| PRODUCT DETAILS | | Wagner - Parsifal / Ventris, Hampson, Meier, Salminen, Fox, Kristinsson, Nagano, Berlin Opera |  | |
Wagner - Parsifal / Ventris, Hampson, Meier, Salminen, Fox, Kristinsson, Nagano, Berlin Opera
Manufacturer: BBC / Opus Arte
Price Range: $30.07 - $39.99
 Wagner - Parsifal / Ventris, Hampson, Meier, Salminen, Fox, Kristinsson, Nagano, Berlin Opera
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| User Reviews |  | A flawless production with an unorthodox ending
rating: 5
For an opera by Wagner to work in a DVD-format, you have to have a concurrence of a great staging AND a good DVD production. This is the secret behind this product, which I feel safe to recommend. Great singers, nice staging, a very good picture and impeccable stereo or Dolby sound. Though, I have to say I was disapointed on one point of Lehnhoffs direction: He has chosen to rewrite the end in light of his (lack of?) religous conviction.
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Absurd Staging!
rating: 1
This is a film of the staging of 'Parsifal' that was presented at the Lyric Opera of Chicago in 2002 (among other venues). Visually it is quite tiresome. It has the absurd ending of Kundry & Parsifal taking a cattle car to Auschwitz-Birkenau.
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Unbearable
rating: 2
I can't understand how other reviewers can be so praiseworthy, but then again, I've only managed the first act - if that. Talking to a guy who works at a classical music shop in Sydney, he said most 'modern' productions tend to just dress the characters in grey overcoats. And this is no exception. I prefer the 'traditional' staging of any opera, simply because it doesn't clash with the tone and style of the music. When you have this lush, rich, beautiful music, oughtn't the staging match? Here it seems the music is an intruder on the directors 'interpretation', which is really just his own need to be 'different', but in fact is nothing special. That, or the music who we are supposed to listen to, and the staging is in the way. I think the former. Contempary music for contemporary staging. Neither would interest me in any case. Therefore, 'classical' staging for classical music. This does not mean a copy of a copy of a copy of a copy of an original performance (i.e. Bayreuth 1876/1882), but a 'faithful' rendition of the music (hence, 'acts of music made visible').
Unfortunately I can't recommend any other Parsifal, as this is the only one I have seen, but I'm going to try the Levine/Met production, which will probably err on the side of raw, but that is always better than being overcooked, which this one truly is.
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Parsifal from Baden-Baden
rating: 5
Wow!
Magnificent singing from the great Meier and Salminen as well as from (the previously unheard by me) Christopher Ventris. I agree with others here who have remarked on the disappointing lightness of Hampson's voice in the role of Amfortas. Yes, he gives a WAYYYY better performance (he can, after all, carry a tune, for crying out loud!) than that dreadful one by Bernd Weikl on the Met DVD, but anybody who's known and loved the audio versions with Jose van Dam will probably never be satisfied with anyone else in that role. In any case, however, I'd much rather hear an Amfortas with a heftier voice that gives greater attention to the dynamics and really brings out the incredible beauty of his music.
Hampson's acting, on the other hand, was up to the extremely high standard by the other principals.
Oh, and I loved Tom Fox as Klingsor, too.
As to Nagano, I am not convinced that he understands this opera at all. There's just no passion or subtlety or magic to his direction. Competent, yes, but no more than that. I saw him do Parsifal twice this past season in LA and was not particularly impressed, but I thought at the time that the problem sprang more from Robert Wilson's production than from the pit. AFter viewing the DVD, I'm persuaded that Nagano is only slightly less clueless than Wilson when it comes to connecting with the audience in this piece. I'll take Levine, Barenboim, Boulez any day.
The third disc contains a special feature called Parsifal's Progress--interviews and such. It's mostly a lot of drivel, in my opinion. Lots of patter from director Lehnoff and the choreographer about why the flower maidens shouldn't be too seductive (puh-leez!)and why having Kundry and Parsifal walk out of the Grail Castle leading a bunch of the knights along a railroad track is an improvement on--or at least a defensible interpretation of--Wagner's ending. Singers Hampson, Ventris, Meier, and Fox are interviewed, but shed little light on anything and frankly sound like they're blowing a lot of smoke. There was no interview with Matti Salminen. Smart man!
There were many things about the production that I loved, and like at least one other who has posted here, I too was often overcome by the beauty of the singing, acting, and--well, just by Wagner's music. Okay, some of the show was laughable: Meier, for example, in Act II, singing from behind something that looks like a giant pumpkin, then falling to the stage after the kiss and doing some kind of imitation of a broken mechanical toy that can't right itself, then wriggling out of a stiff skirt so that she can finally move normally again. Where, in heaven's name, do they come up with these ideas? It's a testament to her, nevertheless, that she transcends all silliness of staging with the brilliance of her interpretation of Kundry.
Bottom line? I 100% recommend the DVD. The insults to Wagner and to the intelligence of the viewer are not negligible, but don't deny yourself the truly excellent elements of this video.
(On the other hand,if you want something TRULY great, get the Barenboim audio CD with Jerusalem, Meier, and van Dam.)
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A Remarkable & Fresh Performance
rating: 5
This production removes all the traditional straightjacketing from this opera. The end result is stunning. It is the most moving production of this opera I ever seen.
Here, Parsifal is young and virile. Ventris's performance is nothing short of remarkable and he is joined by a crew of committed singing actors. My only reservation is Hampson whose voice is rather light for the role but like his colleagues, his performance is strong and convincing.
I have to admit that over the years I have grown bored with this opera but this DVD has renewed my love of Wagner's final opera.
The audio and video quality are of the highest standards here. There are two in-depth analysis included in this three DVD set. The first, a synopsis of the story and on the third DVD, there are extensive interviews with the cast, conductor and producer.
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Wagner - Parsifal / Ventris, Hampson, Meier, Salminen, Fox, Kristinsson, Nagano, Berlin Opera
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