Customer Reviews

Manon [Blu-ray]

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

 

 

What a difference blu-ray makes! If there was ever a production of an opera to want in stunning high defintion, it may be this one, and DG does not disappoint. The colors leap off the screen and the beautiful cast, costumes and scenery are just a feast to behold. The DTS-HD track is very good for the most part, occasionally the singers feel too close and there are occasional balance issues, but it is excellent for the most part.

There has been a lot written about this production. I saw it in LA a few years ago and was blown away then. I'm very grateful to see it here on BD/DVD, but I feel there's something missing. As amazing as Netrebko and Villazon are, there is something missing from their relationship here in this production. I feel like the McVicar production (also with Rolando) with Dessay shows much more tenderness and intense subtlety in the first sparks of romance when Manon and Des Grieux first meet. I'm not discounting the validity of the awkward teenager to passionate affair vision in the Patterson production here, but I think for me the McVicar approach is preferable and ends up being a bit more touching in the ending demise. Of course, with Patterson's vision of Manon's life as a movie starlet, a touch more superficiality may be what he wanted!

In any case, this BD of this opera is a feast for the eyes and ears. If you know Netrebko's singing, you know that the lightness and fluidity of tone required by Manon are not her strong suit. If that is not an issue for you, then have no reservations and enjoy!

Jules Massenet - Manon / Dessay, Villazon, Ramey, Lanza, Henry, Perez, McVicar (Gran Teatre del Liceu 2007)

While this is a wonderful production visually, the recording was simply terrible. It sounds as though you are sitting in the rear of the theater. If you can get past that, the singing is nice . . . but it is tough to get past the recording quality.

If an opera review was based purely on visuals, no doubt this dvd of Manon would get 5 stars. The production by Vincent Paterson is updated to the 1950s. Manon is now an ambitious Hollywood starlet and the production evokes the glamor of a Hollywood Golden Age extravaganza. The many costumes for Manon are alternately stylish, sexy, provocative, and aesthetically pleasing. The sets are handsome and highlight the story well. And at its center are Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazon, who at the time this production was filmed (2007) were *the* Glamor Couple of the opera world.

The brief but intense Netrebko/Villazon phenomenon really started with some sensational performances of La Traviata in Salzburg in 2005. Pretty soon Netrebko and Villazon were singing together constanttly both in operas and concerts. When asked, they made coy non-denials about whether they were romantically involved. (The fact that Villazon was a married father of two was conveninently forgotten.) Then, just as soon as it began, it all ended. Netrebko had a baby with the Uruguayan baritone Erwin Schott, and Villazon suffered a vocal crisis. The two of them sang together for two performance in a Met production of Lucia di Lammermoor in 2009, but Villazon had vocal problems throughout the two performances and cancelled the rest of the run. Since then, his operatic career has stalled. Netrebko, however, remains in high demand in opera houses around the world.

The appeal of Netrebko is immediately apparent in this Manon video. For one, she's gorgeous. She has about six costume changes in this production and looks gorgeous in all of them. In one scene, she channels Marilyn Monroe in a gold-colored dress and blond wig. But more importantly, Netrebko has a voice that is unusually large, round, and luscious. I've heard it referred to as "dark chocolate." Her soprano also has a large range, and her high notes aren't shrill, but beautiful and bell-like. So I am going to sound very churlish complaining about her, but nevertheless I'll say that there's a certain inertness about Netrebko's style of singing that makes her Manon emotionally shallow. Part of this is Netrebko's way of singing -- in order to achieve the big, round, luscious sound, she often drops consonants and dipthongs her vowels, so that what she's singing often sounds like a wordless vocalise. For a comparison, listen to the way Beverly Sills or Victoria de los Angeles sang this role. For instance, they were able to make the Gavotte not just a dazzling aria but a reflection on Manon's fickle personality. Netrebko has all the notes, but she makes the Gavotte again sound like a wordless vocalise. Netrebko follows all the stage directions well, but something's just missing emotionally from her performance. I'm sure others will disagree.

On the other end of the spectrum is Rolando Villazon. He's a singer of almost frightening intensity. The blu-ray DVD accentuates this -- he is often bug-eyed and dripping beads of sweat. His des Grieux is an intense, reckless romantic and it's a compelling portrayal. Unfortunately, his singing is often raw and hoarse, as if he were on the very end of his vocal tether. When he doesn't force his voice, as in "En fermantt les yeux," his voice is a lovely lyric tenor. But hearing him push his voice to such an extreme in "Ah! fuyez, douce image" is painful.

So is this DVD worth getting? Yes, it is. Netrebko is no doubt a major-league voice, and Manon is one of her most popular portrayals. But at the same time, this dvd also shows Netrebko's and Villazon's limitations.

I have had a laserdisc copy of this opera on the shelves for many years but never managed to get past the first act so this BD was my first exposure to the complete opera.
A movie with a relatively thin story line succeeds because of the artistic ability of the actors just as one with a strong story line can fail because of poor acting. A successful operatic production requires just so much more with great acting, great singing, great music and great staging because most have rather thin story lines. Well this production of Manon has it all and I did not find the modern setting used by Staatskapelle at all inappropriate. The balance between voices and orchestra is fine as is the audio and video generally.
Now I must confess to a love affair with Anna Netrebco as her beautiful & powerful voice combined with stunning good looks have me completely captivated so be aware of this prejudice. But combine her talents with those of Rolando Villazon with the music of Massenet and you have a winner here. Their singing and acting brought tears to my eyes. What more can be said? Unreservedly recommended.

If you've been agonizing over which version of Massenet's delectable Manon to get, the Bastille Opera's take with gorgeous staging and costumes in traditional style with the superlative soprano singing of Fleming or the delightful singing duo of Dessay and Villazon in the Liceu production, along sashays Netrebko with Villazon in a stunning Blu ray recording directed by Vincent Paterson which looks very much a winner. Personally I prefer the first to the second not just because of the singing but sorry, McVicar's staging just leaves me cold. The Netrebko/Villazon version is time transposed from 18th century France to 1950's Paris but is rather enchanting and works well.The staging is visually interesting and the costumes marvellous especially in the promenade scene where some of the ladies seem to walk out of the pages of Vogue magazine and the high definition video shows this in all its color and splendour. But it is the singing/acting that wins hands down and the chemistry between this famous pair. Netrebko arrives Amiens in Act 1, a breathless starry-eyed Lolita enthralled by the prospect of glamour and as each Act unfolds she changes --a teaser in baby-doll lingerie frollicking in bed with Le Chevalier(Villazon); a glamour queen trophy paramour strutting the Concourse with rich playboy Bretigny for whom she has deserted Le Chevalier,a tornado in red beseiging Le Chevalier's sanctum in the abbey to get him back, a fur clad platinum blonde bombshell ala Marlyn Monroe urging him to risk all at the gambling table and a pathetic, bedraggled prisoner dying in Le Chevalier's arms. Anna as Manon,is a throbbing tour de force.As for the well known arias, Villazon scores with his wistful "En fermant les yeux", dreaming of an idyllic life with Manon whilst she is barely able to look him in the face because she's already thinking of leaving him for a richer life with Bretigny. This scene fairly drips with pathos. His "Ah fuyez douce image" is sung with as much passion as pain. The lighter weight numbers are very enjoyable too; the rueful "Adieu, notre petite table" by Netrebko and the frothy, joyful "Je marche sur tous les chemins" in which she celebrates her glamour queen status at the Concourse. I could go on. I love this disc. The only reason for not giving it a perfect score is a slight problem with balance in the audio at times( for ninety percent of the time the DTSHD 5.1 sounds very good, I hasten to add)and I suppose recording a live performance is always a major challenge for sound engineers. Still it is a small flaw that will not affect your enjoyment of this disc at all. And enjoy it you will.

Excellent sound and video.I bought this disc because I'm a big fan of Anna Netrebko. She has a unique voice and stage presence.I was not disappointed though I'm not that crazy about having the plot moved up to a more modern era.The quality of the disc really blew me over.

Opera lovers easily put off by "updated" stagings of traditional 19th-century operas might well be missing something very special here, for this 1950's revisioning of Massenet's glorious 'Manon' is a true showcase for the incredible talents of Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazon. Netrebko in particular is simply dazzling, undergoing astonishing physical makeovers from act to act, and conveying the varying emotions of her character convincingly and with complete naturalness. You simply cannot take your eyes off of her. All this while singing with her usual luscious, creamy tone. Just gorgeous. Villazon is all intensity and passion, reaching his zenith in the Saint-Sulpice scene, where he and Netrebko all but tear the scenery apart. They have charisma to burn, and the chemistry between them is palpable. The rest of the cast is nowhere near their level, but they do a serviceable job in their supporting roles. Though this co-production between the LA Opera and the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin (where this performance was taped in the summer of 2007) sets the action a couple of centuries later than Massenet had intended, it nevertheless has some very clever and brilliant moments, but traditionalists will not be happy. Any doubts about the production, however, fade into the background whenever Netrebko or Villazon is on stage.

The Blu-ray 1080i/60 PQ is stunning all around, and the AQ has great presence and dynamic range. (I listened to the 2-channel stereo PCM track.) Very highly recommended!

Netrebko is scary! Anyone who can act that well and sing too! She is truly amazing. This is not to discount Villazon who is wonderful in his own right. I give Netrebko and Villazon 5 stars, the opera 2. Everytime I see Massenet's version I'm reminded of how I hate this. The story makes no sense, certainly not in the 1950's. The music is incredibly boring. Only one memorable aria in the whole opera. No wonder Puccini felt he could improve upon it 9 years later. The opera still makes little sense in Puccini's version, i.e., the couple dying in the deserts of Louisiana, but at the least Puccini gives us some decent music along the way. Worth buying, owning for the love scene in act II, pretty much a snoozer in acts III, IV and V.

What happens when a beautiful soprano singing next to a great tenor? We have a great opera, this conclusion may seem obvious, but not always exceptional singers together make great operas. There has to be chemistry, they must be free to show its full potential. In this version of Manon Massanet have an explosion of elements, all positive, all exciting, all lead to a great show.

Anna Netrebko has been prominent in the opera scene by physical beauty, her stage presence is contagious grown men and women. The dramatic acting, great actress, you know to capture the feeling of the character and express it. The voice of beautiful timbre, lyrical, a little dark, powerful, well designed. A Russian singer has all the elements of a great modern soprano, voice, acting and physical beauty.

Are very comfortable in Manon, ask the French accent, but it goes unnoticed when we hear arias: Adieu, notre petite table or Obéissons, quand leur voix appelle. From naive girl on the way to the convent for the consecration in Paris (Part one emerging unforgettable) and decay in prison. It demonstrated very convincingly by a superb performance. This is a modern singer, that's twenty-first century opera, a union of elements of art. It renews and attracts public.

The Mexican tenor Rolando Villazon follows the same standards of quality, his Le Chevaliers Des Grieux evolves young, naive and full of love for a grown man and bitter. His voice tries to follow the evolution of the character, the lyrical passages does very well in the dramatic pieces missing weight. It works well alongside the protagonist, embodies the character, is comfortable in the role, rather than the previous version with Natalie Dessay in Paris, 2007.

Comprimários The highlights are: Christof Fischesser makes Le Comte des Grieux, paper down voluminous voice. He is too young, just remember the father of the protagonist and his voice is more baritone that down. The Lescaut Afredo Dasa baritone voice is clear with good musicianship and performance.

Daniel Baremboin is a fashionable pianist and conductor of world renown, is governed by orchestras all over the world. I always thought it better on the piano. In Berlin Staatskapelle baton of their time are too slow, perhaps to help the singers to interpret, but no breath! But that makes the reading of the work monotonous, sometimes tiring, arias that excite the public are little applause. Loses to music, get the theater.

The direction of Vincent Paterson captures the essence of the work of Massanet, does not sit, modernizes the reading. Carries the work to Paris for 50 years, with train arriving Manon, parties at the foot of the Eiffel Tower and the grace of Hotel Transilvania are dynamic elements. Explores the dramatic potential of the singers, move them without exaggeration. The perfect light, help and encourage, directors this time is understood, had the same design. Costumes consistent with the time chosen, flawless, perfect finish, in the city carry light from the 50's. This opera is introducing a new variable, makeup, never seen work so well executed. Choir or are impeccably costumed actors, with the advent of high definition make-up gave a leap.

Comparing the first Manon I attended with Edita Gruberova letter of 1983 in Vienna with the newly released Netrebko, there is an evolution, such as opera recordings have changed in those 25 years. The opera is theater that corner, the VHS are in high definition DVD, the productions are infinitely more whimsical, resemble a large theater or Broadway productions. We have interviews with actors and directors, choice of chapters and a booklet with the article and summary of the opera, all in English of course.

Vocally I prefer with Manon Gruberova or with Beverly Sills in 1977 in New York City Opera. The Manon of Netrebko and Villazon back a new language, modern, current, charismatic. In the era of Internet, digital music, speed, use disposable, opera seems an aberration. But she finds a way, renewing the public and will always be reborn as Phoenix.





Paris é uma Festa !

O que acontece quando um belo soprano canta ao lado de um grande tenor? Temos uma grande ópera, essa conclusão pode parecer óbvia, mas nem sempre excepcionais cantores juntos fazem grandes óperas. Tem que haver química, eles tem que estar à vontade para mostrar todo o potencial. Nessa versão da Manon de Massanet temos uma explosão de elementos, todos positivos, todos empolgantes, todos levam a um grande espetáculo.

Anna Netrebko tem se destacado no cenário lírico pela beleza física, sua presença no palco contagia marmanjos e senhoras. Pela atuação dramática, grande atriz, sabe captar o sentimento do personagem e expressá-lo. Pela voz, de timbre belo, lírico, um pouco escuro, potente, bem projetado. A cantora russa tem todos os elementos de um grande soprano moderno, voz, atuação e beleza física.

Está muito a vontade em Manon, peca no sotaque francês, mas isso passa despercebido quando ouvimos suas árias: Adieu,notre petite table ou Obéissons , quand leur voix appelle. De menina ingênua a caminho do convento para a consagração em Paris (Faz uma emergente inesquecível) e a decadência na prisão. Tudo demonstrado com muita convicção através de uma atuação soberba. Isso é uma cantora moderna, isso é ópera do século XXI, uma união de elementos da arte. Isso renova e atrai publico.

O tenor mexicano Rolando Villazón segue o mesmo padrão de qualidade, seu Le Chevaliers Des Grieux evolui de jovem, ingênuo e cheio de amor para um homem maduro e amargurado. Sua voz tenta acompanhar a evolução do personagem, nas passagens líricas se sai muito bem, nas partes dramáticas falta peso. Atua bem ao lado da protagonista, incorpora o personagem, está a vontade no papel, melhor que na versão anterior com Natalie Dessay em Paris , 2007.

Os comprimários de destaque são: Christof Fischesser faz Le Comte des Grieux , papel para baixo de voz encorpada. Ele é jovem demais, pouco lembra o pai do protagonista e sua voz está mais para barítono que para baixo. O Lescaut de Afredo Dasa é barítono de voz clara com boa musicalidade e atuação.

Daniel Baremboin é um badalado pianista e maestro de renome mundial, rege orquestras pelos quatro cantos do mundo. Sempre achei ele melhor no piano. Na batuta da Staatskapelle Berlim seus tempos são excessivamente lentos, talvez seja para ajudar os cantores a interpretarem, senão haja fôlego! Mas isso torna a leitura da obra monótona, as vezes cansativa, árias que empolgam o publico são pouco ovacionadas. Perde a música, ganha o teatro.

A direção de Vincent Paterson capta a essência da obra de Massanet, não se acomoda, moderniza a leitura. Transporta a obra para a Paris dos anos 50, trem chegando com Manon, festas aos pés da Torre Eifel e a graça do Hotel Transilvania são elementos dinâmicos . Explora o potencial dramático dos cantores, movimenta-os sem exageros. A luz perfeita, ajuda e estimula, diretores dessa vez se entenderam, tiveram a mesma concepção. Figurinos condizentes com a época escolhida, impecáveis, perfeitos no acabamento, nos transportam a cidade luz da década de 50. Essa ópera inaugura um novo quesito, maquiagem, nunca vi trabalho tão bem executado. Coristas ou protagonistas estão impecavelmente maquiados, com o advento da alta definição a maquiagem deu um salto qualitativo.

Comparando a primeira Manon que assisti com Edita Gruberova datada do ano de 1983 em Viena com a recém lançada da Netrebko, existe uma evolução, como as gravações de ópera mudaram nesses 25 anos. A ópera é mais teatro que canto, do VHS estamos no DVD de alta definição, as produções são infinitamente mais caprichadas, lembram grandes peças de teatro ou produções da Brodway. Temos entrevistas com os protagonistas e diretores, escolha de capítulos e um encarte com artigo e resumo da ópera, tudo em inglês é claro.

Vocalmente prefiro a Manon com a Gruberova ou com Beverly Sills em 1977 na New York City Opera. A Manon da Netrebko e do Villazon trás uma nova linguagem , moderna, atual, carismática. Na era da internet, da música digital, da velocidade, do consumo descartável, ópera parece uma aberração. Mas ela encontra um caminho, renova o público e como Fênix sempre renasce.

Ali Hassan Ayache

Another producer trying to be clever! Manon does not belong in this or last century. The whole beauty of Manon is spoilt if the setting is in another era. Social attitudes change with time. My Manon belongs two centuries ago. I sent my copy back by return. Please do not encorage this practice or some idiot will produce Werther set in the Space Shuttle!