Leoncavallo - I Pagliacci / Atlantov, Kalinina, Morozov, Grigoriev, Bolshoi Opera

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Awful!
Review: I awaited the arrival of this performance with great anticipation, yet found it literally painful to watch to its conclusion.

To begin with, the picture was very fuzzy and overly bright, no matter what adjustments I made to my player. The sound was so badly distorted that it was impossible to understand any of the words (no subtitles, either) or to appreciate the singers.

The stage sets were dark and spare to the point of being bleak. The costumes, although touted as authentic for the period, may have been Authentic Russian for the period but certainly not Italian.

The first few bars of the opening Prologue were sung to complete darkness, after which just the head of Tonio appears in a small square until almost the conclusion, when we finally see a full-screen picture. In his crucial confrontation scene with Nedda the two are far across the stage from each other until the last second when he runs to grab her. Direction and acting were sorely lacking here.

Atlantov's Pagliacci is heavy and ponderous. He comes across as brutal (and snarling much of the time) so that it is difficult to work up any sympathy for him when he sings of his selfless love for Nedda in Act II, nor does Nedda's acting generate any sympathy for her plight.

I found this performance to be a huge disappointment in every way.



Rating:
Summary: Bolshoi Theater did not dissapoint!
Review: OK, I will be brave enough to be the first person to review this DVD. I rate this DVD as 4 stars, although performing-wise maybe it deserves more than even 5 stars. From the very first moment, from the very first "Si puo!", you get an idea how strong this performance is vocally. Huge voices! And I mean huge! Atlantov's singing is very passionate. Sometimes, maybe even too much of emotions, but he is one of the best heroic tenors of his generation and this performance shows you why. Nothing seems difficult to him. Low register, middle voice, brilliant high notes. In Kalinina you will find great Nedda. She is amazing. Her voice is so beautiful and so rich. She is outstanding. Orchestra is also phenomenal. However, I still give this DVD 4 stars and the reason is because the chorus sings in Russian language while leading characters sing in Italian. It is little bit strange, but that's the way operas were staged in USSR. I am surprised the whole cast did not perform in Russian. And also the camera-work is not so great, the picture is little bit dark, not perfect, but sound is great. So I think it is a good idea to see this production. You get an idea how outstanding Bolshoi Opera Theater was and remains nowadays.