Customer Reviews

Verdi: Aida [Blu-ray]

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I was looking for a modern replacement of my old Met Opera DVD of Aida and, as someone who likes the spectacle of Grand Opera, decided to buy this Franco Zeffirelli directed version from La Scala. I noted that a number of the reviewers had mentioned the superimposed images and fade-ins and fade-outs employed by the director and how much it had annoyed them. However, I thought they were probably being too subjective and I couldn't imagine that a video director would have been given so much of a free hand that it could detract from Zeffirelli's production. How wrong I was! In the triumphal march in Act 2 the stage is full of people, the costumes are opulent, the props are magnificent, the orchestra under Chailly is building up to a climax and yet Patrizia Carmine thinks that she can improve on all of this by adding dissolves through drapes and superimposing close-ups of trumpets; not just once, but again and again.
There is so much to like about this production and I no doubt will watch it occasionally, but it could have been so much better without the interference of the video director. I would go so far as to suggest that all might not be lost and the DVD could possibly be re-released without all the offensive and unnecessary additions. How novel that might be, a non-directors cut of the opera.

Beautiful Aida production by Zefferelli at La Scala Milan. This production is a little over done but beautifully set. The singers are amazing except that I found Alagna's infamous aria "Dolce Aida" to be sung in an almost forced and yelling voice. So far, I have just watched the Acts 1&2 first DVD, and so far I can tell you that you will be dissapointed by the anoying fading of pictures throught the video. This is done in a manner that you want to scream and say stop doing that!!!Just focus on the characters and lets enjoy the performance in a way that a seating patron there was enjoying it. By, the way the ballet at the end of Act 2 was very sexy and beautifully danced. 4 stars for the singing 5 stars for the ballet and 5 star for the sets and costumes. 0 star for the video direction.

This potentially wonderful production has been ruined by inappropiate zooming, transitions, panning, close-ups of performers and even horns. The video editing is dreadful and distracts from the beauty of the performers and the performance. This DVD could be used in a course for videographers and producers as an example of "How not to do it".

This is a decent Aida. Alagna sings Radames better than I thought he would. I thought his voice would be too light for the role. Urmana is also better than I expected, because previously I thought she was squally when I saw her sing the La Forza Leonora and the HD Aida from the Met recently. So she was in much better form than I have seen her in.

I normally like Zeffirelli's set designs, but what is this obsession with golden rods strung horizontally throughout this production? What are they supposed to signify?

I agree with other reviewers about this video though. The video/tv director spends way too much time focusing on pieces of fabric and details of the sets while the singers are singing. It starts out being a very small annoyance, but by the Tomb Scene you are so sick of seeing a piece of fabric while the singers are singing and then it suddenly gets ten times worse during this Tomb Scene. It is like the video director did not want you to even see the Tomb Scene at all. It is incredibly annoying! Whoever made the decision to continually cut to fabric and inanimate objects throughout the video is an idiot. The Tomb Scene is one of the most beautiful moments in all of opera and it was spoiled.

If you're going to buy this AIDA because this is the production Roberto Alagna walked out on, you're going to be confused. The only thing I can figure is they taped a couple of the performances, including a dress rehearsal and then spliced all the good parts together to make the DVD. Alagna's singing of "Celeste Aida" is awful but you don't hear any booing from the audience unless it was edited out. He excels in the last two acts and the audience lets him know it. There is very little love shown between him and Aida. Alagna seems to be concentrating on the music and seldom takes his eyes off the conductor. Generally the singing is quite good from all the principals but Aida is plump and Amneris is svelte and regal. It's kind of hard to believe Radames chooses Aida. The sets and costumes by Franco Zefirelli are spectacular but ruined by TV director Patrizia Carmine who tries to turn this into a music video using lots of superimposed images, blurry fade outs and bellowing sheets in various colors blocking too many key scenes. The consumer should be warned this is a cinematic version of this opera which doesn't succeed. Verdi's music doesn't need any help. Holding all the pieces together is Riccardo Chailly the conductor whom the audience clearly worships. Franco Ziffrelli comes out at the end and it was sad to see he had to be helped walking on the stage. Say what you will about his grand productions, they are never boring. I already have four AIDA'S on DVD and welcome this latest effort.

Terribly thing to do to an opera ....The video direction ,make this dissaster ....

This is Zeffirelli at his very worst. An incredibly tasteless and vulgar production, with more cheap gold than anyone could bear in a casino show and without a single original idea about the staging of this wonderful but overexposed opera. The level of incompetence is hard to beleive and La Scala has reached a new low in its undistinguished recent history. The Orchestra sounds very good, but Alagna is uncomfortable as Radames, with a voice inadequate for the role, although he does try. Urmana is somewhat better, but it isn't enough. To make things worse the video producer thinks he can improve this sad event with silly camera movements and very distressing close-ups of the fabrics of every costume! Do yourself a favour and totally ignore this release.

Aida has been a favourite of mine for over 50 years but had not been looked at for awhile. So it was a great pleasure to reacquaint myself with the music. This production, filmed by Zeffirelli, is a sumptuous one although the frequent dissolves into out of focus waving cloth could be distracting at times and was a bit over done for me.
But the singing is brilliant, particularly Ildiko Komlosi in the role of Amneris. For some reason I have previously always regarded the role of Aida as the pivotal one but this production clearly demonstrates the importance of Amneris with her intense passion for our hero Radames, sung by Roberto Alagna. This is not meant to depreciate the great singing of Violeta Urmanda in the title role. The chorus is great although a more powerful Ramfis than Giorgio Giuseppini would have not gone astray.
The sets, costumes and lighting are top notch in this traditional presentation although the ballet scenes were somewhat wimpy.
The lack of audience applause at times was puzzling as Italian audiences are unrestrainedly enthusiastic, so it is hard to imagine Zeffirelli was able to persuade them to keep silent. So, it is possible some of it was filmed without an audience although no change in acoustics was obvious.
Yes, the sound is glorious and the video quality impeccable. This would be a good first opera for someone to cut their teeth on. Highly recommended.
POSTCRIPT: Just read some of the other reviews (I always write mine before looking) and can appreciate others found Zeffirelli's approach distracting, but to me the singing was good enough to forgive that. Yes, it was hard to appreciate Aida, as portrayed by Violetta, as being someone to risk life and reputation for, but her brilliant singing made me overlook this. And I agree Alagna was unimpressive in the first Act but redeemed himself at the end. Yes, the final production does come through as a "stitched up" effort combining some live production with some that is not. So yes, a mixed bag, but a worthwhile one IMHO.

This Zeffirelli production is grand in every respect - sets and scenery, decor, costumes, jewelry, ballet - only the best was used for this Verdi masterpiece. A true feast for the eyes. I certainly couldn't find any fault with these luxurious and elaborate sets. I thought the principal singers were very satisfying vocally. OK, so Alagna's Celeste Aida wasn't the best I ever heard but this is one heck of an aria to sing at the start of act 1 without much of a warm up and there aren't too many tenors around who can pull this off flawlessly. Komlosi's Amneris was wonderful in every respect - vocally, visually, with some fine acting talents. While I loved Urmana's voice, I wasn't enthralled with her visually - with her billowing gowns she gave a rather matronly impression of Aida which does not fit my romantic image of the slave over which Radames loses his head. This may be a very superficial opinion on my part but with the present day technology with all the close-ups, I prefer to be carried away emotionally by singers who make a their roles believable. The ballet scenes were also very well executed - Roberto Bolle, the principal dancer, certainly created a lot of excitement among the audience (and obviously enjoyed the adulations showered upon him).
The negative aspect of this Aida for me was the artsy camera work which I found very irritating and distracting. Every few minutes there were interruptions by superimposed images, filters, and zooming in on parts of the stage (like a wall treatment, statue, or weapon) instead of staying with the action. This was irritating and disruptive to the flow of the opera.
The reason I purchased this recording is that I have loved every Zeffirelli production I have ever seen and this one is no exception.

At first, I hesitated to get this because of the negative reviews here but wanted to see for myself and got it anyway. After watching, I thought this blu-ray was not bad. Yes, the video pro-production was annoying in some parts but overall I enjoyed this blu-ray. The orchestra conducted by Chailly was really good and Urmana and the other female singer did a good job. I thought Alagna sang fine but notes were sometimes not accurate. I liked the ballet and kids' dance. The PQ is somewhat disappointing: distant (zoom-out) shots don't look very clear and sharp. AQ is excellent, however. All in all, this blu-ray was an enjoyment to me. I will definitely watch it over again. I'd encourage you to see it for yourself. You can rent at least...