*** This Blu-ray Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players and not compatible with standard DVD or HD DVD players. ***



MORENO TORROBA Luisa Fernanda & • Jesús López-Cobos, cond; Nancy Herrera ( Luisa Fernanda ); Mariola Cantarero ( Duchess Carolina ); José Bros ( Javier Moreno ); Plácido Domingo ( Vidal Hernando ); Raquel Pierotti ( Mariana ); Teatro Real O & Ch • BBC/OPUS ARTE 969 (Blu-ray: 132:00) Live: Madrid 7/14,16/2006


& Interviews with Domingo, Sagi, and López-Cobos; illustrated synopsis; cast gallery


Alan Swanson covered the earlier DVD release of this production in Fanfare 31:2; hie thee to our online archive for details. This is a highly engaging work from 1932 about a love triangle during an anti-royalist uprising in 19th-century Spain; the musical style is Spanish Puccini with even catchier tunes (by which I mean the melodies are built from short, memorable phrases rather than long operatic lines). You need only see and hear Nancy Herrera for a few seconds to think, “What a perfect Carmen she’d be.” Indeed, she has sung that role many times. Here, she’s not a dangerous Gypsy vamp but an ordinary middle-class woman torn between two lovers: a brash, womanizing, ambitious royalist and military man (sung ringingly by José Bros) and an earnest and stable country gentleman who falls in with the rebels (the superb Plácido Domingo, venturing into high baritone territory). In every respect—composition, singing, orchestral management by Jesús López-Cobos, stage direction, and set design by Emilio Sagi, everything—the production is a delight.


The high-definition video format is perfect for keeping the deep blacks and bright whites in balance, never allowing the light colors to flare or bloom or the dark patches to turn the overall picture murky. As usual with Opus Arte, the audio options are limited to stereo and 5.0 PCM. Extras include a narrated synopsis, and good interviews with Domingo and the stage director and conductor. This is an endearing work, lovingly presented.


FANFARE: James Reel
Vidal Hernando – Plácido Domingo
Luisa Fernanda – Nancy Herrera
Javier Moreno – José Bros
Duchess Carolina – Mariola Cantarero
Mariana – Raquel Pierotti
Aníbal – Javier Ferrer
Rosita – Sabina Puértolas
Don Florito Fernández – José Antonio Ferrer
Don Luís Nogales – Federico Gallar
Bizco Porras – David Rubiera
Emilio Sagi, Stage Director
Recorded live at the Teatro Real, Madrid in July 2006
Bonus:
- Interviews with Plácido Domingo, Emilio Sagi and Jesús López Cobos
- Illustrated Synopsis / Cast Gallery

Region code: 0 (All Regions)
Picture: 16:9; 1080i
Sound: PCM 2.0 and 5.1
Subtitles: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian

One of Spain’s most internationally admired living composers, Lorenzo Palomo is the natural successor to Joaquin Turina. His orchestral music shares a sense of rhapsodic freedom with Turina’s, perfectly exemplified by the Sinfonia Cardoba. This rapturous portrait of the city conjures its architecture and spirit with dance rhythms and vivid, poetic lyricism. Written for the unique combination of guitar, violin and orchestra, Fulgores skillfully blends these three voices in music that possesses a wealth of tonal color and expressive beauty.

*** This Blu-ray Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players and not compatible with standard DVD or HD DVD players. ***

Picture Format: 1080i High Definition, NTSC 16:9 Anamorphic
Sound Format: 2.0 and 5.0 PCM audio
Region Code: 0 (All Regions)
Menu Language: English
Subtitles: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian
Running Time: 149 mins
No. of Discs: 1 (Blu-ray)

Also available on Blu-ray

MOZART Le nozze di Figaro • Jesús López-Cobos, cond; Ludovic Tézier ( Count Almaviva ); Barbara Fritoli ( Countess Almaviva ); Luca Pisaroni ( Figaro ); Isabel Rey ( Susanna ); Marina Comparato ( Cherubino ); Jeanette Fischer ( Marcellina ); Carlos Chausson ( Bartolo ); Raúl Giméz ( Basilio );Enrique Viana ( Don Curzio ); Solidad Cardoso ( Barbarina ); Miguel Sola ( Antonio ); Teatro Real O & Ch • TEATRO ROYAL TR97002DVD (DVD: 193:03)


Ideally, an opera overture sets the mood for us, although it sometimes serves the less lofty functions of quieting an audience or ushering in late arrivals. Modern technology has introduced yet another, still less lofty function. An opera overture now provides the DVD producer an opportunity to run cast credits past the viewer, replete with publicity photos and stills. If there is time left over, the cameraman has leave, as in the present case, to display a close-up of a kettledrum, while the principle musical element lies in the agile string playing of the Teatro Real Orchestra. One has the sense, in this live performance that the camera is watching the opera for us, and often directing our attention to things not particularly relevant, or things we’d prefer not to notice at all. For example I would prefer not to have my attention drawn, by means of a close-up, to the Countess’s throat undulating in perfect synch with her wavering pitch as she struggles through “Porgi Amor.” Close-ups are dangerous. They can bring to light vocal difficulties, seams in the costumes, the counterfeit quality of the sets, and add a good 10 years to the faces of most cast members. What appears opulent and miraculous in the segments filmed from the viewpoint of the theater attendee quickly vanishes during the arbitrary swooping and zooming of the cameras. The singers are at a disadvantage in an unresolved push and pull as they play sometimes to the audience, sometimes to the camera. A lens placed inches from the faces of the Almavivas allows us to read their significant exchange of glances in the marriage scene, but one notes that it would be entirely lost on the theater audience. Conversely, Susanna’s mischievous look as she plans a flying leap upon her future marriage bed in the first scene, obviously played to the house, is overstated vaudeville to the DVD viewer.


With visual grievances set aside, musical justice is done in abundance by a perfect cast for Mozart’s “perfect opera.” It is, of course, an ensemble opera, and the ensemble singing is superb. The contribution of every cast member is solid and satisfying both musically and dramatically. Luca Pisaroni stands out as the most beautiful voice, and his facile portrayal of Figaro’s many faceted character is admirable. Maestro Jesús López-Cobos’s conducting is expert, and often inspired. One might add that his conducting is “authentic,” as in Mozart’s time the work, the composer, and the performer took precedence over the conductor in contrast to our recent cult of personality figures like Karajan or Bernstein. López-Cobos is a fine craftsman as well as a fine artist and possesses a wonderful sense of tempo. For example the unfolding sequence of Allegro s, which bring the second act to a close, is executed brilliantly.


Stage director Emilio Sagi sets his cast spinning in a charming and credible manner. One might raise an eyebrow, however, at his idea of the Countess, traditionally a heroic and noble personage, being transformed now and then into a buffa character. The comic elements of her eating a pastry with too much gusto after first refusing it, her being plumped and fussed over while her chair and footstool are being arranged, and her comical russet wig seem out of place. The flirtation with Cherubino under the close and unflattering eye of the camera gives the sense of her being a silly, aging matron making a fool of herself. If one knows the third play of Beaumarchais’s trilogy, one knows how wrong this interpretation is.


The sets, seen from the theater audience point of view, are quite elegant, and warm in color, though there are marked hints of austerity. Only a few articles of furniture occupy the large palace chambers. There is no chair for Cherubino to hide in during the first act; only an immense bed, which makes its point perhaps a little too obviously. The Countess’s bare chamber contains only a large bed, a tiny table, and a chair, engulfed in large expanses of floor space and unadorned walls. Austerity is the word of the day in Madrid just now, and it seems to have crept from the legislature to the stage, and finally to the orchestra pit, where horns are replaced by flutes. This is especially disappointing in the great Larghetto section of the act IV finale where Figaro is awaiting Susannah’s assignation with the Count.


Ultimately, the music is so great, so well played, so well recorded; the performers are so charming, the sets so imaginative, that one forgives the flaws; even the clumsiness of the camera. The opera is intact and its greatness compelling. In the filming of operas, technology has not had time to reach the artistic heights of its subject. With perhaps the exception of Bergman’s production of Die Zauberflöte, opera still works only at the opera. If one can’t attend, and there are more and more reasons why one can’t, then DVDs might be the next best thing. Still, the gap between the best and the next best is as wide as the gap between the cylinder and the CD.


FANFARE: Raymond Beegle

Federico Moreno Torroba - LUISA FERNANDA

Vidal Hernando - Plácido Domingo
Luisa Fernanda - Nancy Herrera
Javier Moreno - José Bros
Duchess Carolina - Mariola Cantarero
Mariana - Raquel Pierotti
Aníbal - Javier Ferrer
Rosita - Sabina Puértolas
Don Florito Fernández - José Antonio Ferrer
Don Luís Nogales - Federico Gallar
Bizco Porras - David Rubiera

Chorus & Orchestra of the Teatro Real
(Madrid Symphony Orchestra & Chorus)
Jesús López Cobos, Conductor

Emilio Sagi, Stage Director

Recorded live at the Teatro Real, Madrid in July 2006

Bonus Material:
Interviews with Plácido Domingo, Emilio Sagi and Jesús López Cobos / Illustrated Synopsis / Cast Gallery

Picture format: NTSC 16:9 Anamorphic
Sound format: DTS Surround / LPCM Stereo
Region code: 0 (All Regions)
Menu Language: English
Subtitles: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian
Running time: 105 minutes
No. of DVDs: 1

* Plácido Domingo heads an internationally renowned cast in Emilio Sagi's stylish new production for Madrid's Teatro Real of Moreno Torroba's enduring Zarzuela, whose story itself is set in the Spanish capital. Filmed using High Definition cameras and recorded in true surround sound. Jesus Lopez Cobos conducts the Chorus & Orchestra of the Teatro Real.

R E V I E W S

"The production at the Teatro Real in Madrid was a top-of-the- range version… Vidal is a peach of a role for Domingo: his voice easily commands its baritone range and he dominates the action, convincingly heroic in voice and figure and still able to project a greying virility in the style of Sean Connery. Nancy Herrara as Luisa and Jose Bros as Javier gave fine support." -- The Independent

"Luisa Fernanda is a fantastic addition to Opus Arte’s already very impressive catalog of classical releases. Aside from the small lighting issue, which I addressed in my technical analysis, this is just about a perfect disc. I am definitely looking forward to more Spanish music being released on Blu-ray. I hope Manuel de Falla isn’t too far behind. Very Highly Recommended." -- Dr Svet Atanasov, Blu-ray.com [April 2009]

"Luisa Fernanda deserves to be better known and appreciated. Hopefully this excellent BD performance will help foster that appreciation. Beautifully played and sung, and with a striking physical production, this is zarzuela at its finest. Highly recommended." -- Jeffrey Kauffman, DVD Talk [June 2009]

*** This Blu-ray Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players and not compatible with standard DVD or HD DVD players. ***

Pietro Mascagni
CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA

Santuzza – Violeta Urmana
Turiddu – Vincenzo La Scola
Lola – Dragana Jugovic
Mamma Lucia – Viorica Cortez
Alfio – Marco di Felice

Ruggero Leoncavallo
PAGLIACCI

Canio – Vladimir Galouzine
Nedda – María Bayo
Tonio – Carlo Guelfi
Beppe – Antonio Gandía
Silvio – Ángel Ódena

Chorus and Orchestra of the Teatro Real, Madrid
Jesús López Cobos, conductor

Giancarlo del Monaco, stage director

Recorded live at the Teatro Real, Madrid, in February and March 2007.

Bonus:
- Interviews with Giancarlo del Monaco, Jesús López Cobos, Violeta Urmana, Vincenzo La Scola, Vladimir Galouzine and María Bayo.
- Cast gallery.

Picture format: 1080i High Definition, NTSC 16:9 Sound format: PCM 2.0 and 5.0
Region code: 0 (all regions)
Subtitles: English, German, French, Spanish, Italian
Menu Language: English
Running time: 201 mins
No. of Discs: 1 (Blu-ray BD50 disc)