On 2005-11-05 Alan Majeska, Bad Axe, MI, USA wrote: Whether or not you purchase this video will depend largely on how much you admire Karl Bohm (1894-1981), the Austrian conductor who made hundreds of recordings (many of them for DG) with the Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, Dresden State Orchestra, and Bavarian State orchestra. I for one am such an admirer of Bohm-I would get almost any recording he made if the price is within reason in a month that´s not too tight budget-wise. For this Mozart ´Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail´, I bought the DVD in 2003, and have enjoyed it from time to time ever since.
The singers: Edita Gruberova, Francisco Araiza, Reri Grist, Martti Talvela, and Norbert Orth, are all very fine, even if Araiza doesn´t compete with Fritz Wunderlich in his celebrated 1965 DG recording, with Eugen Jochum and the Bavarian State Opera. Some opera fans may be more picky about sets, staging, or tempos than I am, but I found all this most enjoyable. One caveat: there are ensemble imperfections between Grist and Talvela in their duet about 1/3 way through the opera, and the 6/8 tempo in one section is too slow: it should really move. Compare this with the same duet in the Wunderlich/Jochum recording, and see what I mean.
DG has re-released this video, perhaps in better sound and picture quality, for about $25.00. I haven´t seen the newer edition, but am guessing it is superior to this earlier DVD release. For this DVD, the picture is full screen and quite clear, and the camera work is very good: each soloist is shown in context when alone, or with the group on stage in ensembles.
Balances between soloists and orchestra are fine, which is more difficult in live opera productions than in the studio where conditions are more conducive to capturing a good recording.
I don´t know another DVD recording of ´Die Entfuhrung´ for comparison, but would recommend either the Bohm/Dresden Staatskapelle (DG CD), Beecham/Royal Philharmonic (EMI, mono) or Jochum/Bavarian State Opera (DG CD, with Fritz Wunderlich as Belmonte!) as alternatives: the Jochum/Wunderlich above all others.. And summed up by saying Live performance and Video from late in Bohm´s career. Currently Mozart - Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail (The Abduction from the Seraglio) / Bohm, Gruberova, Grist has an overall rating of 8 over 10.
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