Donizetti - Lucia di Lammermoor / Oliviero De Frabritiis, Opera di Roma [VHS]
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VHS Movie Reviews of Donizetti - Lucia di Lammermoor / Oliviero De Frabritiis, Opera di Roma [VHS]
Movie Review: NOT Lucia
Summary: 1 Stars
I just opened my Moffo's version of Lucia and lo & behold inside the case was Moffo's La Traviata!
I didn't send it back because it turned out to be a fine DVD, but after all, I was looking forward to Lucia.
Movie Review: Good vocals, horrible production
Summary: 2 Stars
First off, let's be clear that I'm writing here about the Lucia di Lammermoor DVD with Anna Moffo. I'm completely confused as to the reason for the reviews here of Joan Sutherland. This production of a great Donizetti opera is simply awful. The soundtrack seems to have been recorded from a staging and does not match well with the many outdoor scenes of the film. The acting is poor, a weakness shared by too many opera performers but one that can certainly be overcome in most operas. Arguably worst of all is the camera work, which has the quality of a backyard home movie. I will say that the vocals here are very good, thus the second star.Movie Review: The Greatest Lucia Ever
Summary: 5 Stars
Anna Moffo is Lucia!! By comparison, the rest of the cast stunk. In spite of the handicap, this is a 5-star performance. I was privileged to see Anna Moffo perform live in the Chicago Opera House as Lucia in 1957. That was immediately after her television triumph in Italy as Madama Butterfly (1956, her Fulbright Scholarship years). Immediately after her Mad Scene, there was another mad scene. This time it was the audience who went mad - an unheard-of 10 minutes of screaming ovation. That was THE most memorable opera experience in my lifetime. I saw the great Joan Sutherland in the same role, same year, and same opera house. She was superb. Stupenda or not, she was not in Moffo's league. Movie Review: Solid, eloquent but doesn't fire the blood
Summary: 4 Stars
Dame Joan Sutherland first essayed the role of Anna Bolena in Canada 1984, of which this release captures. Of all the female singers in any of these performances under review, Dame Joan's technique and vocal means is far and away the most superior - natch, she leaves the competition in the proverbial dust. Here nearing sixty, La Stupenda's customary coloratura zip and ease of technique are as impressive as ever. Scalework is a snap, trills deftly incorporated, not to mention the fullness and "largeness" of her tone, and most importantly, the voice can move. Of course time has diminished her resources, but when those very solid resources are better than those of singers half her age, how can quibbles be summoned with any credibility? To be sure, there are some concessions made, such as transposing or even changing a good deal of the score to give Sutherland a tessitura which will allow her to end on a confortable high note (all of which are Cs and Ds), but what is a Sutherland without a walloping concluding note to any aria or ensemble (and wallops she does - and stuns!)?
But what impresses the viewer most is what an adept stage performer Sutherland proved herself to be. She moves regally, wears her costumes well, and immerses herself to a degree of involvement in the dramatic situation; there is full awareness of the text as demonstrated by her actions and facial expressions. In addition, Sutherland is a confident, dignified presence, and fully displays her sagacious means as a person of the stage. This is a thoroughly competent, professional and efficient performance, not to be slighted in and of itself in any way.
That said, my standing reservation about Sutherland still holds. For all of the sterling qualities this vocal legend embodies, I yearn as always to hear a more developed musical imagination. Unlike Callas, Sills and Gruberova in this role, Sutherland displays little individuality, "vocal face" or an indelibly original personality channeling through the character. La Stupenda has the most prodigious inborn vocal means of any singer in her repertoire, but her often utilitarian use of it can leave one wanting for more. Throughout, there is very scarce use of dynamics other than that of mezzo to mezzo-forte. One will hear in vain for a true half-tone, or much less, any dynamically limned, artful shading; one longs for a well-bound, flexibly drawn-out of a legato line, for any tapering, bending and "lifting"of phrase-endings, or a magically sustained, diminished tone that floats. Too, the lack of tonal coloristic variety (further made so by the ever present mushy vowels and lack of crispness in enunciation), giving a semblance of monotony, does not impart to the listener a wide range of emotions, not helped by the transposing of some parts of the score. Inevitably, one must accept the compromises of transposing an entire piece to accommodate those concluding high notes. The glory of Dame Joan's voice was always in its upper third register; even in her prime, the rather inexpressive, hollow lower third was her least attractive feature, and transposing much of Anna's music accentuates what had by 1984 turned into a plum-in-the-mouth opaqueness of tone in that mittellage. Nevertheless, Sutherland on her own terms is a formidable presence, and it is a bracing experience in itself to witness the still-considerable means so soundly projected as here.
Judith Forst as Giovanna is a dedicated, wholly committed performer, with a warm, vibrant tone (sometimes growing pressed in its upper regions), and gives a most sympathetic portrayal. She is particularly effective at displaying her growing agitation at both being Enrico's replacement wife, and betraying her closest friend. Forst and Sutherland play off each other superbly in their big duet, with the former projecting a good deal of the requisite angst; both ladies end on a unison high C.
James Morris is luxury casting as Enrico VIII, perhaps one of the best documented. The bass-baritone, stunningly costumed, certainly looks the part: tall, big-framed and imposing, he has a voice to match, which is penetrating, flexible and surprisingly expressive. Towering over the whole cast, Morris dominates - as he should - the proceedings as the lurking, edgy menace who propels his wife to her doom. Michael Myers, much of his music cut, makes a fine Percy, singing and acting with conviction; Janet Stubb's boyish, nimbly sung Smeton makes a fine effect. It is amusing to see a young Ben Heppner, cast in the comprimario role of Percy.
Richard Bonynge presides over the Canadian Opera Orchestra with the usual mix of felicities and drawbacks. The coaching and accompanying of the singers, as always, remains without peer; unlike someone like Riccardo Muti, Bonynge knows how to let a singer breathe. On the other hand, Bonynge can short-circuit some of the excitement of the climaxes, particularly that of Act One (here turned into Act Two for this production). When Anna faces down her accusers, the tempo and pacing of the cabaletta "Ah! segnata ? la mia sorte" and the resulting ensemble is disappointingly stodgy and lacking in headlong impetus - it ends the act "neatly", where it should be febrile and crackling with tension. Furthermore, one must cope with the limited, mono sound which makes the orchestra appear a bit murky and lacking in contrasts of textures. The camerawork is excellent, though; reactions, and close-ups important moments are captured right on time.
Visually, this production is a real pleasure to watch. The sets and costumes are sumptuous, expensive and elaborate, marvelously detailed, with deep, rich hues giving a truly renaissance feel; the quality of the DVD's picture often imparts that of a "movie-painting." The lush blues and burgundies give the requisite somber feel to the proceedings. Lotfi Mansouri's direction is purposeful, and, laudable for its intentions of going past the usual "park-and-bark"approach in the bel canto realm. Not only does Mansouri create beautiful stage tableaus, but the performers are blocked and made to enact their characters with some sense of direction and focus.
The main caveat of this peformance is in its cuts - over a half hour's worth. Granted, some internal trims are perhaps merited, but having Percy's "Vivi tu" sliced out altogether robs not only the overall impact of the score's structure, but also of denying the audience a chance to hear one of Donizetti's finest tunes.
Movie Review: Saved by La Moffo
Summary: 3 Stars
We'll have to keep in mind that this is probably a made-for-TV effort that hasn't taken too much trouble or money to produce. It's very static and stagey (even by operatic standards), it's mostly badly mimed and badly acted. Where you'd expect mood lighting, there's constant full blaze, and where you'd expect people to react to the misery of Lucy, they just either turn away or burst into poorly coreographed swordfight. The direction is very, very poor. The picture and sound quality is mediocre, mostly because I believe it to have been shot on 16mm. But there was no sound or picture distortion as one viewer was complaining. It was just what I expected. Moffo is so very beautiful, but her lips barely move as she is supposedly singing and she simply hasn't much to do even though you can see that she is a sensitive actress. I also enjoyed the rest of the cast and was wondering that the blond tenor isn't better known nowadays. Not a bad film, but so much more could have been done with this marvellous singer, great locations and gorgeous music. Shame, director and producer!