Search - Mario Frangoulis - Sometimes I Dream (Live in Concert) on DVD

Frank E. (realartist) from HENDERSONVLLE, NC
Reviewed on 8/12/2009...

One of my favorite things about swapaDVD-other than discovering obscure but great movies-are the music DVD's. And boy was this one a stupendous surprise. I'm one of the happy few who discovered a vast body of great music composed in the mid 19th century, namely opera which, supposedly is 'uncool'-well, it isn't uncool. Now that we have crystal clear cinematography and subtitles, we can all follow the libretto. It is amazing how composers segued one tempo and melody line after another with duets, trios, full 50 voice chorus, and beloved solo arias..there aint' nothing uncool about that astounding body of works .
But here we have no excuse to ignore this wonderful new tenor on the world stage. A fine example of gorgeous music, recently composed...like Nights in White Satin, and others. Mario signs a wonderful, and thrilling range of scores. Some are in Italian, some in English, -one beautiful number in Greek. ( the concert takes place outdoors in front of an enthusiastic audience of some thousands, backed up with a full orchestra-guitars, horns, violins...and all superbly performed ). What is not to like !

There is a real good reason a single performer would be brought forward for a solo performance...and that reason would be a flawless and powerful tenor voice to die for. Any of you who sing in a chorale group, or better yet, sing a solo number-should also find yourself WISHING you could sing like this. This is an astounding, sumptuous marvel-every single track.
And there is one last compliment I must pay, perhaps the best compliment of all...Mario is imminently likeable, winsome, affable. Some great vocalists have a kind of prima donna/ or "divo" sense of self importance that is subtly betrayed. But not Mario. He is humbled by his sudden rocketing to fame on the worlwide stage. Placido Domingo has this quality also that causes us to love him..good looks, astounding set of pipes - both in forte and soto voce...but somehow loveable every moment of his performance.

You would not regret buying this DVD if one is not available for trade. I strongly suspect you will not part with it after you have one in your collection. This one will go on your top shelf-and be played again and again. It's that good. Mario is THAT good! And the orchestra and choral back up is beyond description. Fantastic musical awe and wonder-all on one DVD.

Passion, Talent, and a Voice that will leave you dreaming

M. Raeann Gooch | Napa, CA USA | 12/08/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am crossing all fingers and toes in the hope that this amazingly talented young man will receive the recognition that he so deserves. Sometimes I Dream:Live In Concert was filmed in Thessaloniki, Greece at the beautiful Theatre of the Earth. Mario is joined by a lovely orchestra and a couple of different choirs. The audience is made up of all ages, from teenagers to young couples to senior citizens. This is singing at its purist - no overblown pyrotechnics or crazy lighting, no dancers, no smoke. It is a man on a stage, singing with a passion that will leave you almost breathless. While watching Mario sing, you can tell that he feels every note of the music and every emotion that the song addresses. His face, especially his eyes, are so expressive. His training in acting and his experience in theatre (Phantom, Les Miz) have given him an incredible ability to become a different character within each song.
The voice of the Moody Blues, Justin Hayward, makes a special appearance to join Mario for Nights In White Satin. Mario gives an introduction for most of the songs. The concert includes all but one song from the album Sometimes I Dream. The bonus section contains a Behind The Scenes featurette, Mario's biography, a photo gallery, and Mario's thoughts on each song. The picture quailty and sound are first rate. The editorial review is incorrect about subtitles - they are available in English, French and German. I think it's safe to say that the average person does not speak fluent Italian or Greek, so the person who decided to include subtitles deserves a raise. The concert portion is just about an hour and the featurette is around 10 minutes. This is a great dvd and well worth the cost. Mario is an amazing talent and he blows the "competition" (I don't need to throw names) out of the water with his vocal talent, passionate interpretation of songs, and amazing stage presence. He is charming and attractive and will hopefully introduce a new generation to the operatic/pop classical hybrid of music."

Amazing. This guy has a beautiful voice

PatrickO | New York, NY United States | 06/15/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I caught this presentation on my local NYC PBS station in late 2002 while channel flipping. I was struck by the range, power and enormous passion of his voice and ended up watching the whole concert. Frangoulis was then on my local PBS station providing some live commentary after the broadcast. He seems like a humble person despite his amazing talent.Frangoulis' duet with Moody Blues vocalist Justin Haywood on "Nights in White Satin" is one of those rare moments in music that is thrilling. There's no other word for it. The fact that this guy isn't a bigger star is a huge failure of Sony's marketing department, in my view. He outshines just about every other male pop and classical vocalist I've ever heard. In terms of talent, he's a male equivalent of someone like Barbra Streisand or Whitney Houston.So in short, it's hard to imagine anyone not liking this DVD, especially given the beauty of the outdoor ampitheater in Greece where it was staged. Buy it and be amazed."

ABOLUTELY AWESOME!!!

J. Watler | FL, USA | 03/17/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you love Andrea Bocelli and Josh Groban (I do), you will LOOOOVE Mario as well. The three styles are different, we're not talking who sounds more like the "opera tenor" here. Who the HELL cares!!! This is just pure enjoyment and soul nurturing. Mario sings in English, Italian, Greek and Spanish; and trust me, you will not CARE that you can't understand a word, Mario transmits so much emotion and passion thru his songs that you will enjoy this music, even if you don't understand what he's singing. He is THAT good! Mario sounds even better live than on the studio recorded CD of the same title. I definitely will be looking for his live concert in the future. Way to go, Mario!"