Rating: 
Summary: A Wonderful Don G
Review: A very nice performance, one of Karajan's best. The cast is outstanding with the only blight being Kathleen Battle's anemically sung and poorly acted Zerlina (her constant scooping and under-the-pitch singing becomes quite grating in short order). Tomowa-Sintow and Varady are both tremendously effective as is Gosta Windbergh as Ottavio. The lower mens' voice have the most to do in this opera and they are simply superb. It's hard to imagine a better modern-day cast (I prefer this to the Furtwangler version on DG DVD), and I've seen plenty of Don G's in my day, not to mention performing the opera on stage a few times as well.Also note the incredibly low price for this double-sided DVD! This same performance went for close to $50 on LD and VHS. The 3-CD set on DG sells for close to $50 as well and contains no video! To find it for under $15 in better sound and picture quality than ever is a real steal.
Rating: 
Summary: Ho-Hum
Review: An ordinary performance. Recorded before a live audience at the Salzberg festival, it was broadcast in the US on PBS under the 'Great Performances' label some years ago. The musical standard is what one would expect from the likes of Karajan, Ramey, and Battle. The sets are 'stripped-down' traditional, and the camerawork is the usual three-camera set-up. One would be as well off with a CD for all the visual interest that's provided. There're three DVDs of 'Don Giovanni' available; I have them all, and I still prefer Losey's film which is not out on DVD yet. The producers of the DVD have provided quite a few extras including subtitles in the original language (hallelujah!).
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Capitivating
Review: From the opening notes of the opera to the very end, this recording of Don Giovanni will captivate you. On top of the excellent orchestral support from the Wiener Philharmoniker and Herbert von Karajan, there is a very strong cast of characters. My personal favorite is Leporello, sung by Ferruccio Fulanetto. His voice is strong, deep, and resonant. All of the characters are not just singing but act well to make the DVD interesting to watch. Samuel Ramey is excellent in the role of Don Giovanni. He makes you sickened by the character and in the end when Don Giovanni is pulled down into hell, you feel like the the bad guy finally got what he was deserving. In summary, the plot is captivating. The performance truly is first rate with great performances by Kathleen Battle as Zerlina, Donna Anna, sung by Anna Tomawa-Sintow, and Donna Elvira, sung by Julia Varady. Another great highlight is the trio sung by Donna Anna, Donna Elvira, and Don Ottavio. Pure magic results when these three sing about bringing down the Don. This DVD is a must for anyone that is a fan of the operas of Mozart and a great place to start for someone looking into opera. Great sound and video too!
Rating:
Summary: A grand performence, maybe the best.
Review: Herbert von Karajan had an throughout passion for Mozart's Don Giovanni, and he put on it in Salzburg with Wiener Philharmoniker for many times. Karajan's idea to this drama changed with time. In 1960's recording in Salzburg, he had a little Toscanini-like obstinacy in fast-speed, and singers even like Schwarzkopf or Waechter sometimes hardly followed. In 1969's live recording, the music is not so pressing but still dramatic and even more powerful. However, in '80s, Karajan seems like want to change his attitude and to handle music more leniently; that make music not so direct toward but show a roomy and widely feeling. In this video, the stage design in Great Festival Theater is adequately symmetrical to the spacious idea that music show; it's very huge and a little too gloomy for an 18th centery opera. The cast, as before in Salzburg, is outstanding. Ramey is a very man-like Don Juan, and quite characterful. Furlanetto may still be too elegant in looking, but his singing is excellent. Tomowa-Sintow sounds like have quite a dramatic voice, so "Or sai chi I'onore" may be more suitable for her than "Non mi dir, bell'idol mio". In general, I think she is better in style than Gruberova who sings Anna in Muti's La Scala version; at least she can really sing a trio with others. Battle is a little artificial, but anyway she is still beautiful, in looking and in voice, enough to shine on a big stage. Varady sings as good as she acts; she is absolutely no inferior than Baltsa in Karajan's CDs. Winbergh has a worried face; you may like Wunderlich or Schreier better, but althogh Winbergh's voice somehow lacks a kind of glossiness, he sings quite not bad. Burchuladze's bass voice is large enough for the big theater. Malta is a happy Masseto, but looks a little too old. Wiener Philharmoniker has a warm, exquisite sound, which might not be as bright as Berliner Philharmoniker in CDs but more soft and dexterous. There is still defect: too serious. The unfold speed and the dark sence sometimes make a somber and even sleepy atmosphere. Taking the whole stage scene make things worse. However, the singing and orchestral playing are so superb that lovers of this opera may still enjoy it. Better than other Don Giovanni video recordings in many aspects.
Rating:
Summary: Il Dissoluto Punito, Mozart-Karajan
Review: I bought this DVD today and was so excited by the performance that I had to review it. This is the best performance of Il Don Giovanni I've seen on video (second only to the Metropolitan Telecast with Bryn Terfel in the title role under the baton of James Levine in 2000 [not available on video, sorry]). The staging was beautiful but a little dark at times. I took off half a star for that. Another little problem: The classic staging and costuming was mixed with modernistic ones and that bothered me a little (having seen the Metropolitan's very beautiful, classical stage design). Just look at the Commendatore scene at the end of Act II. This scene looks more like a scene Star Wars than of an 18th-Century opera by Mozart. I took off another half-star for that.
However, Karajan's interpretation is clearly one of the best available, and it makes for a totally gripping opera that seems to fly by quickly. It is never monotonous and it is also thoroughly absorbing.
The soloists are first rate in singing and in acting. Kathleen Battle, I feel, is the perfect choice for Zerlina. And Furlanetto's comedic acting is also perfect for Leporello. He'll make you laugh inside!
Even considering the somewhat akward stage design (especially in the Commendatore Scene), I found this a highly reccommendable release. Buy it now!
Rating:
Summary: great
Review: I bought this version even though I own another,because Kathleen Battle was in it. I wasn't disappointed. It is the best copy of Giovanni available. I enjoyed all the characters because they were so lively and not dull as in my other version. I highly recommend it. Buy it here online today.
Rating:
Summary: Good performance but faulty sound in places.
Review: I was surprised that only one of the previous reviewers mentioned technical flaws in the DVD, without elaborating. I found that there were some definite problems in reproducing the high frequency transients emitted by Donna Anna and Donna Elvira, especially the latter. At several points in Donna Elvira's arias, her voice distorts on the loud high notes, especially in the left channel. I first considered that the problem could be in my DVD player, although it has not occurred with other DVD's. But after trying the DVD on another player with other speakers, I found the same problem. In both cases, I was using the analogue signal from the DVD players, so I'm forced to conclude that there was a problem with the digital-to-analogue conversion within the players. In other words, the digital signal - on high frequency transients from the DVD - converts to an analogue signal that exceeds the capacity of the built-in analogue preamplifiers and clipping (distortion) occurs. I don't know if this pertains only to my DVD of this opera, or whether it's general for this production. In any event, it is a pity, because I have to prepare to feel a cringe in my body each time Donna Elvira hits a high note. I would have given this production five stars, except for the problems with the sound.
Rating:
Summary: Good performance but faulty sound in places.
Review: I was surprised that only one of the previous reviewers mentioned technical flaws in the DVD, without elaborating. I found that there were some definite problems in reproducing the high frequency transients emitted by Donna Anna and Donna Elvira, especially the latter. At several points in Donna Elvira's arias, her voice distorts on the loud high notes, especially in the left channel. I first considered that the problem could be in my DVD player, although it has not occurred with other DVD's. But after trying the DVD on another player with other speakers, I found the same problem. In both cases, I was using the analogue signal from the DVD players, so I'm forced to conclude that there was a problem with the digital-to-analogue conversion within the players. In other words, the digital signal - on high frequency transients from the DVD - converts to an analogue signal that exceeds the capacity of the built-in analogue preamplifiers and clipping (distortion) occurs. I don't know if this pertains only to my DVD of this opera, or whether it's general for this production. In any event, it is a pity, because I have to prepare to feel a cringe in my body each time Donna Elvira hits a high note. I would have given this production five stars, except for the problems with the sound.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent But Where Are The Liner Notes?
Review: I've enjoyed this performance since I first saw it on TV. But I was distressed to open the DVD case and discover an insert advertising Sony DVDs, another insert advertising Von Karajan DVDs on Sony but no insert with any information about this production. NO cast list, NO listing of tracks, NO printed liner note at all! Shame on Sony for second rate packaging of a first rate opera. I checked some other Sony DVDs and none of them has an insert about the program on the disk. Also it is unfortunate that the disc must be turned over to play Act II. It would have been better if it was a dual-layer disk. However it is definitely worth purchasing for the performance.
Rating:
Summary: get it
Review: karajan is too restrained. battle sings well but her acting is a joke. i like leporello, not the best singer but hes my fav actor in the role. ramay is cool and sophisticated i have all 6 don dvds. i watch this the most.
in order: karajan
maazel
furtwangler
muti
conlon
harnoncourt
some flaws in this dvd but i give 5 stars to encourage everyone to buy it
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