Rate Points :4.5
Binding :DVD
Label :Philips
Manufacturer :Philips
MPN :000661909
ProductGroup :DVD
Studio :Philips
Publisher :Philips
UPC :044007043998
EAN :0044007043998
Price :$29.98USD
Lowest Price :$16.99USD
Customer ReviewsWhat Russian artists can do superbly
Rating Point :4 Helpful Point :3
Unknown to me, prior to seeing this DVD, I was overwhelmed by the all around quality of the production. Magnificent singing, stunning scenery and costumes beyone comparison. The leading voices were confident and right on key. And the chorus was pure glory. Only reason I didnt rate this five stars was my own lack of knowledge of other productions, live or recorded. Discovering Russian opera is a grand vocation following the downfall of the Berlin wall.
MAGIC
Rating Point :5 Helpful Point :3
This is a sumptuously staged live performance by the Kirov company from St Petersburg in 1994. It is basically Sadko as I like it, but I sense that I had better be careful in how I recommend it. I speak (and sing) no Russian, and I have never visited Russia. However I am accustomed to hearing Russian sung, and the effect of the singing here has a rather smoothed-over sense. Even the lavish and brilliant costumes and staging, although assertively Russian, have a certain suggestion of western professionalism about them, and I do not know what I should put this impression down to. Everything changes over time, and it may simply be that this is the new Russian way of doing things, particularly in the most westward-looking of Russian cities.
On the other hand Rimsky is looking outwards for his inspiration. He regales us with a concert from a Viking, an Indian trader and a merchant of Venice, none of whom are exactly essential to the plot. The plot takes as its starting-point a legend of Novgorod and a real person called Sadko, but it is a fairy-tale, not just multi-ethnic but taking place largely in the non-human kingdom under the great international sea. Under the circumstances Im not inclined to labour the issue of Russianness. Nor am I much worried by the question how this libretto relates to contemporary ideas of opera as practised by Wagner or Verdi. Rimsky tells us explicitly that he is turning his back on any theory of opera that gives primacy to dramatic action or development. For him, it is all about making music. For me, Sadko is an upmarket pantomime, a musical pageant on stage. If I may risk the expression, Rimsky makes a song and dance of it all. The choruses at the start are longer than would be needed from a dramatic point of view, and that is because the composer is more concerned with writing choruses. The deus ex machina called The Pilgrim who ends the revels of the sea-king and his court does so in a lengthy aria because the composer wishes to write a lengthy aria. The overseas visitors put on a concert of stylised solos in the interests of musical variety, not of the overall story. The whole thing stands in much the same relation to music-drama as ballet does, and there is a great deal of Terpsichore and light fantastic on top of the musical entertainment that is really what it is all about. Rimsky himself tells us what to expect, Sadko seems to me to have perfect integrity on its own terms, and this performance seems to me to get it about right.
The cast are unfamiliar to me, but with one partial exception I like their work. Vladimir Galusin as Sadko is easy on the ear (and not a bad actor), and he does not attempt a heroic style. Nor does Gergiev more generally. This is a relaxed performance, and at a musical entertainment I expect to be invited to relax. If it does not seem ungallant to say so, the only problem I have with the singing concerns Valentina Tsidipova as Sadkos temporary undersea wife, the sea-princess Volkhova. In vocal quality she does not compare well with his real human wife Marianna Tarassova, but she largely makes up for that with the touching and affecting account she gives of her final lullaby-farewell to Sadko. Otherwise the cast in general, chorus as well as principals, suit me just fine. Character-delineation is not the name of the game and they do not have to be assessed on that score. The voices are right for their respective roles, and they convey the sense of enjoyment that I look for in this opera.
My rarely-used DVD player is hooked up to my television at the moment, and the speakers, though perfectly adequate, are not to the standard of those on my Sony hi-fi set. Nevertheless I caught the effect of Rimskys exquisite orchestral writing, described by Tovey as the purest since Mozart himself, quite well. The swans make their entrance to generalised sea-bird calls, which I dont think is a noise swans make, but it is so artistic and beautiful that Im not bothered by that, and even on my B-speakers the effect is delightful. The production is quite a feast for the eye. The costumes are magnificent, and I must say the cast in general are extremely good-looking. Sadko is shorter in stature than his undersea wife, but standing 56" myself I can forgive that. The first entrance of the sea-king is a perfect pantomime effect, and the final apotheosis of poor Volkhova is very adeptly achieved. The choreography is jaw-droppingly brilliant at times. I suppose the high spot of that should be the increasingly frenzied dance of the undersea courtiers, but I have to admit that the co-ordinated arm-movements of the bevy of Indian lovelies had me whooping with delight and this short episode is likely to ensure more frequent use of my DVD equipment in future.
At the end the entire huge cast, plus the conductor, take a collective and richly deserved envoi. There had just been 3 hours of Sadko, but for one spectator at least it had been over in no time. To go with the disc there is a good liner-note from the distinguished critic Robert Layton, providing the quotes from the composer that should assist in our understanding of what he is about here. The full libretto is not supplied, but Layton also provides a summary of the action that is all that I for one was after. Read it once and you will have everything you need before sitting back and enjoying the sound and the spectacle.
It has Chinese subtitle!
Rating Point :5 Helpful Point :1
The Chinese subtitle is very helpful and even better it is in traditional Chinese!
Not only the music the stages, costumes and dances are great. The full opera is very heavy on chorous.
This is the first time I heard the singing of "Song of India". Not many tenor records on the singing of this beautiful song. May be it is in Russian.
A spellbinding production
Rating Point :5 Helpful Point :0
This is one of those occasions when everything comes together, (which to me is a hallmark of this opera company.) Perfect tiptop cast, fabulous costumes and scenery and a master at the podium (no need of anything but his hands.) I love this company and recommend this production as a perfect example of Russian opera at its best.
BREATHTAKING.
Rating Point :5 Helpful Point :0
I BOUGHT THIS DVD LAST YEAR 2007 AND NEVER TIRE OF VIEWING IT.ITS A PITY THE SPORT OBSESSED BBC NEVER PUTS ANYTHING LIKE THIS INTO ITS SCHEDULES.NOT LESS THAN A QUARTER OF THE LICENSE SHOULD BE TAKEN AWAY FROM THOMPSON AN CO AND GIVEN TO CH4 AND CH5 SO THEY COULD IMPROVE THE OUTPUT OF THESE CHANNELS WHICH AT PRESENT ARE ABYSMAL.
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