Monteverdi: Il Ritorno d'Ulisse in Patria -- Zurich/Harnoncourt [DVD]

Klaus-Michael Gruber's austere staging of Monteverdi's Il Ritorno d'Ulisse in Patria ("Ulysses' Return") gives the impression of a sun-drenched ancient Greek island by the simplest of means: a bleached white wall against a dazzling sky-blue backcloth. It is an ideal setting for conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt's pared-down reading of the score (fewer "authentic" rasps and rattles than 25 years ago) and Vesselina Kasarova's intense, restrained performance of Penelope, all the more powerful for being held back. For example, her repeated cry of "Torna!" ("Return to me!")--an excuse for much hand-wringing on the part of some mezzos--rarely rises above mezzo-forte here. Dietrich Henschel is equally impressive as Ulisse, and uses his rich, flexible voice with inventiveness: he handles the moment of recognition with his son Telemaco (the outrageously handsome Jonas Kaufmann) beautifully. There are some off-the-rail moments to the staging which might not appeal to English theatrical tastes: Penelope's suitors are presented in a rather silly puppet show and the comedy scenes with Iro (Rudolf Schasching) fall flat. But it doesn't prevent the final moments of reconciliation and recognition reaching powerful heights.

On the DVD: Il Ritorno d'Ulisse in Patria is presented in 16:9 ratio and has PCM Stereo or Dolby Digital 5.1 sound options. There are subtitles in Italian, German, English, French and Spanish. A handsome, well-lit production is rendered on the small screen with as much subtle shading as possible by video director Felix Breisach, and falls very easily on the eye. --Warwick Thompson

Sound: PCM Stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1
Picture: 16:9
Menu languages: GB, D, F, SP
Subtitles: I, D, GB, F, SP
Region code: 0

Cast:
Vesselina Kasarova -- Penelope
Malin Hartelius -- Melanto
Isabel Rey -- Minerva/Amore
Martina Jankova -- Fortuna/Giunone
Cornelia Kallisch -- Ericlea
Dietrich Henschel -- L'humanita fragilita/Ulisse
Jonas Kaufman -- Telemaco
Orchestra La Scintilla from the Opernhaus Zurich, conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt
Stage Director: Klaus-Michael Gruber
Video Director: Felix Breisach