Customer Reviews

Verdi - Falstaff / van Dam, Stone, Madra, Budai - Lluis Pasqual, Sylvain Cambreling, Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie de Bruxelles

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

 

 

SOUR: This is a stage performance preserved on film. No effort has been made to alter the production to take advantage of the versatility of film. The scenes are dark; singers are obviously there - you can hear them but can only barely see them. This DVD is not at all suitable for viewing on a 4:3 CRT TV set, which is what I use.

SWEET: Jose van Dam is fine as Falstaff but the other major singing roles are poorly represented.

FOOTNOTE: The product description obviously is not describing this opera. Renato Bruson does not appear in this production.

Bruson made a fabulous Falstaff but as far as I know the Royal Opera production is not available in DVD format.

As Falstaff sings, "all the world's a joke" and so is most of this production. Gramaphone magazine went wild over the DVD. I think I would need some of what the critic was on to appreciate this production as much as they did. In one word, it's a BORE. If you've ever seen the classic Franco Zeffirelli Metropolitan Opera production which was just revived and given a "make over" last year, you would see why no other director or scenic designer need apply. Zeffirelli's take on this opera is definitive. Now if only we could get the Met to committ it to video.

They only thing the Theatre Toyal de la Monnaire de Brusselles has going for it is a first class Falstaff in Jose Van Dam. The rest of the cast and conductor have nothing new to offer and the music just sort of plods along without any spirit or vitality.

Save your money and wait for the Metropolitan DVD - if it ever happens. Perhaps a letter to Joseph Volpe and James Levine might work!