Verdi - Il Trovatore / James Levine, The Metropolitan Opera
by Brian Large
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Product details
Actor: Dolora Zajick, Eva Marton, Jeffrey Wells, Luciano Pavarotti, Sherrill MilnesDirector: Brian Large
Edition: VHS Tape
Audio: Italian (Original Language), Analog
Format: Classical, Color, NTSC
Running Time: 133 minutes
Release Date: 1992-02-11
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Publisher: Deutsche Grammophon
Studio: Deutsche Grammophon
VHS Movie Reviews of Verdi - Il Trovatore / James Levine, The Metropolitan Opera
Movie Review: Il Travatore-Pavarotti-Milnes-Marton-Zakick
Summary: 5 Stars
I have never seen a better Il Travatore, with exciting singing all round and an emphasis on the role of fate. Pavarotti's duets with Dolora Zajick as the old gypsy are among the most affecting scenes in opera.
Movie Review: the beauty of the darkened atmosphere
Summary: 5 Stars
Now, we have a magnificent cast above all. Pavarotti looks simply divine, and his sparkle never leaves him. Eva Marton is generally regarded as "miscast", well maybe this is not a spinto part but her great, thrilling voice and subtle acting are always more than welcome. Milnes sings like a beautiful dream in his strong stage presence. And Zajick is simply awesome in her signature role. Wells is a nice surprise as well.
Every one seems to hate this stage production.. But I simply adore it, and even consider it as the ideal stage production. Without forcing the singers to "act", it offers them a very comfortable stage which permits them to unleash their vocal powers to the highest point. while creating a unique atmosphere of darkness and tragedy with simple but effective lighting and very elegant (but not extravagant) stage designs, it imposes the whole power of Verdi's music on us who are never allowed thanks to masterful video direction by Brian Large, to focus on anything else but the singers who in their glamorous costumes are shining beautifully like their renditions, throughout this dream like production.
Recommended only for those who are looking for a solid opera production which is inspired and colored by the music and nothing else but the music.
Karajan's Wiener production is an alternative which possess a more "suitable" cast but lacks the involvement and the music's dark atmosphere on stage that makes the met production such a powerful performance.
But surely you will find that wiener production has a higher rating due to people who desperately try to seem like an intellectual by despising the ny met's productions and endorsing the European opernhaus productions instead.
I can hardly wait for a dts re mastering that will allow this il trovatore to become an even more delightful experience.
Movie Review: Close, but no cigar
Summary: 3 Stars
With a list of singers that includes Pavarotti, Milnes, and Marton, you'd expect a "production of the century."
Pavarotti's voice is in its prime--it will dazzle you with its richness. The costumes are as lavish and appropriate as Pavarotti's superb voice.
Despite negative remarks by some reviewers, Sherrill Milnes puts forth a fine singing performance with even better acting and tremendous stage presence.
Yes, we all know that we are supposed to exercise our "suspension of disbelief," but Eva Marton is simply too large and old to portray the young Leonora that these gentlemen are fighting over. Dolora Zajick is scary and witchlike, which is exactly right for the gypsy woman.
So, why isn't this the dvd performance of the century?
One: The stage is constantly too dark. Really, it's hard to tell when there has been a change of the set, as it's simply too dark to tell the difference.
Two: Leonora is miscast with Eva Maron. Not criticising Eva--she's very good in other roles she has sung. She's just not right for Leonora.
Three: Too many cuts have been made, making it harder to follow the storyline because of minor but abrupt gaps in the action.
It's still an enjoyable production, but it could easily have been much better.
Movie Review: Almost perfect
Summary: 4 Stars
I just love this video. I often play it as an audio recording. Pavarotti is great nothwithstanding his acting abilities. His singing is the tops. Marton has a big pretty voice of course, but she is a bit miscast here, as she just doesn't quite have the agility for Leonora. I would still call her performance quite acceptable. Zajick is great. Her singing and acting are absolutely riveting. Milnes is great - the voice seems to have started it's downturn at this point - a bit of struggling in the passagio, but it's not too noticeable. He still produces some absolutely gorgeoues tones - a beautiful and touching voice, in my opinion. Movie Review: An Underappreciated Version of Il Trovatore
Summary: 4 Stars
This video of Il Trovatore was a suprise when I watched it the first time. The set was very dark, as it should be, but their costumes help to illuminate the singers. Now to the singers: Luciano Pavarotti was his usual self: a great singer, but a terrible actor. Eva Marton was a pretty bad singer, as I have heard from other reviewers, but I thought she was great. I have always been a fan of her voice, but I agree this is not her best performance. Dolora Zajick was one of the highlights of the opera. Her voice is at her best, bring the role of Azucena to life.To me, the clear star was Sherrill Milnes as Conte Di Luna. His rich baritone voice was almost at his best, and the audience agreed by throwing him flowers at the end. James Levine's excellent conducting brings the whole show together. Overall, this is a OK video, with some highlights and some flaws, but you should still see it.
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