Johann Strauss - Die Fledermaus / Domingo, Te Kanawa, Prey, Royal Opera Covent Garden
by Humphrey Burton
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Dennis O'Neill, Hermann Prey, Hildegard Heichele, Kiri Te Kanawa, Paul CrookDirector: Humphrey Burton
Brand: Kultur
Cinematographer: Paul Harding
Editor: Ray Nunney
Producer: John Vernon
Producer: Robin Scott
Writer: Carl Haffner
Writer: Richard Genée
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); German (Subtitled); Japanese (Subtitled); German (Original Language)
Format: Classical, Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 176 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2003-10-14
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Warner Music Group Germany
Movie Reviews of Johann Strauss - Die Fledermaus / Domingo, Te Kanawa, Prey, Royal Opera Covent Garden
Movie Review: An Outstanding, Clever, Funny Production of Die Fledermaus
Summary: 5 Stars
Johan Strauss II didn't get his reputation as Vienna's Waltz King for sitting around eating strudel mit shlag. He wrote glorious melodies...waltzes, polkas, mazurkas...that set people to dancing and smiling. His music still does.
Die Fledermaus is a Viennese fable of lechery, love, revenge and romance, of beautiful wives, juicy maids, amorous husbands, clever friends, a mysterious count and a drunken jailer, of white tie and tails, beautiful gowns, a gold watch and lots of champagne. Most of all, it is a light-hearted and mischievous story that features some of Strauss' most romantic and bubbling music which just washes over the audience. The story is too comically complicated to go into. Just remember that it's all about a bit of revenge for a practical joke played by one friend on another a year earlier. In Act One we're at the home of Gabriel von Eisenstein (Herman Prey), who is about to spend eight days in jail for an indiscretion. But his good friend, Dr. Falke (Benjamin Luxon), convinces him to delay the trip to the jail until the next day, so that the two can go to a magnificent dinner party, without telling Eisenstein's beautiful wife, Rosalinda (Kiri Te Kanawa), held by the mysterious Russian nobleman, Count Orlofsky (Doris Soffel). Ah, but then the plot thickens. Through clever stratagems, invitations have also secretly arrived for Rosalinda, who is to go in disguise so she can see for herself her husband's amorous ways, and for Roslinda's maid, Adele (Hildegard Heichele). All that follows is a story of mistaken identities, beautiful songs and, eventually, happy endings.
What makes this particular production at Britain's Royal Opera House so effective is that it's not only sung superbly, it's not only sumptuously mounted, but it's funny. The dialogue is spoken in a mixture of German, French, English and Italian in an amusing play on the characters' nationalities, but also on the nationalities of the singers. And the singers are not only in great voice but are seeming to take great delight in playing the characters. All of them, especially Herman Prey and Benjamin Luxon, appear to be having the times of their lives. Their good spirits are as infectious as the music they sing.
It's traditional for the party at the Count's to be interrupted by special surprise guest performers. Making appearances are Charles Azvanour, ballet stars Merle Park and Wayne Eagling in a stunning pax de deux choreographed by Frederick Ashton, and two genteel English ladies, Dame Hilda Bracket (who sings) and Dr. Evadne Hinge (who accompanies on piano). If you didn't know they were really...well, see for yourself. To fully appreciate them, you'll need to use Google. Joseph Meinraad plays the 3rd act non-singing drunken jailer, Frosch, who has several comic moments bantering with the conductor, Placido Domingo.
This is a filmed record of the performance. Clear subtitles are available and are probably recommended if you're not already familiar with the story and the songs. The only drawback is the quality of the DVD. It's not really bad, but is about at the level of a middling VHS tape.
More Johann Strauss - Die Fledermaus / Domingo, Te Kanawa, Prey, Royal Opera Covent Garden reviews:
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Summary of Johann Strauss - Die Fledermaus / Domingo, Te Kanawa, Prey, Royal Opera Covent Garden
DIE FLEDERMAUS - DVD MovieMost opera houses ring in the New Year with Johann Strauss Jr.'s most popular operetta--the festiveness of which is appropriate for the occasion--and this December 31, 1983, Covent Garden performance follows suit. An exceptional cast--led by Hermann Prey and Kiri Te Kanawa as the couple whose marriage survives the comic indiscretions of three long acts--obviously has as much fun as the audience. Plácido Domingo leads the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House through its paces with panache. Prince Orlofsky's Act II party is always a splendid opportunity to pull out all the stops with surprise "guests," and this performance makes the most of its chance: entering the proceedings to sing one of his tailor-made chansons, "She," is French crooner Charles Aznavour, who is followed by dancers Merle Park and Wayne Eagling, their delightful pas de deux flashily choreographed by Sir Frederick Ashton. --Kevin Filipski
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