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42 of 47 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Seiffert's Sweaty Tannhausser, December 8, 2004
This review is from: Wagner - Tannhauser / Seiffert, Kringelborn, Trekel, Kaufmann, Kabatu, Haunstein, Zysset, Welser-Most, Zurich Opera (DVD)
This is perhaps one of the most disappointing and frustrating DVDs I've run across. Musically, it offers rewards, but visually it is almost entirely unbearable to watch. The camera work is, quite easily the worst I have ever encountered, beginning with the crowd noises as the orchestra readies. We jump backstage to see Conductor Franz Welser-Möst fidgeting in what appears to be a dressing area (with the clock showing 10 past 8). We watch from overhead - some stunning overhead shots of the pit - as he leads the orchestra in a simultaneously rhapsodic and spiritually delicate reading of the Overture, but within a few minutes the camera concentrates solely on his hands and the maestro is reduced to wrists, fingers and a wedding band. It's at once dizzying and annoying. Then there is a quick jump backstage as we watch Seiffert putting on his final costume touches, then head down stairs . . . I didn't like this one bit. Then we see as Venus doing the same thing. At curtains rise we see what will be the overwhelming image for the rest of the production, Seiffert's face between his eyebrows and chin. Occasionally the camera goes back to the overhead pit shot, or an enormous close-up of a pad on the clarinet. It's terribly amateurish.
When we catch a glimpse of the Venusberg it is primarily a stage filling blowup of what appears to be a Victorian era hospital ward, with all beds empty save one. There are no dancers, no images of sensuality or lust. Frankly, were I Tannhauser, I'd leave out of boredom. Even when Venus Isabelle Kabatu, who after a throaty sounding start pumps out some lovely, impassioned singing all we see - apart from a quick shot or two of her, is the sweating, visage of Seiffert. And so it goes.
After taking a nap in a dirt bath and returning to earth we do get some cute interplay between the Shepherd and Tannhauser playfully throwing dirt at each other before he again collapses into the dirt. Then we hear the hunters appear - but we don't actually SEE them. At least for a while, for the camera remains on Seiffert's enormous sweaty face. One becomes grotesquely transfixed watching giant beads of sweat first erupt from the pores then roll slowly down while still clinging to the skin drip in almost exaggerated slow motion. It isn't pretty.
In the intro to Dich teurre halle, we get to see Solveig Kringelborn fidgeting on the set before the curtain's rise. Why? When it does go up, Kringelborn looks absolutely stunning and sails through the aria with ease (but with a little unnecessary pressure on the penultimate note of the penultimate phrase). It's gorgeous singing. Of course, the camera rushes back to dizzying shots of Welser-Möst's wrists. Enter Seiffert and BAM! the camera trains automatically onto him and stays there with glimpses of the lovely Elisabeth and even fewer of oddly handsome Roman Trekel's Eschenbach, however when we do see him, he isn't singing.
It's pretty much the same during the song contest. Amazing.
During the Act III prelude we watch Seiffert in his dressing room and others waiting to go on stage, looking at each other, the floor, etc. before the curtain goes up.
More sweating - and spitting - throughout the Rome Narrative and even at his death, as the pilgrims sing of salvation and Hallelujah, the camera zooms onto the dead Tannhauser great sweaty mug.
EMI lost a great opportunity with a talented cast and a great venue as I simply can't imagine that, visually, this DVD will appeal to anyone.
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24 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
WORST TV DIRECTION IN OPERA I'VE EVER SEEN!!, December 14, 2004
This review is from: Wagner - Tannhauser / Seiffert, Kringelborn, Trekel, Kaufmann, Kabatu, Haunstein, Zysset, Welser-Most, Zurich Opera (DVD)
Im very dissapointed about this DVD. First of all, probably all the people that wrote their reviews here bought this dvd BLINDLY thinking that THOMAS HAMPSON was singing as Wolfram. (Until now, the artwork and the main review says so).
My complains here are:
1. I don't care about those camera shots to the artists behind the scenes, i thought it was original and different...but then they were just completely OUT OF CONTROL!!, it was like watching a concert, and was very distracting, and I mean very. I just hate the angles of the cameras, and watching the director's hands only. Very distracting and unnecessary.
2. The director has no idea about opera direction. No idea about Wagner. No idea about productions. It was like she was told "ok, do you see that guy over there? thats Tannhauser" so she decided to stuck a camera on him, disrespecting the other singers, and for instance, making us losing the entire first act. I couldn't understand or realize what was happened on stage. A shame.
3. The reason i rate this dvd with 2 stars is because the sound and singers. THe sound and artists are awesome, and the production looks great, just as Zurich opera always does. Its a real shame that they chose a director that just destroy their production on dvd.
SO BE AWARE!! I think the only reason to have this DVD is because Peter Seiffert and SOlveig Kringelborn are here. Both are spectacular and are among the ultimate wagnerian singers.
But i REALLY recommend not buying it.
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22 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Well sung but has directorial flaws, December 31, 2004
This review is from: Wagner - Tannhauser / Seiffert, Kringelborn, Trekel, Kaufmann, Kabatu, Haunstein, Zysset, Welser-Most, Zurich Opera (DVD)
I didn't hate it. . .
If you have read the chatter about this new release from `EMI Classics', directed by Chloe Perlmuter, then you will understand what I mean by "I didn't hate it". This new Tannhauser has met with quite a bit of resistance, not for the performance or the singing but because of the confusing direction. The biggest problem about this DVD, not the performance, is that it keeps diverting us back from the fictional world that Wagner so beautifully crafted to the reality of life as an opera singer. Set in a time indefinite (the costumes were dark and muted and seemed confused; there was no scenery to speak of: is this a period piece or a post apolalyptic era?) For those who have not seen this yet, in a nutshell, the director continuously brings us back stage to see the performers walking around, preparing and, in some cases, getting into character while the orchestra plays onstage. To some, this style may not distract (it was interesting to see what the singers are actually doing prior to the curtain rising) but for me it kept taking me away from the opera itself and placing me back into reality. The other major flaw here was the amount of close-ups. There are times throughout a performance that singers should not be viewed close up, especially if they are prone to sweating. Peter Seiffert, our Tannhauser, was literally dripping from the moment he took the stage. It was so noticable that it became a little uncomfortable to watch.
A word about the actual stage production and direction . . . terrific! I really loved what they did and some of the images were evocative, powerful and outstanding. The spackling of red throughout the Venus scene was well done and the placement of red fabric on the stage floor in an oval shape (caught from an overhead camera) - looked great. My very favorite Wagner aria (if there is such a thing) is Elizabeth's Act III Allmacht'ge Jungfrau. This can make or break a production for me. Here, Solveig Kringelborn did a beautiful job and captured the essence of the entire scene.
The performance overall, as it relates to the principle singers was top-notch; all did a terrific job and deserve mention. Peter Seiffert was a wonderfully voiced Tannhauser and remained in good voice throughout; his acting was also quite good. Solveig Kringelborn did an outstanding job as Elizabeth and carried out all of her tasks with beauty and ease - standing out among the other principles and chorus at the conclusion of Act II. Roman Trekel's Wofram von Eschenbach (named after the original writer of the prose work of Parsifal) did a noble job and made one genuinely feel for the character. Finally there was Isabelle Kabatu giving us a vampy, sexy Venus. One can honestly understand why Tannhauser would want to remain with her in Venusburg.
I love Wagner and think that Tannhauser is a great introduction for anybody wanting to explore his works. I always recommend listening to this first, as it is his easiest work. Unfortunately this DVD does not give one the sense of escape one looks for in Wagner. As noted earlier it keeps moving back and forth between pre-production and performance shots, and for me, it takes away from the actual viewing pleasure.
I will still watch this again, based on the strength of the performers, but I may opt to do some work around the office while listening. JG
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