Customer Reviews

Verdi - La forza del destino / James Levine, The Metropolitan Opera

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

 

 

I attended this performance, and even allowing for individual quibbles with various artists heard on this DVD, I believe the sum of its parts are well worth the 'PRICE' of owning it.

This performance,taped live on a Saturday afternoon in 1983, presents the great American diva, soprano LEONTYNE PRICE in one of her most famous Verdi roles. Her performance, factoring in age(57), career(30+ yrs),& the AFTERNOON, is late vintage Price. Certain vocal mannerisms - a cloudy lower voice, sliding portamenti, and scooping - are indeed present in this performance (as they were in some degree since the late '70s). However, they hardly diminish either the vocal or dramatic impact that Ms. Price brings to this live performance. Her upper register, slightly weaker than before, still rings out minus any wobble and/or false pitches. She sings with beautiful dynamic shadings to accentuate the drama, and still floats pianissimi with little obvious effort. Indeed in this VERDI opera, most of those 'mannerisms' abet the drama, and always did for this particular artist! Ms. Price's performance as the tragic Leonora di Vargas here is heartfelt, passionate, and deeply moving. As there are no other full-length taped commercial opera performances available of this legendary soprano, this VHS/DVD is all the more treasurable for a glimpse of what made LEONTYNE PRICE the reigning Verdi soprano for the past 40 yrs! Tenor Giuseppe Giacomini, while more protean vocally, sings crudely, giving a loud, unsubtle, yet dramatically tenable portrayal of the unfortunate Don Alvaro, complete with a bawling middle, somewhat off-set by ringing high notes. Leo Nucci is a lightweight Verdi baritone, lacking the customary heft and tonal warmth associated with the role of Don Carlo di Vargas. He nonetheless produces exciting vocalism, enhanced by committed acting, and HIS thrilling high notes as well. Mezzo-soprano Isola Jones acts well, looks lovely, but is a barely adequate Preziosilla vocally, with a weak middle voice & a short top. Bonaldo Giaotti's portrayal of Padre Guardiano is somewhat stolid, but his basso is authoritative, and also is beautifully produced. Maestro James Levine's love & mastery of this sprawling masterpiece( the RCA CD version with Price/Domingo/Milnes is magnificent)is evident throughout, birnging clarity to the inherent contrasts between searing, private dramas, and all the lively interludes that occur on the battlefield and amongst the Italian countrysides. Overall,this is a very fine VHS/DVD to own - not the overall best taped performance (Tebaldi, Corelli, etc 1959)- but a Special one for those seeking a cohesive, modern performance of "La Forza del Destino", and starring one of its most celebrated artists, "La Splendissima" soprano Leontyne Price LIVE!! Note: A "cut" (the Soldier's Chorus) while regrettable, is hardly FATAL. Enjoy!

Dear Readers,
I rarely comment on reviewers opinions and posts, as the art and success of of singing is highly subjective in most genres. Opera singing, while not exempt from said subjectivity, does indeed have requsite elements that dictate skill, musicality, and the ability to sing in tune amongst others. Tonal standards can be disputed, but most Operaphile I'm aware of, regard aging Artists' ability to phonate in pitch, sing without a wobble, and at least provide a reasonable reminder of their artistry to be anything that approachs the word 'DISASTER"! As most listeners have discerned over the years, Operatic Perfection is the province of recording studios - not staged performances, as a general rule. Knowledge of this art form - to expose one's ignorance publicly, while providing criticsm speaks for itself - seems to emanate from the product of those microphones. Indeed, in at least one review of Madame Price's performance in the reviewed FORZA, the reviewer referred to her earlier "recordings". This DVD presented a LIVE performance without the luxury/security of re-takes, et al!

I will not quibble here with anyone regarding their opinion/review of La Price's performance in the afroementioned "FORZA".

However, I wish to state that the disrespect shown (in some of the posts here)is both appalling and shameful! This esteemed Artist, whose LIVE performances almost never ceased to elicit frenzy from her audiences - not to mention consistent praise from the most knowledgeable, demanding, and sometimes harshest critics Internationally - deserves better. I am an unabashed, longtime admirer of LEONTYNE PRICE, and have attended HER performances and OTHER greats of her generation - time and time again. NO artist deserves such callow and unremitting cruelty, let alone a cherished artist of Miss Price's calibre - even at her advanced age in 1982. In the reviewed FORZA, she sang Verdi's music with feeling, passion, poignancy,and more than a few moments of great vocal beauty, with thefinal Bflat of the "Pace" ringing out in inimitable fashion. Whatever criticisms you & others may have regarding Leontyne Price's overall contributions in the reviewd FORZA (and some of yours were quite accurate) it should be only fair to provide a balanced assessment, avoid gross generalizations, and acknowledge what actually exists for potential listeners of this dvd - AND performances therein. LEONTYNE PRICE is regarded by many in the International Operatic community to have been America's Greatest soprano (pace Ms. Sills)since Rosa Ponselle in terms of vocalism, accomplishment, & yes, longevity on the INTERNATIONAL stages. She & Mr. Cornell MacNeil - another superlative American artist - have earned the right to be respected and allowed their due by ALL Operaphile, whatever individual opinions may be otherwise. I urge you ALL to remember Artists' overall contributions to the musical landscape when judging their individual efforts - especially in their "twilight years". Basta!!
Ebolene

This March 24, 1984 matinee performance of Forza Del Destino at the Met documents the old Eugene Berman production which premiered in 1952 with Milanov, Tucker, Warren and Siepi. The sets do not look their age (indeed they look far better than the many "concept" productions we are forced to sit through today) and the camerawork and lighting bring the opera vividly to life on the small screen. Now for the singing. Giacomini and Nucci are the big, "stand up and sing" voices needed in this opera and they deliver as promised. Some vocal insecurity from Giacomini toward the begining of the opera may be due to nerves -- but things improve as the opera proceeds. Isola Jones gives a sassy and vocally smokey interpretation of Preziosilla -- a role usually given almost to comprimarios today. As for Leontyne Price -- her devoted fans will bask in her vocal sumptuous performance. Admittedly, however, this is rather late Price and by this time in her career, while still vocally secure and shimmering, many, many mannerisms have crept into her interpretation that in the beginning of her career would never have been attempted or tolerated. Her over-employment of straight tone, exaggerated downward portamentos and occasional lack of rhythmic precision give this reviewer a great deal of trouble -- however, many of her steadfast fans will love this performance no matter what -- to each their own. David Stivender's then magnificent Met Chorus delivers some memorable moments: particularly the men in the monks scene with Leonora. Levine as usual conducts with masterful drive and sensitivity. Except for my stylistic reservations about Price,( and those may not affect you,) I highly recommend this Met Telecast on Pioneer for any serious opera lovers collection. Elektra and Lohengrin are rumored to be released soon. Keep them coming Pioneer -- only Elisir, Don Carlo and Troyens remain unreleased on DVD after that.

The only thing stopping me from giving this excellent DVD 5 stars is the 15 minute cut from the beginning of act 3 scene 2. I almost cried when I realized they had cut the famous soldiers chorus from act 3. Leontyne Price is exellent as is the rest of the cast. I highly recomend it, just brace yourself for the cuts.

First off all, one must remember this is a LIVE performance, and a very good one. It seems my fellow reviewers perfer the studio recording, which often come off a bit cold.I am an operatic dramatic tenor, and find the singing very good. As for the wonderful tenor Giuseppe Giacomini, of the school of Corelli, Del Monico, thank God! This is after all a dramatic tenor opera folks! Remember Richard Tucker? And do you know what it takes to sing Verdi? Not easy! The duets between the men are wonderful!What can be said about the great Leontyne Price? Will be There ever be another Spinto Soprano like her? What would we give for moment of her glory today?

So, BUY THIS! It's GREAT! BRAVO VERDI!

I think this DVD shows how underrated of a performer Giuseppe Giacomini is. The only other singer to have sung the part of Alvaro so well was Franco Corelli. This is an astounding voice! If you like Giacomini, check out his live CD of Otello. That is a great recording of a terrific production as well.
Leontyne Price also sings an amazing Leonora. The wonderful thing about Price is that there was rarely a time when she did not sing beautifully in her entire career. Overall I am thrilled with this recording. I frequently view it to the annoyance of all non-operalovers who happen to be present.

While living in New York at the time of this production I went to every performance as long as Leontyne Price sang. I have been in love with her voice since her debut in another Verdi masterpiece.

This performance is worth having as a reasonably good representation of "Forza del Destino", an opera not abundantly available on DVD, but more so for the presence of Leontyne Price in one of her greatest Verdi roles. True, the voice is not as resplendent and luscious as it was some seasons earlier, but the grand authority and imperial voice remain intact. I really wonder who could sing this role as well today as Price does on this Met video. Like Zinka Milanov before her, Price is a Verdi soprano to the manner born, and her bearing and personage alone makes her assuption of this role treasurable. Granted ------ it would have been better for her to have appeared in a DVD of this opera a few years earlier, but in her case, it's better late than never. Now if the Met would only release her farewell 1985 Aida, which, while not as vocally infallable as it was a few years earlier, is still good enough to blow all of the other competition away.

Although La forza del destino is not my favorite opera by Verdi, it does showcase Leontyne Price's magnificent voice. At times it almost seemed as if the composer had written it for her. As for the DVD, it is wonderful to be able to view the opera singers up close (something one never sees on the stage, even with opera glasses)and see the emotion on their faces. The lighting was quite dramatic, although I was a bit disappointed in the sets and expected much more from the Met (as I have seen far better and grander sets at the local operas where I live). All in all though, I highly recommend this DVD to anyone who admires Leontyne Price, as well as to anyone who hasn't had the opportunity to see her perform. Brava!

This cd with Giacomini and Nucci and Price is
priceless, to say the least. I urge you to view it and experience for a moment one grand musical destiny only the unique genius of Verdi can give.

I am appalled by all the praise heaped on this DVD. There are many good things about most MET productions but often they utilize a big name who is well past their singing years. Why can nobody see that Price's performance is a DISASTER! We all remember her early recordings which were full of wonderful singing. But by the time this performance was taped she was less than a charicature of her former self. Her tone is often hollow, she approximates most of the melodic lines and doesn't bother with many consonances. Yes, its a shame we have nothing from her best years but lets admit that this the present performance is nothing to rave about. Like the MET Rigoletto which faltered on McNeil's long past retirement lead, this should never been released.

Sadly, here is another great work for which there is no really adequate performance on DVD.