Opera & DVD

Thanks for the list, Ross. The Strauss by Kleiber (both Richard and Johann) and Abbado as well as pretty much anything by Boulez are already short-listed, so hopefully I'll experience them soon. I'll add some of the others to my list - the ones not already there, that is.

I've not yet sat down to watch the entire Tristan, though I did take in about a 20 minute sample. Your fears are well-founded. Sound is dull, and the stage production just screams 1970s, but still, Nilsson sure can belt out those notes. I intend to take in the whole thing next Saturday, and I shall report back.


"The universe is change, life is opinion." Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

Queen of Spades

My DVD Opera is Tchaikovsky's Pique Dame, in the Gergiev / Maryinsky production from the nineties. And let me admit right from the start that I don't know what I'm talking about. I have never seen another production. The Gergiev P-D visited the Amsterdam Music Theatre; I have the Philips CD, and the DVD I've been watching is from the same team. The only difference is that Sergei Leiferkus is Count Tomsky in the DVD.

So without much comparison I can only say that this strange weird opera really hits home now that I get to watch it on DVD. Of course there are virtually no operas that are not strange and / or weird. Nonetheless, Queen of Spades has a disturbing mixture of obsession and boredom that perhaps really gets to you when you familiarize yourself with it.

Let's face it, the inauspiciously named Gherman is a stalker. He falls in love with Liza the day she got engaged. When he declares his obsession it's like he and Liza are never going to embrace; all he wants to do is say he'll die if she won't listen. Clearly he's going to die anyway. He doesn't really want to have her. He just needs a big fat brick wall to run into.

Liza - the ultimate girl-next-door in Olga Borodina's portrayal - falls in love with her stalker. If he needs her this bad, it's gotta be true love. Otherwise she'll wind commenting on the weather for the rest of her life. However, as soon as Liza is in the bag, his obsession moves on to the Three Cards that will make him a rich man at the gaming table, so he can marry her.

(We used to have an Olympia or Melodyia vinyl set of this opera which my mother had brought from a ballet thing in the USSR or Poland. There was no text book; or perhaps there was, but without any translations. I recall mu mother was always wondering what the word "Tricordi" meant. By now I know.)

No doubt the best part, after the Scene One exposition, is the Fourth Scene in the Countess's Room. One of those blue light scenes (as in Swan Lake). This is an opera without any really sympathetic characters, but the Countess reminiscing her days of wine and roses in Paris is quite affecting. It's hard to say why. This happens all the time. Every single time Ghermann makes a plea, either for Liza's heart or for the Countess's Three Card Secret his words don't really add up.

He's a man without a character, spouting romantic cliches, and without good ol' cynical Count Tomsky this opera would possibly be indigestible. Yet the documentation tells us Tchaikovsky identified with Ghermann in the worst way. He cried all day when Ghermann killed himself (or rather when Tchaikovksy had to kill Ghermann). So you're wondering where Tomsky comes from.

The music is obviously wonderful. Sleeping Beauty is perhaps the best Tchaikovsky ever did, but this is close. Incidentally, composing each work took Tchaikovsky less than two months.The use of leitmotivs and infinitely subtle instrumentation is fascinating; as is the mixture of Sleeping Beauty shades and big fat Pathétique string layers, occasionally.

I can't get enough of this piece, and I'm wondering whether anyone has either seen this DVD or has seen the other Pique Dame production that's available.

Herman

So you like ballerinas, eh, Todd? Perhaps you should come on over...

[This message was edited by herm on SUNDAY 18 January 2004 at 21:45.]

Todd, just plan on going to both operas. It is a great way to hear the music and get the visual stimulous and being in a big crowd is great. For some reason when I see operas on TV, mostly PBS stations, I get bored with the mechanics of editing. Yet I don't get bored sitting in one seat for a whole performance. Odd
I've not tried any DVDs of operas but did see the Belioz set of Wagner's Ring. I'm sure that would be a trial to get thru.

Life is analogue

Well, I just finished the 1973 Tristan, and what can I say other than it is outstanding. Once one gets past the dull sound (which is not any worse than many of the live ‘70s opera recordings I’ve been listening too lately), the goofy, minimalist set (two white, semi-spiral staircases on a white, oval stage), the ugly costumes and make-up, and the rather poor film direction, one gets to hear that glorious music and singing. That’s all that matters.

One more or less expects Birgit Nilsson to get Isolde right, and so she does. Jon Vickers makes an extremely impressive Tristan, too. In fact, his is my favorite of those I have heard. And of course Karl Bohm leads the score just about perfectly. There are a few moments in Act I where things drag a bit, but each successive act improves on the one before it. Act III is brisk and intense, Vickers really putting on a show. Overall, I still consider Bohm’s 1966 Bayreuth set superior, and Kleiber’s ’78 La Scala set is more lively and forceful, but this makes a nice addition to my ever-expanding Wagner collection. I think I’m done with Tristan for a while as this is the third time I’ve heard it so far this year – the Kleiber and Barenboim having already been played. As an overall experience, I rate Khovanshchina higher, but this will be played again. Happily.


"The universe is change, life is opinion." Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

This has been the Year of Muti so far. First, there was the New Year’s Day concert, then I heard his excellent 1994 Norma, then last week I watched the New York Philharmonic broadcast of him and Thomas Quasthoff doing Mozart arias (I skipped the Brahms 2), and finally I just finished his 2001 La Scala performance of Falstaff on DVD. It is superb.

Everything about this performance is outstanding. There’s nary a bad singer in the cast, and the production based on a 1913 staging is splendid. Everything works so well together that it is hard to point out any one highlight. Ambrogio Maestri is excellent in the lead, and his acting clearly points out the need for the visual element in this opera. Some of the most humorous moments are obviously highlighted by the facial expressions and hand gestures. Barbara Fritolli (one of only two singers whose names I recognize) does fine as Alice, and all of the merry wives are superb. The only criticisms I have are minor: perhaps a little more emphasis could have been put on the relationship between Fenton and Nannetta, and perhaps Muti could have let up a bit at times. Indeed, this very energetic, charged performance seems a little too driven at times, but overall it is just fantastic. I prefer it to Giulini’s more serious DG set, which itself is superb. Image and sound quality are first rate. Definitely recommended. Now, if Muti’s new release of Otello (from last year, I believe) with Domingo in the lead is of this caliber, it’s a must have.

A Muti question: is his 1974 Aida worth owning? I can pick it up new (in pre-GROC form) for about $20 and have been thinking hard about it.


"The universe is change, life is opinion." Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

We watched a DVD Le Nozze di Figaro this weekend - the 1993 J E Gardiner performance apparently filmed in cooperation with French TV.

You only get to see the orchestra in the Act I overture (JEG in casual shirt and suspenders), and the stage set is "ironic", but the dresses on the other hand are realistic, with avoidance of a costume-drama feel.

I was a bit sceptical at first; I'm well over Gardiner by now. However the performance on the DVD was quite satisfying. Contrary to our intentions, we watched the whole thing through on Saturday night (3 hrs) and Rosie insisted on watching Act III and IV again today, after reading up on the Nozze over lunch.

The star of the cast is Alison Hagley's Susanna (though her shoes are an eyesore). Cherubino (Pamela Helen Stephen) is the worst, and obviously I'm no fan of Bryn Terfel - one gets the feeling it's all instinct rather than true insight.

So that's why I'm wondering whether we should get another Nozze - perhaps the nineties Glyndebourne with Haitink? It's got the same Susanna for starters.

Herman

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ross Blackman:
I also finally finished watching the Gergiev Pique Dame last night, and have to admit to having rather less enthusiasm for it, partly I guess because the two principals are a couple of typical operatic fatties, contrary to the recent trend of singers who also look more or less like the characters they are portraying.

---

Yeah, perhaps it takes Hermann and Liza so long to embrace because their arms can't reach across their tummies.

I can tell you Olga Borodina hasn't gotten any slimmer since taping the Pique Dame... My problem with her as a visual entity however is she seems to have only one dramatic expression on her face, the "please don't" look.

However I doubt the current trend is singers should look like their characters. The trend is they should look Hollywood attractive so as to appeal to a general audience.

I'm not happy at getting too many Gardiner WAM operas, and getting hooked on one kind of flavor, but I just might get the Cosi you mention.

I noticed flaxen haired Alison Hagley is Melisande in the Boulez P & M dvd, too. Now if she'd only wear nicer shoes I just might do that one.

Speaking of Tchaikovsky operas: I got the Solti Onegin recently. I haven't spun it yet, but some pictures on the cover seem to be telling me (lovers strolling in a field of grass) this is not a staged opera but "a movie"? Please tell me it's not. I hate it when they do that. All nature should be kept out.

Herman

My favourite inappropriate visual moment is without doubt Montserrat Caballe's ill-advised attempt at the Dance of the Seven Veils, which I don't think has yet maybe made it to DVD [unless there's a 'When Sopranos Attack' - style compliation out there somewhere]. Words are inadequate really, but I'll just say 'small bad tempered rhinoceros' and 'horse blankets'.

That's one of the problems with opera on DVD - a few bum notes in a CD recording can be intensely irritating, but that is as nothing compared to the boundless possibilities for visual gaffes that DVD can capture and repeat for ever and ever.

Herm, I'm afraid your Onegin is possibly even worse than you thought; the original 70's recording is mimed by actors in an 80's film production, with an outageously mis-matched acoustic. Perhaps you've kept the receipt?

throb

As Throb suggested, the Solti Onegin is indeed a big friggin' disaster.

However.

The past ten days I have been listening to and watching Prokofiev's War and Peace as performed at the Paris Opera, on 2 TDK dvd's and it is a marvelous production. I've long wondered why I didn't like Gergiev's Kirov W & P, it is after al supposed to be one of Prokofiev's masterpieces. However as soon as I listened to the opening scene, with Prince Andrei spying on the young Natasha it's pretty clear everything in this Paris production is much better: the orchestra, the singers and the overall commitment to create a big event.

Hourlong making-of included.

Herman

I just recently bought a small and cheap DVD player and one of my first rentals from the local shop was Billy Budd with Phillip Langridge. Quite wonderful! I get a bit tired of certain visual techniqes used over and over(pan and fade, pan and fade), but this was very well done, photography and editing. And, I second Herman in that I'd rather see a filmed stage production rather than a film version in real setting where you know everything is over dubbed in the studio.

I heard on gallery owner say he did not want any windows out to the world because nature would always overwhelm even great art. He wanted to focus people on the art.

glenn

Life is analogue

Lulu is one of my favorite operas, so I knew I had to have a DVD copy, and after hearing Christine Schäfer sing Pierrot Lunaire, I knew I had to hear her sing the part. So I went and bought the 1996 Glyndebourne Festival Opera production of said masterpiece. I was not disappointed. I’ll start with the production itself. There is only one faux-brick backed set used throughout, though the rotating circles in the floor and the variable extended staircase allow for some variability in the staging. The rotating floor boards come in very handy at the opening of the third act when the rich and depraved are singing of their Jungfrau shares, but other than that, I had hoped for more in the production. It’s just hard to get too excited when you see the same set for three hours. I will say that the film in the middle of Act II is very well done, in stark black and white with some perfectly timed action and setting appropriate imagery.

Moving beyond the staging to the singing finds a mixed bag. Overall, the cast is quite good, though some important roles are left a bit wanting. David Kuebler’s Alwa is rather disappointing. Just why does he adore Lulu so? His performance and singing give little clue. Kathryn Harries plays a devoted enough Countess Geschwitz, but again, why is she so devoted? But when you get to Stephen Drakulich’s Painter and Wolfgang’s Schöne’s Dr. Schön (fortuitous casting, or what), well, then you get something else altogether. Both play their roles well. Drakulich’s Painter is a lusty, insecure fellow who can be easily manipulated by the lovely temptress. And Schöne’s Schön is a conceited and callous manipulator who is outdone at his own game. When these two face off in Act I, some real tension and theatrical sparks fly. And when Schön has his final argument with Lulu in Act II, there is again some tension and good old fashioned theatrical sparks.

That brings me to Ms. Schäfer in the lead. She does not disappoint. Initially, in Act I, her acting seems a bit reticent, her character not so nasty and malevolent. Ah, but that is just the start. She seems coy and shy until she prances around the body of her first husband only to discover and then dismiss the fact that he’s dead. She then goes about the easy business of reeling in the painter. When she argues with Schön in Act II, the depth of her cruelty comes out even more, as she taunts him. And when she lies down with Alwa on the same couch on which his father died, a smile on her face, well, you know she’s no angel. Act III finds her a not-so-repentant fallen anti-heroine. She is just trying to scheme her way back to a position she enjoys, and even when turning tricks she does seem especially sad or guilty. So for those who seek some moral redemption in their not-so-good characters, Schäfer’s Lulu will not provide it. Her singing and tone are both excellent and mostly perfectly controlled, and while not quite as thin as she seems on the covers of other CDs, she’s still quite pleasant to look at in the variety of costumes she wears, whether it’s the oddly seductive dangling sweatshirt and pant get-up at the beginning, or the tutu ‘n’ garter ‘n’ stockings in Act II, or the tight, black leather dress in Act III. Lulu should be attractive to be convincing, and Ms. Schäfer does fine there. In comparison to the only other Lulu I have heard, perhaps she lacks Teresa Stratas’ refined malevolence, especially in the dealings with Schön, but she’s more than acceptable. Far more.

As to the conducting and playing, well, the London Philharmonic play very well, and Andrew Davis does a fine job of moving the piece along. At critical and appropriate moments he whips the orchestra into a frenzy to support the action. Ultimately, he is no match for Boulez, who absolutely commands the score. But that’s as I expected and so I was not disappointed. Image and sound are both very good. If you like this work – and why wouldn’t you? – I highly recommend it.


"The universe is change, life is opinion." Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

Janacek is one of the great opera composers, and I am constantly saddened to see so few competing versions of his works on the shelves at the store or listed on the web. Who can deny the dramatic impact of Jenufa and Kat’a Kabanova? Who can ignore the fantasy and tinge of sadness in The Cunning Little Vixen? Surely not I. So, interested in moving beyond Charles Mackerras’ great Janacek recording’s I opted to go for a full production and settled on my second Glyndebourne production with Andrew Davis in the pit: the 1988 staging of Kat’a Kabanova. This one, too, is outstanding.

From the start this is a tense, energized performance. Nancy Gustafson plays the lead and while her singing is very good, her acting is even better, though her over-reliance on bug-eyed reactions wears thin a few times. She is about the right age, and she exudes youthful energy and curiosity and confusion. She is both a free and crushed spirit. One wants her to run off with Boris, and one is glad to see her return from her first brief affair so happy. Perhaps even better is Felicity Palmer as the Kabanicha. She is cruel and uncaring, and only happy – demonstrably so – when others are under her command. She must break the spirit of Kat’a. Or at least she must be on hand to deliver the chilling final thanks at the end. Barry McCauley makes a fine dandyish Boris and is in fine form throughout. The only disappointment is Ryland Davies as Tichon. He’s miscast from an age perspective; he’s better suited to date the Kabanicha than be her son. That misgiving apart, he is acceptably weak and pathetic and sings his role well.

Davis leads a brilliant performance, the London Philharmonic putting on quite a show. The sound world moves flawlessly from moments of beauty and tenderness to anger and confusion, and the concluding moments are simply mesmerizing. For my money, the last five minutes if the works surpass Mackerras’ achievement and the choral contribution as the river is perfect for the scene. Everything is taut and perfectly timed throughout. The only thing I really don’t care for is the brightly colored, “expressionist” sets. Bah. I want to see the world in which these characters live. That minor complaint aside, this is an outstanding performance of an operatic masterpiece.


"The universe is change, life is opinion." Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

I was so impressed with Riccardo Muti's early 2001 staging of Falstaff that I decided I really should get his December 2001 Otello, with what is billed to be Placido Domingo's final performance of the piece. (We'll see.) It is incredible.

First let me say that Domingo is not quite what he once was. His voice lacks the power it did in the past, and it is ever so obvious when Otello first appears in the first act: his voice just can't cut through the din as it did in, say, Kleiber's 1976 production. But that matters little. He makes up for it by knowing the role so well that he brings the character to life. In the quieter moments and when he alone commands the stage, he gets it right.

Barbara Frittoli makes a fine Desdemona, and Leo Nucci a nicely dark Iago. Indeed, most of the cast is very good. Only Cesare Catani's Cassio left me wanting more.

Muti conducts more than expertly. He brings the orchestra to appropriately powerful climaxes during the opening tempest and lays on the drama and subtlety in various scenes just right. Just right.

The production is lavish, the sound and image quality first rate, and the video direction is very good, though, as always, some of the close-ups are too close up; I want to see more of the action. This is a stage work after all. Highly recommended.


"The universe is change, life is opinion." Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

Die Fledermaus


A couple years back I borrowed Carlos Kleiber’s audio only recording of Johann Strauss, Jr’s famed operetta and enjoyed it quite a lot. The silly plot – oh, the horror of going to jail for eight days! – and the normal operatic twists and turns combined with some delightful non-waltz music by the Waltz King made for a fun listen. Throw in Kleiber’s idea of using a bass singing Orlofsky in a falsetto voice, a device that made me crack up each time I heard it, and it was a winner. Perhaps the falsetto singing would wear thin, I thought, so better to go fro something more traditional. As luck would have it, I found out that DG saw fit to issue a video and then DVD of Kleiber’s 1986 Bavarian State Opera production of the work. That was the one for me. Alas, by the time I got around to looking for the DVD, ‘twas out of print, and some people were attempting to gouge buyers by selling used copies for $140 or more. I figured DG would rectify the situation soon enough, but alas, it took the passing of the esteemed maestro to prod the powers that be along. Would it be worth the wait?

Yes. From start to finish this is production is a delight. Since Kleiber was so familiar with this work, he conducts superbly. The opening overture is a perfectly timed, rhythmically charged, witty, waltzy delight. The audience provides an appropriate ovation before the show begins, and then one gets to enjoy Otto Schenk’s lavish, impressive sets. They are every bit a match for his 1994 production of Der Rosenkavalier, also with Mr Kleiber, and it enhances one’s enjoyment. Janet Perry starts things off as a just cute enough Adele, and Pamela Coburn portrays a non-so-sad Rosalinde – her husband’s going to jail; shouldn’t she be sadder? But when Eberhard Wächter enters as Eisenstein, the star arrives. Among the singers, this is really his show – mostly – and he is in fine voice, and his comic timing is quite good. When he and Dr Falke discuss venturing to Prince Orlofsky’s for the evening to commemorate poor Eisenstein’s last night of freedom, Wächter is decidedly giddy as he ponders the lovely young ladies that will be there. So he suits up and off he goes. The lecherous Alfred senses he time to try to woo Eisenstein’s bride, but she outsmarts him and has him go in her husband’s place. So far, all is wonderful, with a palpable sense of electricity in the air. It certainly seems as though everyone involved is having some fun.

The second act reinforces that sense. And in this act, Brigitte Fassbaender is on hand as Prince Orlofsky. Just as she did as Octavian, Fassbaender plays a man remarkably well. While her actions and mannerisms are even more exaggerated here, she is still uncannily effective, assertive, and brusque. Her few extended singing parts are all well delivered and a joy to watch. It is fair to say the focus shifts to her in this act. But still Wächter is there, having a grand old time. When Rosalinde arrives in her incredible disguise – however could her husband recognize her – the interplay between the two as Eisenstein tries to seduce the Hungarian Countess only to lose his lucky watch to her is superbly done. As the guests all go to dinner, walking to the back of the stage as the entire stage rotates around, one then gets to witness some more splendid singing as well as some ballet. As a nice little treat, Eisenstein befriends the jailer, and both decide to leave to go to the jail at the same time, though Eisenstein doesn’t know that someone else is pretending to be him, and the jailer doesn’t know that Eisenstein (attending the party under the pseudonym the Marquis Renard) is in fact the guilty man.

The third act in the jail is a hoot. The drunken jailer’s assistant Frosch stumbles and bumbles and cracks wise, and Frank stumbles to his chair only to light a cigar and collapse in his chair to rest. When Eisenstein arrives to surrender himself, neither he nor Frank believe the other is who he now claims to be. More hilarity ensues. Frosch goes off to offer, um, assistance to the two young ladies who came by and are sitting in a cell waiting to talk to Frank. Then Rosalinde arrives, and Eisenstein’s lawyer, Dr Blind, who was summoned by Alfred, who’s sitting in jail in Eisenstein’s place, and then Eisenstein dismisses his lawyer, but not until after taking his jacket and toupee, and then the hero (if that’s what he is) decides to find out what his wife and Alfred are up to. When Rosalinde denounces her husband, he becomes outraged and reveals himself, only to have that watch pulled out in front of him. The Dr Falke comes to reveal that all is a joke; the bat – referring to a costume he had worn to a costume ball years before with Eisenstein – has had his revenge. This summary is far too brief, and doesn’t really do justice to either the intricacies of the story, but you get the idea. Seeing all of the action definitely helps in this work: one gets to witness the little gestures and actions and expressions and comic timing that add so much. Throw in some clever use of spoken dialogue, filled with wit, and one has a way to kill off two and a half hours with a smile.

All of the singers do at least a good job, and beyond the ones already mentioned, Ferry Gruber’s Br Blind is quite humorous, and Wolfgang Brendel makes a fine bat. The chorus does a superb job, too. To the physical properties: the image quality is acceptable, but video artifacts are hard to miss at times, especially during some static shots, and sound is excellent mid-80s digital.

So that leaves Mr Kleiber. He obviously loved this piece and it shows. He lavishes the same attention to every detail as he does in his other great recordings. His control of tempi is perfect, his comic timing underscores all that happens without missing a beat, and the playing he exacts is appropriately witty, energetic, biting, and beautiful. The screen cuts to the conductor a few times during the work, and one can see his devotion, never more than when he is leading the orchestra and chorus during the second act. Such loving attention helps this work.

Now, I’m not familiar with version by other conductors, and though I like this work, I think I’m satisfied with this one. The work itself, while enjoyable, doesn’t really seem the type to collect, nor will I turn to it as often as some better operas. But for what it is – a delightful comic operetta – this is everything I had hoped for and then some, performance-wise. I’m certainly glad it was reissued. If you have even the slightest interest, do not hesitate.

Gentleman,
Thanks for the all the interesting comments. I have not yet ventured into the DVD opera world, still building up a basic collection on CD but this might encourage to try a few out. Given I live in London I really should get out to the opera more often!
thanks

Matthew

Il Viaggio a Reims


How rough it is to be rich. Imagine, if you will, voyaging to see a king be coronated and instead ending up stranded at a posh spa hotel. Oh, cruel fate! Last fall, the local opera house put on a production of this late Rossini opera, and though I wanted to go, a variety of exogenous circumstances prevented me from going. Oh, cruel fate! What to do? Perhaps borrow Claudio Abbado’s premiere recording from the library again and take solace in a fine performance. Maybe. But wouldn’t you know it, a new DVD release of this work is now available! Maybe fate is not so cruel. Either that, or evil transnationals out to make a buck decided to market this little gem.

This new DVD is taken from the March 2003 production at Barcelona’s opera house, Gran Teatre del Liceu, with the house band and chorus providing the musical forces, Jesús López Cobos providing the conducting talent, and a bevy of singers providing the voices to fill all those demanding roles. Most of the names are new to me, with only María Bayo and Kenneth Tarver on hand to lend a tad bit of familiarity. I’ll offer my judgment up front: this production is a rousing success.

That success is not attributable to any one or two or even few things, though. All of the singers perform quite well; the demanding arias and duets and ensemble pieces are all sung superbly, with perfect comic timing and outstanding orchestral accompaniment. Cobos’ conducting is right on: here is a world-class Rossini conductor plying his trade. Never is the playing anything other than buoyant, springy, and charming. Never does anything drag. Never is anything pushed too hard. The orchestra play very well, indeed, for their leader. Rossini should always sound at least this good.

The production itself is a marvel. The posh resort is there to see: faux marble covers the stage from side to side; lap pools, hot tubs, and mud baths fill the stage; the orchestra pit itself becomes a part of the action as it is flanked by ladders to get into and out of the main pool (as Cobos himself does at the opening). The production is also more interactive than normal. The singers don’t confine themselves to the stage. No, a few appear first in the audience. Too, a few lucky audience members receive flowers from the maids as they walk up and down the aisles. Another nice little touch is when the flautist plays his extended solo on-stage dressed in appropriate garb – a comfy looking robe. Gimmicky, you say. Perhaps, but in the context of this opera and production, it works. Another notable element is costume design. I’m normally not one to pay much mind to attire, but here the costume designer, one Javier Artińana, has done a remarkable job. The costumes are so vibrantly colored, with such lavish and over-the-top detail, that one marvels at how much time and energy went into making them. The lighting, too, impresses. This was obviously produced with an eye to video sales, and the bright lighting helps to bring out the ornate sets and wonderful costumes. The sterling image quality allows one to savor every visually sumptuous moment.

There are a few quibbles, I suppose. Playing on national stereotypes, as this work does, one would expect a bit of silliness, but the German character’s Hitler-like mustache and Nazi-esque uniform seem a bit much. The video montage projected on the back wall during the final scene includes all manner of famous paintings and photographs of famous politicians and events, but seems a bit off at times. You see Napoleon and Lenin and Hitler, Reagan and Gorbachev and Dubya, images of concentration camps and the Vietnam War and the Spanish Civil War, and, and . . . Charles and Di? Um, okay. I suppose I could have lived without much of the imagery, but after reading Sergi Belbel’s notes, it becomes clear what he’s doing. The only other quibble has to do with sound: while generally excellent, the lower frequencies sound a tad boomy and less than ideally articulate at times. But that’s it. Otherwise, this is a winner.

My memories of Abbado’s set are even more positive. He had some better singers, and he is a better conductor – though Cobos is no slouch. But my memory may be playing tricks on me. In any event, I welcome this newcomer into my collection with open arms. Now, since Rossini never intended this to become a repertory work, he reused much of the music in a later opera – Le Comte Ory – and wouldn’t you know it, but DG recently released a new recording of this work under the direction of Mr Cobos. I think I know what my next Rossini opera will be.