Mozart - Le Nozze di Figaro
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Movie Reviews of Mozart - Le Nozze di Figaro
Movie Review: Great Singing, wierd production
Summary: 5 Stars
Singing doesn't get any better than this, but the weird production and lack of thoughtfullness in set design, make this off-puting. I don't like singers lying on the floor when such staging has no purpose at all. This
should have been released as a CD and not a DVD. I really liked the singing
and the selection of the singers. My five star rating is only because the
singing is so good.
Movie Review: mozart in salzburg
Summary: 5 Stars
Mozart's Figaro ranks high up there with the Magic Flute, Cosi and Don Giovanni. Add the wonderful list of singers/actors and the minimalistic sets that don't take away your attention on the music......you have the best production of this opera that I have seen.
Keep your eyes on the second cherubino!
Movie Review: It is a bit long for a beginner like me, but I think is not too bad.
Summary: 4 Stars
Be honest with you, I didn't like the tempi of the overture. It surprised me that was from Harnoncourt. Because he was the forerunner of Mozart and other Baroque music for me. I have listened almost all his recordings on symphonies, he is the one who 'think-again' rather than just 'follow' the conventional taste.
And later, I listened the overture again while I was watching this Figaro DVD (I never watched this opera before). You know, this time, I didn't bothered by the tempi of the overture anymore. I think it's fine. Even it's a lot slower than most of the version, the phrasing and the imagination are still there. Nothing really missed. The Wiener Philharmoniker is great of course. (I actually hear clearly the sound of the concertmaster, has anyone noticed that? he plays way louder than others)
Since this is my first time to watch Figaro, I didn't had it's 'comedy' deep in mind. So, after I watched this production, I felt it is more like 'drama' than 'comedy'. This has been stated by other reviewers.
I am not a huge fan of Anna (Susanna), I just think her voice is not as 'concentrated' as others (only for my taste). Maybe her voice could be better for Romantic operas. I will find out later though. But, her acting is not bad. And her dress in this Susanna is very elegant for me and I like her shoes (good choice) :)
The 'invention' of the angel boy in this production is a genius idea. The stage sets are not changing much as usual probably because of the place. House of Mozart is relatively small.
I think I am going to watch another version of Figaro later to see the different.
Make sure you watch the bonus on the second DVD. It explains why Harnoncourt think the story of Figaro maybe can express in an altered direction.
Yes, I do feel this opera is a bit long, perhaps it was because I was watching it at 2am.
Movie Review: A Figaro for an Adventurous Viewer
Summary: 4 Stars
This Figaro is musically intriguing and vocally very strong. What a great cast. Not only are the singers superb, they bring psychological depth to their characterizations. As a result, some of the old cliches are done away with. I was especially amazed at Bo Skovhus' Count who is not a one-dimensional tyrant with entitlement issues. His Almaviva is so much more complex and interesting to watch. The same is true of all the singers down to a really sexy young looking Antonio who really SINGS the music. When was the last time we heard Antonio's music SUNG and not barked?
Despite all this, the director's concept is not always inspired by the music. The color scheme of the production is monochromatic. The addition of a mute cherub to clarify the subtext of the characters is gratuitous and annoying.
With a less superb cast, this director would be in deep trouble. By I still found the production compelling.
Movie Review: INTERESTING ALTERNATE VERSION
Summary: 4 Stars
Turning a comedy such as Figaro into something tragic is not an idea that I find attractive. Yet it seems to me to have some merit, after watching this production. I consider this a DVD that is worth watching once and a while, bit by bit. Be prepared for a Countess who is too abused to have any fun cross dressing Cherubino. The Count is portrayed as an axe murderer, again this is plausible. I find many Salzburg productions easy to hate, but this slow dark vision has some traction, despite my initial thoughts of consigning it to the Eurotrash bin.