Customer Reviews

Mozart - Cosi Fan Tutte / Muti, Dessi, Ziegler, Teatro alla Scala [VHS]

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Muti's performance is acceptably"Mozartian"- and the singers do justice to the roles. The production is what one might call "opera house standard."

However, the video rendition is atrocious - perhaps the translation from European to American video standards was "too much" - the images are "jumpy" and erratic- it's distracting in the extreme. Turn off the monitor and listen to the performance.

It seems some classic music editors are just translating the old VHS into DVD's. This DVD is like a VHS. You can't remove the subtitles. You will not see the technological advantages than a DVD can offer. The sound and picture quality is exactly the same as in one old VHS. What it is really nice is the theatrical version and the orchestra conducted by Muti. This is a four stars VHS but a one star DVD.

It's important to realize what we have here. A very sophisticated performance musically, full of vitality, beautiful orchestral playing, and six superb soloists in roles that suit them well. Riccardo Muti is one of the leading Mozart conductors of the day, and his perfectionist and stylish approach, serving the composer totally, is an absolute delight. The production is stylistic, and pretty to look at. The live performance has an electricity which is captivating. 10 out of 10 !

This is a rremarkably subtle and accurate version of this difficult work. It is more than rare to see Mozart handled with impeccable taste and an obvious grasp of many of the deeper aspects of plot and score. In addition, this version boasts perfect 18th century style. Sad to see such ignorant reviews of this work.

The reviews here seem rather divided but if you read them carefully you will see that everyone pretty much agrees that this is a first rate production with top notch performers. Technical issues seem to have affected some of the viewers in a negative way, but I wasn't distracted in the least. I thought this version was a lot of fun. The production captures the spirit of this provocative masterpiece very nicely. It is convincingly acted and is very entertaining--- from beginning to end. Adelina Scarabelli as Despina is the stand out performer here (as others have noted). She enters the part with all her heart and you might think the role had been written with her in mind. This is the third version of Cosi I have seen and this Despina outshines the competition in this show-stopping role. There may indeed be superior versions of Cosi (like the Gardiner version) but this one has great merits and is certainly well worth experiencing.

The sets are wonderful, as one expects from La Scala. There is not one weak voice in the cast. You will love Despina. What can I say? Mozart reigns.

What a singular treasure this La Scala Cosi continues to be, lo these many years hence! SIX principal singers who are actually Musicians! A conductor so rooted in the warming sunlight of Mozart that his work here is as perfectly natural and vital as breathing, and capped by a subtly stupendous set design by a gifted Mauro Pagano! And finally, a perfect score that will outlast time itself! Wow! What is there to criticize?

I have never 'upgraded' my double VHS set to dubious dvd land. Thank god, apparently, given the whining on these review pages. Of course, I'm suspicious of audio-/videophiles in general, since rarely are they musicians who even reasonably understand the performance, let alone the MUSIC, they pontificate about. My VHS tapes continue to play splendidly (heroically, evidently!) after many runs through the old machine. What a capper to read you can purchase a single 'new' dvd version here for $205, or you can check out a 'used and/or new' VHS version beginning at $3.62. Sheeesh!... you'd think the seller who wants to unload his Cosi dvd for $200+ would at least have read the reviews claiming the transfer from VHS is something akin to degrading the human race. Ah...the sentient businessman!

Whatever. If you want to experience the finest filmed version of Mozart's ensemble masterpiece, do yourself a real deal and pop for a VHS version offered by amazon sellers before they go extinct. You'll have purchased a bit of heaven, friends, and THAT's the truth.

I have listened to over 600 different opera recordings in my lifetime on video and if I had to choose a video that had the worst sound quality and the worst balance of sound recording between voices and orchestra, this would be the one. This, like many opera dvds, was not a recording produced exclusively for dvd, but rather, a dvd recording re-recorded onto vhs with added menus and special effects. Muti is an excellent conductor and the emotion sparkles in this production but my ears were left straining to hear the notes of Mozart's beautiful opera. Avoid this recording like the plague and don't say that I didn't warn you. If you want a good recording of Cosi Fan Tutti to listen to, (I'm still looking for a good video recording) buy Georg Solti's recording with Michele Pertusi singing bass. You'll love it, I promise!