"Parsifal" DVD and a Word on "Prince Igor"

[+ WilliamM]

I saw this production of "Parsifal" a year ago at the Met, and have been waiting for the DVD (available April 1) with high hopes. Those hopes have been met, especially in a breathtaking Act 2. The long seduction/rejection scenes between Kundry (Katarina Dalayman) and Parsifal (Jonas Kaufmann) are electric. It's Kaufmann at his very best, especially with his show stopping command, "Amfortas! Die Wunde!" At the performance I saw at the Met, the cast was getting used to a new conductor, and most of Act 2 was not nearly as strong as this DVD, which seems to be from the Saturday afternoon HD feed to movie theaters.

 

The two singers (Dalayman & Kaufmann) are helped greatly by the very fine orchestra conductor Daniele Gatti, who conducted the initial performances at the Met last year. The entire cast is first rate, Rene Pape is especially good as Gurnemanz. Watching the DVD this afternoon was a wonderful.experience. There are two problems: the closing credits start to role just as Kaufmann comes out for his bows, followed by Gatti. It's discouraging after spending 4.5 hours (length of the DVD) with the two men. Far more significant, the bloody water, which defines Act 2, is far more difficult is see on the DVD than at the Met -- understandable, but it is a major drawback. This is my third "Parsifal' (I did standing room at the Met for my first in 1986 with Peter Hofmann). And I am still confused by the 'Christian' elements in the opera.

 

I saw "Prince Igor" at the Met on the afternoon Russia was about to move into Ukraine, so I did not pay much attention to the plot, which focused on yet another battle between two Russian warlords. Nevertheless, I liked the music and particularly the staging. I am somewhat familar with the score, so enjoyed the entended scene in a beautiful field of flowers to the music of Borodin's "Stranger in Paradise," which was a big hit for Tony Bennett. Explanation: the Broadway musical and film "Kismet" adopted music by Borodin with original lyrics by Wright and Forrest. (I met either Wright or Forrest in a NYC coffee shop years ago, forget which one). Finally, I know that production included lengthy updates and revisions, as discussed in the Times, but I have waited too long to post to remember the articles (help please from someone here). And I was still thinking about the wonderful "Werther" I saw at the Met on the previous night.

 

"Stranger in Paradise" scene

 

 

Tony Bennett hit version

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anOWTzqCp_c

[whipped guy]

WilliamM... Thanks for the post!

 

Regarding Prince Igor, I was interested in the new edition used by the MET for this problematic opera. Unfortunately I missed the broadcast as I was traveling that day. Opera News had a lengthy article regarding the problems with Borodin's unfinished and fragmentary score. Regrettably, the piece never specifically mentioned what the MET would include in their performances. The Times article mentioned above gives one a feel for what was incorporated into the production.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/08/arts/music/a-new-vision-for-prince-igor-at-the-met.html?_r=0

 

Also...

 

http://newyorkclassicalreview.com/2014/02/borodins-original-prince-igor-shines-dark-yet-brilliant-at-the-met/

 

Still, a question remains. Similar to completions of Mozart's Requiem or Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffman, who better to do it... a contemporary who knew the composer (or set least lived in the proper musical times), or a modern musicologist?! In the cases of Mozart, Offenbach, and Borodin, the traditional completions even if problematic more or less worked. Still, it is interesting to get other solutions even if we will never know what the composers ultimately envisioned...

[MrMiniver]

I saw this production of "Parsifal" a year ago at the Met, and have been waiting for the DVD (available April 1) with high hopes. Those hopes have been met, especially in a breathtaking Act 2. The long seduction/rejection scenes between Kundry (Katarina Dalayman) and Parsifal (Jonas Kaufmann) are electric. It's Kaufmann at his very best, especially with his show stopping command, "Amfortas! Die Wunde!" At the performance I saw at the Met, the cast was getting used to a new conductor, and most of Act 2 was not nearly as strong as this DVD, which seems to be from the Saturday afternoon HD feed to movie theaters.

 

The two singers (Dalayman & Kaufmann) are helped greatly by the very fine orchestra conductor Daniele Gatti, who conducted the initial performances at the Met last year. The entire cast is first rate, Rene Pape is especially good as Gurnemanz. Watching the DVD this afternoon was a wonderful.experience. There are two problems: the closing credits start to role just as Kaufmann comes out for his bows, followed by Gatti. It's discouraging after spending 4.5 hours (length of the DVD) with the two men. Far more significant, the bloody water, which defines Act 2, is far more difficult is see on the DVD than at the Met -- understandable, but it is a major drawback. This is my third "Parsifal' (I did standing room at the Met for my first in 1986 with Peter Hofmann). And I am still confused by the 'Christian' elements in the opera.

 

I saw "Prince Igor" at the Met on the afternoon Russia was about to move into Ukraine, so I did not pay much attention to the plot, which focused on yet another battle between two Russian warlords. Nevertheless, I liked the music and particularly the staging. I am somewhat familar with the score, so enjoyed the entended scene in a beautiful field of flowers to the music of Borodin's "Stranger in Paradise," which was a big hit for Tony Bennett. Explanation: the Broadway musical and film "Kismet" adopted music by Borodin with original lyrics by Wright and Forrest. (I met either Wright or Forrest in a NYC coffee shop years ago, forget which one). Finally, I know that production included lengthy updates and revisions, as discussed in the Times, but I have waited too long to post to remember the articles (help please from someone here). And I was still thinking about the wonderful "Werther" I saw at the Met on the previous night.

 

"Stranger in Paradise" scene

 

 

Tony Bennett hit version

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anOWTzqCp_c

 

FYI: All the MET HD DVD releases are taken from the original movie theater transmissions. There are some other performances that are filmed just in case but have, so far, rarely been used. As for the credits issue, the MET contracturally has only a certain amount of time for these transmissions and the credit always begin to roll during the final bows since the series began. You will even see this during the old PBS Live telecasts. It's simply unavoidable.

 

This Parsifal, remains, one of the great achievements of the Gelb era and it's a shame that we didn't get the planned revival this season (replaced with Wozzeck to accomodate Levine) and I hear whispers that we may not see it again for a very long time. That would be sad.

[whipped guy]

FYI: All the MET HD DVD releases are taken from the original movie theater transmissions. There are some other performances that are filmed just in case but have, so far, rarely been used. As for the credits issue, the MET contracturally has only a certain amount of time for these transmissions and the credit always begin to roll during the final bows since the series began. You will even see this during the old PBS Live telecasts.

I have been abile to compare some of the video releases with audio of the live trasmissions and there are indeed examples where different performances are spliced in, and always for the better. Specific examples: Le Comte Ory and La Cenerentola. I also suspect the Don Giovanni that is on MET on Demand. There was a snowstorm that day and the house was half empty (I was there) at the final curtain. However, the video shows a full house.

 

Just my personal observations... Nothing more...

[MrMiniver]

I have been abile to compare some of the video releases with audio of the live trasmissions and there are indeed examples where different performances are spliced in, and always for the better. Specific examples: Le Comte Ory and La Cenerentola. I also suspect the Don Giovanni that is on MET on Demand. There was a snowstorm that day and the house was half empty (I was there) at the final curtain. However, the video shows a full house.

 

Just my personal observations... Nothing more...

 

Yes, as I said, it happens but is extremely rare ... and I doubt they'd splice them in for a worse performance

I was involved in that Don Giovanni and can tell you that of all the splices done over the past 5 years, they have never spliced in a full house!

I'll have to go back and check it but there has rarely, if ever, been a Saturday matinee of an opera at the MET that has been at less than 90% sold out.

I, too, was at that performance and I don't recall a half empty house. But I can check the ticket returns for that day and report back.

[MrMiniver]

The MET HD Don Giovanni was October 29, 2011. I think you just must be mistaken. There was no snowstorm in NYC that day!

[whipped guy]

The MET HD Don Giovanni was October 29, 2011. I think you just must be mistaken. There was no snowstorm in NYC that day!

SORRY, but I was there!!!! It was the infamous pre Holloween October snow "event". I almost did not get out of the city alive. My train was the last one on NH Line of Metro North to make it out of NY State. A Tree fell across the tracks after we passed and that was the end of train travel on that line. Also many power outages due to fallen trees as well. The Giovanni shows no people rushing for the exits. I for one ran out on the last chord of the finale! Fortunately they Hume my train for ten minutes or I would have been caught in the above mentioned disaster. Also, a significant number left at intermission. I wanted to see the Don dragged to hell even if it meant that I would end up there as well!!

[MrMiniver]

I remember a couple of inches on Saturday but the bulk of the snow didn't start falling until well after the performance was over. I have a copy of the original HD (not the DVD) from that day which I just checked. This was the live transmission as it went out around the world. It shows a full house. Of course, not every part of the house is shown on the transmission but the main floor is shown when the house lights went up and it's about as full as you can imagine.

 

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree that your memory of how the house looked is at odds with the recorded evidence. But I do remember the next day and Central Park was VERY full of snow ... and lots of families enjoying it!

[+ WilliamM]

The MET HD Don Giovanni was October 29' date=' 2011. I think you just must be mistaken. There was no snowstorm in NYC that day![/quote']

 

I live in Philadelphia, and have had to miss several Saturday afternoon performances because show storms usually start south of New York City, and affect Amtrak service from Washington. I do not remember the circumstances on October 29, 2011 because I was not traveling that day. I know that you are aware the Saturday afternoon audience comes from all over the Northeast, so many people have to take weather considerations into account both before and after the opera. I believe you would agree that viewing just the main floor is not necessarily definitive.

[whipped guy]

To the Operalover in question...

 

Well there WAS snow that day... In fact it was snowing before, during, and after the performance. So I was at least not in error as originally charged. If you want to count the number of people in the video to prove your point please be my guest!!! I could care less at this point!!!

[MrMiniver]

I live in Philadelphia, and have had to miss several Saturday afternoon performances because show storms usually start south of New York City, and affect Amtrak service from Washington. I do not remember the circumstances on October 29, 2011 because I was not traveling that day. I know that you are aware the Saturday afternoon audience comes from all over the Northeast, so many people have to take weather considerations into account both before and after the opera. I believe you would agree that viewing just the main floor is not necessarily definitive.

 

Absolutely. I'm going by what the live transmission shows and that's mostly the main floor which is not remotely half empty. But it doesn't really matter ... I know that the MET has never spliced in a different audience on one of the DVDs they've issued since the HD series began.

[MrMiniver]

Well there WAS snow that day... In fact it was snowing before, during, and after the performance. So I was at least not in error as originally charged. If you want to count the number of people in the video to prove your point please be my guest!!! I could care less at this point!!!

 

 

As could I! I'm just saying that you are going on memory and I'm looking at the actual transmission. And the MET has never spliced in a different audience for an HD. End of story and end of very very silly argument!

[wisconsinguy]

Recently had the opportunity to see Renee Fleming and Jonas Kaufman in Chicago. What an outstanding performance/weekend with my friend.

[bostonman]

As could I! And the MET has never spliced in a different audience for an HD.

 

Unless you work for the Met, I don't think you can really say that with assurance. And if you DO work for the Met, you could easily be covering for the truth, lol. (But then again, as witnessed this weekend, "covers" at the Met aren't getting any chance to shine, are they, lol?)

 

Back to Prince Igor - I saw the encore HD night, and really enjoyed it. This is an opera I didn't know at all aside from the Polovtsian Dances, and the music is really wonderful. (And yes, I'm aware that this is a new rendering of the materials.) Having heard the prior performances that were broadcast on Sirius, I had a familiarity with the score by the time I saw the HD - finally seeing it, I thought some of the direction/setting was a little confusing - I'm not against theatre that is purposely abstract, but for a piece that is still going to be new to many in the Met audience, at times I wondered if a slightly more literal (or at least clearer) storytelling might have been a good idea. But for the most part, it was great to see, and even greater to hear.

[MrMiniver]

Knowing it was an HD going out all over the world, no one thought going with the cover was a good idea. Opolais is a rising star who everyone likes. It was a no brainer.

[+ WilliamM]

I believe that mentioning Kristine Opolais, without expmaining the context can be fixed quickly. At this Saturday's matinee, Ms. Opolais sang Mimi in "La Boheme," replacing ailing Anita Hartig. Ms. Opolaise also sang her schedeled performance in "Madame Bufferfly" on Friday night.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/06/arts/music/from-butterfly-to-boheme-in-a-flash.html

[+ Charlie]

I believe that mentioning Kristine Opolais, without expmaining the context can be fixed quickly. At this Saturday's matinee, Ms. Opolais sang Mimi in "La Boheme," replacing ailing Anita Hartig. Ms. Opolaise also sang her schedeled performance in "Madame Bufferfly" on Friday night.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/06/arts/music/from-butterfly-to-boheme-in-a-flash.html

Did anyone here see the "Boheme" and want to comment? It amazed me that they asked her to do it on a few hours notice, even though she had never rehearsed it--how did she know what to do? It sounds as remarkable as that "Troyens" forty years ago, when Shirley Verrett was asked to sing both Cassandre and Didon in the same performance--at least she was familiar with the production.

[MrMiniver]

Did anyone here see the "Boheme" and want to comment? It amazed me that they asked her to do it on a few hours notice, even though she had never rehearsed it--how did she know what to do? It sounds as remarkable as that "Troyens" forty years ago, when Shirley Verrett was asked to sing both Cassandre and Didon in the same performance--at least she was familiar with the production.

 

She had about 45 minutes for some blocking and on she went. I thought Act One needed some warming up but by Acts 3 and 4 she was quite splendid. I saw her Rusalka in Germany and in really knocked me out. She's the real deal.

[+ WilliamM]

She had about 45 minutes for some blocking and on she went. I thought Act One needed some warming up but by Acts 3 and 4 she was quite splendid. I saw her Rusalka in Germany and in really knocked me out. She's the real deal.

 

MrMiniver. Even a super opera fan like yourself is unlikely to see two performances in a row. But, I am going to ask anyway.

If you saw her "Madame Butterfly" on Friday night, did you notice even a slight difference in her voice on Saturday afternoon?

[MrMiniver]

MrMiniver. Even a super opera fan like yourself is unlikely to see two performances in a row. But, I am going to ask anyway.

If you saw her "Madame Butterfly" on Friday night, did you notice even a slight difference in her voice on Saturday afternoon?

 

I saw the Butterfly -- planned -- and went over for the Boheme just because Opolais was doing it. I thought the Butterfly was stunning, easily the most compelling Butterfly I've seen in at least 10 years. I'm not sure what you mean by difference in her voice. She sounded the same to me, no difference, if that's what you mean. I did like the Butterfly better but that's what she had planned for and rehearsed so that's to be expected. Now if they can only find a tenor for that opera!

[whipped guy]

Well since we are already somewhat off topic I am curious what MrMiniver thinks of the recent Sonnambula as it is now obvious that he has a definite connection with the MET. I'm not referring to the Luigi Pirandello interpretation and staging of Felice Romani's libretto, but rather the vocal performances of Damrau and Camarena. Sonnambula is my favorite Bellini opera and I have a definite opinion colored by the fact that I have virtually every note Callas sang of this music... not to mention recordings both live and studio by Sutherland, Anderson, Scotto, Ciofi, Durlovski, Jo, Dessay, Organasova... for a total of 17 recordings. Thanx...

[bostonman]

I'm not referring to the Luigi Pirandello interpretation and staging of Felice Romani's libretto...

 

I know - you didn't want comments on the production, but...Pirandello? I'm sorry - that's giving Zimmerman's embarrassing mess of a production WAY too much credit. Rather, I would subtitle this travesty One Opera in Search Of A Director.

 

Damrau and Camarena - both superb, IMO. I liked Damrau in this role much more than Dessay (who also needs to take much of the blame for the hideous production). Camarena is a wonderful find, though Florez, who co-starred with Dessay, was also first-rate. The solid Rodolfo, Michele Pertusi, was in the original staging as well, and it was nice to have him back. I wasn't all that fond of Rachelle Durkin's Lisa - though I have enjoyed her in other rep, notably in the punishing tessitura of Satyagraha. I'm sure this Sonnambula sounded lovely in the house, though I was just as happy hearing it on Sirius, where I didn't have to watch the stupidity onstage. (Seeing the HD was torture enough.)

[MrMiniver]

Well since we are already somewhat off topic I am curious what MrMiniver thinks of the recent Sonnambula as it is now obvious that he has a definite connection with the MET. I'm not referring to the Luigi Pirandello interpretation and staging of Felice Romani's libretto, but rather the vocal performances of Damrau and Camarena. Sonnambula is my favorite Bellini opera and I have a definite opinion colored by the fact that I have virtually every note Callas sang of this music... not to mention recordings both live and studio by Sutherland, Anderson, Scotto, Ciofi, Durlovski, Jo, Dessay, Organasova... for a total of 17 recordings. Thanx...

 

Damrau made a real splash at the house when she first debuted but after she had her child she got rather plump and, I don't know, started to sound and look matronly to me. This was most evident in the new production of Rigoletto in which she felt very miscast. So I think the Sonnambula was, in some ways, a very fine comeback. I thought she was terrific in the role, both vocally and dramatically. Camarena is terrific though, of course, not as good as Florez who is simply in a class all by himself. His voice is warm and full and I thought he made a great partner for Damrau. I'll admit that Sonnambula is not really my cup of tea and maybe my least favorite of the Bellini operas in the standard rep. But this made a very convincing case for it.

 

Btw, Camarena will be singing Ramiro in Cenerentola for the the first few performances taking over for Florez who is ill. We are assured that Florez will be back for the HD so keeping my fingers crossed for that since this is one of his signature roles and it would be nice to have him and DiDonato preserved in the HD series.

[whipped guy]

MrM... I respect your opinion regarding Damrau as she did get excellent reviews. However, I find her to be quite sloppy when compared with the best the present has to offer, not to mention the past. I subscribe to something called the " Ah, non giunge" test. If a soprano is able to pull off that cabaletta she gets high marks in my book. Given the latest research, the urtext gives a couple of variants available to modern interpreters. Damrau choose the traditional version familiar to Callas and Sutherland. She fails in almost every aspect. Just compare the final coloratura flourish at the end of the first section... she seems unable to sing this admittedly difficult passage in tempo... That's the passage that rises to an E flat in alt and then decends. Elsewhere her high notes are strained, trills imprecise, fioritura careless and not cleanly executed. I will say that in "Come per me", "Son geloso", and "Ah, non credea" she is capable of some nice piano effects. However, she overall seems to go for cheep effects... and I'm not even referring to the cartwheel at the conclusion of the opera! Still, we all hear differently. I did not see this in the house, but with the exception of Le Comte Ory, I have really never been satisfied with her when witnessing her in the flesh. Still, what you saw as virtues I may have overlooked.

 

Incidentally I will be be seeing Camarena and DiDonato in Cenerentola and then Puritani as well.

[whipped guy]

Bostonman... I meant to comment on your post as well. Yes, by using the Pirandello comparison I did indeed give Zimmerman too much credit... As far as Damrau is concerned I guess I am in the minority. However, I stand by what my ears tell me. I do think that Camarena is quite promising. I also agree about Durkin's Lisa. Incidentally I was not exactly fond of Dessay's Amina either... And yes! She is indeed the source for the dastardly production as concocted by Zimmerman.