Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Audience Rating: Exempt Binding: DVD EAN: 0044007340103 Format: Box set Label: Deutsche Grammophon Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon Number Of Discs: 1 Number Of Items: 2 Publisher: Deutsche Grammophon Region Code: 0 Release Date: 2005-03-14 Running Time: 180 Studio: Deutsche Grammophon Theatrical Release Date: 2000
Customer Rating: Summary: Wonderful Met production but the Don does not frighten us Comment: This is one of the best versions of Mozart's masterpiece presently available in DVD. Its greatest attraction is obviously the presence of Renée Fleming and Bryn Terfel. Ms Fleming's interpretation of Donna Anna is truly exceptional: the candor and purity of her voice make a perfect expression of the pain and suffering of that noble woman who's father has been killed by the man who tried to rape her. Bryn Terfel is undoubtely a great singer, but he is not a credible Don Giovanni. His voice lacks that touch of evil that makes of the Don the seductor that everybody admires and fears at the same time, specially when he seduces Zerlina and sings below Donna Elvira's balcony. Mr. Terfel's physical appearance is the other factor that prevents us from believing that he can make harm every person that surrounds him. He is obliged to replace body movements with grimaces. I would have liked much better in the role of Leporello, instead of Furlanetto, who is still a great singer (I saw him last year at the Met playing Mustafa in L'Italiana in Algieri) but he is not anymore the memorable servant who accompanied Samuel Ramey and Thomas Allen in those legendary recordings (also available in DVD). He has really let himself go during the last ten years not only phisically (he has gained much weight) but his voice is not the same that we admired during the late eighties. Solveig Kringelborn is a gorgeous Donna Elvira: her beauty, her voice and her acting make us believe that she is really in love with the devil and wants to rescue him from hell. Paul Groves is great as Don Octavio and the same can be said about Hei-Yung Hong as Zerlina. I was surprised to see John Relyea as Massetto. He was acclaimed at he Met this year for his role of Figaro in Le Nozze. Is a big surprise to see such a good singer in this role. Here you can appreciate him in his beginnings.The sound and image are excellent (this comment goes for the german DVD) and the orchestra is superbly conducted by James Levine. Can we ask for more? Maybe a more aggresive Don Giovanni and a younger Leporello. Customer Rating: Summary: Wonderful Met production but the Don does not frighten us Comment: This is one of the best versions of Mozart's masterpiece presently available in DVD. Its greatest attraction is obviously the presence of Renée Fleming and Bryn Terfel. Ms Fleming's interpretation of Donna Anna is truly exceptional: the candor and purity of her voice make a perfect expression of the pain and suffering of that noble woman who's father has been killed by the man who tried to rape her. Bryn Terfel is undoubtely a great singer, but he is not a credible Don Giovanni. His voice lacks that touch of evil that makes of the Don the seductor that everybody admires and fears at the same time, specially when he seduces Zerlina and sings below Donna Elvira's balcony. Mr. Terfel's physical appearance is the other factor that prevents us from believing that he can make harm every person that surrounds him. He is obliged to replace body movements with grimaces. I would have liked much better in the role of Leporello, instead of Furlanetto, who is still a great singer (I saw him last year at the Met playing Mustafa in L'Italiana in Algieri) but he is not anymore the memorable servant who accompanied Samuel Ramey and Thomas Allen in those legendary recordings (also available in DVD). He has really let himself go during the last ten years not only phisically (he has gained much weight) but his voice is not the same that we admired during the late eighties. Solveig Kringelborn is a gorgeous Donna Elvira: her beauty, her voice and her acting make us believe that she is really in love with the devil and wants to rescue him from hell. Paul Groves is great as Don Octavio and the same can be said about Hei-Yung Hong as Zerlina. I was surprised to see John Relyea as Massetto. He was acclaimed at he Met this year for his role of Figaro in Le Nozze. Is a big surprise to see such a good singer in this role. Here you can appreciate him in his beginnings.The sound and image are excellent and the orchestra is superbly conducted by James Levine. Can we ask for more? Maybe a more aggresive Don Giovanni and a younger Leporello. Customer Rating: Summary: Mozart would have been proud Comment: This performance of Don Giovanni from the MET is probably the best version I have encountered on DVD and I can recommend it wholeheartedly. There are many versions on DVD to choose from, each with their own merits. However, you will not find a version so finely staged, sung or conducted. Terfel as the Don is a real rogue, with the eyes and voice to match. Furlanetto as his sidekick (a Don himself) acquits himself with disctinction, repeating an excellent performance seen earlier with Karajan from 1987. Fleming offers a vivid and exciting performance as Anna with no mannerisms in the singing. Kringelborn's strong voice contrasts well with Fleming as Elvira, reminding me of Schwarzkopf in her youth. The remainder of the cast is strong vocally. The production by Franco Zeffirelli is well conceived. Mozart would have been proud. What more can I say?
![Bryn Terfel - Don Giovanni - Mozart [2000] (NTSC)](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/516HEETMB6L._SL160_.jpg)
