Product Details

• Actors: Anglea Denoke, Torsten Kerl, Yuri Batukov, Brigitta Svenden, Barbara Baier
• Format: Classical, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: German
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Arthaus Musik
• DVD Release Date: January 21, 2003
• Run Time: 145 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00007M5JW
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #92,520 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

50 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars So beautiful, so moving...but what the heck?!!, February 16, 2003

By 

Eric D. Anderson (South Bend, IN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Korngold - Die tote Stadt / Jan Latham-Koenig - Denoke, Kerl - Opéra de Rhin (1999) (DVD)

In the ongoing battle between great operas and pretentious, self-impressed production designers and stage directors, the operas usually win hands down. After all, they have the advantage of all that great music, all the beautiful poetry, all the genius! And, here too, Korngold and his heart-melting opera "Die Tote Stadt" do emerge the victors, but just barely! There is so much to admire about this release. It's filming is state of the art, and should be a model for future attempts to put staged opera on the screen. The singers are universally fine, and it's Marietta, Angela Denoke, is a revelation. But if there were ever a production which showed utter contempt for the vision of the creators, it's this one. In the place of the braid of his dead wife's hair, Paul cradles a small doll, and strokes it's hair. He apparently has his wife's skeleton hidden under the floorboards, and during "Marietta's Lied" he strokes the skeletal hand. Later, he drags her shrivelled corpse around the stage with him. Marietta appears to be pregnant in act III, and, worst of all, in an opera which inspired hope in the ruins of post-World War I Germany, he inexplicably stabs himself to death as he sings his final lines. Yet, for all the intelligence insulting rubbish in this staging, I had a hard time not giving this release five stars, because when Marietta sang her final aria, tracing her past from the gutter to finding her own faith, I couldn't help but feel my heart leap into my throat, and couldn't stop the tears welling up in my eyes. But all that is to the credit of Mr. Korngold, and Ms. Denoke. They deserve eight or ten stars.
Yet, complaints aside, anyone who loves Korngold, or the splendid intensity of late romantic opera should still see this, because in the end, it IS the opera that triumphs.

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely stunning!, January 28, 2003

By 

G. Stefan Lazar "Stefan" (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Korngold - Die tote Stadt / Jan Latham-Koenig - Denoke, Kerl - Opéra de Rhin (1999) (DVD)

I'd give this more that 5 stars if I could. This DVD definitely makes up for some of the more boring ones I've purchased. If you're adventuresome and want something that is a challenge, GET THIS! It's perverse, it's garish, it's over the top! But remember, Die Tote Stadt translates to The Dead City and it is about a man's overwhelming obsession for his dead wife and his dream, or better put in this director's point of view - nightmare. The first act only hints at what is to come in acts 2 and 3. I found the ending heart wrenching. Does it all work? No. But those things are easily forgotten compared to the rest of the production, singing, and gorgeous music.

The two principles sing and act as if their lives depended on it. Torsten Kerl is truly magnificent in the difficult role of Paul and Angela Denoke as Marietta is almost his match. It must have been an electrifying night in the theatre. My only complain is that it has too soft a focus and at times seems slightly blurry, especially during distance shots. A word of caution - if you have a good sound system, be careful. You could use parts of this recording to break your lease!

If your tastes run to the standard operas and conventional stagings, this is definitely not for you. But if your at the other end of the spectrum or at least willing to try something new, order this one now!

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Die Tote Stadt DVD - four cheers for Arthaus., August 3, 2003

By 

Janos Gardonyi "jgarch2002" (Toronto, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Korngold - Die tote Stadt / Jan Latham-Koenig - Denoke, Kerl - Opéra de Rhin (1999) (DVD)

Suppressed by the Nazis as "decadent", this wonderfully inspired
score has Straussian ebb and flow, volcanic eruptions, tender, touching moments, unusual, colorful orchestral effects, not to mention unforgettable melodies. Puccini's influence is distinct, but more of the modern, incisive Puccini of La Fanciulla del West
and Turandot, than that of the earlier, sentimental La Boheme.
There are reminescences of Wagner, Richard Strauss and Mahler, but these are influences never copies.
The 23 year old (!) Korngold is already showing his lion's teeth
in the highly original,inventive and tremendously impressive Bell sequence in the second act: Giant bells of different pitch toll incessantly with the pounding of percussion creating an impression of the dead city, Bruges ,in the night, with its gloomy
mediaeval streets, canals and bridges, the famous cathedral looming in the background.
Unfortunately this is not what we see on the stage, however. The director, instead, has other ideas. He gave us too much light, neon lit cafes, nuns in silly looking hats and other cheap effects. This, I think , dilutes the otherwise fine production.
On the positive side: The first act is fine and follows the composer's intentions faithfully. Even the frantic doll-clutching
works well, indicating Paul's fanatical obsession, symbolically.
The mirror effect and other cinematographic devices are interesting and suitable for a modern 20th century work, such as this. The bellowing skirt, al la Marilyn Monroe, is cute.
But apart from presentation,one should concentrate on the music and singing, which are the essence, and here we doubly get our moneys worth! In the tricky dual role of Marie/Marietta, the gorgeous
German soprano Angele Denoke carries the day. A natural redhead, she sings,acts and dances to exaltation.In the gruelling tenor role Tornsten Kerl braves the monstrous difficulties, though signs of strain are noticeable. After all, this is like singing Tristan continuously for an hour and a half.
A great highlight for me is the long love duet at the end of the
second act, with varying moods in succession (anger, doubt,sadness, awakening ardour and unconquerable passion).
At the end of this duet the lovers fall into each other's arms, much like in the wonderful finale of Sigfried. Even the concluding melody has some similarity.
The conducting of Latham-Koenig is excellent in controlling a huge orchestra of a sustained vulcano, bursting at the seams underneath the action. We can still look up to the late, great
Erich Leinsdorf, but Latham-Koenig is a worthy successor.
One can go on and on. I give it 4 stars, though it probably deserves more were it not for those directorial excesses and self indulgences I mentioned.
Very recommendable for all those curious to SEE this opera (since
it is highly unlikely they will see it anywhere else). Three (or four) cheers for Opera de Rhin and, of course, Arthaus.