Product Details

• Actors: Michael Hampe, Matthias Habich, Ruth Ann Swenson, Malin Hartelius, Kurt Rydl
• Format: AC-3, Classical, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, DVD, NTSC
• Language: German
• Subtitles: German, English, Spanish, French
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Euroarts
• DVD Release Date: April 18, 2006
• Run Time: 156 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000EQHRWO
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #97,754 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

MOZART:DIE ENTFIIHRUNG AUS DEM SERAIL - DVD Movie

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT TRADITIONAL PRODUCTION, November 2, 2006

By 

Jesse Knight (woburn ma usa) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mozart - Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail / Ruth Ann Swenson, Malin Hartelius, Kurt Rydl, Hans Peter Blochwitz, Manfred Fink, Gianluigi Gelmetti, Schwetzingen Opera (DVD)

I was able to borrow the Mehta DVD with Eva Mei as Constanza. Unfortunately that production while traditional, struck me as having a low budget look at times, typical of a high school play. Second, the voices wandered left to right in a meaningless way which is annoying for us headphone listeners.

This production staged by Hampe is beautiful in every way. Ruth Ann Swenson is a great constanza with more personality than Schafer or Mei. Rydl,as Osmin, is much more focussed in pitch here than he is with Mehta. Hartelius is Blonde on both this DVD and the "regietheater" version from Salzburg. She is a versatile singer who makes the most out of both productions, thus giving some insights into how "regietheater" affects how a singer changes their style. The two tenors are fine. There is some distortion in the sound but it is infrequent enough not to be annoying, putting this DVD almost on the same sonic level as the Salzburg and above the newer one with Mehta.

Gelmetti takes a slower pace than Minkowski did in the Salzburg DVD, which gives the singers more time to form each note. This results in a more poetic but less exciting performance than the Salzburg.

If you are not familiar with this opera, The Hampe production with Gelmetti conducting is the best choice of the three. On the otherhand, if you are familiar with the story, and want a very clever updated staging, get the Salzburg with Minkowski conducting. Owning both is a very rewarding experience for anyone who wants to do a serious study of regietheater vs traditon using two excellent DVDs.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A WONDERFULLY SUNG & STAGED PRODUCTION, March 7, 2008

By 

R. Olsavicky "Bob's thoughts" (Butler, Pa. USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mozart - Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail / Ruth Ann Swenson, Malin Hartelius, Kurt Rydl, Hans Peter Blochwitz, Manfred Fink, Gianluigi Gelmetti, Schwetzingen Opera (DVD)

If you love Mozart here is a beautiful production of this lovely singspiel. All the singers are first class. Two fine tenors. A great Konstanze in Ruth Ann Swenson. An exceptional Blonde in Malin Hartelius. A fun Osmin in Kurt Rydl. Now add to the mix lovely sets, costumes and creative directorial touches like the Olive eating scene with Blonde and Osmin and a truly motivated "Martern aller Arten." Complete the recipe with fine conducting and orchestral execution and you have a fine performance of a great early masterpiece by a teenage genius - Mozart. It is hard to imagine that a teenager could get so much emotion and detail just right as in this delightful score!

You might also want to try the DVD with Edita Gruberova.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent performance, September 29, 2008

By 

A. BOSS "AEB" (Mountainside, NJ United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mozart - Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail / Ruth Ann Swenson, Malin Hartelius, Kurt Rydl, Hans Peter Blochwitz, Manfred Fink, Gianluigi Gelmetti, Schwetzingen Opera (DVD)

First, I should say that Abduction is not one of my favorite operas. Is spite of this, I very much enjoyed this performance.

The singing and acting are excellent. Although, as another reviewer commented, the conducting is a little slower than many productions of this opera, I think the slower pace improves the opera. Scenery and staging are traditional and very good.