Offenbach - Les Contes d'Hoffmann / Kraus, Hendricks, Welting, Ghiuselev, Omilian, Eggerton, Guingal, Parma

Rating:
Summary: dark tales
Review: Another terrible Hoffman on DVD. This one is so dark that scenery and costumes are almost impossible to see. Almost everything is in shadows. If you want a headache this is the performance to see.

Rating:
Summary: This was wonderful
Review: Hoffmann is not my favorite opera, but I like it. This version (the 2nd I've seen) was wonderful and (the 4th one I've heard, including the 2 I've seen), 2nd only to the Sutherland comic opera version with Domingo and Bacquier. I've got so much to say, I don't know where to start. First, the big 3 questions. It's sung in French (everything else about it is in Italian), it is all sung (beautiful recitatives, no dialogue, which wouldn't have mattered because there are English subtitles), and 3 different sopranos sing Hoffman's loves (no one is credited with singing Stella). I bought this version because it had Ruth Welting in it (she is rare as hen's teeth, and I discovered that glorious voice in Mignon), and she is divine. She sings Olympia. But better still is the warm liquid voice of Barbara Hendricks singing Antonia. Oh yes. Another earnest question. The acts are arranged Olympia, Giulietta and Antonia, like on the Sutherland, and just as they "should" be. Now then. The big question. The glorious climax to Antonia's scene. The music was wonderful, Hendricks' voice was beautiful. Again, it was 2nd only to the Sutherland. I cherish that scene with Sutherland as done on her recording and would give anything to have it on DVD. It enraptures me. One problem (sigh) with that climax on the DVD I have here. Dr. Miracle (and of the 4 versions I've heard, only Bacquier did it well) didn't pass muster with me, he did not sing his part up to the standard of the 2 women, and worse still, he did not laugh loudly and sinister enough. Yes, sigh, I was disappointed. He did do better than that ghastly thing on VHS with dancing and puppets, and he did better than Gruberova's version, and he really was almost as good as Bacquier. The Sutherland CD set it looks like will always be Hoffmann to me, though I usually stick to the 1 disc highlights because of the dialogue on the complete opera. Kraus of course was wonderful, good looking and can act. They all could. Two last points. The only English words (except one translation in the synopses) on the thing said to beware of the lighting (true, it was usually dark, which added mood I thought, and did not detract from the show, except a little), and that there were few close-ups of the singers. I thought there were plenty. I loved it. Watching it made the music more exciting than just hearing it on disc. One last note. I think this recording is not out of print, even though Amazon lists it out of stock.

Rating:
Summary: This was wonderful
Review: Hoffmann is not my favorite opera, but I like it. This version (the 2nd I've seen) was wonderful and (the 4th one I've heard, including the 2 I've seen), 2nd only to the Sutherland comic opera version with Domingo and Bacquier. I've got so much to say, I don't know where to start. First, the big 3 questions. It's sung in French (everything else about it is in Italian), it is all sung (beautiful recitatives, no dialogue, which wouldn't have mattered because there are English subtitles), and 3 different sopranos sing Hoffman's loves (no one is credited with singing Stella). I bought this version because it had Ruth Welting in it (she is rare as hen's teeth, and I discovered that glorious voice in Mignon), and she is divine. She sings Olympia. But better still is the warm liquid voice of Barbara Hendricks singing Antonia. Oh yes. Another earnest question. The acts are arranged Olympia, Giulietta and Antonia, like on the Sutherland, and just as they "should" be. Now then. The big question. The glorious climax to Antonia's scene. The music was wonderful, Hendricks' voice was beautiful. Again, it was 2nd only to the Sutherland. I cherish that scene with Sutherland as done on her recording and would give anything to have it on DVD. It enraptures me. One problem (sigh) with that climax on the DVD I have here. Dr. Miracle (and of the 4 versions I've heard, only Bacquier did it well) didn't pass muster with me, he did not sing his part up to the standard of the 2 women, and worse still, he did not laugh loudly and sinister enough. Yes, sigh, I was disappointed. He did do better than that ghastly thing on VHS with dancing and puppets, and he did better than Gruberova's version, and he really was almost as good as Bacquier. The Sutherland CD set it looks like will always be Hoffmann to me, though I usually stick to the 1 disc highlights because of the dialogue on the complete opera. Kraus of course was wonderful, good looking and can act. They all could. Two last points. The only English words (except one translation in the synopses) on the thing said to beware of the lighting (true, it was usually dark, which added mood I thought, and did not detract from the show, except a little), and that there were few close-ups of the singers. I thought there were plenty. I loved it. Watching it made the music more exciting than just hearing it on disc. One last note. I think this recording is not out of print, even though Amazon lists it out of stock.

Rating:
Summary: With Reservations
Review: I had the honor to see the great Alfredo Kraus sing Hoffman many times on stage. There is no question that he remains definitive in this role. Even in his later years, he could produce a performance which was exquisite in style and vocal technique. The high C in the Tavern Scene was his alone. I have seen Domingo wilt in this role, while Kraus remained strong and vital to the end. This is a document of the Tenor's Tenor. But...This is a house recording and never meant for broadcast or distribution. It is very dark and muddy. The camera is static. It is a DVD to buy only if you are a fan of Kraus and don't care about the technical shortcomings. I would recommend the Domingo as a starting point for a more traditional and truly wonderful performance. The new Shicoff is vocally excellent but modern and quirky and not to everyone's taste. For those of us who cherish the memory of the great Alfredo Kraus, there is no question that this is one to own.