Customer Reviews

Rossini: La Cenerentola [Blu-ray]

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

There can't be much dispute about the quality of this work. The staging, the singing, the technical brilliance of the hidef experience both visually and aurally are impeccable. A group of us gathered to experience La Cenerentola in my home. We laughed, we applauded, we smiled to each other sharing the delight.

As the review above noted, no magic is involved in this rendering of the Cinderella story. Everything is worked out through the wisdom of Alidoro, the Prince's old sage counselor (sung brilliantly and with all due gravitas by Nathan Berg). This makes it a comedy well within the human domain. The moral lessons are clear: vanity is illusive and will not serve us well, all of us must treat each other with kindness, virtue is rewarded, and forgiveness and love heal all.

The characters are beautifully played and sung. Angelina (la cenerentola herself--Cinderella-sung by Ruxandra Donose)appropriately plays a somewhat withdrawn role at first but grows in vocal power and confidence throughout the opera . She emerges at the end as a shimmering beauty of brilliant voice. The "evil" stepsisters, Clorinda and Tisbe (Raquela Sheeran and Lucia Cirillo) are presented as very distinguishable comedic personalities whose voices often combine in bell-like harmonies. Don Magnifico, the wicked stepfather, is played to great comedic effect (Luciano Di Pasquale)as a buffoon who is cruel, fearful, and self-delusive at the same time. His is a gem of a performance. (It is with this that we see one of the drawbacks of such high visual resolution: one can easily see where the scalp cover is joined to his temples. But then again, the characters and sets seem almost three-dimensional, so it is a definite plus). The Prince, Don Ramiro, (Maxim Mironov) is carefully constructed as a major character who must be less prominent than Cinderella herself, so he is a Rossini tenor, somewhere between tenor and counter-tenor. He is young, handsome, recognizes virtue and responds to it honorably, and sings well. Yet it is the other characters who dominate, including Dandini,(Simone Alberghini) the valet the Prince has commissioned to play him while the Prince stays in the background to observe the reactions of the stepdaughters and anyone else hoping to be his bride.

Certainly this production shows off the glories of high definition BluRay, but it is the quality of the performances that should really sell this version to the public. For opera lovers, this Opus Arte presentation of the Glyndebourne production (almost always high quality from Glyndebourne and Opus Arte)is truly a must. It is not possible not to revel in this 3-hour delight. Do yourself a favor and get it; you'll love it.

For several years I have owned the DVD release of this performance. Just before the Blu-Ray copy arrived, I watched the whole DVD copy all the way through and was impressed by the high musicality and good staging. The Prince stood out as a Rossinian singer of high excellence, who would be a credit to any stage.
After the Blu-Ray arrived I compared the two masterings with an eye to detail.
Visually, the Blu-Ray stands hand over fist above the DVD. Even with upscaling the DVD is fuzzy, and Jurowski comes across as a stern, aloof figure at the podium. With the extra clarity of the Blu-Ray picture, the maestro's tiny facial expressions demonstrate that he conducts by his charm as much as by his hand gestures. He possesses an inner understanding of the humanity of this piece of music, and exudes it during the overture. That revelation alone is worth the price of the Blu-Ray disc.
Sonically, the Blu-Ray is a careful remix and clean-up of the original tapes. On the DVD, two chairs can be heard to squeak on the floor a split second before Jurowski lowers his baton. Those distractions are gone on the Blu-Ray track. There is also better attention to volume level: the DTS track on the DVD becomes very harsh in the upper levels during the ensemble work, but everything balances nicely on the Blu-Ray.
I enjoyed the DVD very much but that was no reason to turn into a pumpkin: get the Blu-Ray.

Bravos are due once again to Opus Arte for another one of their fine Blu-ray opera DVDs. This production is traditional in style (no Euro trash) and entirely enchanting. The smallish stage at Glyndebourne is inventively used and the costumes are a delight. The Prima Donna encompasses a famously difficult role easily, though she -like anyone who essays this role - inevitably faces comparison to Cecilia Bartoli's Cenerentola. In the Buffo role of Don Magnifico, Luciano Di Pasquale nearly steals the show by milking every moment for maximum comic effect - imagine Jackie Gleason at the opera. For this reviewer, however, the real thrill came unexpectedly in the form of tenor Maxim Mironov, whose voice is perfectly placed throughout its range, clear as a bell, and sweetly vibrant with a little bit of fast vibrato. His role here is rather large and fiercely difficult, with extensive coloratura and repeated high notes, all delivered flawlessly. Tenors have always been a hobby of mine, and I have heard almost every one who has made a record in the past hundred years. I believe that Mironov could mount a challenge to Juan Diego Florez, the reigning Rossini tenor of our time. Unfortunately, his acting needs a little work, as he generally looked as if he had wandered onto the stage by accident. But, no matter - this is a great voice.

Finally, the stage direction includes one delightful innovation: Whenever one of Rossini's intricate and slightly weird ensembles occurs (these are one of the chief glories of his comedies), the lights dim and the actors begin to move in stylized and complex patterns, mirroring the music. This is a marvelous touch that serves to highlight the ensembles, rather as if they were happening in an alternate universe.

The DVD itself looks splendid - crisp, bright, and colorful, but the sound (I heard it in Stereo, not 5.1 surround) seemed a little shrill and lacking in bass. Conductor Jurowski, who is amassing a formidable resume and fine reviews, brought the full measure of clarity and high spirits so necessary to this score, although I wish he had allowed the orchestra to stop for applause after the arias. In any event, the Glyndebourne audience loved it, and so will you.

What a joy it is to review a performance such as this! Everything works and the opera emerges as the truly great masterpiece it is. Glyndebourne has a long history of doing well by Rossini from their early days. The great Italian conductor Vittorio Gui presided over celebrated revivals of Barbiere, Le Comte Ory, Cenerentola, L'Italiana..... Indeed if one were to list the "specialties" of the house, one can say that Glyndebourne serves Mozart and Rossini better than any other fare, and better than most other houses. This 2005 Production of Cenerentola is no exception.

Vladimir Jurowski, the young conductor, has a marked affinity for Rossini. His performance smiles and makes the London Philharmonic perform with a clarity, precision, and elasticity that unifies the performance and makes it quite thrilling. One is aware of the amount of rehearsal that must have gone into this production as voices and orchestra are so perfectly integrated into a musical whole...... no mere accompaniment here. In many ways it is Jurowsky's show.

Peter Hall sets the action in period and it works very well. As we all know, the magical elements of the Perrault tale have been eschewed, and what results is indeed, like Don Giovanni, a "dramma giocoso," profoundly humane and very funny in a wise, mature way. There is no room here for pratfalls and slapstick that so often marr Rossini performances. The sets are simple and elegant, and the costumes are subservient to the characters..... nothing exaggerated or gauche here.

The cast is uniformly outstanding: virtuosic singers, naturalistic actors, young and handsome. One cannot ask for more. Angelina (La Cenerentola) is the great Rumanian mezzo Ruxandra Donose; Don Ramiro (The Prince) is the remarkable young Russian coloratura tenor, Maxim Mironov.... he's still in his twenties. Luciano di Pascuale as Don Magnifico and Simone Alberghini as Dandini, play off each other superbly with subtle humor. The sisters are neither ugly nor charicatures...... they are spoilt kids caught in a charade they are destined to loose.

The blu ray presentation is superb. Colors are clearly defined, variations in hues are amazing. The sound is spectacular with air and separation between instruments like I have never heard in home video before.

In short, this is a great performance of a musical masterpiece by an excellent cast of a clever, elegant, witty, rich Peter Hall production, musically, brilliantly executed by Vladimir Jurowski whose opera work one would wish would become more common in the USA.

Cenerentola is probably Rossini's most congenial, singualrly humane, opera. Indeed it is a masterpiece, masterfully realized in this performance.

What a treasure. The technical quality of this Blu-ray is magnificent. I am a tech. perfection freak... this one has it. Video and audio revealed no flaws to me. The performances were excellent all around. Lead singers were knock-outs. The theater felt intimate. Fantastic lighting. I could not believe how super fine the sound was and the video is stunning. But... the direction of the thing was what worked me over. I connected immediately. There were no fairies... no magic of any kind... except the magic of an all around perfect show. This version of the story ultimately yanks away the worship of royalty and gives us a good and decent woman and man. The hero is Cinderella. I think that a Blu-ray disc like this would be an eye opener of an equipment sales tool. This is the reason I have Blu-ray. More please....

Great production. Great signing and great images. The production is centered in the human aspects of this known story, no magic at all, just diverse characters that Rossini knew how to portray with words and music. Bluray technology really puts you in the front raw of the theater.
I strongly recommend this Bluray disk to Rossini lovers and to be shown to youngsters that can understand the human aspects of the Cinderella story passed the magic of Disney.

What a fine disc. I am reluctant to give a 5 for video as it will be even better in the years to come but bearing in mind the challenges of filming under opera house conditions, this is about as close as current technology can get. The performance is excellent but there are others on SD DVD that run it close. This is a delight to the eye, the ear and the inner sentiment. If you have a blu ray player treat yourself to an evening of pure enjoyment. If you don't then there is no better excuse to go out and get both a player and this disc!

let's start with the good - fabulous ensemble singing, beautifully performed coloraturas, gorgeous traditional staging and design, wonderful costumes
i do agree with the reviewer who said jurowski is the star of this production - his conducting is brilliant, the perfect rendition of rossini. as others have said, it is crisp and precise, yet charming and colourful
special mention goes to maxim mironov as the prince, as well as raquela sheeran and lucia cirillo as the nasty sisters
and it was a fabulous idea (presumably by director peter hall) to dim the lights for the ensemble pieces - works a treat
i can say the sound on my blu-ray was excellent, and i had no issues - i was listening through sennheiser headphones
now for a few little gripes
overall the picture quality of the blu-ray is very good, although as one reviewer has pointed out, there is an unacceptable amount of grain in some scenes where lighting was an issue. there are also some jarring changes in colour, depending on which camera is used. in one scene it flips several times from golden yellows to clinical whites. surely this could have been addressed?
another reviewer has already mentioned that blu-ray is particularly unforgiving in many respects. i have to agree. it tends to highlight unflattering details - like glistening streams of sweat, or details in make-up, which can become somewhat distracting.
and it pains me to say it - for fear of being accused of being petty and small-minded - but i have to agree that ruxandra donose seems a little old for the role (again the unforgiving blu-ray), especially opposite someone as youthful as mironov. and i found her acting and facial expressions off-putting. she just wasn't my cup of tea
but otherwise this is a fabulous production, as we have come to expect from glyndebourne - and a superb recording.
a worthy addition to any opera dvd collection

Jurowsky according to me is the star of this production, right from the overture to the finale. Yes, the singers have sometimes given him a few problems here and there, but overall, one of the best recorded Cenerentolas that I have come across. His rendition is crisp, clear and balanced throughout.
The Staging is simply superb. Thank god we do not have to content with abstractions, slacks and stuff. The sets and costumes stick to Rossini's period.
The singing is uniformly good, but not the greatest. One of the Cenerentolas that I benchmark for comparison is the one from Glyndebourne itself. Remember Kathleen Kuhlmann as Angelina (Cenerentola)? That one. Old, but really gold. Not that this one lacks in its approach, it is just that I liked the Coloraturas and singing of that production a lot better. Among the more recent ones produced, the one sung by Joy DiDonato and Florez and the Garancia and Brownlee are not as good overall as this one, although the role of Cenerentola is carried well by both DiDonato and Garancia.
I loved the two bad sisters in this one. They really show themselves as 'bad' which is 'good' for viewers and the production alike.

The clarity overall is good when stage is lighted well, but goes grainy where light is inadequate. I was wondering if they had sent me a DVD by mistake when the Overture was going on.,But happily, it redeems itself on stage.

Overall, a very good production,and worth buying for its own sake.

This production reveals why the close ups of video and the increased detail of blu ray can be, in some cases, a mixed blessing.

First, the good. This is a superb performance on many levels. The conducting, singing, choreography and staging are at the very highest level. And, the picture and sound are superb. I would think that seeing this live from anywhere other than the first row, would be a rare and wonderful experience.

Second, the not so good. As wonderful an actress and singer as Ruxandra Donose is, up close, she appears to be the mother of the two sisters, rather than a younger sibling. The other distraction, for me, was the costuming of Don Magnifico, the step-father. At a distance, I'm sure the extreme filth and raggedness of his costume, wig and make-up adds to the baffoonish quality of his character. Up close, seeing the wig and makeup peeling from his face and neck is not so appealing. Minor quibbles but enough so that when I see this again on my home video, I will sit farther back from the screen!