Search - Strauss: Die Fledermaus [Blu-ray] on Blu-ray

Hard to top Blu-ray

Steve Perlowski | Des Moines, IA | 12/29/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Although I prefer the Kleiber version (with Pamela Coburn), and the version conducted by Domingo with te Kanawa, this Blu-ray version of Die Fledermaus is quite the spectacle [widescreen, excellent picture and sound, colorful costumes, creative set(s), wonderful cinematography, and fine singing]. The last act (at the jail) is also probably better in this version than the other two. In the first act, and the most important second act, however, the Kleiber and Domingo version(s) seem to get much closer to the operetta's spirit, frivolity, and joie de vivre; it's too bad that those gems will forever remain trapped in their pre-Blu-ray, full screen, medium. But for those of you with widescreen HDTVs, who have grown tired of the fullscreen (1.33:1) black (or worse, grey) sidebars, this Bluray Fledermaus takes full advantage of your HDTV's entire widescreen aspect, and it's not likely that you will be disappointed with it."

I'd give it a 10 if i could!

Wayne Kuhaupt | 06/22/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This production is hands-down the best I have seen. All of the principal performers were truly excellent. The sound, lighting and sets were fabulous on the blue-ray disk. Thomas Allen and Pamela Armstrong were hilarious throughout. The role of Prince Orlofsky was performed with absolutely amazing virtuosity by Malena Ernman, while Lyubov Petrova was bubbly as the maid. The nuanced gestures and glances of all the characters were a joy to see on the screen--many times in a theater, the audience misses out on the true subtlety and strength of the acting. Here each twitch and bat of the eyelash were captured perfectly. I applaud the result of rewriting some of the text of this opera-it added a freshness and relevance to today's audiences that was superb. Other productions may have some bigger names, but this production is uniformly outstanding in its entirety. Bravo!"

Glorious production

mcewin | St. John's, NF Canada | 01/30/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is the first blue-ray version of an operetta that lends itself to detailed stagecraft. It doesn't disappoint on that score. All of the performances are first rate, notably those of Adele and the Prince. Set decoration uses bright flashes of costume colour against a muted background suggestive of Vienna between the Wars. The second act lacks the sparkle we often expect at a live performance, with none of the 'guest appearances' that we often expect, and none of the ensemble dance numbers. The dialogue has been modernized in a way I found appealing [contrary to another review], a long-standing tradition and not at all inappropriate for an audience that (let's face it) that's out late at night on New Year's Eve and likely drinking during the interval. Frosch unfortunately doesn't get to make a topical standup routine."