The Metropolitan Opera: La Boheme [1982]

See Larger Image	Manufacturer: Geneon Starring: Teresa Stratas, Josep Carreras, Renata Scotto, Richard Stilwell (III), Allan Monk Directed By: Kirk Browning Average Customer Rating:


Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Binding: DVD EAN: 9786305079149 Format: Classical ISBN: 6305079145 Label: Geneon Manufacturer: Geneon Number Of Items: 1 Publisher: Geneon Region Code: 0 Release Date: 1999-08-04 Running Time: 141 Studio: Geneon Theatrical Release Date: 1982
Spotlight customer reviews: Customer Rating: Summary: Brilliant Comment: So I'm a new opera fan and I have a large collection of CDs, but I have never been to a live one. This DVD was the first opera I bought and now I can say it is definately my favourite. Firstly, I love Jose Carreras and he is my favourite tenor. He may not have the technical brilliance of a Pavarotti but his phrasing and emotion come through in every song. Secondly, I agree that the scene set in the Latin Quarter was overdone but it was still fun and enjoyable. As the opera progresses to the sadder and more emotional parts, Puccini is a magician! (which he has been critisised for!) This Opera is truly enchanting and the performances are first rate Customer Rating: Summary: Male superiority Comment: If you like your Puccini subtle and intimate, stick to a CD version : this is not for you. But if you have never got over the disappointment of only hearing and not seeing Jose Carreras' Rodolfo in the 1988 Comencini film version, this is the chance to make up for it with a perfect romantic but very human hero. In this 1982 New York Met production, we find a lavish Zeffirelli set, plenty of colour and movement, but a certain excess, particularly in the second act. The Latin Quarter is not just crowded but over-crowded, with the stage chock-full on two levels, especially with the barely justifiable arrival of Musetta in a horse-drawn carriage. Renata Scotto thoroughly enjoys herself in the role, but her waltz (and her high notes) lack the brilliance a livelier tempo would bring. This lack of pace was already a problem in Teresa Stratas' "Mi chiamano Mimi", where her systematic glissando gives the impression at times that she is slightly behind the orchestra, dragging it to a depressing rhythm. The two sopranos are the most disappointing element, and fortunately their rather younger male partners are more credible in their roles, and vocally more dependable. In the second half, as the opera develops into melodrama, at last this production becomes more convincing and shows how Puccini can play with our emotions. Mimi and Rodolfo are both restrained and very moving as they try to leave each other. At the beginning of the last act Marcello and Rodolfo's duet, then the lively comic scene between the four friends, contrast admirably and we are swept along when tragedy erupts among them. James Morris gives a magnificently sober rendition of Colline's "Coat Song" and it is difficult not to be as crushed as Rodolfo at the poignant end. If at the beginning of this performance we are a little disappointed, or perhaps overwhelmed by the "Met machine", by the end the magic of Puccini's music becomes irresistible. No doubt the ideal "Bohême", one that would satisfy the most demanding opera fans, does not and cannot exist, however if you want to see Jose Carreras singing Rodolfo, this is a unique opportunity, but don't expect a miracle ! More Reviews