Rating: 
Summary: Achtung! lousy sound ahead
Review: Considering that this perfomance is from 1973, the sound is awful, being on a par with a poor AM radio, and with numerous dropouts. What is your excuse, Kultur, for issuing this release in the first place, much less without any words of warning as to the inferiority of the sound. I would imagine that with Nilsson, Vickers and Bohm, the musical values would be considerable, but to what extent are you going to be able to hear them? Shame on you, Kultur!
Rating: 
Summary: Quibble, but don't complain!
Review: Frankly, I'm ecstatic that a visual document of such a landmark performance of Tristan und Isolde even exists. Negative comments by other reviewers regarding sound, image, and camerawork are not necessarily inaccurate. Still, the overall impact of this performance not diminished. This is the DVD Tristan to own even after the MET's version becomes available.The production itself borders on the semi-staged. The ancient outdoor Roman amphitheater in Orange offers a stage vastly different from what one would see at the MET or Covent Garden. There is no proscenium, no curtain to rise or fall, and, for example, no exiting stage left or right. Consequently, what staging and scenery there is appears sparse and elemental (though Wagner himself, with his penchant for the all-encompassing art of Greek drama, may not have entirely disapproved). Indeed, I found the billowing of the cloth backdrops to be very atmospheric at times, eg. the Act 1 sailing ship on the Irish Sea. Additionally, the breeze whipping Nilsson's gown helps raise her Liebestod ("...are they waves of refreshing breezes? Are they billows of heavenly fragrance?") to the magnificent status. To hear Birgit Nilsson sing Isolde is one thing. But, to have a Tristan matching her vocally was a rare occurance during her many--at least, 200--essays of the role. Yet, that is what we have with Jon Vickers' Tristan: a virile, intense, thrilling portrayal. He, alone, is worth the price of this DVD. The supporting singers perform their parts well especially the expressive Kurvenal of Walter Berry, the noble King Marke of Bengt Rundgren and Ruth Hesse's faithful Brangane. All, including Nilsson and Vickers, however, seem to suffer at times from poor microphone placements. I'm not a big fan of Karl Bohm as a great Wagner conductor. I think he tends to gloss over some of the subtle, deep psychological nature of the score. Though the l'ORTF orchestra appears to respond to Bohm, the quality of its performance is difficult to judge. The sound itself on my copy seems almost mono. And very uneven. There are times when the orchestra begins to show some sonority and clarity. But at other times the musicians seem to be playing in a bathroom down the hall. The synchronization between the vocalists and their words is also imperfect providing an effect similar to watching an overdubbed foreign film. The biggest problem is the camera work/film direction. The early 70s were certainly not a technologically deficient era. Unfortunately, one might not realize this from this production. For example, the arts of focusing a camera and framing subjects seem to be still in their infancy. A common highschool TV Tech class could have done a superior job to what we see on the DVD. The director certainly makes some questionable decisions. For example, the Liebestod begins not with the camera on Nilsson, but rather on the statically posing King Marke (with Brangane's bust in the foreground!). The final bars find the camera cutting from the brilliant white of the stage lights (a fitting ending if left alone) to a grainy image of the conductor wiggling his fingers. Throughout all 3 acts, the stage lighting appears to change from one camera angle to the next. Performers' body positions change disconcertingly also. Early on in the Liebestod Nilsson appears to be on her knees or even reclining over Tristan's body, but with the space of a cut (.1 sec?), she is standing with her arms outstretched (and when did she take off the black cape?). It appears the camera crew (along with the director) had no rehearsal and little advance knowledge of the score. They apparently just showed up on the night of the performance and winged it. I'll take away one star for the technical deficiencies. Nonetheless, this DVD of what is perhaps the greatest work ever penned for the stage (Shakepeare included) is a grand historical document. No Wagnerian or opera lover should be without it! If only we had something similar of Birgit singing the Brunhildes, Salome, or the Dyer's Wife. ...
Rating:
Summary: Quibble, but don't complain!
Review: Frankly, I'm ecstatic that a visual document of such a landmark performance of Tristan und Isolde even exists. Negative comments by other reviewers regarding sound, image, and camerawork are not necessarily inaccurate. Still, the overall impact of this performance not diminished. This is the DVD Tristan to own even after the MET's version becomes available. The production itself borders on the semi-staged. The ancient outdoor Roman amphitheater in Orange offers a stage vastly different from what one would see at the MET or Covent Garden. There is no proscenium, no curtain to rise or fall, and, for example, no exiting stage left or right. Consequently, what staging and scenery there is appears sparse and elemental (though Wagner himself, with his penchant for the all-encompassing art of Greek drama, may not have entirely disapproved). Indeed, I found the billowing of the cloth backdrops to be very atmospheric at times, eg. the Act 1 sailing ship on the Irish Sea. Additionally, the breeze whipping Nilsson's gown helps raise her Liebestod ("...are they waves of refreshing breezes? Are they billows of heavenly fragrance?") to the magnificent status. To hear Birgit Nilsson sing Isolde is one thing. But, to have a Tristan matching her vocally was a rare occurance during her many--at least, 200--essays of the role. Yet, that is what we have with Jon Vickers' Tristan: a virile, intense, thrilling portrayal. He, alone, is worth the price of this DVD. The supporting singers perform their parts well especially the expressive Kurvenal of Walter Berry, the noble King Marke of Bengt Rundgren and Ruth Hesse's faithful Brangane. All, including Nilsson and Vickers, however, seem to suffer at times from poor microphone placements. I'm not a big fan of Karl Bohm as a great Wagner conductor. I think he tends to gloss over some of the subtle, deep psychological nature of the score. Though the l'ORTF orchestra appears to respond to Bohm, the quality of its performance is difficult to judge. The sound itself on my copy seems almost mono. And very uneven. There are times when the orchestra begins to show some sonority and clarity. But at other times the musicians seem to be playing in a bathroom down the hall. The synchronization between the vocalists and their words is also imperfect providing an effect similar to watching an overdubbed foreign film. The biggest problem is the camera work/film direction. The early 70s were certainly not a technologically deficient era. Unfortunately, one might not realize this from this production. For example, the arts of focusing a camera and framing subjects seem to be still in their infancy. A common highschool TV Tech class could have done a superior job to what we see on the DVD. The director certainly makes some questionable decisions. For example, the Liebestod begins not with the camera on Nilsson, but rather on the statically posing King Marke (with Brangane's bust in the foreground!). The final bars find the camera cutting from the brilliant white of the stage lights (a fitting ending if left alone) to a grainy image of the conductor wiggling his fingers. Throughout all 3 acts, the stage lighting appears to change from one camera angle to the next. Performers' body positions change disconcertingly also. Early on in the Liebestod Nilsson appears to be on her knees or even reclining over Tristan's body, but with the space of a cut (.1 sec?), she is standing with her arms outstretched (and when did she take off the black cape?). It appears the camera crew (along with the director) had no rehearsal and little advance knowledge of the score. They apparently just showed up on the night of the performance and winged it. I'll take away one star for the technical deficiencies. Nonetheless, this DVD of what is perhaps the greatest work ever penned for the stage (Shakepeare included) is a grand historical document. No Wagnerian or opera lover should be without it! If only we had something similar of Birgit singing the Brunhildes, Salome, or the Dyer's Wife. ...
Rating:
Summary: Performance, Perfromance & Again Performance
Review: I agree with all other reviewers about the sound & camera work, but discounting that you still get 2 great performances vocally & theatrically. To me she is the greatest Isolde of the 20th Century. I had always thought it was Flagstad until I saw my first Nilsson 'Isolde'at the Metropolitan Opera, her first performance of it there. This DVD is well worth owning for the performances & the glorious singing by Nilsson & Vickers which is the most important quality of a VHS, DVD or CD.
I am not waiting for the Eaglen 'Isolde' as I have found her 'Isolde' has no warmth, fire or passion & therefore very boring.
Rating: 
Summary: flawed but still necessary
Review: I agree with all the other reviewers: a terrible release as far as sound and mastering are concerned....BUT then there is the moments where the camera catches Vickers - who can do without this ? One reviewer mentions the latest Met fiasco as being preferable - how one could prefer the turgid conducting of Levine to the thrust of Bohm is beyond me. And Eaglen was just laughable - the grandeur of Nilsson sweeps all criticism aside.
Rating: 
Summary: Great performances, terrible sound and camerawork
Review: I am glad I have this to remind me of just how good Birgit and Jon Vickers were in this work. I never saw them perform this together, only individually.
Having said that, the sound is so bad that I will probably continue to listen to Birgit/Bohm for Isolde and Vickers/Karajan for Tristan. How sad that they never recorded this together in the studio.
The performances are great including the acting. Jon Vickers was one of the few people who could share a stage with Maria Callas and not get overshadowed. The Act III mad scene doesn't get any more intese than this.
Buy this, and then get a second one in the future with better sound and filming.
Rating:
Summary: Terrible: don't buy it!!
Review: I am sure that this was the perfect Tristan, after all it has the Great Birgit Nilson and the Canadian tenor Jon Vickers, but the sound and picture quality is just terrible. I am very disappointed with this release because I never saw Birgit live, but know numerous people who did and continually extoll her virtues. I don't doubt that Karl Bohm is excellent and inspires the cast to give a sublime performance, but a film made in 1973 should not be of this poor quality. Where did Kultur get their master, certainly not the original film? Also, they claim it has been digitally remastered, well I dread to think what state the original source was in. To be honest I can't believe it has been cleaned up and remastered, the sound and picture are totally unacceptable. What ever was Kultur thinking of? I recommend that you do not buy this and that you lobby Kultur to ensure that they do not sell such a poor quality DVD again. In fact, I wanted to give this no stars at all, but Amazon wouldn't let me.
Rating:
Summary: The mikes were pointing the wrong way
Review: I don't like to say this, because I had really wanted the Nilsson version, but, on my DVD, the sound is dreadful. My ORITRON player is not exactly hi-fi, but I have re-checked with other disks and they are not too bad. Especially the voices (!! this IS opera), sound as if there were cushions over the microphones; or maybe they were placed in the lobby. Surely I am not the only one ??
Rating:
Summary: The mikes were pointing the wrong way
Review: I don't like to say this, because I had really wanted the Nilsson version, but, on my DVD, the sound is dreadful. My ORITRON player is not exactly hi-fi, but I have re-checked with other disks and they are not too bad. Especially the voices (!! this IS opera), sound as if there were cushions over the microphones; or maybe they were placed in the lobby. Surely I am not the only one ??
Rating:
Summary: No recommanding!
Review: I don't understand why the Rodolphe-CD-Version AND also the VHS-Version I know has a MUCH better HiFi-Stereo-sound-quality (this has just a very poor Mono-Sound) and the DVD has not. If you really wants to have the DVD of this buy the cheap brasilian-version you sometimes get at ebay below 10 $. Even that ist to much money for that. I tried to listen to the CD while watching the DVD, but there iss no syncronity. It was a very big mistake to buy this, especially because of the high shipping and additional tax.
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