Whistle Stopper - Georges Bizet - Carmen / Peter Hall, Bernard Haitink, Maria Ewing, Barry McCauley, London Philharmonic, Glyndebourne Festival Opera

	List Price: $29.99 Our Price: $15.88 Your Save: $ 14.11 ( 47% ) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Manufacturer: Kultur Video Starring: Barry McCauley, Maria Ewing, Marie McLaughlin, David Holloway Directed By: Peter Hall
Average Customer Rating:
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated) Binding: DVD EAN: 9780769778815 Format: Classical ISBN: 076977881X Label: Kultur Video Manufacturer: Kultur Video Number Of Items: 1 Publisher: Kultur Video Region Code: 1 Release Date: 2005-09-27 Running Time: 175 Studio: Kultur Video Theatrical Release Date: 2005
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Spotlight customer reviews: Customer Rating: Summary: Ewing is amazing Comment: I can only echo the praise for Maria Ewing...she is astonishing...as one reviewer said, not coquettish at all, but obviously a woman with a strong death wish...what an actress she is. I bought this DVD because I have her in Salome and the Coronation of Poppaea, in both of which she is amazing too. But this is the best...she's riveting. She's not really attractive at all...rather scary, in fact, and one wonders why Don Jose falls for her...he must have death wish too. The rest of the cast is forgettable, but because of Ewing, this is a must buy. Wow. Customer Rating: Summary: Evil dressed as a woman Comment: Maria Ewing as 'La Carmen' is superb. Not only does she have a magnificent voice but she is such a tremendous actress that, by facial gestures and body movements alone, she passes through phases of temptress, seductress, harlot and more. Like a black widow in its web she draws foolish males into her lethal embrace. Her gestures and glances, at time, approach pure evil. Wonderful. All this in the backdrop of Bizet's wonderful music and opera. The orchestra, sets and costumes are excellent and the other singers vary from good to superb but none of them approach Ewing's combination of singing and poise. She is 'La Carmen'. Let me suggest to those who read this review that they might like to pick up Carlos Saura's 'Carmen'. No, it isn't Bizet's opera but it is a fascinating, wonderful and gruesome tale of his trying to find the 'perfect' La Carmen and the terrible tragedy that ensues. It's a film of flamenco and fiery dance. Ron Braithwaite author of the novels--"Skull Rack" and "Hummingbird God"--on Spanish Conquest of Mexico Customer Rating: Summary: Memorable music Comment: This was my first opera video and I based my decision to purchase it from the other reviewers who obviously know more about opera than I do. I did enjoy it but have to admit I prefer the ballet. Bizet's music in this opera is familiar to everyone and was enjoyable. I thought that Maria Ewing did a fine job with the role of Carmen. It helped me alot when I discovered that I could get English subtitles to help me with the story. Since I have not viewed any other opera videos I have nothing to compare this one with. It was good and I would recommend it to others. Customer Rating: Summary: THIS is Carmen!!! Comment: Peter Hall's 1985 Glyndebourne production is absolutely amazing. It is ABSOLUTELY true to the libretto. VERY believable. The staging, chracterizations, acting, sets, costumes, etc. all serve the ART of the story and music. I have seen Carmen many times in my life. This is BY FAR the best I have seen. It is CONVINCING because it is what Bizet (and Meilhac, and Halevy) derived from Merimee. Before seeing this production, somehow I felt the opera to be filled with much good music, but with characterization less than clearly defined. With the spoken dialogue, all characters are now belivable in every way. I feel that the experience of the drama is now complete. Seeing this performance makes me realize what a true MASTERPIECE Carmen is. The day-to-day life of Seville is SO convincing in Act 1. The children's chorus has never been more effective. The sets, and especially the costumes are WONDERFUL throughout. All principal voices are incredible. The highlights for me are the powerful and resonant tone of tenor Barry McCauley and the delicate pianissimos of Marie McLaughlin. Amazingly sensitive singing. Maria Ewing IS Carmen. She's got the look, the voice, and her acting is always what it should be. In a way the ultimate moment in any performance of Carmen is the loss of sanity of Don Jose in the final scene. It has never been more powerful than in this performance. Barry McCauley has the look and passion of an insanely jealous lover. YOU HAVE TO SEE IT !!! The smaller roles were also very well performed. I particularly enjoyed the performance of Malcolm Walker as Morales. The chorus was also very effective, and exceptional in terms of acting and giving the overall effect of realism. Too often, in fact usually, the acting and characterization in performances of Carmen seem contrived and caricatured. NOT HERE. The current world of opera DESPERATELY needs directors like Peter Hall. I shudder at the atrocities regularly commited in opera houses today. My ONLY observation that I personally can critique - and I emphasize - this is my personal taste - at times I prefer the often brisker tempi of the legendary Fritz Reiner performance (available on CD). At times, for me the tempos here could have been a little freer, with perhaps a little more abandon. At other times, however, the tempos were for me PERFECT, and perhaps even better than my expectations. This production includes what seems the COMPLETE duet between Don Jose and Escamillo. THANK YOU maestro Haitink. THANK YOU TO ALL INVOLVED IN THIS FIRST RATE PERFORMANCE ! Customer Rating: Summary: I am waiting for this item Comment: I knew this item was excellent but I din't not yet received it. It was purchased on 09/l6/2007 and paid by my VISA card (cashed on 09/19/2007) Ordinarily your service is excellent. Maybe it was lost, I don't know. Please be so kind to do a verification. Claude Thompson More Reviews
Editorial Reviews: Carmen is one of the few indisputable masterpieces of its time to be composed for a small theater and Glyndebourne provides a heaven-sent backdrop for this sizzling Peter Hall production. "Bizet's score sounds miraculous in this theatre. " FINANCIAL TIMES. The accent is on stark realism and dramatic intensity. An electrically vivid Carmen is portrayed by Maria Ewing ".a rare combination of gifted singer and outstanding actress" SUNDAY TELEGRAPH. Bizet's famous Spanish gypsy is matched with the sentimental Don José of Barry McCauley ".an American tenor of real promise.a thrilling Don José" OBSERVER. Bizet's famous score includes such favorites as the Habanera, The Flower Song, The Toreador's Song and perhaps the most famous overture of all opera. "The London Philharmonic under Bernard Haitink is honouring every treasurable detail of Bizet's enchanting score" INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE.