Search - Lehar - Der Zarewitsch on DVD

Stratas Captivates

Randy Buck | Brooklyn, NY USA | 06/05/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I must say at the start of this review, the four stars are awarded because of Teresa Stratas -- the film of Lehar's evergreen operetta itself is otherwise a fairly undistinguised two-star affair. Wieslaw Ochman, the titular prince, sings nicely enough, but looks all too often as though he's trying to digest a particularly tough schnitzel. The rest of the supporting cast mug and whirl through a series of melodramatic scenes, limp comic numbers and uninspired dance routines that remind you why operetta fell into disfavor in the first place. The transfer's fine, but that only serves to give one a clearer look at the rug warehouse and Klimt-in-the-nursery-school painted drops that make up the incredibly tatty physical production on display. Two things, though, stand out, glowing and triumphant. Lehar's gift for melody still delights, and this score boasts some of the loveliest tunes he ever wrote. And Teresa Stratas, who cut her teeth on a number of these German operetta flicks before hitting international stardom, is absolutely enchanting. That her singing's lovely comes as no surprise; those of us who thrilled to her Lulu or Suor Angelica know the lady's a fine actress, too. But the depth of feeling and delicacy of emotion she brings to a somewhat cardboard role are truly exemplary. Any singer aspiring to an opera career should watch carefully how Stratas illumines the cliched text and, with a minimum of effort, finds layers of meaning while those around her are content to merely skim the surface. If you're not completely immune to sobbing through your schlag, you'll find much to enjoy here."

A very good 1970s movie by Unitel

A. BOSS | Mountainside, NJ United States | 10/17/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In the 1970s, Unitel made a series of movies of operettas using young opera singers and filmed on location. Many of these are now being released on DVD by DG. Like many films of works that were origonally written for the stage, this movie does deviates from the stage performance, but the music is all there. The audio has been upgraded to modern dts standard, so the DVD is not burdened with 1970s audio. Everyone sings and acts very well."

Wonderful Score, Outstanding Lead Singers, A Joy!

drkhimxz | Freehold, NJ, USA | 06/30/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Lehar melodies get the singers they need to sound as they should: the best that classical operetta has to offer (though there are equals in the genre). The two leads are first rate,Strata could have been a top star in films had she wanted it. The supporting roles are appropriately cast for the peculiar demands made upon such actors, to be stereotypical second bananas and villains, not witty or truly nasty. The plot is serviceable, the condensation suitable to a film without the intermissions of a staged performance; one is moved along swiftly enough to avoid being forced to think too much about the story. The color has held up well, the dancing is attention-grabbing, the costumes and scenery is positive reinforcement to the production. All in all, a most enjoyable film. Oh, yes, one cannot help but regret not having been able to see a live production with the incomparable voice of Richard Tauber to savor; however, there are the recordings to remind us of the kind of talent which was being driven out of Germany and, somewhat later, all of Europe, by a regime which did not tolerate what that talent had provided."

A 'truly' beautiful woman is Teresa Stratas

Richard C. Allen | Indianapolis, Indiana | 01/16/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I suspect this sounds silly to some but as a man, Teresa Stratas seems to exude the most beautiful things imaginable in this wonderful operetta. Her exquisite beauty is magnified by a voice that is truly hard to fathom. I recommend folks maximize their audio setup, possibly using headphones to keep, as pure as possible, the timbre and color of her gorgeous voice. Such beauty and romance can never be equalled in today's culture it seems. Her acting is superb, the emotion and passion she expresses to Wieslaw Ochman is yet another story in itself. For one gal to have it all, at the very highest level, is a treat indeed. This is romance at its absolute best! After a couple of youtube clips of her singing I knew I was in for a treat but this exceeded my expectations! If you are needing to feel good about love again this is for you!"