35 of 38 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Absolutely wonderful, February 26, 2006
This review is from: Mozart - Don Giovanni / Terfel, Fleming, Kringelborn, Furlanetto, Hong, Groves, Koptchak, Levine, Metropolitan Opera (DVD)
Before reviewing this product, I will explain briefly the sorts of priorities I place on certain aspects of any production of Don Giovanni. First of all, the Don Giovanni must not be played sympathetically, or he is dragged off to Hell purely out of tradition. A sinister Don Giovanni also tightens the plot, and in the tolerant society of our age, helps us remember to call a rapist a rapist. Second, Leporello must be played as a sympathetic human being, as is indicated in da Ponte's libretto. If Leporello is too much of a clown, we lose the wonderful complexity of the relationship between him and his master, as well as the only dynamic character in the opera. Third, Donna Elvira must not be overlooked in the casting and production, but treated as being no less important than Donna Anna. Fourth, one should be able to not hate Donna Anna and Don Ottavio, as it is easy to make these characters boring. I am not saying that these things are or should be a priority for every opera lover; they make up much of the basis on which I personally judge a production of Don Giovanni.
All of these requirements are not only met, but surpassed in this production.
Bryn Terfel is precisely what Don Giovanni should be--a prideful, selfish human being who takes no one besides himself seriously. His wicked smile as he idly watches the dying Commendatore is chilling. Nevertheless, he is nothing close to conventional evil. Rather, he seems like a very deep lake, only the surface of which is seen. In spite of being impenetrable, or more accurately incomprehensible, he is unquestionably evil. This is evident in the way he treats nearly everyone, especially Donna Elvira and, even more, Leporello. His treatment of his servant is unkind at first glance, despicable upon closer examination, as in his pride he will not allow his servant even a shred of dignity. The portrayal of this most complex relationship is the most thought-out one I have ever seen.
Terfel's most striking performance comes at the end, when the Commendatore comes to dinner. Here, Don Giovanni appears to believe himself at the level of God. This, then, is the ultimate test, therefore the ultimate conquest, his greatest hour, when he could not be defeated even by God, only killed. His fate is the same regardless, and even as he is dragged into Hell, he shows no regret, only a fierce anger, as if his punishment is unjust (and, in this portrayal, it most certainly is not).
Even the best of singers can give a poor performance, but Terfel delivers wonderfully in this production. His "Deh vieni alla finestra"--the one truly lovely aria Don Giovanni has--is glorious, his duet with Zerlina as seductive musically as it is dramatically.
Ferruccio Furlanetto is less animated than he once was, tends to speak or shout the notes a little more often than I should like. Amazingly enough, he is still the best Leporello I have ever seen, and in fact IS Leporello for me. Every sarcastic comment is right on the mark, every comic moment is played without being completely ridiculous. Admittedly, he was better at the role when he was younger, but he still completely sells the character, balancing Leporello's complex feelings about Don Giovanni, as well as those about Donna Elvira, with whom he obviously sympathizes even as he nearly laughs at her. A great moment one must not overlook is his expression as Don Giovanni forgives him for speaking out against his master's lifestyle early in the first act--he looks utterly disappointed with himself at letting Don Giovanni turn the tables on him, in a way that suggests that this is not the first time this has happened. In spite of playing Leporello as a character rather than a caricature, he retains Leporello's many fears, especially his fear of his master, which is perhaps the greatest of all of them. His voice is big and juicy as ever, and he and Terfel sound great together during their duets, even if Terfel is, alas, slightly off on the timing of "Eh via buffone."
Solveig Kringelborn is a fiery, feminine Elvira who wields an umbrella with deadly purpose. Her facial expressions alone make the performance. She is turbulent, filled from top to toe with righteous indignation, and slightly dangerous (the umbrella is pointy). In spite of being somewhat comical at times (intentionally so), she is sympathetic, conflicted, vulnerable, and wholly in love. This is the first Donna Elvira I have seen who was so completely devoted to the part, as though this was the role she truly wanted to play even if Donna Anna gets all the glory. She has a lovely voice, and sings "Mi tradi"--one of my favorite arias of any opera--with heart. On top of all this, she is a strikingly beautiful woman. Don Giovanni must truly be heartless to scorn her.
Renee Fleming is one of my favorite sopranos, and certainly my favorite Donna Anna. Her Donna Anna is not a helpless, angelic innocent, but a very complex, intelligent woman of a different sort than Elvira. Donna Anna is inconsolably grieved in the opera, so inconsolable that she often comes across as whiny. Fleming's Anna is completely believable, as guilt-ridden as grieved, as though she feels responsible in part for her father's death. She even distances herself from the utterly devoted Don Ottavio, leaning over his to kiss him, then pulling away at the last possible second to kiss him on the forehead instead just before entering the fast section of her aria "Non mi dir," her eyes stricken with something undefinable at that moment. Of course Fleming's voice is divine, and her vocal performance is wonderful.
Paul Groves plays the only Don Ottavio I have ever liked, let alone loved. His Ottavio is slightly conflicted, but ultimately a kind, gentle, and genuine man of the noble, righteous sort, as opposite Don Giovanni as possible, but still with some personality (he sarcastically spits out his "Si, signore!" in the finale of the first act, mocking the manner in which Don Giovanni sneers his name). If no one else in this production is truly and deeply in love, it is Don Ottavio. His voice is beautiful, and he sings a wonderfully soothing "Dalla sua pace." Unfortunately, he goes flat on a single note in "Sola, sola in buio loco," evident only because he is singing in unison with Donna Anna.
Hei-Kyung Hong's Zerlina is delightfully playful and quite innocent without being totally naive. Her "Batti, batti" is very cheeky, her "Vedrai carino" very seductive but gentle. She has several standout moments. In "La ci darem la mano," the very instant when she gives in is evident. Her reaction to her near-rape is wonderful, as she covers her face with her bound hands and appears unable to speak as Masetto desperately tries to soothe her. She has a sweet voice which tends to straight-tone as times.
Masetto is John Relyea, who plays the character as a young, slightly hotheaded man who is, in spite of the noise he makes, completely twisted around Zerlina's little finger (and I think he likes it). He is a very convincing actor, and a very human Masetto. Most pleasing of all is his voice, a full and rich baritone, although his only opportunity to have the music all to himself is in his short, overlooked aria in the first act. He does not play the role as though he only has one aria (all the other principle characters have at least two, with the exception of the Commendatore, who is rarely on stage), but is instead a very strong, unashamed Masetto.
Sergei Koptchak's Commendatore begins as a surprisingly complete old man character and ends as a messenger from Heaven. His voice, while not at all unpleasant, is perhaps a tad weak for the "Don Giovanni, a cenar teco m'invitasti" scene at the end, but the production more than makes up for it, as the scene is powerfully acted, directed, and sung.
If I could, I would review everything in the production in detail--the individual scenes and costumes, the nuances in each aria, but there is no time. James Levine's conducting is, as usual, impeccable. The set is wonderful, and the props are used creatively. The costumes are gorgeous (I cannot help but drool over Donna Elvira's second-act gown). Every scene is marvelously acted and directed. There simply is not a weak link in this production, and it wants for nothing. The DVD itself has minimal special features, nothing to write home about, but the picture is excellent, as is the sound. I cannot recommend this DVD more highly. In fact, I advise that anyone with an interest in this opera buy it as a reference performance. I actually find something new every time I watch it.
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19 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A darker Don touched by greatness, May 30, 2005
This review is from: Mozart - Don Giovanni / Terfel, Fleming, Kringelborn, Furlanetto, Hong, Groves, Koptchak, Levine, Metropolitan Opera (DVD)
To say one loves Mozart is like confessing one enjoys breathing: it is implicit in your continued presence above ground. How does one describe someone even Albert Einstein considered superior? Beethoven, after listening to Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor, remarked: "The likes of us will never get ideas like that!" He realized that Mozartean perfection and beauty were a dead end, incapable of reproduction.
Which leads us to Mozart's greatest work! It is almost axiomatic that Don Giovanni is too great a conception to be adequately staged. The Don must be greater than human, worthy of struggling with the forces of heaven and hell on some vast canvas reminiscent of Milton. The staged realization never matches our mental ideal. I have seen at least a dozen different productions over the years and each one fell short. All of them lacked that sense of titanic struggle. The Furtwangler / Siepi Don, available on DVD, comes closest but in a Wagnerian style. This new production reveals a possible solution!
Terfel's Don is a Snake! A lascivious, amoral miscreant; the source of Original Sin in a Spanish Garden of Eden. He isn't just bad. He is Rotten! And as the embodiment of evil - a parody of it, in fact - he is already superhuman at the start. His Don is one of the finest I've seen! Vocally Terfel is in great form. His warm bass-baritone easily projects even when sotto-voce. His "La ci darem la mano" is silky and beautiful. His is (at least for me) one of the best acted Dons as well! At the start of Act two, when Leporello suggests he leave off women, Terfel's double-take will stun you. His face projects forward like the creature in Alien in bug-eyed disbelief. How he does this natural special-effect is beyond me! He is marvelously unrepentant to the end. The final scene is tastefully supernatural; as things get warm for our anti-hero and he rejects morality and religion, we sympathize with his "integrity" if not his deeds. This DVD is worth purchasing for Terfel's performance alone!
Renee Fleming is also in great voice. Donna Anna is a natural fit for her. She inhabits the role elegantly. Her lyrical soprano is buttery and rich, an instrument of beauty in "Non mi dir, bell'idol mio". Solveig Kringelborn as Donna Elvira is the stunning surprise! She is an agent of divine retribution in her rage against the Don. I think she is the finest Elvira I've ever seen! Utterly believable, urgent and meltingly sad simultaneously. Hei-Kyung Hong is a sweet, if slightly lascivious, Zerlina. She has supplanted my all-time favorite in the role, Reri Grist. Ferruccio Furlanetto has made a career of Leporello and is splendid. Paul Groves is a fine Don Ottavio, my candidate for Operatic Dudley Do-right. John Relyea is great as Massetto; his natural openness perfect for the part. Sergei Koptchak as the Commendatore is suitably monumental as the "Stone Guest" who comes to dinner.
James Levine loves this score and it shows. He conducts a beautifully nuanced interpretation of this divine work. The Met Orchestra responds perfectly. The sound is amazingly lifelike in Dolby Digital 5.1 mode, as expected for a 2000 recording. The production, designed in a theatrical fashion by Franco Zeffirelli, is tasteful. Costume Design by Anna Anni (with Principal Costumes by Sylvia Nolan) is a work of art! Lighting is effective in framing the production's varied moods.
If you love Mozart and Opera this DVD is excellent. It is worth getting if you just want to know what all the fuss over Mozart's operas is about. I think it may be a new-born classic: a rare thing in today's endless celebration of vulgar mediocrity.
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