Rating: 
Summary: Haunting and Beautiful
Review: At first, this entire production of Verdi's masterpiece may seem a little odd: it's sung in French (not the usual Italian), it's totally uncut, and the scenery, costumes and stage directions are a little bizarre. Yet, it all comes together and not only does it work, but it is utterly amazing and is now THE recording of choice for this masterpiece.
What works here is that the nearly four hour opera is in the left in the hands of a great conductor (the terrific Antonio Pappano) and six terrific singer-actors who actually look the parts. As good as Domingo and Freni sound in the 1983 Met recording, they don't look like young lovers.
Here, we have Roberto Alagna and Karita Mattila as Carlos and Elisabet, respectively. Both look the parts, act the parts and, more importantly feel the parts. One feels the complete range of emotions these two go through. And, most importantly, their voices ring out gloriously, start to finish.
Waltraud Meier takes a little time to warm up (her Veil Song is mediocre), but once she gets going, she is terrific. Her "Don Fatal" is a showstopper here.
Thomas Hampson is a bit of a ham, as usual but his Rodrigue is intense and well sung, particularly his death scene.
The real standout here, though, is Jose Van Dam, as Phillipe. Vocally, he is more of a baritone than a bass and may not have quite the booming voice of a Boris Christoff or Samuel Ramay. But his voice is smooth, luxurious and boy can he act!
As opposed to playing the king as the usual one-dimensional villain, Van Dam portrays the part as that of a tormented, neurotic, aging man, who is slowly losing control of his empire, his family and his life. His Act IV aria, followed by his fiery confrontation with The Grand Inquisitor (the excellent Eric Halvarson)are true highlights, as is a deeply emotional duet with Carlos after the death of Rodrigue which is, sadly, almost always cut from the opera.
Once again, the bare, minimalist sets may startle some viewers at first, but, in the end, it makes sense. Don Carlos, like most Verdi operas, is a story of basic human emotions and relationships set in a dangerous time. There are moments here when one forgets that they are watching an opera, which is usually chock-full of mediocre actors employing constant stock gestures. The whole affair transcends the stage and takes on a cinematic feel. Never before have these basic human emotions of Verdi's masterpiece been played out so beautifully as they are here.
Rating:
Summary: Don Carlos What a team!
Review: Before I saw that opera I knew Roberto Algnia(after I saw him in Guno's Romeo And Guliate). I also knew Jose Van Dam and Karita Matila both of them an exelent singers. Before I saw this opera I onley knew the plot and some very apetizing Arias and the duet whith carlo and rodrigo. I Saw the opera and I was impres with the music and team.The music was verdi in his best and we can see hear some of the origins of the latest operas, and some of the elments from his privies oparas. The acting did not intrupt the Music and the music did not interupt the acting. It was a perfect team wark. Roberto algnia and Thomas Hampson behave like 2 old freing that Actualy have been alot to gether. (I belive its impossible becouse Hampson started his career in the first 80's and algnia in the 90's). Karita matila arias shed a tear from my eys. I loved to hate Jose van Dam and Eric halvarson that played the people who against the freedom. Waltrud mayer played eboly as hot as she should be. First a spoil nousy girl then a real beach and a mture repantend person. Alangia was touching in every part of the show that his made. Hampson as posa I believe had a very dificult part. Posa does alot of things that are not to be expected, and you can not realy understand them, unless you read the play. It was the first time I saw him and I practicly fell in love (in his singing). He show us every filling roudrigue have. He was the music and the character. He made him firm, compationed and brave and agressive at very wise and un wise, and show how mutch rodrigue is human been. He show us a perfect body languege, a very good tectique, a very colorfull voice and above all, he made me blieve that he actualy fill the fear, the pain that the character feld . It seems to me as if for him it was a reality. The team work of the casting was exelent. I saw how they response to eatch other. Jose van Dam in spite of the negative character touched my heart in the aria "she had never loved me". I was also impress from the small parts of the opera. count larme and dona braown show a very beatifull voice. Anat Efraty as tiboult was exelent both in the acting and singing. Carlos Greand father was a very good bass and Eric Halvarson practicly freeze my blood. In short I recomend this video in all my heart. It was a very good harmony between singers, acting and music.
Rating:
Summary: Highly recommended !
Review: I am usually not a big fan of Alagna but this is a rare exception---impressive singing.Mattila and Meier are not true Verdian singers but they made up for it with their solid singing technique and wonderful acting.Hampson always sings well and with confidence and there is no exception in this performance.Van Dam and Halfason are both great choices for their roles and give you goose bumps.I could not stop watching for the whole 210 min. because of the beautiful music and singing.The conducting is flawless and sound is great.The production is very simple and modern with some traditional undertone.The relationship between Marquis de Posa and Don Carlos is almost homoerotic! I still like the Met 1983 production better. Freni and Ghiarov are perfect for their roles ( I am a big fan of Freni ). The traditional sets and costumes are more impressive.This current Don Carlos is the only French version available in video and there are beautiful additional music comparing to the Met. production.I highly recommend this DVD to all Verdi lovers.
Rating: 
Summary: Good voices
Review: I gave it an extra star because it was interesting and mildly (very mildly) pleasant. This is the most boring thing I've ever sat though, and I only watched an hour and 20 minutes of it. To hell with it. I bet it was influenced by Wagner, I read that Verdi was, more's the pity. (Besides being an anti-Semitic homophobic megalomaniac who couldn't write good music, Wagner was a cad and an idiot.) In an hour and 20 minutes, there were only 2 tunes, one of which (what one reviewer called the veil song) I didn't even like. I have the Italian version on CD and thought I liked it (so what happened?), I only bought this (and wasted a ransom) because I wanted to see it enacted and I wanted to know the story. I should have read the libretto. This thing just goes drearily on eternally with nothing but plot to keep your interest or entertain you. Maybe when I read the story (which I'll do while I decide what to do with this DVD) I'll find out why Carlos and Rodrigue both needed shaves.
Rating:
Summary: Good voices
Review: I gave it an extra star because it was interesting and mildly (very mildly) pleasant. This is the most boring thing I've ever sat though, and I only watched an hour and 20 minutes of it. To hell with it. I bet it was influenced by Wagner, I read that Verdi was, more's the pity. (Besides being an anti-Semitic homophobic megalomaniac who couldn't write good music, Wagner was a cad and an idiot.) In an hour and 20 minutes, there were only 2 tunes, one of which (what one reviewer called the veil song) I didn't even like. I have the Italian version on CD and thought I liked it (so what happened?), I only bought this (and wasted a ransom) because I wanted to see it enacted and I wanted to know the story. I should have read the libretto. This thing just goes drearily on eternally with nothing but plot to keep your interest or entertain you. Maybe when I read the story (which I'll do while I decide what to do with this DVD) I'll find out why Carlos and Rodrigue both needed shaves.
Rating:
Summary: Doesn't even come close to the Met version
Review: I never thought I'd find myself bored by a Don Carlos! But about after the second act and feeling ho hum - my husband and myself decided to put on the memorable Met version with Freni and Domingo. What a difference! The Levine version, only available in video, I believe, puts this one to absolute shame. We never even finished it - spending the evening watching all the wonderful scenes of Don Carlos in one of our other versions!
Rating:
Summary: Breathtaking
Review: I used to think I did not like Verdi until I heard (first on CD) this production of Don Carlos. After that I had to get the DVD. And when I had seen it I had to go back and watch it again and again. It's a terrible long drama, can be boring in places, but the music is so beautiful, the singing and acting so excellent. The orchestra is excellent, the conductor is excellent, the singers are excellent. For me the real hero in this is Rodrigo. I just love the death scene, I never tire of listening to it or of watching it. Just fabulous!
Rating: 
Summary: A very enjoyable "Don Carlos"
Review: I would have loved to give this Five Stars rating if not for the awful set and the awful make-up of the male singers, particularly Mr. Hampson's wig and fake stubble. What is the purpose of this? In this production, we are very fortunate to have a group of singers who are wonderful to hear and also are very nice to look at. In the book "Opera for dummies", Angela Gheorghiu, Karita Mattila, Waltraud Meier, Roberto Alagna, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Cecilia Bartoli are listed as examples of "great looking" opera singers. The three of the singers mentioned are in this production. Mr. Hampson can certainly take Mr. Hvorotovsky's place. (The Siberian himself owns the role of Rodrigo in the Italian version. Where is his DVD of "Don Carlo"?) This must be the best "Don Carlos" in term of the cast. Karita Mattila, the very first winner of Singer of the World, definitely lives up to her well-deserved title. Her singing and acting is just exemplary. Jose Van Dam's performance of Philip II is regal with authority, yet still maintains the sensitive side of the character. Merier's Eboli is charming. When she is scorned, she really is a lioness. Mr. Hampson probably has the best music to sing in the whole opera. "Don Carlos" could be subtitled as "Everybody loves Rodrigue". Who would not want a friend like Marquis de Posa? Mr. Hampson does not disappoint us. He sings and acts very well. The "male bounding" duet "Dieu, tu semas dans nos ames" with Alagna is just beautiful. The gently persuasive "L'Infant Carlos" can melt the coldest heart. The death scene may lack Mr.Hvorostovsky's impressive legato, it is very well sung, dramatic and moving. Mr. Hampson's Rodrigue seems more like a lover than a best friend. He thoroughly enjoys this and torments poor Bobby with every physical contact. It is almost comical to see Alagna's discomfort in such an interpretation. His interaction with Mr. Hampson is very awkward. He can hardly make eye contact with Mr. Hampson when they are alone. You can see the difference when he is with the ladies. Bobby Alagna strangely resembles Andrea Bocelli physically (Thank God Bobby does not sound like Bocelli). "Don Carols" is not a glorious role for tenor. The tenor works so hard for the whole time and the show stoppers are for the other singers. To his credit, Mr. Algana does a great job. Overall, this long performance (210 minutes) is very enjoyable. It makes a worthy addition to any opera dvd library. For the price of $30.00, you can hardly get a seat in any opera house. This is a bargain, so grab it.
Rating:
Summary: A Rare Treat
Review: I'm really a dilettante in classical music, but the fisrt review of this production really took my breath away. Everybody knows how hard it is to appreciate an opera unless you're a trained musician or imbibed the catchy operatic tunes with your mother's milk.This was also the case with me until - until I heard those staggering voices and saw the astounding acting, quite unusial for an opera production.The music, the plot and the performers made me tremble with delight, all because of the rare unity of talent and genuine firy elation of spirit manifested in this inimitable masterpiece.The five stars of this "Don Carlos" are all wonder,but Thomas Hampson really stands apart. As Marquis Posa he is literally glowing with passionate tenderness for his friend that comes home to every beholder's heart.As to his voice, it's all exitement and delight! I'd never know how mellow and thrillingly dramatic a bariton could be unless I heard him.To think that I've never so much as heard his name before! In short,this is a rare visual and sound treat.I can't persuade everybody to watch it (the more the pity!), but if you do you are sure to experience an acute emotional and aesthetic pleasure, as I did. NB.Read the play by F. Schiller on which the libretto is based; it's just as exciting.
Rating:
Summary: Surprisingly Different
Review: I've had the Met DVD of Don Carlo (the 5 Act Italian version) for a couple of years. Last year our local company, the Minnesota Opera, produced Don Carlos, in the 4 Act French version. Their program notes claimed that they chose this because French more appropriately conveyed the emotions of the opera. Unfortunately, the gap in artistic capabilities between the Met cast and that of the Minnesota Opera obscured this distinction. This production, the 5 Act French version, is a real eye-opener. It's almost as if the French and Italian versions were different operas altogether. Certainly the English subtitle texts differ significantly between the two. But by far more important is the degree of emotional intensity this production displays (and this is consistent with what I saw in Minneapolis). The Met's production is rather cool and formal. This one is hot, up-close, and personal. One has to wonder whether something was lost in translation when the opera was moved this from its original French libretto to the Italian. Bottom line -- if you like Verdi, get them both. It's fascinating to compare and contrast the two productions. Both feature absolutely top-notch principal singers in the prime of their careers. The two houses are different in their approaches, (big-bucks showy at the Met, more low cost and abstract at the Chatelet) but equally effective. You will be amazed at how differently two productions of the "same" opera can turn out. And both, by their own standards, are very good.
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