R. Strauss : Ariadne auf Naxos [DVD] [2010] [NTSC]

There is, of course, the classic recording of 'Ariadne auf Naxos' from the Metropolitan Opera filmed in 1988 and starring Jessye Norman, Kathleen Battle and Tatiana Troyanos. That is a marvellous performance, but this newer production by Elijah Moshinsky is almost its equal. Inexplicably this performance starring Natalie Dessay and Deborah Voigt has only recently appeared on DVD even though it was recorded in 2003. It is an excellent production featuring a realistic 'backstage' setting for the prologue, followed by a more abstract set for the 'Ariadne' performance, which is used very evocatively.

The cast is really excellent, almost ideal. Natalie Dessay is truly outstanding, giving a virtuoso performance as Zerbinetta. She is vocally brilliant, both fluid and accurate, but she is also a wonderful actress. This is a beautifully controlled performance making it absolutely believable, playful but never over the top. She really gets to the heart of the character and brings out the real humanity of her personality and her genuine attempts to help both the composer and the prima donna to fully accept and appreciate the limitations and joys of real life.

Deborah Voigt is also excellent, not as magisterial as Jessye Norman in the earlier set, nor with such a huge voice, but in her own way very commanding. Her singing is beautifully restrained and controlled. She is very accurate, letting Strauss's wonderful melodies speak for themselves.

Susanne Mentzer is good as the composer, but not the equal of Tatiana Troyanos. She has a wider vibrato than is ideal for this character which is slightly distracting in some of the absolutely beautiful melodic lines that Strauss gives to the composer (himself ?). This is only a minor criticism, however, in general she does a very good job both vocally and dramatically.

The real plus in this performance compared to the earlier production, is with the male cast members. All of them are truly excellent and appropriate to their roles. Richard Margison is much better as the tenor/Bacchus than James King, who was well past his best when he sang this role in the 1988 set and is the major drawback in that earlier performance. Neither of them really look the part (except ironically), but dramatically and especially vocally Richard Margison is far better. It is also very good to have Wolfgang Brendel as the music master and there are highly entertaining performances from Waldemar Kmentt as the Major-Domo and Nathan Gunn as Harlekin, but all the men are very good.

Even more than the individual performances, however, the real success of this production is that it works as a whole. It is totally believable and the cast work so well together that the viewer is drawn in right from the start and held entranced throughout the unfolding drama, ludicrous though the events may be. There is a truth and an underlying reality here that really makes it work. Add to that the glorious music in such a wonderful performance and this is an operatic gem.

The visual and sound recordings are both first class and the DVD is well produced with LPCM stereo or DTS 5.0 surround sound, 16:9 picture format and optional subtitles in English, French, German, Spanish, and Italian. This DVD is very good value at its list price and a real bargain at the very modest lice price which is typical for this series of opera recordings by Virgin. Altogether an excellent modern recording of one of Richard Strauss' finest operas.

In every way a tremendous performance of a quite tricky opera. First part back stage banter and conflict centred around the composer ( a trouser part for a soprano ,oversensitive and over acting but singing some divine music)and the second part being the joint performance of the comedia della arte and the opera seria combined. Judging the time period and the theatre backstage it would be impossible for such an up to the moment spectacular that we see but then thats poetic license! Three divine sopranos take the leading roles all in different styles. Natalie Dessay is fantastic as Zerbineta and brings the mamoth colaratura aria in the second part to a resounding climax with an excellent performance. Deborah Voigt is massively majestic as Ariadne surounded by three sirens in paniered dresses all over ten feet high.......Why?(but fascinating to watch). Suzanne Mentzer is an excellent composer which I find a bit sad because she is not present at the end of the opera for curtain calls. Still' someone has to do it. The supporting male characters are all very good in their parts too. For me the biggest star is the orchestra that make so many beautiful sounds with quite a small number for Strauss changing styles abruptly to follow the action on stage. All in all I loved it ,loved it, loved it.

We're lucky: there are no fewer than seven versions of Strauss' gorgeous 'Ariadne auf Naxos' currently available on DVD. This is not one of the best. It's difficult to give stars to something as complex as an opera DVD recording, which might excel in terms of cast, production, recording quality, or any number of other factors: these two are due largely to the presence of Natalie Dessay, perhaps the best Zerbinetta around. For the rest, I found the production uninteresting and the orchestra to sound uninvolved, whilst the remaining singers are all bettered by those on other recordings.

If you're after a traditional production, Karl Böhm's 1965 Salzburg Festival performance is the one to go for: black-and-white picture, but surprisingly decent sound, and a fine cast. This is probably `Ariadne' not a million miles from how Strauss himself experienced it (he certainly heard Bohm conduct it). If you have to watch in colour, try James Levine's earlier Met recording featuring Jessye Norman in fine voice - although the acting here is rudimentary, and it has easily the least good Zerbinetta in the breathy, hammy Kathleen Battle. Probably the best all-round cast is on Böhm's later recording, from Vienna ( it includes Gundula Janowitz, René Kollo and Edita Gruberova), which is based on a vintage production from the Staatsoper; however, this is unfortunately one of those 1970s opera films featuring the singers miming to a pre-recorded soundtrack. I've seen worse lip-synching, but it adds a distracting layer of artificiality.

For the more adventurous, the two versions in non-traditional productions are both very good. The Dresden production conducted by Colin Davies sets the work at a private view in an art gallery and is a stimulating take on the `art-for-art's-sake' theme found in the opera's Prologue: the orchestra play lovingly, but the cast is not of the best (Sophie Koch's Composer excepted). The Zurich production conducted by Christoph von Dohnanyi is very satisfying: the opera is here set in Zurich's Kronenhalle restaurant (about 200 m from the Opernhaus), where Ariadne (Emily Magee) has clearly been stood up. The orchestra is terrific, and whilst the singers may not be household names, all-round this is one of the better casts available.

Leinsdorf's Boston recording is for completists and Beverly Sills fans only: it's the earlier (1912) version of the opera, which it is always interesting to hear, but it's a concert performance and is probably best enjoyed with the picture off lest one be distracted by what passed for evening wear in 1969.