuckoo and the bird chirping in the forest. You even see Zubin Mehta apparently coaxing the musician into an extra chirp or two.

One improvement would have been to allow some of the audience to dance--Strauss's music was made for dance. Another would have been to have more than Andrea Rost's mere two solos and two duets with Carreras. One more comment: the photography really was excellent--you see far more than most of the concert-goers saw, and at the end, you feel you've enjoyed a night in Vienna.

This is a very good concert gala of strauss. Probably the best one I've seen because Jose Carreras for the first time in History sings a few excerpts from famous operettas by Johann Strauss. I love this DVD and recommend it to anyone.

Unfortunately I cannot give a rave review of this concert. Many of the items make the orchestration appear heavy and labored. And there are a few strange noises coming from the orchestra from time to time. The performance lacks sparkle and the toe-tapping appeal that Strauss has.

The sound is in PCM Stereo or Dolby Digital Stereo which is probably a reflection of the age of the DVD. However if you have a good sound system, you can get a reasonable sound. Perhaps it could even be argued that the somewhat flat sound field reflects the fact that this is an outdoor concert and adds to the feeling of "being there". Setting your amplifier to "Music Video" gave me a wider sound stage but absolutely no depth.

The panoramic views of Vienna are wonderful and it is nice to see a few shots of this wonderful city. The Heldenplatz is nicely illuminated for the event, although the shadows cast onto the building frontage by passers-by is a little disconcerting.

The actual filming is reasonable although several shots are repeated throughout the performance which is also a little disconcerting.

I am not a fan of Carreras by any means and his performance here did nothing to change my opinion. He shouted and warbled his way through the items he sang and seemed to struggle with the German language. His usual bullish brutal style was more evident than ever. Rost also lacked brilliance and seemed heavy handed. I actually wondered why these two were cast for the concert. Certainly Srauss is not their forte!

I have watched this DVD once and will probably never watch it again. It doesnt sparkle. It's not lilting or toe-tapping as Strauss should be, and if you agree with my idea of Strauss and this is how you like your Strauss served up, I would strongly suggest "Salute to Vienna - A Strauss Gershwin Gala" (with the Vienna Choir Boys and the Boys Choir of Harlem along with wonderful solosits such as Paul Graves, Georg Lehner, Eva Lind, Herbert Lippert, Elizabeth Norman and Martina Serafin) or any of the Vienna New Year's Concerts from 2000 to 2006 as better alternatives. Those concerts also feature views of Vienna and usually they also feature alternative perfornaces with ballet.

This CD just doesn't have the umpf of Yankovic, or Lipovac. The beat is a little too slow, and lacks the toe-tapping beat. The songs are redundant, bland, and boring. Growing up in Pueblo, CO, in the Slovenian area, and attending numerous polka dances with Yankovic, Seibert, and Lipovac, I was hoping for that kind of music that makes you want to dance. This CD just makes you want to take it back.