Search - Waldbuhne Concert - Italian Night / Berliner Philharmoniker on DVD

Left Me Wanting More

Joseph Falotico | 09/27/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Not because there isn't enough music, because there is. It's because I didn't want it to end. The concert is made up mostly of Verdi's music, with Bellini's and Rossini's music thrown in for good measure. Soloists, soprano Angela Gheorghiu and tenor, Sergei Larin sing the love duet from Otello as well as soloing respectively in music from Bellini's The Capulets and the Montagues, and from Verdi's Un Ballo in Maschera. Baritone, Bryn Terfel, sings Iago's Credo from Otello, and joins Mr. Larin in a duet from Don Carlo. In addition to these high-powered soloists, the concert includes Verdi's overture to La Forza del Destino and to Nabucco. A chorus sings the Slave Music from the latter as well as the Anvil Chorus from Il Travotore and the Triumphal Chorus from Aida. The nod to Rossini is his sprightly overture to The Barber of Seville. The audio and picture are excellent
As you can see, there are a lot of favorites on this DVD. The conductor, Claudio Abbado, with the Berlin Philharmonic, and the outdoor audience seem to be having a lot of fun, not permitting to have the falling rain rain on their parade. Mr. Abbado amused the audience by inserting operatic themes during the audience participation in the work, Berliner Luft, which traditionally closes the program. This DVD will entertain you whenever it is viewed. SO BUY IT!!!"

Italian Night-SUPERB!

Donald Waits | New Orleans, La. USA | 02/10/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"What a superb change has imbued the Berlin Philharmoniker since the von Karajan days. Instead of a bunch of dour old men and the camera staying on "The Master", we can enjoy joyful music played by flesh and blood talented individuals. Not only is the music magnificent, the interaction between orchestra and audience is touching and thrilling. Although it is raining quite hard, not one person is seen running for cover. Everyone has either an umbrella or a tarp of some kind. This is a musical experience unlike any other. The video and audio people have done a wonderful job to make this DVD a joyous performance. This was my first purchase in the series and I have since acquired all the rest. How the Berlin Philharmonic was judged second to the Vienna Orchestra is beyond my comprehension."

Italian Night With Abbado

Zarathustra | Sacramento, CA USA | 10/30/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this one for my daughter-in-law, whose father is from Rome. I had to preview it, since Abbado is my favorite conductor. His Beethoven and Mahler sets are great. But what could be better than Abbado conducting Italian opera highlights?
Highly recommended."

Good performance, basic DVD

J. Espinosa Ihnen | Santiago de Chile | 05/25/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Everybody is happy in this concert. There's young people crowding the beautiful Waldbühne natural amphitheater in Berlin, and also young musicians on the stage. Lots of smiles, including Maestro Abbado, celebrating the trumpets, the uninvited rain and Germany's scores in some football game (maybe the 1996 Euro Cup played in England).

The music is well served, orchestra and chorus, both huge, sound good, the repertoire is mainly Verdi, and most pieces are very popular. The Bellini aria sung by Gheorghiu is splendid, the love duet from Otello is also well performed by Gheorghiu and tenor Larin. Bryn Terfel sings a good Rodrigo de Posa in the Don Carlos duet, but he sounds like Alberich singing Iagos's Credo. What happened, Bryn? Perhaps the cold Berlin air transported your terrific voice down to the Nibelheim.

No matter the 2009 edition date, this is 1996 stuff, and this Kultur DVD offers just the basics, that is 4:3 TV format, only stereo PCM sound, no subtitles, no bonus track. I've cut one star for this.
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