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9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Very Beautiful, Well Sung, Arabella, Definitely Five Stars, October 8, 2008
This review is from: Richard Strauss - Arabella / Haitink, Putnam, Brocheler, Glyndebourne Festival Opera (DVD)
To my surprise exactly five years after its re-release (in DVD) there is not one customer review on this web site. I own a copy of the 1984 VHS of this opera for a long time. I like it very much. So I feel compel to write a few words about it.
I think this production is perfect in so many ways: A very competent conductor (Bernard Haitink); the cast (all young singers sang with a high degree of competency); the setting and the costume (though totally unglamorous, it was appropriately done, after all the Waldemar family was not well to do at the time).
To enforce this view, I insert some highlights from Amazon's own review (by Joe McLellan) here.
`This elegantly playful opera (sometimes close to operetta in style) gets a polished, light-hearted, but also serious production at England's famous Glyndebourne Festival. Ashley Putnam gives a glowing performance in the title role and she has a strong supporting cast. Putnam is sweet and troubled in stage presence, silvery in tone and totally charming. John Brocheler is an ardent, impetuous Mandryka and Gianna Rolandi is convincing in the rather difficult role of Zdenka.'
Now I will fill in some more of my own: I think the most beautiful music in this opera is the duet of the sisters in the first act. It needs to look right and sound right. I have seen several productions of this opera other than this one. And this is the one got it right. Consider this, Arabella was supposed to be about 20 years of age, her sister even younger. When Arabella was portrayed by a super star, she would not be looked young and sounded young. I mean it normally took time to become a super star in opera (or diva so to speak). To complicate the problem further, Zdenka would have to sound mature too (or someone had a heavier voice). This does not fit the common perception as to how Zdenka should sound like. Case in point, both Ashley Putnam and Gianna Rolandi were raising stars at the time (by way of NYCO). Their looks were youthful, their voice tone lighter (and similar), their singing first rate. The pair was in total harmony, totally in sync. What more do you want? I am sure you will be drawn to this duet again and again, never got enough of it.
Then, how did the story go? Again, Mr. McLellan said: `A properly rich suitor, Mandryka, shows up and it is love at first sight.' And I say: Who wouldn't? (Attracted to the girl, that is.) Why? Just take one look at her when she first steps into the living room (on stage). That is ten minutes into the opera. Wow! I thought I had never seen a lovely woman like that in opera before. I bet you will be impressed the same way too.
Love at first sight? Yes, the attractions should go both ways. Because there is something can be said about Mandryka too. This guy owns a huge estate in the countryside. He is not a city person; one might consider him a farm boy. He looked manly, raw, and even animal like. His mannerism is (kind of) awkward. All these are quite refreshing. Arabella has never come across anyone like him before. And, John Brocheler's portrayal of him was just perfect. Now I think you got the idea.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Love at First Sight", December 28, 2009
This review is from: Richard Strauss - Arabella / Haitink, Putnam, Brocheler, Glyndebourne Festival Opera (DVD)
With several Arabellas to choose from, one starring Kiri Te Kanawa, another with Gundula Janowitz, and a more recent release featuring Renee Fleming, why am I happy that I have the Ashley Putnam performance in my collection? It is simply because the cast of this production are fine singers, actors, and very attractive people. This is relevant because Arabella is the story of a rich, handsome man who is attracted to a beautiful girl, in "love-at-first-sight," but who later comes to appreciate her for other virtues as well.
At present, the Amazon description does not identify the roles, so here they are:
Arabella: Ashley Putnam
Mandryka: John Broechleler
Zdenka: Gianni Rolandi
Adelaide: Regina Sarfaty
Graf Waldner: Artur Korn
Matteo: Keith Lewis
Fiakermilli: Gwendolyn Bradley
Although not as well-known as the "big names" in opera, the cast here perform with excellence befitting the conducting of Bernard Haitink.
Of course this may be because the performance is at the Glyndebourne Festival, rather than the usual setting in Vienna, costumes and scenery make it seem like a London setting. This does not detract in any way.
The only negative I would mention is that, filmed in 1984, the picture is not as crystal clear as we have come to expect in current productions. But this should not even be apparent unless you are viewing it in "zoom feature" on a wide screen TV.
By the way, Ashley Putnam is far more lovely during the entire opera than is evident by the photo they chose for the cover art.
So just to remind you why I delight in this Arabella in addition to performances by Kiri Te Kanawa, Renee Fleming, and Gundula Janowitz, it is simply because the cast here all sing so very well and are attractive as they sing--in a story about the beauty of "love-at-first-sight."
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1 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Delightful, February 5, 2010
This review is from: Richard Strauss - Arabella / Haitink, Putnam, Brocheler, Glyndebourne Festival Opera (DVD)
Glyndebourne Festival Opera rarely disappoints with it's productions and Arabella is another example of a delightful, entertaining opera. This is due in part to the excellent performance of Gianna Rolandi as Zdenka who not only sings well but is an excellent actor. She tended to, unintentionally, steal every scene in which she appears. Ashley Putnam also performs well as Arabella. The costumes and sets are outstanding. You won't be disappointed in this production of you are a R. Strauss fan.
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