Customer Reviews

Rossini - La Cenerentola / Frederica von Stade, Francisco Araiza, Paolo Montarsolo, Claudio Desderi, Laura Zannini, Claudio Abbado

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Ah Rossini...! The real inventor of the assembly line. That Ford fellow was just a copycat. One-size-fits-all overtures. Arias you swear you've heard before (you did). Plots that are reused more often than a sandlot league baseball. Why do we love him so much? Because his music is so infectious that it gets under your skin faster than a splinter from a bamboo shade.

This production of Rossini's take on Cinderella, another filmed Opera from Director Jean-Pierre Ponnelle, is beautiful. A joy from beginning to end. Frederica von Stade is luminous in the role of Cenerentola. Literally luminous. Ponnelle illuminates her for much of this film as if he were a graduate of the Spielberg school of backlighting. In fact he backlights just about everything and everyone, sooner or later. Filmed in 1981, (Spielberg had made that technique ubiquitous back then), La Cenerentola had me searching for ET in the long shots. Yet, oddly enough it works. It is a fairy tale, after all.

The Overture has the camera weaving through the empty lobby of La Scala, fixing on the marble statues of famous Italian composers. From there it meanders into the theater and finally the stage. The film records a virtual "La Scala" (it isn't, though) staged performance without an audience. Yet it seems larger, and occasionally it does open up to a larger location. The sets are stunning. Every visual element has been carefully chosen to emphasize beauty. This is a lovely film, thoroughly enjoyable just for it's aesthetic excellence!

But there's a beautifully performed Opera here, as well. The youthful Von Stade is a lovely heroine. Her singing is wonderful, her voice lighter than Cecilia Bartoli's smokey mezzo found on her DVD of Cenerentola; now that I have both singers, it is fascinating to compare the two.

Francisco Araiza is Don Ramiro and Claudio Desderi is Dandini. Paulo Montarsolo sings Don Magnifico. Margherita Guglielmi sings Clorinda. Paul Plishka is Alidoro. The entire cast is superb. The Chorus and Orchestra of La Scala, under the direction of the Conductor Claudio Abbado, live and breath this music. They have that authentic Rossini sound unique to native Italians. Nevertheless, they often perform with manic energy; as if this were the first time they were inhabiting Rossini's sound world.

The DTS 5.1 sound is crystalline and full. The picture is well-nigh perfect, as befits a film that's been digitally remastered.

As usual, Ponnelle recorded the music first in January 1981, then had the singers lip sync for the filmed performance in Vienna during August & September that same year. Thus, the singers can focus on their acting; not where the next note is coming from. This works for me, for what it's worth, but purists may not like it. I think the film's beauty and lofty production values can overcome any obstacle. My strongest possible recommendation for this superbly performed and beautifully filmed La Cenerentola from Director Jean-Pierre Ponnelle and a great cast and Orchestra under Claudio Abbado!

Mike Birman

Cenerentola has been served well on DVD, with four fine productions available, but Ponnelle's film (set somewhere near the Victorian area, given the costumes) is truly an achievement. It's incredibly funny, has great musical values and is also very, very touching. A few of the jokes misfire, (I could do with less of the sister's squealing), but the production, filmed in and around La Scala, is wonderfully innovative. During the overture, we get a tour of the La Scala house and lobby, with it's statues of great Italian Composers singled out, especially that of Rossini (of course). This is a fairy tale with a genuinely happy ending, by the way, and it's exquisitely staged: The Magnificos, who have worn extravagant clothing and hair-dos throughout, appear at the wedding in Victorian grey, looking plain and penitent, only to be forgiven by a dewy-eyed Von Stade. The Sisters break down in tears, and Magnifico is wonderfully and genuinely humbled and forgiven. The scene is nowhere near as touching on the other videos.

Frederica Von Stade's exquisite Cinderella brought tears to my eyes with her performance of the finale: it's a testament to her skill that this was not her most famous role. It doesn't hurt, of course, that she is a genuine beauty. My Favorite moments: the look on her face as Cenerontola Discovers love in the Prince's Valet and then her wonderful, wonderful smile as she relives the ball and strokes the bracelet on her arm (only to hide it, with excellent comic timing, when her family comes back.) As her Prince Charming, Don Ramiro, Francisco Ariaza is in fine voice. His falling-in-love duet with Von Stade has to be heard to be believed, and his big aria goes over very well.

Paolo Montarsolo's Magnifico is simply the best on disk or video. His singing and diction are impeccable and his Mugging is less evident and more appropriately handled than in his performance as Basilio and Bartolo in Ponnelle's films of BARBIERE and NOZZE DI FIGARO Films. His Magnifico is both a cruel man, but he's not a buffoon and there's a something sympathetic about his downfall. His nearly-silent work in the finale shows that there was much more to his skill as a singing actor than being funny.

He matches wits with Claudio Desderi, an Excellent Dandini. Chubby-Faced and expressive, (he bares a passing resemblance to Dom DeLuise) he's an excellent musician and very funny. His opening ballad and ensemble features a wonderfully held line, excellent coloratura and impeccable patter. He appears as Magnifico on another video, but his work is nowhere near as good as it is here.

Paul Plishka is given an expanded role as Alidoro, who observes much of the antics of the other characters silently. He sings his aria well, and is provided with the production's one major departure from tradition. Usually, On the line "Look, and see who I am", Alidoro takes off his begger disguise and reveals his rich clothing. Here, Alidoro is already in his court dress, and on the aforementioned line, he points to the statue of Rossini, which comes to life. Plishka appears made up very convincingly as Rossini and, at one point, appears on screen with (and duets with) himself, as Alidoro appears to drive Cenerentola off to the ball.

The Sisters (Maria Guglielmi and Laura Zannani) both sing well and are very funny, though, as I said before, I could do without much of their squealing (which is not in the score).

Abbado repeats his fine work from his CD set (the Magnifico family are also the same). A true Rossian, his work is impeccable with an irreproachable sense of style and speed, making the all-important ensembles work like polished clockwork. Even without the visual aspect, this is one of the finest CENERENTOLAS on record. If the soundtrack to this film was released, I'd buy it in a second.

This film, by the way, makes an excellent companion to the Saltzburg Festival video with Ann Murray. Murray is nearly on Von Stade's level as a Cenerentola, Ariaza repeats his performance (if not in as fresh a voice), and plays Ramiro with an angry streak. Gino Quilico is good without approaching the brilliant Desderi as Dandini, and Walter Berry, while not on stable ground vocally, is a nasty Don Magnifico with very little that's funny about him, an interesting and appropriate characterization that counter-points Montarsolo's interestingly. There is an attractive (both physically and vocally) pair of sisters and Wolfgang Schone, a great Alidoro. Either of these Versions would be proud assets to a collection, but I would never want to be without Montarsolo, Von Stade, Desderi and Abbado.

I finally received my long-awaited copy of the Ponelle/Abbado/von Stade DVD
and I can tell you the thing is pure wow! I truly believe this effort is
one of the most perfect attempts at committing opera to film, drawing as
close a relationship as possible between actual opera house performance and
studio film. The balance is nothing less than remarkable resulting in a
very special work all on its own.

Ponnelle gets his wonderful cast to truly work as a team and the result is
never less than magical. von Stade, for me, is the most radiant Cenerentola
of all time and I have to wonder; has there ever been a more willowy,
beautiful heroine? Her subtle facial expressions are more numerous than
many other mezzos in this role yet she never once comes close to becoming
cloying or hammy - each is just right and feels perfectly natural. Her
singing throughout is exciting.

Abbado sometimes (in my opinion) pushes things along at breakneck pace, but
this still feels Rossinian in spirit and makes the thing crackle with a
vivaciousness that is not impossible to get caught up in, ever bubbly and
buoyant. The La Scala forces all seem caught up in it as well and it makes
for a very special presentation of a very special work.

From "Una volta c'era un re" the entire role is stamped with that
unmistakable von Stade magic. I don't know of a singer who has a
better "melancholy" quality built right into her instrument and in this
role it works like magic. This quality makes the contrasts stand out more
than usual and are so effective, noticeably in the first great ensemble,
the Act I quintet, where her melancholia transforms into a sparkling, put-
upon quality. Here, Rossini shows his hand as one of the greatest, most
inspired "technicians" ever to put pen a score. This ensemble (one of my
favorites in all of opera) also includes one of my favorite musical
moments; during Cenerentola's patter-commentary (spat out with amazing
clarity) - "Cenerentola vien qua, Cenerentola va la, Cenerentola va' su,
Cenerentola vien giu" then the amazing little four note scale repeated over
and over "Questo e proprio uno strapazzo! Mi volete far crepar" is mind
boggling in its simplicity and effectiveness at portraying the moment. (Can
you tell yet this is one of my very favorite operas, too?) In the
first "go" at the "Questo..." von Stade (with her back to the camera) throws
herself like a rag doll being pulled in separate directions - and it is a
wonderful effect that is the perfect visualization of Rossini's breathless
music.

Francisco Araiza is a thoroughly charming prince, although his aspirate-
tackling of the coloratura work is sometimes a bit too much (for my own
taste) which is odd, as when in duetto with von Stade he seems able to
smooth out the passage work. But these two make as handsome a couple as
ever seen in opera and their first sighting of each other and their ensuing
duet is charm personified.

The rest of the cast includes Paolo Montarsolo as an over-the top Don
Magnifico who really seems intent on burning his bridges in his treatment
of his stepdaughter; the comic book sisters of Clorinda and Tisbe of
Margherita Guglilmi and Laura Zannini - who manage to make the girls into a
hilarious Lucy and Ethel act.

Forgive me if I'd forgotten just how amazing a singer was Paul Plishka. The
voice is huge, robust, commanding and warm. His Alidoro - Rossini coming to
life, made my heart just swell to almost bursting. There is a spiritual
quality here that looks forward to Parsifal (another of my favorites). The
sense of wide-eyed wonderment von Stade's heroine wears has an honesty that
is hypnotic. She, like Parsifal, at the end of the first Grail scene, is
rendered speechless. Here, Rossini raises his heroine, changing the
simplicity of a fairy tale into a miracle, a lesson about the power of
faith and goodness. It's impossible not love her. Plishka's performance is
complete in every way.

Claudio Desderi is hilarious - strongly recalling Dom Delouise (which I'm
guessing was not intentional on his part) and, like everyone else, having
the time of his life here. Like Araiza, Desderi ascribes to the aspirate-
ridden method of coloratura, but in this comical role it works to his
advantage.

Ponnelle's staging of the Act II Sextet is perhaps my very favorite staging
of any operatic ensemble on video. Back lighting throws the entire scene
into silhouette with the singer's robotic movements resembling the
intricate motions of a great Bavarian Cuckoo Clock. Remarkably, each singer
retains their individuality by becoming part of something larger. Musically
and cinematically it's amazing, and at it's conclusion, with all of the
intricate movements, Ponelle somehow - as by magic - has each character
returned to their starting positions. Awesome.

Flicka gets to shine like a genuine diamond in the final scene, once again
imbuing that heartfelt melancholia into "Nacqui all' affanno..." and then
blazing triumphantly through "Non piu mesta."

Ponnelle's control of everything (including costumes), attention to the
smallest of details, shows just how much he loved this work and we are
indebted to him for bringing this gem to a different level.

One midnight five years ago, I got out of bed after tossing and turning for
hours, and put on the VHS copy of this. I watched the entire thing and all
my worries seemed to disappear. Later that day I found out it was the
anniversary of the first performance of La Cenerentola. I'm still convinced
Angelina woke me up on purpose!

I really do believe Rossini's girl is one of the most perfect creations in
all of opera and Ponnelle's film version is a vision and just about one of
the most perfect ways to spend a couple of joyous hours.

p.

Unitel-DGG has remastered this marvellous performance poorly. The frame has been made smaller and much of Ponnelle's masterful placement of singers is lost as the singers on the left and the right are now out of the frame. Get the older video tape (1988) if you can. Otherwise, the sound is good and the singers great.

I usually don't care much for operatic films. For one, attempts to "open up" an opera are often awkward. Secondly, most operatic singers are not trained to sing for the camera -- what may look dramtically effective onstage in front of a camera often looks hammy or over-the-top. And then there's the awful lip-synching. Exhibit A: the ridiculous "Il Trovatore" film with Gencer, del Monaco, Barbieri, and Bastianinni.

That being said, Jean-Pierre Ponnelle's 1981 film of Cinderella is, bar none, the best operatic film I've ever seen. Ponnelle does not entirely "open up" the opera. The first scenes are of the proscenium of La Scala, and as the opera starts the camera zooms in on the stage set of Don Magnifico's home. From then on, the characters do move "out" of the fourth wall, but the sets remain stylized, and somewhat surreal, so one is never sure if it's a stage performance or a movie. It's a very effective blend.

Ponnelle's sets, costumes, and stage-direction are creative, beautiful, funny, and entertaining. Rossini's charming score often leads to an earthy interpetation of Anegelina, the title character. But Ponnelle by casting the young, beautiful, waif-like Frederica von Stade, makes the opera a true fairy-tale. von Stade's long blond hair falls over her face in the opening of the opera, as she sadly leans on her broom, and the camera pans into her sad, beautiful face. The camera often uses close-ups of von Stade's dreamy, exressive face to underline the deeper emotions behind Rossini's upbeat tunes. When Alidoro (Paul Plishka) appears to take Angelina to the ball, he's bathed in a heavenly light, as if he were literally a guardian angel. von Stade's voice, a light, bright mezzo, doesn't have the earthiness of Cecilia Bartoli (another famous Angelina), but it sounds more girlish, more romantic, and it has a bell-like ring. The haunting musical theme of Angelina's enslavement (Una volta c'era un re) has never sounded lovelier than here with von Stade's soft-grained, warm voice.

Ponnelle handles the comic aspects of the story very well. Don Magnifico (Paolo Montosarlo) is hilarious; a ridiculous, pompous blowhard. The funniest scene of the opera is him at Don Ramiro's court, being mockingly puffed up as a wine connoseuir. In the background, the courtiers hold up a black and white chalkboard that announces how many wines Magnifico's "sampled." They keep erasing it as the number climbs; finally it's 30 wines, and Magnifico has to be literally held up by the courtiers as he makes a degree banning the mixing of water and wine for 15 years. The stepsisters (Margherita Guglielmi and Laura Zanninni) are also hilarious -- purposely sung in a shrill high soprano, they contrast with von Stade's warmer, more romantic voice. Claudio Desderi is an excellent Dandini, matching wits well with Montosario. Their scenes together are among the funniest of the opera. For a dvd that gets an A+ all around, the only B+ I'd give would be to Francisco Araiza, the Prince Don Ramiro. A short tenor of rather average looks, he sings well but his acting skills are not on par with the rest of the cast.

Overall, this is simply a beautiful production and performance of this opera. It is so full of effective moments that it'd be hard to single any one out, but when the Prince and Angelina are reunited, it is usually a moment of triumph. But Ponnelle has Cinderella kneeling, asking the Prince to pardon her wicked family, suddenly making this scene full of humanity. Angelina's humility and humanity becomes the overwhelming theme of the opera. von Stade can't give Angelina's final aria, "Nacqui all' affano" (and yes it has the same melody as the Count Almaviva's final aria in Barbiere di Siviglia -- Rossini was famous for "recycling" melodies) the vocal fireworks of, say, a Bartoli (or Juan Diego Florez), but once again, the beauty of the moment more than suffices for the lack of fireworks. The last image of the opera is of Angelina, beautiful and radiant in her white wedding dress. Goodness has triumphed.

The camera occasionally pans to a statue of Rossini in the La Scala lobby. Rossini after seeing this film would be very proud indeed.

Having bought and seen this production on LaserDiscs several years ago, I was hoping against hope that a DVD of this production at La Scala would be issued. It would very difficult to find fault with any phase of this production. The direction/design by Jean-Pierre Ponnelle is outstanding and imaginative. The highlight of his magic for me occurs in the scene near the end of the opera when Cinderella is discovered by the Prince and all the characters are singing about this discovery and the effect it will have on them personally. Ponnelle puts the entire ensemble in silhouette and then spotlights each individual character to place focus on their reaction to the situation. At the end of this delightful scene you know what each individul is thinking about. I have never seen a stage technique that produces this kind of clarity when there is a literal cacophony of individuals in the ensemble singing many different vocal lines.

Now, shall we talk about Frederica von Stade? Perfect! She is a stunningly beautiful "Cenerentola". And her vocal handling of this rather difficult Rossini role can not be bettered by any living messo-soprano on the opera stage today. She owns the role with her interpretation, wonderful acting and a meltingly beautiful voice. I could not find a single flaw in either her interpretation or her beautifully controlled voice.

There is also much to be said about the remaing cast. Everyone played and sang their parts with beautiful vocal lines and simply outstanding Bel Canto technique. Araiza is a sensational singing actor in his role as the Prince. Montarsolo, as the make believe Prince had me laughing out loud. He is also another outstanding singing actor. And, I do not want to forget Claudio Abbado. His mastery of this music and ability to keep everything together, especially the duets, trios, quartets, and the very difficult places where every character is singing something different at the same time really has no peer. He allows the singers room to breathe and interpret their roles. Yet he keeps everone reigned in just enough so that the style and musicality of this playful opera is never compromised.

I obviously like this production of Cenerentola. I have watched/listened to my LaserDisc many times and always discovered something new and fresh that I hadn't observed previously. I can not wait to get my hands on the DVD!

I first saw the Ponnelle production of Cenerentola at the San Francisco Opera (where he first produced it) and was bowled over, it even had actual rain on the stage. Frederica Van Stade is absolutely perfect as "Angelina" as the title character is known. I have long treasured the VHS version of this production, and am delighted that, at long last, it is available on a DVD. (While my VHS version is perfectly servicable, I bought the DVD version simply to celebrate the decision to release it in this form.) Much of the stage production is retained in this version, but it has some scenes which are, obviously, not on stage but which add to the drama of the production. (I have read that it was filmed entirely in Vienna on a sound-stage on which the stage sets were replicated.) I love Barber of Seville, but I think Cenerentola is the best opera Rossini ever wrote, at least when staged by Ponnelle (who, alas, died at a young age). Paolo Montarsolo as Cenerentola's nasty step-father and Claudio Desderi as Dandini are superb character actors and singers.

The Cecilia Bartoli performance from Houston (which is also on DVD) is very good (and I'm listening to her fantastic new CD "Opera Probita" as I write this--so it isn't a case of my not being a fan of hers--and I think her Barber of Seville is the best on DVD) but the Ponnelle, Von Stade production and performance of Cenerentola is the gold standard, and as I said in the caption, it is the best video performance of an opera that I have ever seen.

Compared to the old laserdisc release of this opera, this new DVD is a joy to behold. To my eyes much loving attention has been lavished on restoring and cleaning up this disc with the result that the colours throughout are rich and saturated. While the quality of the video has been significantly improved the audio remains about the same as the laserdisc---- the addition of 5.1 DTS does not really offer any audible differences over the PCM stereo which incidentally is very good indeed. The DVD now offers subtitles in five languages including English.
In my opinion this production of the work stands head and shoulders
over the competition. The entire cast, the musical direction of Abbado and the imaginative video direction of Jean-Pierre Ponnelle make this a winner all round. Standouts in the singers are von Stade and Montarsolo.
Compared to other Unitel releases of Ponnelle operatic productions on DVD this is be far the best to date.

Since seeing Ponne's La Cenerentola on Public Television, I have been checking Amazon every week.to find out whether it had been released on DVD. This is the perfect production of an opera. The cast, direction, settings, and orchestra are perfect. It presents opera buffo in its finest form. It is beautiful, funny, and presents a world where goodness wins. Watching this DVD is a sure remedy for the blues and is just a lot of fun. Thank you for letting me watch this opera again.

This is a beautifully staged production with masterful singing. However, if you have not seen the original, uncropped version of this production I urge you to find a copy of the 1981 VHS filming of this masterpiece. It will enhance your appreciation for the incredible staging, because the DVD is cropped a bit tighter than the video.

Part of the beauty of this production is feeling that you part of the audience. However, there are numerous tight shots that allow you to fully appreciate the expressions on the faces, almost as if you are looking through opera glasses.

The director has a lot of fun with his performers, and sets up visual humor that is very entertaining. The singing, acting, and interaction of the characters is unsurpassed, in my opinion, but the loss of the margins of the staging causes me to give 3 stars, not 5 to the DVD. (Maybe I'm just partial to my old VHS version!)