DVD : Mozart: Don Giovanni [DVD Video] |
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Rating:  - * The Statue's in the Orchestra ... I bought this set on the strength of several reviews that I had read; I find it disappointing. Certainly we have reached a point where historical accuracy is no longer synonymous with boring; this is the strength of the production, musically speaking. Rene Jacob's direction is vigorous without losing expressivity and the singing is generally at least competent. Johannes Weisser's tenorish baritone is not only historically apt; it provides a welcome contrast to the deeper male voices, especially in the short trio at the death of the Commendatore, but that should not any real news to anyone who remembers John Brownlee's Don in the old Glyndebourne recording. The occasional vocal decorations are as refreshing as they are stylistically accurate. And Alexandrina Pendatschanska almost steals the show as Elvira. Her obsessional characterization along with Weisser's sociopathic, adolescent Don strike sparks when they are together. But otherwise the production is dramaticlly disappointing and sometimes bewildering. Using a unit set helps to move the action along, but after a while the Cabinet-of-Doctor-Caligari expressionism gets tiresome. The staging gets cluttered and lumpy and it needed the director's explanation afterward to explain how Don Giovanni's reversed piggyback with Elvira with the whole cast looking on was supposed to convey that we were seeing what Mozart and DaPonte directed to happen offstage. Several times elsewhere, singers crossed downstage-for no visible reason-while principals where singing upstage. And how were uninitiated to understand that when Leporello spread his arms and looked heavenward he was talking about his catalogue of the Don's escapades? These objections may be thought of as old-fashioned,but concepts that have to explained ex post facto, as in this production, simply are not working. Rating: - * Dazzling orchestration and superb singing make this \"Don Giovanni\" special ... My heart wants to give this production five stars, but I've subtracted one because of the questionable choices (made by the director I assume) in the portrayal of the title character. I read that Johannes Weisser is in his late 20's, but he comes across as if he's barely beyond puberty. It's hard to imagine any of the woman characters having the slightest interest in this silly teenager let alone anyone, man or woman, being afraid of him. Even so, he plays the part with energy and expressiveness. His light baritone voice is pleasant sounding, but I think it's just as well for this production that Mozart chose not to write much solo music for his title character. That said and done, the rest of this production is superb. The three women are among the best I've seen on DVD in their respective roles: Malin Bystrom (Donna Anna); Alexandrina Pendatchanska (Donna Elvira); Sunhae Im (Zerlina). All three possess voices of great clarity, precision, and beauty. The DVD is worth buying just to hear them perform their arias. In a master stroke, the conductor, Rene Jacobs, gives the performers liberty to embellish their arias. It works because the embellishments are carefully done, but not overdone. It's a treat to hear these unexpected additions to songs that are so familiar to us, such as Leporello's "Catalogue aria," Donna Anna's "Or sai chi l'onore," "Don Ottavio's "Dalla sua pace," and Zerlina's "Batti, batti." I also love Jacobs' tempo choices which his orchestra executes crisply and with exceptional clarity. The pace is generally fast but a sudden variation in tempo within a piece can delightfully catch you by surprise, just as the singers' embellishments do. This energy and crispness extend to the secco recitatives, making them alive in a way that you won't be tempted (as I embarrassingly can be) to cheat and skip over them. In my opinion, this is the best orchestrated "Don Giovanni" on DVD. The picture and sound quality are excellent, as is the camerawork (the latter combining just the right mix of long and close-up shots). The sets are minimal but don't feel so because of the great care given to the inventive and, in the case of the women, truly stunning costuming. I should note that this is the Vienna, not the Prague, version of the opera and so Don Ottavio's "Il mio tesoro" is missing, replaced with a Zerlina/Leporello duet. I own many DVD's of this opera and highly recommend this one as a unique addition to your collection. Rating: - * A Don with a Don ... I had looked forward to Jacobs' Don, especially after seeing the visually gorgeous Figaro (even if the Countess was seriously undercast). Alas the Don is almost visually quite ugly. That description is reserved for the Bieito/Liceu production which is played in stygian darkness--probably a blessing. As regards the level of singing the Jacob's performance is very high, but the most serious shortcoming is one that cannot be overlooked. Jacobs makes a point of telling us that in Mozart's day the baritone was in his early 20's, that the Don himself is in this age group. Jacobs has chosen a young German baritone with a lovely, if slightly generic quality, who simply isn't at this point in his career to convey the demonic, almost mad, obsessive behavior one expects. Compare hin to Keenlyside and Hampton for only two examples. I know comparisons are considered odious, but with all the other performances out there it can't be avoided. And Jacobs has the luxury of a documentary film in which to make his points. Much of what he says if spot on, much is just academic hoo-ha. I am glad I have the set; I enjoy period instruments although they are not essential to my enjoyment. If forced to make a choice between all my sets I would plead nolo contendere. Rating:  - * Throw away all your other recordings. This performance will take your breath away. ... This is, quite simply, an astonishing and breathtaking performance, and deserves nothing less than 5 stars from anyone with even a remotely sensitive ear for this opera. I have just finished my first viewing, and I am nearly speechless. I cannot wait to watch it again tomorrow. These are just a few of the reasons you need this performance: 1) Each and every singer in the lead roles is great, with the standouts in my opinion being Johannes Weisser (Don Giovanni) and Alexandrina Pendatchanska (Donna Elvira), though I hesitate to single them out because the whole cast is just incredible. 2) The recitatives are nothing like you've ever experienced, in terms of drama and energy. The secco recitatives are accompanied by, thankfully, a fortepiano (not a harpsichord), played with astonishing grace, elegance, drive and wit. I was blown away. The camera is almost exclusively trained on the stage, but it takes a few occasions to show this remarkable fortepianist during the opera. He deserves every shot he gets. The recitatives accompagnato are likewise mind-blowing, thanks to the genius of Rene Jacobs and the execution of his orchestra. 3) The acting is great. I have never seen such a natural, fluid acting among opera singers who are also singing incredibly beautifully AND keeping up with Jacobs' sparkling tempi (more on that in a moment). 4) The orchestral playing, as anyone previously familiar with the Freiburger Barockorchester would expect, is note-perfect, exquisitely in tune, and virtuosic beyond any measure. Insert your choice of fifteen more adjectives of highest praise here. 5) The conducting of Rene Jacobs, again as anyone familiar with his previous work would expect, is masterful. A previous reviewer (who sadly scores this only 4 stars) complains of "erratic" tempi, but he is wrong. Jacobs' tempi could not be more intelligently chosen, and the flexibility he shows is a reflection of the dramatic course being played out on stage. Who wants rigid tempi for a stage work? That's ridiculous. Trust me, the tempi are PERFECT (yes, on the fast side--GOOD!) and there is nothing erratic about them. His nuances beautifully amplify the drama. (Have I used enough superlatives yet?) In addition, the set contains a 54-minute documentary on the making of this production, "Looking for Don Giovanni," in which the director, Nayo Titzin, follows the "creators of this production in their search for a certain musical truth." In my estimation, they found it. Anyone familiar with the work of Rene Jacobs will not need me to persuade them to acquire this performance. You have probably already purchased it (or will soon) and you probably already love it (or will) as much as I do. What I do hope is that someone first coming to this opera, or first coming to the work of Rene Jacobs and this remarkable cast will trust me when I say that you will simply be blown away by the performance. If you're looking for opulent sets, lavish costumes, and fancy props (as apparently a previous reviewer wants), look elsewhere. Here you're getting a musical performance of the highest order, with acting of a quality that matches the extraordinary music-making. I cannot praise this performance highly enough, and I hope many others will lend their 5-star voices to the rating. Do not hesitate in acquiring this performance. Rating: - * Mozart's masterful Don on period instruments ... Following his commission for a new opera to be performed in Prague after his great success there with Figaro, Mozart canceled all personal appearances in Vienna for the year 1787 and hunkered down to compose his new work without distraction. However, being Mozart, the flood of ideas omnipresent in the labyrinth that was his mind forced him to create the masterful string quintets in C Major and G minor K.515 and 516, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik K.525, and the brilliant Violin Sonata in A Major K.526, as well as several other pieces, while he was writing Don Giovanni. There is no doubt he considered this new opera a composition of great importance, pressing Da Ponte for his best work. Desiring a new operatic form, Mozart himself labeled Don Giovanni a 'dramma giocoso': something beyond mere opera buffa, nevertheless something witty and entertaining. Rene Jacobs has recorded all of the Da Ponte operas, with Cosi Fan Tutte and Le Nozze di Figaro resulting in especially brilliant performances. His version of the Don, however, has sparked some mild controversy over his choice of tempos and an occasional variability in the speed of certain arias. Jacobs' justification for these tempo changes is his desire to remove the 19th Century accretions since the era of E. T. A. Hoffman that have caused much of the opera to be performed too slowly. He returns to Mozart's original tempo markings, as well as utilising letters written by Mozart and Da Ponte in which the opera is discussed. He has brought a similar vision to this DVD performance, filmed at the Innsbrucker Festwochen on 6 October 2006 at the Festspielhaus in Baden-Baden. The cast is mostly young, with Malin Bystrom an unusually beautiful Donna Anna with a lovely voice. Johannes Weisser is a youthful, handsome Don who brings a light rakishness to the role, rather than the dark malevolence someone like Bryn Terfel has mastered. The rest of the cast are quite good, all of them somewhat lighter in effect than in other adaptations I have seen. It works because this is a period instrument performance, the superb Freiburger Barockorchester playing with limpid grace and a crystalline clarity of tone that illuminates Mozart's brilliant score. There is a suave assurance to their playing, a musical buoyancy that matches the relatively lighter tone of the singers. Heavier voices simply would not work with this orchestra. Though some may be put off by the occasional variability in tempo, or by the slight quirkiness of some arias similar to that found in the CD version, I found this production's slightly frothy vocal quality well matched by the mercurial sound of Mozart's masterful scoring as played on period instruments. The band and the singers seem to be able to turn on a dime whenever it is called for. The performance includes the final sestet, removed by Mozart for the first Vienna performances. The simple set resembles German Expressionist films like The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari: angles askew, simple geometric designs. Costumes suggest their 18th Century counterparts (while remaining strangely modern), and are also simple. The stage direction is similarly unencumbered. The sound in PCM stereo and DTS 5.0 is clear and rich, instruments and voices have a wonderful bite and presence that is perfect for the period performance style. The packaging and enclosed booklet are quite nice, in typical Harmonia Mundi fashion. A lithe period instrument performance with a strong young cast makes for a good investment if you are amenable to Rene Jacob's Mozart. Strongly recommended. Mike Birman |
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