Wagner - Tristan und Isolde
by Jean-Pierre Ponnelle
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Daniel Barenboim, Hanna Schwarz, Johanna Meier, Matti Salminen, Rene KolloDirector: Jean-Pierre Ponnelle
DVD: Region Code 0
Audio: German (Original Language), DTS 5.1; German (Subtitled); English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled)
Format: Classical, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, NTSC, Subtitled
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 247 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-08-14
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Deutsche Grammophon
Movie Reviews of Wagner - Tristan und Isolde
Movie Review: Tristan und Isolde Lite
Summary: 1 Stars
Having heard and read so much praise I expected much more from the Ponnelle/Barenboim "Tristan und Isolde" from the Bayreuth Festival of 1981. For one thing, the DVD's video quality is extremely disappointing. Darkness is extremely grainy. Even bleeding most of the color out the video, the quality is that of early VHS which is not good.
Ponnelle's direction and designs are overly quirky and the sets are extremely ugly looking. The opening scene with Isolde on the floor with a cape spreading out covering most of the stage and wearing a ridiculous looking crown (which she rips up after the Narration and Curse) set the tone for most of the balance of the performance, which is a series of misfires better known as opera singers behaving badly. Isolde running about the stage at the beginning of act two in a state of pre-orgasmic ecstasy eventually hitting the ground grinding her body into the ground and simulating having Tristan on top of her is just so silly looking, I couldn't wait for it to pass. Tristan and Isolde looking lovingly at their image in an onstage pond during the Liebestnach was annoying in its reference to their narcissism sapping most of the erotic nature of the duet. I did like Ponnelle's revisionist ending having Isolde disappearing following the Liebestod and after a blackout before the final tableaux. Tristan imagined her return. The lights come up again with Kurvenal holding Tristan's corpse creating a truly heart wrenching scene. The only emotional moment in over four hours. No this is not what Wagner had wanted but after reading Ernest Newman's analysis of the opera, where he goes into great detail about the miserable life Tristan had lead, it made sense.
I never understood what gave Johanna Meier the impression that she was a dramatic soprano. She was a lovely Mozart and Strauss specialist during her City Opera days, with a voice more suited for Eva and Elsa, here she's swamped for the most part by Isolde's music. She does act the role well but she's around fifty percent deficient in vocal heft. This was the first time I saw Rene Kollo in action and I was less impressed than I thought I would be. Also with a modest voice, he more or less makes up with acting ability what he can't make up in volume. He plays Tristan as a manic depressive. Hanna Schwarz is also small scaled as Braganne. Hermann Becht, who I happen to like very much, was excellent as Kurwenal but the real "Wagnarian" sound was only delivered by Matti Salminen, here in his prime and wonderful as Marke.
Barenboim's conducting strays to the bombastic side easily swallowing up Meier and Kollo especially in the first portion of the love duet. But there's drive and tension throughout his reading.
This is not a performance I can see myself going back to often and it may end up on eBay sooner than later. But I will give it at least one more try, now that I know what to expect and what not to expect.
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