<< 1 >>
Rating: 
Summary: Gilbert and Sullivan at its best
Review: A suberb cast top to bottom in one of G&S's best operettas. Faithful to Gilbert's libretto (unlike the Canadianized abomination perpetrated by the Stratford Festival in the 80's) this is one of the best Gilbert and Sullivan operettas available. Unfortunately that's not saying much since there are virtually no G&S videos available. Still, if you like great music, comedy, social wit and even good choreography don't hesitate to buy this video.
Rating: 
Summary: Terrible preformance of an excellent operetta--try Stratford
Review: I never believed that Gilbert and Sullivan could be rendered unfunny, but this cardboard production manages to produce the impossible. they have turned one of the funniest, most dynamic plays to a static yawn. The singing on a whole is pretty good, but the sound quality and acting are terrible. I'd say go for the Stratford production: while the voices may not be quite as good (and for many of the singers are)--the Canadian production is far better at catching the sparkle and playfulness of this play.
Rating:
Summary: this was a very good version of this musical
Review: I recently saw this musical on bravo and loved every minute,Iwould like somebody to confer that this version was made in canada.
Rating: 
Summary: "On some points rather sore, but on the whole, delightful."
Review: I recently worked with a local Gilbert and Sullivan theater company to put on "The Gondoliers," and it has been interesting to compare the live show with this particular film production. Opera World has done a surprisingly good job with this low-budget version; while the sound quality is still poorer than could be wished, the choreography and filming are infinitely better than those used in their disastrous rendition of "HMS Pinafore." Particularly outstanding are the performances of Don Alhambra (Keith Michell) and Marco (Francis Egerton). Michell's soft-voiced Alhambra is an interesting contrast to our own bellowing and confused one, and his cold condescension contrasts well with the boisterous Gondoliers and their wives; while Marco has less to do and say in the operetta than his brother Giuseppe, his incredible facial expression and quirky additions (such as the rose between the teeth during the Cachucha in Act II) give him at least as much on-screen presence. Giuseppe (Tom McDonnell) comes off as somewhat stiff and ill at ease during the first act, but begins to settle into his role during his aria "Rising Early in the Morning." The sound and choreography flag somewhat during the Duke's song "In Enterprise of Martial Kind," but are made up for in full by the charming Gavotte in Act II. Casilda and Luiz aren't given much to do, but they make the most of their time on screen with the lovely duets "O Rapture! When Alone Together" and "There Was a Time."Musically "The Gondoliers" is one of Sir Arthur Sullivan's often-overlooked gems, and W.S. Gilbert's keen humor is as fresh and on-target as in his widely recognized works, "The Pirates of Penzance," "HMS Pinafore," and "The Mikado." While Gilbert and Sullivan are something of an acquired taste, for hard-core fans this production is still worth watching. If you are interested only in the music, I recommend buying a CD version instead; but if you're looking for something more, Opera World has produced a version which is quite satisfying.
Rating:
Summary: "On some points rather sore, but on the whole, delightful."
Review: I recently worked with a local Gilbert and Sullivan theater company to put on "The Gondoliers," and it has been interesting to compare the live show with this particular film production. Opera World has done a surprisingly good job with this low-budget version; while the sound quality is still poorer than could be wished, the choreography and filming are infinitely better than those used in their disastrous rendition of "HMS Pinafore." Particularly outstanding are the performances of Don Alhambra (Keith Michell) and Marco (Francis Egerton). Michell's soft-voiced Alhambra is an interesting contrast to our own bellowing and confused one, and his cold condescension contrasts well with the boisterous Gondoliers and their wives; while Marco has less to do and say in the operetta than his brother Giuseppe, his incredible facial expression and quirky additions (such as the rose between the teeth during the Cachucha in Act II) give him at least as much on-screen presence. Giuseppe (Tom McDonnell) comes off as somewhat stiff and ill at ease during the first act, but begins to settle into his role during his aria "Rising Early in the Morning." The sound and choreography flag somewhat during the Duke's song "In Enterprise of Martial Kind," but are made up for in full by the charming Gavotte in Act II. Casilda and Luiz aren't given much to do, but they make the most of their time on screen with the lovely duets "O Rapture! When Alone Together" and "There Was a Time." Musically "The Gondoliers" is one of Sir Arthur Sullivan's often-overlooked gems, and W.S. Gilbert's keen humor is as fresh and on-target as in his widely recognized works, "The Pirates of Penzance," "HMS Pinafore," and "The Mikado." While Gilbert and Sullivan are something of an acquired taste, for hard-core fans this production is still worth watching. If you are interested only in the music, I recommend buying a CD version instead; but if you're looking for something more, Opera World has produced a version which is quite satisfying.
Rating:
Summary: neither very good nor very bad
Review: The acting and the singing are both acceptable but not wonderful. The text was also difficult to understand.
Rating:
Summary: This is not the version seen on Bravo
Review: The Bravo edition was made at the Stratford Festival in 1986 in Canada. May be available through Univ. of Texas Fine Arts Library
Rating:
Summary: Very entertaining; excellent music well presented.
Review: The casting and direction were both excellent, as was the cinematography. The actor/singers were all terrific. Especially impressive were the major dance scene and the role of the Grand Inquisitor. This ought to be re-released even though it has one Canada-oriented joke which may not be caught by everyone. I enjoyed it immensely and would like to own a copy.
Rating: 
Summary: Amazing!
Review: The Gondoliers is one of G&S's greatest works and having just wrapped on The Gondoliers myself playing Gianetta, I found this production extremely enjoyable. With the exception of a few casting mistakes (The Duke and perhaps Casilda), I fully commend Opera World this time. They nailed the rest of the characters and cast them correctly (Michell (Don Alhambra), McDonnell (Giuseppe), Egerton (Marco), and Christie (Gianetta)) and even though the staging and technical stuff was not at it's best, the actors had enough energy and brilliance to their performance that the poor filming was masked. Great fun. If you are a G&S lover, this is a must-see.
Rating: 
Summary: Disapointing
Review: Your editorial review is correct but understates the technical problem with the sound in this whole series. The excess reverberation, poor audio production, and the English accents make this almost indecipherable by North Americans. I get the feeling that the director is very visually oriented, but he tries to get cute and technical. The trick shots are just too contrived. The cast does not seem to be having any fun, the hallmark of a good G&S performance. They are not sharing the joke because they are so pre occupied with their technique. I far prefer the series done at Stratford in Canada rather than this candidate for Madame Tusaud's museum.
<< 1 >>
|
