Customer Reviews

Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegin [Blu-ray]

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

 

 

The singing, the acting, the orchestra are all first rate. Beautiful music, superb cast, everything adds up to a totally engaging presentation. The staging is sparse -- minimalist -- but it works well and is aided by excellent camera work. A thrilling Onegin, not to be missed!

Quite often Eurotrash directors gleefully subvert the intentions of the original composer and librettist. Stage directions are ignored, and singers are encouraged to perform actions on stage that run contrary to the actions clearly suggested in the music. Extraneous characters run to and fro, and the mise-en-scène is so radically different than anything ever imagined by the opera's creators that you literally cannot figure out what the story's about. Sometimes such innovative Regietheater can be great fun or even revealing, but 90% of the time it's pretentious nonsense, a perverse and often childish amplification of subtexts. After years of this crud, the Eurostrashcan (aided and often led by Ameritrashers) is crammed with boring "avant-garde" cliches(which should be an oxymoron). Over 100 of these production disasters can be purchased on standard DVD videos here at Amazon.com.

Among the more acceptable malifactors is the director of this fine "Onegin," Robert Carsen, aided and abetted by set-and-costume designer Michael Levine. Plenty of stupid eliminations and additions occur in this production, but the leaf-covered, furniture-cramped-then- empty-spaced Postmodern settings are often visually beautiful in this video, and the principals are rather wonderful -- especially the silken-throated, sexually charismatic baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky (who, as they like to say, "IS" Onegin"), soprano Renée Fleming (at her best as Tatiana), and tenor Ramón Vargas (who sings gloriously and looks exactly like Lenski). Valery Gergiev conducts authoritatively. The widescreen Blu-ray image looks fabulous -- and the sound is spacious and thrilling. This DVD is an edit of the live HD transmission seen in theaters, live from the Met. One hopes all the Met's HD transmissions (for better or for worse) will be available in this exciting new Blu-ray format.

Among the more destructive Blu-ray offerings are the perfectly dreadful Opus Arte "Norma" (turned into a trivial backstage melodrama), the obfuscatory DG "Le Nozze di Figaro" from Salzburg (in which even the conducting is bad), an absurdly vulgar Arthaus "Rigoletto" (not too bad musically, however), and an interesting but ultimately dreary minimalist Harmoni Mundi "Don Giovanni" (conducted by Rene Jacobs and containing some fine singing with added ornamentations not specificed by Mozart). The crazy mixed-up DG "Manon" is actually fun with its looney concept which keeps Anna Netrebko self-consciously evolving through various personae including Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, and Ingrid Bergman. She sings gloriously here, and her des Grieux is the likable Rolando Villazon.

Amazingly, what we have here is an `exercise in reverse'...

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, we have quite a successful group of singers born bread and trained there, aspiring to take the world's centre operatic stage; those include in no particular order: Vesselina Kasarova (Mezzo-soprano/alto), Elina Garanca (Mezzo-soprano), Dimitri Hvosostovsky (Baritone), Anna Netrebko (Soprano), Angela Georgiou (Soprano), and not to forget the forerunners of those artists, the magnificent Elena Obraztsova (Mezzo-soprano), the superb Ghena Dimitrova (soprano), the great NIcolai Ghiaurov (Bass), and more.
All of these artists which initially were trained in the former Soviet Union schools of music, took to the Italian and French repertoire - and here was the `straight forward exercise' which they took upon themselves; to try (to various degree of success) to overcome their inherent Slavonic culture-of-the-voice, and without the hinder of the Slavonic trained singing voice to shine in the Italian and French repertoire...True, many of them got their voices trained farther with Italian and French singing teachers later on in their fledgling careers.

The `exercise in reverse' now, is, that two of the greatest western cultured operatic voices, born, bread and trained in the best of the Italian and French culture tradition of the voice, namely, Ramon Vargas (tenor) and Renee Fleming (lyric soprano) would dive nose down into the core of the Russian operatic repertoire - Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin...

Right from the start there is a magnificent sense of correctness in the way by which Renee Fleming
enters the scene as a the romantic teenager, expressing her lines in pure Russian diction and pure lyric-vocal-tone and with the right Russian syllables.
From there on, Tatiana becomes Renee Faming - and Renee flaming on stage becomes Tchaikovsky's and Pushkin's Tatiana...
Most rendering is the `letter aria': this is a complete encompassing scene that demands a command of the singing voice, expressiveness and an amazing ability to act - all of which is greatly fulfilled by Renee Fleming. (One might imagine that Tchaikovsky dedicated the vocal lines here to this singer, to her range of colors and registers - no piercing the stratosphere with high notes above the B flat...)
And mind you - the whole of Tatiana's roll the key to Tatian's character and reasoning hinge on this single impressive scene.
The voice here has a successful mixture of the lyricism, timbre, and correct Russian vowels pronunciation, and the degree of shading of the voice that goes into the lower register here, is correctly tinted with a Slavonic hue.
This scene is guaranteed to make your heart break, and give you a goose-bumps, this, along-side Fleming's (garden scene) where her the acting and facial expression are aimed at giving you a heartache when Onegin lectures her and returns her letter while rejecting her.

Onegin's roll sung by the Russian Baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky (the prime winner of Cardiff-singer-of the-world-competition of some years ago), comes to him naturally and without obvious effort, fitting his physique, stage presence, and his `cool' acting, to the teeth.
Still, there are moments in the last act where Onegin have a change of heart, which asks for just a tad more `remorse', passion, naked laying of emotions - in which Hvorostovsky is a tad too stingy.
One should compare this closing scene between Tatiana and Onegin, with the James Levine 25th anniversary DVD at the Metropolitan - where dramatic baritone Dwayne Croft practically stops the show with his full throat out-burst and breath-control in: "what humiliation, what anguish, what a tragic fate!" - to fully understand what is (slightly) missing here with the Russian baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky.

Ramon Vargas, which we associate with Puccini and Verdi tenor rolls emerges here as a fine fit to the Russian roll of Lenski dealt to him. His soave tenor voice carries on into the Russian vocalizations and vowels very successfully. His pronunciation is clear and with no obvious hindrance. His acting abilities are equally satisfying in this roll.

The Russian alto/mezzo-soprano Larisa Shevchenko,- gives a specially impressive performance, in the roll of the old nanny; very believable, well sung and well acted and very reliable, specially so, in her duet with Tatians's mother at the very beginning of the opera and later on in the `letter scene' where her interaction with Renee Flemig/Tatiana, at the start of the scene end - when morning breaks in - gives her part a very special sad touch and a great meaning.

The stage set-up - sparsely decorated, clear and almost empty but colorful (the falling leaves that carpet the floor) has an extra edge: it makes the viewer concentrate on the action and draws the viewer into the plot and the mood more easily. It is extremely functional and gives the actors an `instrument' with which to interact (Tatiana playing with the leaves, using a leave in the embarrassing moments of her lake-side scene with Onegin. her letter-scene, and so forth). Everything on the sparsely decorated stage is functional and has its purpose (a rare phenomenon with modern staging).

The stage illumination too has a clear un-exaggerated function which greatly contributes to the filming and details that the cameras capture (this is no half shading `camera obscura' - the way some Blu-ray is made; in semi darkness...)

The sound recording is as perfect as it gets - it capture the orchestral sound and dynamics and the singers voices in a greatly focused proportional way and with a frequency range that is clear, extended - in the best of the Decca tradition.

The conducting, the tempi, the breath and pause, is a marvel:
What a great conductor we find here for the Metropolitan Orchestra and the Tchaikovsky score in the figure of Valery Gergiev...!

The Tchaikovsky musical theme are quite known and melodic - the lines are easy to memorize, but it might take the novice to Tchaikovsky's operas and the manner by which Tchaikovsky takes to the singing voice score and orchestra, a second hearing/viewing of this DVD - just to get it all to sink-in and enjoy.

No doubts that this is one of the very best (possibly THE VERY BEST) of the Blu-ray DVD opera as yet; One of a great stage production, singing, sound - all in all, a marriage of the best possible assemblage of artists which gives meaning to it all.
The `exercise in reverse' - courtesy of the Metropolitan Opera House, is a mile-stone.

Ordinarily I avoid operatic productions with minimalist settings and avant garde stage directors like the plague, but this staging of Eugene Onegin by the Metropolitan Opera proved that sparse settings used imaginatively with sympathetic lighting can be very effective and even , dare I say, beautiful. Take the opening scene: to portray the rustic Larin estate, a bare stage thickly strewn with red and gold leaves, in the centre of which two women sit peeling apples, reminiscing about old times and then the appearance of a group of peasants singing in chorus immediately sets the scene in the Russian countryside. The lighting highlights the russet, orange brown hues beautifully and the Hi-Def colour and picture quality are brilliant. I must point out that the costumes are appropriate to the period and very colourful they are too. Simple white chairs in a rectangle are used for the ball at the estate, and a set of ornate chairs for the ball in high society Moscow. The stage is chillingly bare for the duel scene where the protagonist are shown in silhouette; they face each other point their pistols, fire and one falls, very dramatic.
Dmitri Hvorostovsky, is perfectly cast as Onegin, a handsome, aristocratic figure, completely egocentric and callous of others' feelings, a bored society lion. His rich baritone voice is thrilling to hear and he puts in a commanding performance especially in the final scene. Ramon Vargas excels as the poetic Lenski and is most impressive in the poignant scene just before the fateful duel, where he sings wistfully about the end of his golden youth, to great ovation from the audience.
And then there is Renee Fleming. I have to admit having some initial qualms about Fleming cast as Tatiana. Tatiana is a very young maiden, a girl naive and innocent yearning for love and an idealised hero, a Juliette figure in essence.I would have thought that Fleming would be too mature a figure to carry it off. But carry it off she did and with great aplomb. She had me believing she was a moody teenager, head in the clouds or buried in romantic novels pining for love. The scene in the bedroom with her nanny is touching as is the next where she gushes forth all her feelings in a reckless letter to Onegin. And when Onegin confronts her to politely but coldly reject her, her facial expression tells it all: humiliation, anguish and a hope that the earth would swallow her up. Fabulous acting. Superlative singing. And of course the climactic scene where she tears herself from Onegin at last professing his love for her, realising that happiness was so close but quite impossible to attain, and that the past is past. The title of the opera may be Eugene Onegin but this one is all about Tatiana and Renee Fleming. What a triumph.

The singing is splendid but the production was unacceptable to me. The lighting was so dim that in many places one could barely make out what was going on. The famous letter scene was sung against a dark blue background that was so dark one could see almost nothing. The minimalist scenery was dead dreary and what was there from time to time was so ill lit one could not appreciate it. Such a pity as the cast was good. If you just want to listen this is fine but if you also expect to watch this performance give it a miss. I doubt I will watch it again and regret the purchase.

One of my favorite Russian opera, Eugene Onegin, by Tchaikovsky, was recently presented in national cinemas. I do not have time to go to the movies, I was content with the DVD. Just like the one shown in the cinema.
The operas produced nowadays are thought and planned the theater for the video. Increasingly, we can see the aesthetic image of the presentations: sets, costumes, lighting, movements of the singers and chorus, it is thought that the recording be plastic. Time's up for a camera recording everything in the center. Now we have several cameras covering angles previously unimaginable.
The version of the Metropolitan Opera House in New York's stellar cast. The baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky, exceptional as Onegin. The soprano Renée Fleming, lyrical voice, sweet, have great aria in the Charter, large Tatiana. Ramón Vargas is one of the great tenors of our time, and his aria of farewell is moving. Featured with praise for Sergei Aleksashkin as Prince Gremin, beautiful aria sung by a bass and portentous for me unknown Jean-Paul Fouchécourt, a Triquet hilarious. I can not say whether there was manipulation of the voices in the video, I heard bordering on perfection.
The sets designed by Michael Levine are almost nonexistent, has turned fashion shows with stage clean. It gives a modern air to function, and still saves a beautiful dough. The costumes are right, sin in the ballroom scene of Act II, rustic look to other participates of the party. The direction by Peter McClintock uses an idea manjada causes Onegin to the beginning of the show lamenting his fate. With Tatiana's letter in hand, he is recalling the events through the opera. The lighting is strong point of production, intelligent and creative, highlights the events clearly.
Presented by the nostalgic Beverly Sills, the DVD contains interviews with the actors and producers behind the scenes montage. The governing Gergiev is simple, direct, effective. Russian conductor who understands the subtlety and delicacy of the score and the orchestra is expressing this SENSITIVITIES. The image and sound recorded in HD are flawless, the direction of images and experienced veteran Brian Large is excellent. Finally! A DVD of Eugene Onegin must for lovers of Russian opera.


Eugene Onegin-Obra prima de Tchaikovsky em montagem memorável do MET

Uma de minhas óperas russas favoritas, Eugene Onegin, de Tchaikovsky, foi recentemente apresentada nos cinemas nacionais. Como não tenho tempo para ir ao cinema, me contentei com o DVD. Igualzinho ao apresentado no cinema.
As óperas produzidas nos dias atuais são pensadas e programadas do teatro para o vídeo. Cada vez mais, se nota a estética da imagem nas apresentações: cenários, figurinos, iluminação, movimentações dos cantores e coral, tudo é pensado para que a gravação fique plástica. Acabou o tempo de uma câmera no centro gravando tudo. Agora temos diversas câmeras, que cobrem ângulos antes inimagináveis.
A Versão do Metropolitan Opera House de New York tem elenco estrelar. O barítono Dmitri Hvorostovsky, excepcional como Onegin. O soprano Renée Fleming , voz lírica, adocicada,manda muito bem na Ária da Carta, grande Tatiana. Ramón Vargas é um dos grandes tenores da atualidade, e sua ária de despedida é comovente. Destaque com louvor para Sergei Aleksashkin como Príncipe Gremin, belíssima ária cantada por um baixo portentoso e o por mim desconhecido Jean-Paul Fouchécourt, um Triquet hilário. Não posso afirmar se houve manipulação das vozes no vídeo, o que ouvi beirava a perfeição.
Os cenários concebidos por Michael Levine são quase inexistentes, tem virado moda espetáculos com palcos limpos. Dá um ar de moderno à função, e ainda se economiza uma bela grana. Os figurinos são corretos, pecam na cena do baile do segundo ato, visual caipira demais aos participates da festa. A direção de Peter McClintock usa uma idéia manjada, faz com que Onegin apareça no começo do espetáculo lamentando seu destino. Com a carta de Tatiana na mão, ele vai relembrando os acontecimentos através da ópera. A iluminação é ponto forte da produção, inteligente e criativa, realça os acontecimentos com clareza.
Apresentado pela saudosa Beverly Sills, o DVD contém entrevistas com os protagonistas e produtores e mostra os bastidores da montagem. A regência de Gergiev é simples, direta, efetiva. Maestro russo que entende a sutileza e a delicadeza da partitura e faz a orquestra expressar essa sensibildade. A imagem e o som gravados em HD são impecáveis, a direção de imagens do veterano e experimentado Brian Large é excelente. Enfim! Um DVD de Eugene Onegin imperdível para quem gosta de ópera russa.
Ali Hassan Ayache

Though when it's of opera I prefer the italian ones, I must say that this Met edition of Onegin is really enjoyable. Very well sung and performed. The scenery simple and evocative. Overall, high rate quality of a BD.

Tchaikovsky's opera "Eugene Onegin" was a pleasant surprise to me when I first encountered it. I was expecting a heavy Russian epic (along the lines of "Boris Godunov"), but instead it is romantic and very lyrical.

In this production from the Metropolitan Opera, Renée Fleming gives an outstanding performance as Tatiana, producing beautiful singing and touching acting throughout. Dmitri Hvorostovsky is equally appealing as Onegin, with his famous rich tone. And how touching it was to have the two of them interviewed at intermission by Beverly Sills herself!

The production is very different and extremely minimalist, with the stage frequently bare with the exception of one or two simple pieces of furniture. While some may prefer sets on the more extravagant side of things, I found that this minimalist approach allowed the characters themselves to blossom and become the center of our attention. The lighting design brought out some gorgeous colors, with a very effective sunrise after Tatiana's letter aria, and a cold morning for a chilling duel between Onegin and Lensky.

The video quality is crystal clear, though not quite at the exceptional level of many discs release by Opus Arte. The sound is simply stunning.

One of my favorite operas on blu-ray! I hope the Metropolitan Opera produces more.

I saw the original Met broadcast of this performance and bought the DVD version. The Cast is outstanding, and the settings and sound are equally good.
This Blu-Ray Edition is even more impressive with great detail and color. Most highly recommended !!!

Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin is as Russian as they come - from an impeccable literary source (Pushkin), filled with all the classic situations of fatalistic romances, fabulous balls and a duel over a question of honour. The Met's 2007 production, recorded for their HD-Live series, retains a strong underpinning in the casting and the sensitive conducting of the opera by Valery Gergiev that brings these elements brilliantly to the fore.

Perfectly in line with Tchaikovsky's original intentions, Robert Carsen's staging is straightforward and simple, the set uncluttered, with only the bare minimum of props required for the settings, while the all-important tone - primarily an emotional one - is set by the lighting and colouration of the stark backgrounds that tower over and enclose the performers. It gives the opera a truly unique feel, one that is perfectly in tune with the emotional chords struck by the music and the libretto, a tone that is dominated by the interpretation of Onegin here - cold, austere and aloof, calculating even, certainly with a touch of arrogance, but carrying within himself his own torments, distancing himself from others in a remote and self-involved manner that doesn't take anyone else's feelings into account.

It's remarkable then how this chimes with Tchaikovsky's own personal circumstances at the time, unable to bear the gossip surrounding him over his sexuality, entering unadvisedly into a marriage for convenience where he is unable to offer anything more than "brotherly love". Accordingly the music in Eugene Onegin is often as heartfelt and emotional as anything Tchaikovsky has composed, but with that customary detached, intellectualised translation of it into pure, precise musical terms. Consequently, it's utterly gripping when converted into the drama of Onegin, involving the heart as much as the mind.

One couldn't ask for anything more out of the performers - the starkness of the sets allowing the audience to focus solely on the singing without distractions while the lighting supports the emotions and motivations lying behind them. The singers meet the demands of the roles and the action admirably, Dmitri Hrovostovsky indeed presenting a fine cold, aloof figure in Onegin, contrasted with the fiery passions of Ramón Vargas's Lenski and the romantic purity of Renée Fleming's Tatiana.

On Blu-ray, the staging looks magnificent in its colouration and tones. The audio is generally fine, but there are a few issues with microphone placements that don't give adequate presence to the voices, neither in the LPCM 2.0 or the DTS HD Master Audio 5.1, though this is only an occasional issue particularly in the first act of the opera. A 16-minute Behind the Scenes featurette presents an interesting look at the rehearsals for the opera. Overall, this is a strong presentation of a magnificent performance of a wonderful opera.