Rating: 
Summary: Bravo
Review: I am in disbelief that sommeone rated carreras badly in this la boheme! Any of you who are used to the Carreras of the three tenors, will be extremely surprized. He sings with vivacity and dramatic timbre. As for his vocals being suspect; 1982 was riddled with Carreras's wobbly performances. This is the season following his taking on Trovatore, a much heavier role which took a toll on his voice. His singing here is, however, spectacular. Che Gelida manina is transposed a half step down, but this iis not unusual. Domingo has always done it and Pavarotti does it on occasion as well. Pavarotti mentions in his autobiography that the transposition down is standard.
As for a comparison between pav and Carreras; there is no comparision. The unconvincing acting of pavarotti can ruin a boheme on a Dvd with such focus. Carreras is triumphant and portays his character brilliantly. It is true, however that after 1981's romp through heroic tenor reperitiore Carreras was never the same. His eyebrow began to warble and his high notes were no longer as free and glorious. Nevertheless this Dvd is magnifisant.
Even if Carreras's dramatic timber isn't your cup of tea, he is supported by the fabulous voice of Stratas. Occasionally her facial expressions bother you but the voice is in glorious condition.
SEE THIS DVD, It is entertainment at it's finest!
Rating: 
Summary: Best overall available
Review: I have all the Bohemes availabe on VHS and Laser and still come back to this one to show anyone new to opera as it's the best video available. The version spoken of from the UK I have only been able to find on VHS and it is truly excellent. Not seen it on DVD but would buy it the minute it is released. Until then this production and cast can't be beat. Scotto is getting by on her acting ability, not her voice as Musetta. That high note is not unlike a cat getting its tail trod upon. I agree with all the comments about Stratas and enjoyed Carreras' performance very much. James Morris as Colline is a surprise. If you collect opera on video this is a must buy. The production is glorious and the overall atmosphere created is the standard for Boheme.
Rating:
Summary: Best overall available
Review: I have all the Bohemes availabe on VHS and Laser and still come back to this one to show anyone new to opera as it's the best video available. The version spoken of from the UK I have only been able to find on VHS and it is truly excellent. Not seen it on DVD but would buy it the minute it is released. Until then this production and cast can't be beat. Scotto is getting by on her acting ability, not her voice as Musetta. That high note is not unlike a cat getting its tail trod upon. I agree with all the comments about Stratas and enjoyed Carreras' performance very much. James Morris as Colline is a surprise. If you collect opera on video this is a must buy. The production is glorious and the overall atmosphere created is the standard for Boheme.
Rating: 
Summary: Not the one your want
Review: I love the aria Che Gelida Manina, and Carreras gave the worst performance of this aria that I have ever heard (most notable in its transposition down from the high C). I strongly recommend the San Francisco Opera's La Boheme with Pavarotti and Freni, the singing is much stronger.
Rating:
Summary: Hidden at Amazon: Luciano Pavarotti's 1989 La Boheme on DVD
Review: I must tell you of another great La Boheme DVD, also available - but hidden, at Amazon.com. The DVD title is: "Boheme - Comp Opera" (a search by: "Boheme", will find it). Maybe not as lavish as this production, but just as wonderful. Performed in 1989 by the San Franciso Opera Company, stars Luciano Pavarotti. I had to wait several weeks for delivery - but well worth it!
Rating:
Summary: Top-notch production with just a few reservations...
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this 1982 Zeffirelli production from the Met. It has much to recommend it: passionate singing from the underrated Jose Carreras, terrific acting from Teresa Stratas, an excellent supporting cast, great sets and direction, and first-rate conducting from James Levine. I bought this DVD primarily because of Carreras, and it's a treat to hear him before the onset of his illness and vocal problems. True, he is pushing a little here at times, but his ravishing timbre more than compensates. Pavarotti may have the freer high notes, but Carreras' performance has a passion that most other interpreters lack. By his own admission not the world's greatest actor, he is nevertheless convincing as a young, idealistic poet, and this (along with Stiffelio, Don Jose and Andrea Chenier) ranks as one of his best roles. My only quibble is that he is a little hammy during Mimi's death scene (though few tenors can probably resist such a temptation!) Teresa Statas is the consummate actress, and there is not one moment when her portrayal of Mimi does not ring entirely true. I was unable to hold back the tears during her aria in Act Three, so heartbreaking was her farewell to Rodolfo. Interestingly, she makes her impression without the benefit of a magnificent voice. This is a singing actress rather than a vocal great. Her voice strikes me as somewhat plain of timbre, lacking the beauty of, say, a Mirella Freni, but in this performance, at least, it simply doesn't matter. Her Mimi will stay with you for a long time. (I do, however, agree with one amazon reviewer who thought she looked too ill from the outset. The over-zealous make-up artist should have shown some restraint!) Renata Scotto, in the role of Musetta, has a larger vocal presence, despite a screechy top and a vibrato you could drive a truck through when she's under pressure. Hers is a good overall performance, and her comic skills in Act Two add much to the liveliness of the Cafe Scene. The rest of the cast was uniformly good, and the amusing horseplay between the four young Bohemians in Acts 1 and 4 was a real delight. Richard Stilwell as Marcello is outstanding in the reconciliation scene with Musetta in Act 2, and later in his duet (O Mimi, piu non torni) in Act 4 with Carreras. The sound quality is fine, and I had no problem with the slightly dark (but highly atmospheric) visuals. Overall, an excellent Boheme with much to recommend it. (And while you're about it, do check out the 1982 Covent Garden performance with Neil Shicoff and Ileana Cotrubas for an equally well-acted Boheme.)
Rating:
Summary: Open your eyes for details, close them to the big picture
Review: I was so excited to watch this opera years ago. It was the first one I had ever seen, and had only heard highlights on a CD (with Pavarotti as Rodolfo). I was overwhelmed at first, because there is so much emotion in this opera: Act 1 is charming, Act 2 is exciting, Act 3 is depressing, and Act 4 is crushing... Probably my favorite part of this production is Act 2, in which there is an elaborate 2-story set (characteristic of Zefirelli), a gigantic crowd, and Musetta is brought in by horse and carriage (which I missed the first two times I watched it... see, lots of detail). The costumes were great, Mimi's make-up was too extreme in Acts 1 and 2, and I was absolutely pissed when I discovered that Carerras had transposed "Che gelida manina"!!! I had always thought Carerras was terrible, but this performance was the straw that broke the camel's back. I loved the snow in Act 3!!! I highly reccommend it as a grand introduction to opera and it's staging, but must insist that you purchase the Angela Georghiu and Roberto Alagna CD version of this opera. The music is absoltely perfect!
Rating:
Summary: Almost wonderful
Review: I've listened to this opera for years, but only seen it twice, both this production, first on VHS, now on DVD. Stratas was perfection as always, with her beautiful voice, and her acting, not that it matters that much, was touching too. The first time I saw this I cried. Carreras and Scotto also were wonderful, especially Scotto with her acting (as well as her voice). I felt that the other singers were adequate, they did good jobs, but were not in a class with the three I already mentioned. I do not like James Levine, I wish he'd stick to Wagner, they were meant for each other. The sets were colorful and beautiful. I read somewhere that this is considered the most loveable of all Italian operas. I can well believe it, especially with this production.
Rating:
Summary: Great Boheme at a great price
Review: If you want to turn someone on to opera, just sit them down with this video. Carreras and Stratas, while vocally a bit past their prime, as is Renata Scotto,are absolutely convincing as the young lovers, Rodolfo and Mimi. Zeffirelli's attention to detail is mind boggling and the singers respond to every nuance. Mimi's entrance in the last act is incredibly moving. I never tire of watching this performance and it only gets better with repeated viewings!
Rating:
Summary: Just Another Boheme
Review: It puzzles me that words like "standard" or "bench mark" were used in praise of this La Bohème. Just exactly what is the "standard" for this probably most popular opera? The originality of art is anything but to be constrained by some sort of standard. If the good words were for the singing, it still would be too lavish of a saying for this production, at least for "Che gelida manina", which was transposed down half a key, and even the replacing B is very short and not so exciting. There are indeed some really good singings, like Stilwell's Mercello. The singing of the two leading roles, however, leaves something to be desired. While Carreras' singing is quite dramatic, it feels that something was missing, not just the top C, but the lyrical sheen and exuberance that otherwise would flow through Rodolfo's vocal lines. Stratas has crafted a convincingly consumptive Mimi. But you'd hope she could bring a bit glow of liveliness to the character in the first two acts when Mimi was not yet too ill, after all Mimi should be a luminous figure. Stratas' lips are shaking noticeably (on DVD) when she sings, which makes you worry. Scotto played an impressive Musetta, and her great acting brought some enjoyable moments on stage. It is very interesting to compare this Zeffirelli's traditional and lavish production with other productions. Although it'll much depend on your taste to decide their effectiveness, among the numerous recordings and stage productions of La Bohème, you wouldn't want to miss the 1972 studio recording with Pavarotti/Freni, conducted by Karajan, especially if singing is solely what you are looking for. If besides singing, you also want to experience some vigorous Bohemianism on stage and dramatic details revealed by great acting, you definitely want to check out Baz Luhrmann's production for Australian Opera, in which the sets are simple but visually stunning, the characters are sung by new generation singing actors/actresses in fabulous voices. My litmus test for any Bohème is, does Rodolfo's mourning over Mimi's death make you cry? While Carreras' raging grief didn't do to me, Australian tenor David Hobson's utterly desolate cry did.
|
