Search - Lehar - Die Lustige Witwe on DVD

Wow, and More Wow!

Joseph L. Ponessa | Glendive MT USA | 07/22/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I picked up a DVD of this production in Berlin last year, and have watched it several times, and it has become one of my favorites. This DVD records an outdoor Summer 2005 production of DIE LUSTIGE WITWE (The Merry Widow) to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of its premiere in December of 1905. The text is complete, and the little nonstop joys of the libretto remain intact, unlike any other performance available on home video. That alone would make this DVD worthwhile, but in addition the staging is absolutely superb. A cast of hundreds enact an entire universe of precisely staged tableaux, while the spirit of Lehar energizes the musical team. At the same time, at the heart of all this, the feelings of the principal characters find real mutual chemistry. The sun goes down as the performance begins, and the fireworks at the end perfectly punctuate a great ensemble performance. Wow, and more wow!"

A GREAT AND ABSOLUTE HIT

Chilean Opera lover | Santiago, Chile | 11/28/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After the San Francisco production of The Merry widow (in english), with a marvelous stage and costumes design, I thought there was not going to be another one in DVD. This is even better. Fist of all in the original language and the original score.

Margarita de Arellano (much much better than Yvonne Kenny at the San francisco production)looks nice, has a great voice and sings and acts wondeful as Hanna. Mathias Haussmann is a great Danilo physycally, vocally and as an actor (in this case Skhovus is as good as him or even better at the San Francisco production). The rest of the cast are superb too in their roles, vocally and acting.

The most importante of all is to see the whole cast having a great time on the stage.

The stage design and lightning are traditional and magnificent, and profits of all the possiblities that brings that gigantic stage surrounded by water. There are also some special effects like fireworks.

The same for the costume design, pretty, classical and coloured.

The stage direction, is great too, and must have been difficult to design it considering that the stage is crowded during most of the 150 minutes of opera. Specially apropriate and funny is the ballet of the third act (at Maxim's)

The sound is ver good. Dolby Digital 5.0, and the format 16:9 and not 4:3 as is written in the back of the case. Subtitles in english, french and Italian.

I think this is a very very good tribute to Franz Lehár. He would have been proud of his greatest work.

Buy it (I have to thank to mr. Ponessa's review that helped me to decide to buy this DVD), you won't regret. Enjoy it as I am doing.
"

A summernights enjoyment

Helene D. Christ | New-York | 03/25/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"To be in the audience, one would have to have binoculars, but watching this operetta on DVD is very enjoyable. The music is light and one finds ones-self hummintg the tunes.
The action is fast moving, the stagesettings and the costumes very colorful. One reviewer found criticism, but one has to remember, that the stage is gigantic and the large outdoor audience has to be controlled with the actions on the stage."