Rating: 
Summary: The way to go with the Don on Disk
Review: Every DVD on DON GIOVANNI I have seen has it's problems. The Film with Ramondi is a snore with a director who didn't know what the hell he was doing. The Karajan legacy Video is ruined by a uninspiring final scene. The La Scala production suffers likewise. This version is the only one I have seen that is compleatly enjoyable.
Furtwangler and the Weiner Phil. are really just astounding here. From the opening bars of the overture to the final bars of the Banquet scene, they take Mozart's masterpiece and take it to a new level. The production by Paul Czinner is great, especally in the final scene, where Clemens Holzmeister's rather piquese set walls are suddenly transformed into the very gates off hell, with red flames and devilish shadows playing off the walls.
The cast is uniformaly excellent. it is Ceasere Siepi was THE don of his day. Here you can see why. His Don is astounding, an demon in a nobleman's clothing. So seductive with Zerlina, so violent and cruel with his manservent, and in the final moment of retrobution, his acting is excellent, the best I've seen yet, and his scream of terror as he is dragged off to hell by shrouded demons, is not one to be forgotten. Plus he sings like a dream, his bass voice outdoing any Competertors.
His supporting cast is uniformaly excellent, Otto Edelmann is an excellent foil to Siepi, with a strong voice and impecable comic timing. Elisabeth Grummer's Anna is simply awe-inspiring, tossing off her arias with not only vocal perfectgion but excellent acting. Lisa Della Casa is perhaps not the best Donna Elvira of the era (That would be Schwarzkopf, who she was a last minute replacement for) but her acting is superb, and she stands out amoung a great cast as truely excellent. Anton Dermota's sweet Ottovio loses his act one aria (a comon stage cut of the day) but makes up for the missed opertunity elsewhere, showing Ottovio's great noblilty, rather than just a henpecked, rather stupid wimp, as some portray him. Erna Berger is a little thin-voiced for Zerlina, but she is capable enough to pull off a good coquettish portral. Denzo Ernster's Commendatore is rather stiff in the confrontation at the end (but then again, he IS a statue) but he cuts an impressive figure, both vocaly and physiclly. We even have a Young Walter Berry, some years away from perfecting Papagano and Don Alfonso for Kempler and Bohm respectivly as a really great masetto.
DON GIOVANNI is a hard opera to perform, and likewise to make a DVD of, and I have yet to see a production I felt was "Right" in every way. but this one comes close. Really, really close. Infact, it's at an almost minescule distance away from profection, prohibated only by the cuts to the score. But still, what a performance!
5/5
Rating:
Summary: Furtwangler's magisterial Don Giovanni - lasting impression
Review: Furtwangler's 1954 Salzburg production, now on DVD, is a wonderful historical document. Many reviewer's on this site criticise his slow tempi, but who are we to criticise one of the greatest (if not the greatest) conductors of the 20th century? His "colossal musical intellect" (Opera Rough Guide)
applied to this work is nothing less than phenomenal. He views
this opera as a tragedy, rather than a comedy, and his well chosen ,but slower, speeds confirm this. He maintains the tensionthroughout, letting the beauty of the details and inner voices come out.
However he does spring to life when necessary and there is never a dull moment.In the overture, where we see him conduct, the first act finale and the finale itself you will see the master at his best!
The stage design and direction is
conventional, but this is not a modern production.
Cesare Siepi is definitely the best Don of his generation. He looks the part, acts with a great deal of flair and sings wonderfully.You will love the "champagne aria". He is a feast for the eye and ear, a triumph. The other singers are all first class.DVD sound is excellent.
One negative point perhaps: The overture return is ommitted.
So is Don Ottavio's first aria ("Dalla sua pace"), for reasons unknown. This is unfortunate.
But still, my advice to you is: grab it while the supplies last!
Rating:
Summary: Furtwangler's magisterial Don Giovanni - lasting impression
Review: Furtwangler's 1954 Salzburg production, now on DVD, is a wonderful historical document. Many reviewer's on this site criticise his slow tempi, but who are we to criticise one of the greatest (if not the greatest) conductors of the 20th century? His "colossal musical intellect" (Opera Rough Guide)
applied to this work is nothing less than phenomenal. He views
this opera as a tragedy, rather than a comedy, and his well chosen ,but slower, speeds confirm this. He maintains the tension throughout, letting the beauty of the details and inner voices come out.
However he does spring to life when necessary and there is never a dull moment.In the overture, where we see him conduct, the first act finale and the finale itself you will see the master at his best!
The stage design and direction is
conventional, but this is not a modern production.
Cesare Siepi is definitely the best Don of his generation. He looks the part, acts with a great deal of flair and sings wonderfully.You will love the "champagne aria". He is a feast for the eye and ear, a triumph. The other singers are all first class.DVD sound is excellent.
One negative point perhaps: The overture return is ommitted.
So is Don Ottavio's first aria ("Dalla sua pace"), for reasons unknown. This is unfortunate.
But still, my advice to you is: grab it while the supplies last!
Rating:
Summary: Best recorded performance of Don Giovanni HANDS DOWN
Review: Furtwangler, the only composer to rise against the Nazis and defy their order in Germany also conducted an amazing performance of Don Giovanni here. This is probably the BEST recorded version of Don Giovanni and the performance is top notch. By the way, the sound quality is excellent, even if it is in mono, you don't even notice. Don't ever let this great DVD pass you up, the performance, music, and conducting is one of the best you'll ever get to see. True piece of art.
Rating:
Summary: Best recorded performance of Don Giovanni HANDS DOWN
Review: Furtwangler, the only composer to rise against the Nazis and defy their order in Germany also conducted an amazing performance of Don Giovanni here. This is probably the BEST recorded version of Don Giovanni and the performance is top notch. By the way, the sound quality is excellent, even if it is in mono, you don't even notice. Don't ever let this great DVD pass you up, the performance, music, and conducting is one of the best you'll ever get to see. True piece of art.
Rating: 
Summary: At least four other videos are better
Review: I didn't like this performance other than Siepi who was OK. Lisa Della Casa is one of the most irritating sopranos I've ever heard other than Mari Zampari who is at the top of my list of singers to avoid. The acting was corny because of the dated performance (1954), sound quality was certainly not up to my standards of acceptance. This is a Don I'll gladly give away to someone who can appreciate it because I couldn't. I don't recommend unless someone wants to collect a historical performance of Don Giovanni on DVD. The other four available are far superior.
Rating:
Summary: This is the best Don Giovanni on DVD by far!
Review: I had never before seen the Furtwängler Don Giovanni, but I knew that it was considered by many to be one of the greatest productions of this much loved opera. This production was filmed shortly after its wildly successful run in Salzburg, Austria in 1953. It has lost none of its appeal nearly a half century later. This is the most rivetting account I have ever seen, live or on video, of Mozart's "dramma giocoso", which in this production definitely tilts towards the "dramma" aspect. The singing is fabulous from all members of this stellar cast assembled in the early 1950s. The Wiener Philharmoniker plays with a real feeling for this opera under Furtwängler. Indeed, this is a highly atmospheric production on all levels. Cesare Siepe is regarded as one of the all-time great Giovannis, and you will see and most importantly hear why in his highly dramatic portrayal of the lascivious don. Siepe not only sings the part flawlessly, but he can truly act, too. The final act will have you on the edge of your seat, to be sure. After brazenly lunging at the statue of the Commendatore with a knife, he recoils in terror when his action has no effect. After a brief moment of fear, he regains his composure and defiance. The emotions of Giovanni are conveyed by Sierpe in the most subtle of ways, a gesture here, a facial expression there, and of course via his singing. I'm sure everyone reading this knows the rest of the story, but you may be surprised at how brilliantly Siepe brings it all about, with his actions as much as his singing. I found myself feeling much more sympathetic towards the doomed Giovanni in this production than I have in most others, and that is entirely due to Siepe's brilliant portrayal. The rest of the cast is equally or very nearly as strong as its lead character. I watched this performance in utter amazement from start to finish, and cannot recommend it highly enough. It is in color, although the colors are on the pale side (not a problem!) and the sound format is in a high-quality mono (please don't let that steer you away from this masterpiece!). The sets are very realistic, and unlike many other operas on DVD, the picture is clear and the color excellent even in the night scenes (of which there are many in this opera). Included is a very informative booklet that gives background of this production as well as a summary of the opera. The picture format is 4:3, so it will fill your entire screen, and the playing time is 177 minutes. Subtitles are in English, Italian, Spanish, French German and Chinese. This is an opera DVD not to be missed, as it captures a historic performance that is nothing short of stunning. I would definitely rank this Don Giovanni in the top 5 best operas on DVD that I have seen.
Rating:
Summary: The Jewel of the Crown
Review: I have gone back to this opera a third time. Without any doubt, the jewel of the crown was Furtwangler albeit that Mozart was not exactly his favourite composer. Vienna Philharmonic under the baton of Furtwanlger was so expressive and so full of drama, both by itself and when supporting the singers. And of course, the singers was a very strong team too, we have Siepi, Ernester, Grummer, Dermota, Casa, Edelmann, Berger and Berry... Yes, in terms of psycho-analysis, we have a bit of Macbeth here instead of Midsummer Night's Dream in this opera. Mozart's music was never meant to be singsongs as his soul always touches and concerns the breadth and depth of humanity. Was the Statute who put an end to the life of the rascal a symbol of his own father and Giovanni in a way Mozart himself subconsciously without himself knowing about it?
I watched this opera side by side with "Dem Serail", another Mozart opera produced by DG. The orchestra was Bayeriscshen conducted by Karl Bohm, another favourite conductor of mine. With Bohm, we have perhaps a little more lyricism but we don't have the sort of fullest possible support to the singers as we have from Furtwangler. Nor was there the drama. The orchestra was nearly as good as Vienna Philharmonic, but the singers are remarkably weaker, and one would suppose that got nothing to do with the language in which it was sung for it intended by Mozart to be sung in German. So, despite the recording was made some twenty years later, technology alone doesn't help much. Even as far as visual and audio effects go, one would say Giovanni is better. It was so natural and pleasing. The conductor's interpretation is so modern in every way, with all those extrordinary lines from all these superb singers, one would hardly notice that it was a 1954 performance at all. Instead, Dem Serail sounds a bit outdated now. Definitely a treasure, Strongly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: The Jewel of the Crown
Review: I have gone back to this opera a third time. Without any doubt, the jewel of the crown was Furtwangler albeit that Mozart was not exactly his favourite composer. Vienna Philharmonic under the baton of Furtwanlger was so expressive and so full of drama, both by itself and when supporting the singers. And of course, the singers was a very strong team too, we have Siepi, Ernester, Grummer, Dermota, Casa, Edelmann, Berger and Berry... Yes, in terms of psycho-analysis, we have a bit of Macbeth here instead of Midsummer Night's Dream in this opera. Mozart's music was never meant to be singsongs as his soul always touches and concerns the breadth and depth of humanity. Was the Statute who put an end to the life of the rascal a symbol of his own father and Giovanni in a way Mozart himself subconsciously without himself knowing about it?
I watched this opera side by side with "Dem Serail", another Mozart opera produced by DG. The orchestra was Bayeriscshen conducted by Karl Bohm, another favourite conductor of mine. With Bohm, we have perhaps a little more lyricism but we don't have the sort of fullest possible support to the singers as we have from Furtwangler. Nor was there the drama. The orchestra was nearly as good as Vienna Philharmonic, but the singers are remarkably weaker, and one would suppose that got nothing to do with the language in which it was sung for it intended by Mozart to be sung in German. So, despite the recording was made some twenty years later, technology alone doesn't help much. Even as far as visual and audio effects go, one would say Giovanni is better. It was so natural and pleasing. The conductor's interpretation is so modern in every way, with all those extrordinary lines from all these superb singers, one would hardly notice that it was a 1954 performance at all. Instead, Dem Serail sounds a bit outdated now. Definitely a treasure, Strongly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Historical Don
Review: I have to sacrifice doby 5.1 and 16x9 screen to see this historical video. Siepi was my first Don and finally I can see him life anytime in my living room. The singing was first rate especially the ladies. Lisa della Casa is breaking my heart singing "mi tradi". The DVD is in color and excellent mono sound. Any Don enthusiast should immediately buy this DVD.
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