Customer Reviews

Verdi - Aida / Maazel, Chiara, Pavarotti, La Scala [VHS]

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

 

 

While I immensely enjoyed this performance it gets only 4 stars from me because of poor ballet. Aida earned the appellation as the grandest of all grand operas from a synthesis of Verdi's brilliant music and arias, sumptuous sets, ornate costumes, and some elaborate and cherished ballet. All of the ingredients are present excepts the last in this La Scala production.

The Nubian Slaves Dance in Act II Scene I was the lamest I've ever seen. A group of kids were given the choreographic directions to run onto the set, meander in random directions, and then scurry off like roaches running under a refrigerator when the kitchen lights are switched on. Perhaps they were distracted by the gratuitous nudity contained in this scene.

The Grand March wasn't particularly grand nor much of a march. Mostly it consisted of shuffling impressive scenery in the background and raising obelisks which seemed more likely to induce motion sickness than awe. The ballet that occurred in this scene resembled pigeons waiting in a public square for bread crumbs. In most of the performances of Aida that I've seen Radames makes his entry in Act II on a chariot being drawn by real horses but Luciano Pavarotti was toted on by people power. And, of course, some legendary productions featured elephants and giraffes. Even though the livestock and dancers had the day off I would still highly recommend this DVD to anyone.

First, the principles were magnificent. The promo states that the Milan audience gave Pavarotti a 2 minute ovation after "Celeste Aida". He certainly deserved it with a masterful performance that you would expect from the biggest name in opera. He alone is worth the purchase. Maria Chiara gave a solid performance as Aida but the performer that had me jumping out of my Lazy Boy and wildly applauding the TV set was Ghena Dimitrova as Amneris. She stole the whole show in the Judgment scene.

Second, you can't beat this price. The DVD costs less than all but the bargain basement CDs. You get both audio and video on one disk. With CDs you've got at least 2 and as many as 4 disks to feed into the machine.

In summary, all of the principles gave superb performances with masterful singing and acting and first rate orchestral accompaniment under the direction of Lorin Mazel. But if you want to see the Grand March and the dance sequences as they should be delivered get the Met production with Levine and Domingo: That's Grand Opera. If only it were available on DVD.

I wish there were more operas on DVD. But there is such a heavy investment in Laser Disks that we'll have to wait. When I saw my first opera on DVD I gave up on hub caps.

A cast like this is practically impossible to find or replicate today. Pavarotti and Dimitrova were in their prime (the latter would "progress" to the Aida rôle shrotly afterwards) and Maria Chiara, in spite of a tentative start, amply shows that she still was in very fine form, her portrayal soon growing into a warmth and securenes seldom seen. The Ronconi production was spectacular and shed some of the traditions that tended to be the norm (like dancing, remember the ballets were asked for by Verdi to accomodate Parisian tastes when the original production moved from Cairo to Europe) and thence you will encounter the ballet music firstly to accomodate pranks by kids who brusquely interrupt the languor and peacefulness of Amneris's bath, and later to accompany some heavy labouring by slaves in the triumphal scene. Mazzel's conducting is precise and to the point, the La Scala orchestra irreproachable as is also the very idiomatic chorus. And what's more, to have Ghiaurov, Buchuladze and Pons to support Pavarotti, Chiara and Dimitrova as Amonasro, the Paraoh and Ramfis was a splendid luxury only a theatre like La Scala could attract. The opera was recorded live some 15 years ago and, along with the Met's rival version with Millo and Domingo on a DG dvd, belong in any collection. You can't go wrong with either, although I'd slightly prefer this La Scala production, in spite of the lack of ballet criticised by some colleague reviewers. And don't mind the (for me unobtrusive) nudity that accompanies the Amneris' bath scene: after all, it's only natural that people undress to bathe!

This video brings some very good voices. Pavarotti is not exactly the best Radames ever, but his performance is no less than good. The problem is the production itself. The scenery has no charm, the triumphal march is NO triumpahl march, and the ballet scenes are just dreadful. All production is very amateur and it is amazing that such an important theater like the La Scalla was not able to bring us anything better than this. I do NOT recommend it to anyone, even if you are a great Aida fan.

I agree with the viewer from Stone Mountain, Georgia, that this opera was a great performance as far as orchestra, chorus, and voices are concerned. Ghena Dimitrova as Amneris is absolutely superb. Pavarotti's voice is top notch as you can imagine, but his acting is kind of stiff. Maria Chiara sounds fine, although I think Birgit Nilsson is my favorite with a brighter voice.

Many people criticize the slave dance (Act II) with nudity, I agree. The triumphant scence is obscured with gigantic props, with made the stage too crowded and clumpsy - La Scala's stage is just simply not big enough.

There are occasional noises from back stage and the audience, but it may be inevitable.

Overall, this is a time masterpiece, a good buy.

This production of Aida should, unlike small children, be heard but not seen. One imagines that, having paid for Mr. Pavorotti, La Scala had insufficient funds for sets and costumes. The triumphal march was a travesty. Glorious singing indeed, but I already have a wonderful CD; I was hoping for a fine, or at least good performance. Not here.

Of course, in opera the voice has to be the first priority. Perhaps we have come too much today to expect the singers to look good, but the fact is that an opera is different from a concert- and in this production of Aida, the singers seem so far removed from anything approaching real characterization, contented to assume a series of stock opera poses. What a crime this is when Verdi's music is packed with emotion and depth.

Not for a second did I believe that Aida and Radames were in love. Only in the final moments in the tomb does Chiara touch Pavorotti in the way a total stranger might comfort someone who has lost his dog. It's bad enough that she is costumed to look like Jasmine in Disney's "Aladdin" and coveys every bit as much depth as that ink and paint two-dimensional cartoon. Look at the photo on the cover- Pavorotti leaning over awkwardly, looking nothing but bored and Chiara assuming Soprano pose #4 "Wide Open Arms, Embracing Eternity".

But far, far worse is the moment after "Patria mia" when she breaks character (such as it is) to acknowledge the applause- absolutely disgusting. I don't care that it's Scala or that there is some ridiculous romatic notion that divas are expected to exhibit such shamelessly self-indulgent behaviour. It is the absolute depth of unprofessionalism, uttlerly repulsive; and it shows what a meaningless, shallow performance that is unfortunately captured on this disk.

As the young reviewer on this very page states- better to go with Price's farewell at the Met. She's no Meryl Streep, but she acts like she gives a ----.

First off, I must address the reviewer who criticized the nude women in Amneris' bath scene. This production was staged in Italy, where the native population does not giggle like a schoolgirl at the sight of a woman's bare breast. The nude women, all chosen according to the model of classic female beauty, added an element of sensousness, not lewdness. If they were so lewd, why would they cover up when the group of small boys burst onto the stage?

As other reviewers have stated, this production has its ups and downs. This is the first time I have seen a taped Pavarotti stage performance, and boy, he makes Ramon Vargas look like the greatest actor alive. Once, Martina Arroyo (herself a spectacular Aida) was once asked, in an interview, if it was detrimental to have a very heavy opera singer onstage. Her response was quite intelligent; she said it depended on how the singer moved. Without mentioning names, she stated that when you see some singers, all you think is "all that weight." Well, she could well have been thinking of Pavarotti. Half the time, when the camera zooms in, we see him panting like a tired dog. It doesn't help that he licks his lips like one, a very course habit for the operatic stage.

In addition to his weight issues, Pavarotti seems to feel incredibly lost if he is onstage for more than a few seconds without singing. Just witness him during the triumphal march. As for his singing, it is good, but not heroic, and Radames calls for both.

Maria Chiara is not a first-rate Aida, but I happen to like her interpretation. For the person who likened her to a figure slithering in the shadows, think about this: You are taken captive, the daughter of a King. You wonder from day to day if it will be your last. Furthermore, you soon discover that you are at the mercy of the whims of a jealous, scorned captor. To add insult to injury, your father denounces you after he asks you to do the impossible. Well, in this light, would it have been proper for any Aida to prance regally across the stage?

As Amneris, Ghena Dimitrova looks like Cher on the Nile. Really, her makeup looks like it was applied by a drag queen, thought the effect is fabulous. Dimitrova has some patchy moments, but after a rather wooden presence in Act I, she really catches fire in Act II. The basic tone and projection is commendable for a non-Italian singer. When she experiences a metanoia in the judgment scene, we really believe it.

I also loved Juan Pons as Amonastro. We have a lot of good baritones today, but his Amonastro is polished, and again a believable character.

As for the costumes, they leave something to be desired. For such a monumental staging, they could have given us the look and feel of classic Egypt, without overdoing it. Instead, what we get is a mostly drab palatte.

This is an incredible Aida for Luciano Pavarotti. I have never heard him in such a good voice for a dramatic tenor role. But please cut off the video and just hear him otherwise you will be extremely disappointed by this DVD. The acting is so so bad (by everyone). Pavarotti having his knee problem never moved on stage. Chiara's acting is even worse. Dimitrova has an ugly voice. The best amneris I ever heard was Ghorr in the Solti, Vickers , Price recording.

OVerall....NOT recommended...the MET production with Domingo, millo is excellent!

CRITICISM:

1. If you know the opera very well and can handle the Italian, tough. There's no way to get Italian subtitles (on either the PAL or the NTSC version).

2. The "grand march" (musically intended to be the most magical moment of this opera) was inanely choreographed. According to the libretto, they're supposed to be bringing in "the spoils of war," as they dance to the music. Instead we have a bunch of guys dragging giant statues around the stage with ropes. The famous "Dance of the Moorish Slaves" was also ineptly done, but that has been adequately discussed by other reviewers.

3. Pavarotti does indeed have weight problems. He's so fat in this performance, it's distracting.

4. The quality of the audio recording, if you do yourself right with some quality headphones and listen to it carefully, is frequently poor. The attentive listener can hear pops, clunking, clanking, coughing, page turning, etc. (Of course, to be fair, this WAS recorded live.) This is something you'll want to know if you're an aural purist.

PRAISE:

1. Singingwise, the performers are at their peak.

2. With the exception of the lack of Italian, the subtitles were well brought off: accurate and literate.

3. Considering the limitations of their situation, the cameramen did an excellent job. But amazing work on their part doesn't necessarily mean it's quality viewing.

Saw this one many years ago, didn't know the artists or anything. It always stuck in my heart. I have seen many other versions and they never moved me like this one. The final scene is something that has and will always stay with me. So glad to finally find this DVD.