Product Details

• Actors: Angela Denning, Lucy Peacock, Richard Leech
• Format: Classical, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: German
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Arthaus Musik
• DVD Release Date: May 15, 2001
• Run Time: 156 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00005JCDA
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #192,090 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

As grand opera goes, few examples of the form have the inherent grandeur of Meyerbeer's Les Huguenots. The dramatic backdrop is Mérimée's account of the 16th-century St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre of thousands of French Calvinists under the Catholic regime. The trick, insofar as there is one, is the way in which the attendant upheaval is reflected in the smallest detail of the lives of the main protagonists. This 1991 Berlin Opera production carries this process several stages further, embedding--and there really is no other word to describe the thoroughness of the process--the narrative into an indeterminate, hyper-condensed 20th-century setting. While this approach has its own pitfalls, such as the silent "pre-overture" that proposes an unsubtle comparison between the oppression of the Catholics and the persecution of the Jews in wartime Germany, it would be churlish to let them detract from what is a robust and highly memorable performance of this sometimes unfashionable opera. --Roger Thomas, Amazon.co.uk

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An inspired, highly imaginative, reincarnated Meyerbeer ., May 22, 2003

By 

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

This review is from: Meyerbeer - Les Huguenots / John Dew · Stefan Soltesz - Richard Leech · Angela Denning - Berlin Deutsche Oper (DVD)

Les Huguenots, transported into divided Berlin, given by Deutsche
Oper rejuvenates the now almost unfairly forgotten opera. This production is very original, emotionally involving and with a tremendous shock value about the
cruelty and barbarism of men. In contrast, some parts are rather lighthearted and comic (eg. the bathing scene, or the duet between Raoul and the
Queen) which makes the progress of the work even more disturbing
and tragic. The Hungarian born Soltesz has an authoritative grip,a thorough knowledge of the score an keeps the opera moving
like a steam roller. The fourth and fifth acts will blow you away! The singers are very competent. They were selected for looks and acting ability as well as voice. Angela Denning has comic talent and makes her aria come off very well.
Lucy Peacock, the tragic heroine, is unforgettable.The American tenor Richard Leech, who established his reputation in this role as Raoul, sings and acts marvelously in spite of the tremendous demands of the role.
To sum up: Great theater, very memorable and enjoyable. Highly recommended!

Having said all that and after watching the Australian DVD which is to all intents and purposes complete, I must say that this production is severely cut.
The main problem is leaving out most of the 3rd act where a great deal of action takes place and without it we lose the dramatic continuity. The 3rd act also contains a wonderful ballet, one of Meyerbeer's specialties. Even so, I'll still prefer the German production for the reasons mentioned earlier.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent modern version of Meyerbeer's classic, December 14, 2002

By 

J. Aitken (Glasgow Scotland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Meyerbeer - Les Huguenots / John Dew · Stefan Soltesz - Richard Leech · Angela Denning - Berlin Deutsche Oper (DVD)

Although the modern dress production with its fascist uniforms may not appeal to everyone, the story is told clearly and keeps fairly closely to the original in dramatic concept. Richard Leech's Raoul is alone worth the price of the DVD. His singing is absolutely top notch and very exciting. The rest of the cast are pretty good too. Only one draw back - French would have been preferrable, but it's a small quibble.

Altogether a fine recording visually and musically.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful rendition of one of my favorite operas, December 17, 2003

By 

Joy Gilman "joygilman" (Chincoteague, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Meyerbeer - Les Huguenots / John Dew · Stefan Soltesz - Richard Leech · Angela Denning - Berlin Deutsche Oper (DVD)

I loved this rendition of The Huguenots despite the fact that in general I detest it when operas are put into medern dress and I'm used to French as the language used in The Huguenots. In addition to wonderful voices, the whole thing comes together with great meaning - it is a treatise against all sorts of religious fanatasism - and makes it's point succintly. I prefered this much more than the Australian Opera's rendition with Joan Sutherland, in which I felt the wonderful Joan did not do justice to her part.