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DVD Description
DVD Special Features:
Picture: NTSC 4:3
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Sound: PCM Stereo, DTS 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1
Menu language: English, French, German, Spanish, Chinese
Subtitles: German, English, French, Spanish, Chinese
Bonus: Rehearsal with subtitles
Trailer
Picture: NTSC 4:3
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Sound: PCM Stereo, DTS 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1
Menu language: English, French, German, Spanish, Chinese
Subtitles: German, English, French, Spanish, Chinese
Bonus: Rehearsal with subtitles
Trailer
From the Back Cover
Primadonna/Ariadne -- Jessye Norman
Zerbinetta -- Kathleen Battle
Der Komponist -- Tatiana Troyanos
Der Tenor/Bacchus -- James King
Ein Musiklehrer -- Franz Ferdinand Nentwig
Harlekin -- Stephen Dickson
Brighella -- Anthony Lasciura
Scaramuccio -- Allan Glassman
Najade -- Barbara Bonney
Echo -- Dawn Upshaw
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra conducted by James Levine
Zerbinetta -- Kathleen Battle
Der Komponist -- Tatiana Troyanos
Der Tenor/Bacchus -- James King
Ein Musiklehrer -- Franz Ferdinand Nentwig
Harlekin -- Stephen Dickson
Brighella -- Anthony Lasciura
Scaramuccio -- Allan Glassman
Najade -- Barbara Bonney
Echo -- Dawn Upshaw
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra conducted by James Levine
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This is in some ways a near perfect recording - a beautifully simple production, with some great performances, most notably from Kathleen Battle as Zerbinetta who skips through some terrifying coloratura with such ease and spins out notes like spun gold. Jessye Norman gives a particularly individual performance as Ariadne/Prima Donna, bringing a great nobility and deep spirituality to the role, although I'm never sure her voice is quite right for this role (listen to Lisa della Casa's bright, lyrical recording for a contrast!). Tatiana Troyanos offers a powerful Composer, but to my mind tends to sacrifice beauty of tone and diction for volume. So three great female singers in three great roles - Strauss, however, was not so kind to the male voice, and the role of Bacchus is such a trial for any tenor; James King, a veteran towards the end of his career, struggles with the high tessitura and doesn't quite pull it off, looking uncomfortable and straining at times to hold those ringing top notes, resulting in a sometimes dry and reedy tone.
The supporting cast is strong, with a notable appearance by Barbara Bonney, and the orchestra perform well under Levine in the pit. The production is unfussy and simple, and the sets manage to reduce the cavernous Met stage to an intimate chamber-like feel as is right for this opera. The film quality is little lacking, but nevertheless a great recording of a wonderful opera.
The supporting cast is strong, with a notable appearance by Barbara Bonney, and the orchestra perform well under Levine in the pit. The production is unfussy and simple, and the sets manage to reduce the cavernous Met stage to an intimate chamber-like feel as is right for this opera. The film quality is little lacking, but nevertheless a great recording of a wonderful opera.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Jessye Norman at the height of her powers gives a phenomenal performance as Ariadne, her powerful rich voice effortlessly meets every demand Strauss places on it (and they are considerable) and her total involvement living every second of the role, and her portrayal of every emotion, is astonishing.
Norman gives the finest operatic performance I have ever heard and seen.
Prologue - Tatiana Troyanos is great in her signature role of the Composer with fine comedy support all round.
Opera - There is a downside to the Olympian heights scaled by Norman, even the excellent Kathleen Battle as Zerbinetta seems muted (and she isn't) by comparison.
Poor James King late in his career has a tough time in the final duet with Norman, he can match her volume but at the expense of all vocal expression.
If you love fine singing, this is a mandatory purchase.
Norman gives the finest operatic performance I have ever heard and seen.
Prologue - Tatiana Troyanos is great in her signature role of the Composer with fine comedy support all round.
Opera - There is a downside to the Olympian heights scaled by Norman, even the excellent Kathleen Battle as Zerbinetta seems muted (and she isn't) by comparison.
Poor James King late in his career has a tough time in the final duet with Norman, he can match her volume but at the expense of all vocal expression.
If you love fine singing, this is a mandatory purchase.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Jessye Norman is Adriadne. Kathleen Battle is fantastic so is Tatiana Troyanos (what a lovely name). The rest of the cast is also excellent. What a production!. Beautifully recorded by the wonderful Brian Large (I always make sure that he is the Video Director before I buy a DVD). What a treat to watch this video over and over again
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Magic
`Ariadne auf Naxos' is arguably Richard Strauss's most perfect work, uniting the dramatic world of his operas based on Greek myths with the easy-going world of the Commedia... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Mondoro
Great singing but nothing to look at
There's no doubt that the lead female voices in this production are all in total command of their roles, but this DVD will probably appeal most to people who enjoy DVDs of concert... Read more
Published on 14 Jun 2008 by Eva Scott
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