Metalluk's Twenty Best Non-Italian Romantic Period Operas, on DVD
Jul 07 '09 (Updated Jul 22 '09)
The Bottom Line Here's twenty excellent DVD recordings for Non-Italian Operas from the Romantic Era (19th-century)
During the Romantic era (occupying roughly the 19th-century), Italy, led by Verdi, was the dominant force in the world of opera, but German opera emerged as a major challenger to Italian preeminence. Both of these schools had been greatly influenced by Mozart, in different ways. On the Italian side, Mozart led to Cimarosa and Paisello, who led to Rossini, who led to Donizetti and Bellini, who led to Verdi. In the German line of development, Mozart led to Cherubini, who led to Beethoven, who led to Weber, who led to Wagner.
The French provided a third major school of operatic development, under the leadership of Meyerbeer, though the French view of Grand Opéra never really caught on internationally, though it occasionally impacted certain operas written by Italian composers expressly for production in Paris. Bizet, Gounod, Berlioz, and Massenet added a few gems to the French jewel box during the Romantic era.
The other major development during the Romantic era was the origin of the first of the Nationalist Schools of opera – in Russia and in Czechoslovakia. These early Nationalist Schools presaged a far more extensive expansion of opera into other countries after 1900.
Selection Guidelines: In the interest of usefulness and variety, no opera appears twice, even though some operas have two or three different recordings that are better than another opera's best recording. This list is therefore a list of the twenty best operas from the period, not the twenty best recordings. Also for variety, the representation of composers who wrote many excellent operas (e.g., Wagner) is restricted to their best ones, even when one of their lesser operas might be better than the best opera of a lesser composer. The assumption is that music lovers who work their way through the best works of a prolific composer and still yearn for more will be fully equipped to direct their own further exploration.
National and Chronological Perspective:
Austrian:
Strauss, J.: Die Fledermaus (1874)
Star Rating: * * * * *
Conductor: Theodor Guschlbauer
Principal Vocalists: Lucia Popp, Edita Gruberová, Brigitte Fassbaender, Bernd Weikl, Walter Berry
Performance Year: 1980
Bottom-Line: Die Fledermaus is the most hilarious opera I've encountered, especially when performed with precision time by an excellent set of actors. Musically, it's delightful and sometimes even downright exhilarating. This production from New Year's Eve of 1980 offers an exception cast, exuberant performances, and sumptuous sets.
Czech:
Smetana: The Bartered Bride (1866)
Star Rating: * * * * *
Conductor: Zdenìk Košler
Principal Vocalists: Gabriela Beòaèková, Peter Dvorský, Richard Novák
Performance Year: 1981
Bottom-Line: This recording delivers a delightful two-hours-plus of exposure to authentic Czech culture, including Smetana's delightful music, sparkling dance numbers, and gorgeous costumes.
French:
Gounod: Faust (1846)
Star Rating: * *
Conductor: Alain Guingal
Principal Vocalists: Alfredo Krauss, Nicola Ghiuselev, Ana Maria Gonzales
Performance Year: 1986
Bottom-Line: The technical quality of the video for this recording is significantly substandard. Nevertheless, this is currently the best available DVD recording for his worthy opera, featuring Alfredo Krauss in one of his signature roles. I recommend this recording only for those opera lovers devoted to this particular operatic gem who want a recording to tide them over until a high quality DVD recording is ultimately released.
Berlioz: Les Troyens (1863)
Star Rating: * * * *
Conductor: James Levine
Principal Vocalists: Tatiana Troyanos, Plácido Domingo, Jessye Norman, Allan Monk, Paul Plishka
Performance Year: 1983
Bottom-Line: It will probably be many years before a better Les Troyens is made available on DVD. Musically, this version will be hard to beat, but there is room for improvements in the staging.
Bizet: Carmen (1875)
Star Rating: * * * * *
Conductor: Loren Maazel
Principal Vocalists: Julia Migenes, Plácido Domingo, Ruggero Raimondi
Performance Year: 1984
Bottom-Line: This recording of Carmen is quite simply cinematic opera adaptation at its finest. The atmosphere is great, the singing top notch, and Bizet's music sublime. Most importantly, Julia Migenes is sexy as all get-out as the greatest femme fatale in all of literature.
Saint-Saens: Samson et Dalila (1877)
Star Rating: * * * * *
Conductor: Colin Davis
Principal Vocalists: Shirley Verrett, Jon Vickers, Jonathan Summers
Performance Year: 1981
Bottom-Line: This work is the one operatic masterpiece of Camille Saint-Saëns. It's not a top-20 opera but belongs in the top-50 in the repertoire. The music is silky beautiful and here you have legendary performances by Vickers and Verrett and excellent work from Colin Davis, the orchestra, and the chorus. The wild pagan celebration is both visually and musically stunning. There's nothing to complain about for this recording except the story's message and, perhaps, the final crumbling of the temple looking distinctly non-lethal.
Massenet: Manon (1884)
Star Rating: * * * *
Conductor: Victor Pablo Pérez
Principal Vocalists: Natalie Dessay, Rolando Villazón, Manuel Lanza, Samuel Ramey
Performance Year: 2007
Bottom-Line: This is the best DVD versions of Manon. Dessay doesn't quite have the glamour that the part requires, but she is able to reach the deepest into the psychological recesses of her character and manages the coloratura passages effectively. Director David McVicar opted for a non-traditional staging, with sets that are dark and venal, suggesting decay and squalor rather than gaiety and pleasure.
Massenet: Werther (1892)
Star Rating: * * *
Conductor: Libor Pesek
Principal Vocalists: Brigitte Fassbaender, Peter Dvorský
Performance Year: 1985
Bottom-Line: This is an opera that is supposed to draw viewer tears over the tragic plight of two lovers held apart by circumstances and duty. For me, however, the principal male character, Werther, is not worthy of pity. His suffering is all of his own making, stemming from his fixation on one particular gal, arising before he had even gotten to know her. Then, he resorts to the worst kind of emotional blackmail (threatening to kill himself) in order to try to pressure her into abandoning her marital duty to take up with him. So, instead of tears, this opera only evoked jeers from me. The performances are excellent from top to bottom and the cinematography is outstanding. Massenet's score is pleasing and sometimes brilliant, but all those benefits are lost because this "love story" is really only about a selfish obsession.
German:
Beethoven: Fidelio (1814)
Star Rating: * * * * *
Conductor: Leonard Bernstein
Principal Vocalists: Gundula Janowitz, René Kollo, Manfred Jungwirth, Lucia Popp, Hans Sotin
Performance Year: 1978
Bottom-Line: Some operas gain ground for me when I proceed from the audio-only experience to the video version; some lose ground. Fidelio never held my interest very much in audio-only format, despite the fact that I very much enjoy most of Beethoven's orchestral, chamber, solo instrumental, choral, and solo vocal works. Seeing Fidelio in video format makes all the difference – at least for me. One reason why the video version adds value for me is that the libretto articulates values to which I strongly subscribe. Beyond that, however, the extent to which the music matches and magnifies the dramatic situations is extraordinary. As stand-alone music, it's harder to understand the music's merit, in this case, but in the full context of the opera, it is truly splendid. I love this video.
Wagner: The Flying Dutchman (1841)
Star Rating: * * * * *
Conductor: Wolfgang Sawallisch
Principal Vocalists: Donald McIntyre, Catarina Ligendza, Bengt Rundgren, Hermann Winkler
Performance Year: 1975
Bottom-Line: This is a superlative cinematic rendition of Wagner's first great opera. Made in 1975, the film is highly atmospheric and realistic, though lacking a bit, by modern standards, in the special effects domain. The sets and costumes are magnificent, as too are the vocal performances, especially those from McIntyre and Ligendza. The musical direction by Wagner-expert Wolfgang Sawallisch and the film direction by Kaslik is superlative. Sit back and enjoy Wagner's stirring score, with all the salty sea spray splashing across your face, in the comfort of your own home.
Wagner: Das Rheingold (1854)
Star Rating: * * * *
Conductor: Pierre Boulez
Principal Vocalists: Donald McIntyre, Heinz Zednik, Hermann Becht, Hanna Schwarz, Siegfried Jerusalem, Matti Salminen
Performance Year: 1980
Bottom-Line: Donald McIntyre sings Wotan and has a strong voice and his acting is pretty good. Soprano Hanna Schwarz sings Fricka. She has an appealing voice and average acting skills. The parts of the giants are sung by two good basses, Matti Salminen and Siegfried Jerusalem. The best acting in Das Rheingold, and perhaps in the entire ring cycle is that of Heinz Zednik, who provides tastefully understated comic relief as both Loge and Mime.
Wagner: Die Walküre (1856)
Star Rating: * * * * *
Conductor: Pierre Boulez
Principal Vocalists: Gwyneth Jones, Jeannine Altmeyer, Hanna Schwartz, Peter Hofmann, Matti Salminen, Donald McIntyre
Performance Year: 1980
Bottom-Line: This is the most popular segment of Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen and it’s not hard to see why. Although there are a few segments that drag on too long, this movie adaptation of the great opera is both emotionally powerful and visually splendid. If this were a standard movie rather than an opera, the one complaint that I and other critics would likely register is that the film should have been pared down by some thoughtful editing. Otherwise, it’s a thrilling ride.
Wagner: Tristan und Isolde (1859)
Star Rating: * * * *
Conductor: Daniel Barenboim
Principal Vocalists: Waltraud Meier, Ian Storey, Michelle DeYoung, Gerd Grochowski, Matti Salminen
Performance Year: 2007
Bottom-Line: This is a five-star production, based on superb acting performances by the entire cast and magnificent musical direction by Barenboim. Most of the vocal performances are also excellent and none less than very good. My only reservation about the production relates to the costumes, which were neo-realistic style rather than period appropriate. Musically, this opera is five-star as well, but thematically, it is only one or two stars for me. The libretto tries to pass off as the ultimate expression of love what is more truly a perversion of the concept of love, fueled by psychological depression and a delusional belief in the transfiguring power of death.
Wagner: Die Meisteringer von Nurmberg (1867)
Star Rating: * * * *
Conductor: Horst Stein
Principal Vocalists: Siegfried Jerusalem, Bernd Weikl, Hermann Prey, Mari Anne Häggander, Graham Clark
Performance Year: 1984
Bottom-Line: Why not enjoy this most delightful of Wagner's musical drama where he intended it to be performed – at Bayreuth? This is not a perfect version, but certainly one of the two top renditions of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg.
Wagner: Siegfried (1871)
Star Rating: * * * *
Conductor: Pierre Boulez
Principal Vocalists: Manfred Jung, Donald McIntyre, Gwyneth Jones, Heinz Zednik, Hermann Becht
Performance Year: 1980
Bottom-Line: Overall, I liked this segment less than Die Walküre but more than Das Rheingold. One problem with this segment is that several of the scenes feature the less vocally talented performers. The top vocal talents for the set as a whole are Gwyneth Jones, Peter Hofmann, Hanna Schwarz, and Jeannine Altmeyer, but only one of those four appears in the present segment. The highlight scenes in Siegfried are just as good as those in Die Walküre, but they are fewer and further between.
Wagner: Götterdämmerung (1874)
Star Rating: * * * *
Conductor: Pierre Boulez
Principal Vocalists: Gwyneth Jones, Manfred Jung, Fritz Hübner, Jeannine Altmeyer, Hermann Becht
Performance Year: 1980
Bottom-Line: This segment of the Ring is the weakest of the four plot-wise, introducing altogether too many convenient coincidences and absurd twists. There are few dramatic or vocal highlights until the final half-hour, but that last portion of the film is magnificent indeed. You need to have a lot of patience to watch Wagner operas in general and this one more than average. Where Die Walküre provides rewards throughout and Siegfried in at least the latter half of each act, this segment really only delivers at its conclusion, but viewers may find that portion worth the effort of absorbing the rest.
Russian:
Glinka: Ruslan and Lyudmila (1842)
Star Rating: * * * * *
Conductor: Valery Gergiev
Principal Vocalists: Vladimir Ognovenko, Anna Netrebko, Larissa Diadkova, Galina Gorchakova, Gennady Bezzubenkov
Performance Year: 1995
Bottom-Line: The reason I decided to buy this DVD was the opportunity to see Netrebko's performance, but there's a whole lot of other virtues in this magnificent, not-to-be-missed production, including the quality of the music, the performance by the orchestra, the great Russian basses, the strong mezzo performance by Diadkova, the exquisite choreography for the extensive dance numbers, and the fantastic sets. If you enjoy Russian opera, this one is must-see.
Mussorgsky: Boris Godunov (1869)
Star Rating: * * * * *
Conductor: Vassali Nebolsin
Principal Vocalists: Aleksandr Pirogov, Georgi Nelepp, Aleksej Krivchenya, Nikandr Khanayev
Performance Year: 1954
Bottom-Line: I highly recommend this opera, especially for those who enjoy historical epics, great tragedies, and raw, rugged, magnificent music. This is not your typical opera. No frilly lace, no impassioned romance, no rotund divas belting out high notes – just hard-hitting, testosterone-saturated epic hatred and violence.
Mussorgsky: Khovanshchina (1873)
Star Rating: * * * * *
Conductor: Yuri Simonov
Principal Vocalists: Evgeny Nesterenko, Alexander Vedernikov, Irina Arkhipova, Vladislav Romanovsky, Georgy Andryushchenko
Performance Year: 1979
Bottom-Line: Despite being relatively unknown, Khovanshchina is, in my opinion, one of the greatest operas ever written and the equal of Mussorgsky's famous masterpiece, Boris Godunov. Act IV, Scene 1, is the opera's highlight and ranks with the best individual acts in the opera repertoire. I still prefer the 1960 version that is out-of-print because it was a truly cinematic rendition, filmed in magnificent settings throughout Russia and opened up to include outdoor settings. Nevertheless, a staged performance at the Bolshoi is the next best thing and this rendition certainly does not disappoint.
Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegin (1879)
Star Rating: * * * * *
Conductor: Mark Ermler
Principal Vocalists: Maria Gavrilova, Vladimir Redkin, Nikolai Baskov, Yelena Novak
Performance Year: 2000
Bottom-Line: This is my favorite DVD version for this opera. The sets and costumes are gorgeous. Vocally, Gavrilova and Baskov are spectacular and most of the others are very good. The acting performances by Gavrilova and Redkin are highly nuanced and fully credible. The great Polonaise from Act III, which was my favorite piece of music when I was seventeen, is performed very well by Ermler and the Bolshoi orchestra. The exquisite letter-writing scene, probably the opera's peak segment, is very well performed by both Gavrilova and the orchestra.
Rimsky-Korsakov: Sadko (1896)
Star Rating: * * * *
Conductor: Valery Gergiev
Principal Vocalists: Vladimir Galusin, Marianna Tarasova, Sergei Aleksashkin, Larissa Diadkova, Alexander Gegalov
Performance Year: 1994
Bottom-Line: Neither you nor I are ever likely to see Sadko staged in America, but, quite honestly, I'm not sure I'd desire it. I'd want to see this opera at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg or at the Bolshoi in Moscow. Nothing else could compare with seeing this opera done by Russians, with the full arsenal of brilliant sets, colorful costumes, and the support of Russian ballet dancers. So, until I can make that trip to one of the great stages in Russia, I'll settle for this splendid DVD recording. It's a recording all about pleasuring the senses, with far less to offer to the intellect or emotions.
Rank Order (best first):
1. Bizet: Carmen (1875)
Star Rating: * * * * *
Performance Year: 1984
2. Wagner: Die Walküre (1856)
Star Rating: * * * * *
Performance Year: 1980
3. Mussorgsky: Khovanshchina (1873)
Star Rating: * * * * *
Performance Year: 1979
4. Beethoven: Fidelio (1814)
Star Rating: * * * * *
Performance Year: 1978
5. Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegin (1879)
Star Rating: * * * * *
Performance Year: 2000
6. Strauss, J. Die Fledermaus (1874)
Star Rating: * * * * *
Performance Year: 1980
7. Glinka: Ruslan and Lyudmila (1842)
Star Rating: * * * * *
Performance Year: 1995
8. Mussorgsky: Boris Godunov (1869)
Star Rating: * * * * *
Performance Year: 1954
9. Wagner: The Flying Dutchman (1841)
Star Rating: * * * * *
Performance Year: 1975
10. Smetana: The Bartered Bride (1866)
Star Rating: * * * * *
Performance Year: 1981
11. Saint-Saens: Samson et Dalila (1877)
Star Rating: * * * * *
Performance Year: 1981
12. Massenet: Manon (1884)
Star Rating: * * * *
Performance Year: 2007
13. Wagner: Die Meisteringer von Nurmberg (1867)
Star Rating: * * * *
Performance Year: 1984
14. Wagner: Siegfried (1871)
Star Rating: * * * *
Star Rating: * * * *
Performance Year: 1980
15. :Rimsky-Korsakov: Sadko (1896)
Star Rating: * * * *
Performance Year: 1994
16. Wagner: Götterdämmerung (1874)
Star Rating: * * * *
Performance Year: 1980
17. Wagner: Das Rheingold (1854)
Star Rating: * * * *
Performance Year: 1980
18. Wagner: Tristan und Isolde (1859)
Star Rating: * * * *
Performance Year: 2007
19. Berlioz: Les Troyens (1863)
Star Rating: * * * *
Performance Year: 1983
20. Massenet: Werther (1892)
Star Rating: * * *
Performance Year: 1985
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You can easily access my other opera reviews using the following lists:
Top-Twelve Film Versions of Operas
Metalluk's Twenty Best Pre-Romantic (Baroque & Classicism) Operas, on DVD
Metalluk's Twenty-five Best Italian Romantic Period Operas, on DVD
Metalluk's Thirty Best Operas of the 20th-Century, on DVD
Metalluk's Best Opera from Each Decade of the 20th-Century, on DVD
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