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Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated) Binding: VHS Tape EAN: 9786304469644 Format: Classical, Color, NTSC ISBN: 6304469640 Label: Kultur Video Manufacturer: Kultur Video Number Of Items: 1 Publisher: Kultur Video Release Date: April 29, 1997 Running Time: 168 minutes Sales Rank: 49944 Studio: Kultur Video
Amazon.com: The Vienna State Opera's 1986 production of La Gioconda, Amilcare Ponchielli's only lasting success, was an increasingly rare event. The story--based on a long forgotten Victor Hugo drama--is an emotional roller coaster of high passion and self-sacrifice, but has fallen out of favor with the major international opera companies; instead, Ponchielli's contemporary Verdi and one-time pupil Puccini are today's guaranteed crowd-pullers. This is a shame. Ponchielli's score might be sumptuous to the point of occasional over-ripeness but it contains some marvelous arias, not least Enzo's "Cielo e mar." And whenever La Gioconda herself is on stage, it's hard not become enthralled by the richness of her suffering as painted by Ponchielli's lush, explosive music. Here is a woman who is given every opportunity to ensure the removal of her rival (Laura) for Enzo's affections, but who always does the decent thing, ultimately leaving herself with a stark choice between suicide and the repulsive paws of the evil Barnaba who has pursued her since Act I.
As La Gioconda, Hungarian soprano Eva Marton is utterly compelling. It's a role that places extraordinary emotional demands on the singer (Callas, not surprisingly, had a field day with it). Marton maintains total credibility. In voice, she is well matched by Placido Domingo's Enzo, who is at the virile peak of his vocal powers, rather suggesting a strength that the suggestible Enzo doesn't really possess. But perhaps the strongest aspect of Ponchielli's opera is the way in which the vocal jewels are distributed throughout the cast. Ludmilla Schemtschuk is an elegant Laura and Margarita Lilowa as La Gioconda's blind mother, La Cieca, sings an unforgettable "Voce di donna o d'angelo." And the ballet within the opera, the "Dance of the Hours," assumes its rightful place as a gleaming component of the whole work. --Piers Ford
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - Very nice performance -so was this really neccessary?
This is a solid performance with a very good cast and orchestra throughout. But there is one curiosity: At the very end of Enzo's aria in the 2d act ("Cielo e mar") the music and the video do not fit together - in the video Domingo's phrasing is different from what you hear, the last note is also shorter than he actually seems to be singing it on stage. When I saw it the DVD the first time I was surprised by the seemingly delayed applause of the audience but it seems that the end of the aria was edited for the DVD, it is even possible to hear where the editing starts (a little clicking sound). ... Read More
Rating: - Great singing, big production
The painted illusionistic sets are evocative, grand and (appropriately) a bit unreal. The singing is unformly good, if not in many cases great (especially Marton); conducting fine and lively. The costumes are an odd mixture of 16th and 19th century, again adding a rather surreal operatic touch. Altogether a grand performance of one of the most extreme grand operas.
Rating: - Great opera, great singing
I can't enlarge too much more on what others have said on a postive note. Every singer in this production gives a satisfying performance with Domingo, Marton, Manuguerra, and Rydl, being particularly fine (in that order). It's a great opera video.
Rating: - Muy satisfactoria 'Gioconda'
Son bien sabidas de quienes conozcan esta opera de Ponchielli las dificultades que provoca llevarla a escena con resultados de nivel debido a las multiples dificultades que encierra la partitura (son nescesarias 5 primeras figuras del canto, un numero importante de secundarios, coro adulto, coro infantil y una nutrida orquesta, ademas de 5 cambios de escena). En esta version de la Opera de Viena, las espectativas se cumplen de manera satisfactoria y el resultado final es un espectaculo de calidad indiscutible.
Comenzamos con La Gioconda que recrea EVA MARTON, que a una voz bella y bien controlada ... Read More
Rating: - A fine performance of consistently high quality.
This is the only DVD so far of this rather neglected opera . Its neglect is perhaps because it is formidably difficult to perform requireing six top quality singers in all vocal ranges and to paraphrase Alan Blyth,the British public's abhorrance to a strong melodrama such as this. However, it is still very popular in the U.S. , Italy and as we see,in Vienna. British neither here nor there, this is a highly satisfying work both musically and dramatically. Strong passion is the key word: here we have everything, love, hate,evil, jealousy,gratitude,betrayal you name it. Setting:the picturesque but ... Read More
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