First a warning!
Prospective buyers should be warned that probably the most
attractive and sought-after element of the DVD of this package
-
Angela Gheorghiu – Reflections on Puccini -
is audio only: Gheorghiu interviewed is not seen. This is
a major let-down and EMI are at fault for not admitting it
on their packaging. It is only when the DVD is ‘in the tray’ that
this fault becomes apparent.
Yet there is
much to enjoy in this section. Jon Tolansky’s sometimes over-enthusiastic
narration illuminates though; so, too, and much more appositely,
does Gheorghiu in her own comments. It is clear that she
is meticulous in her study and interpretation of Puccini’s
heroines. She researches the derivations of their stories – for
instance, the Abbé Prévost’s story for
Manon Lescaut and
Henri Murger's novel of 1820s Paris,
Scènes de la vie
de bohème which inspired Puccini’s
La Bohème. She
thinks deeply about and searches out their motivations and
backgrounds. It will be remembered that Gheorghiu shot to
fame for her interpretation of
La Bohème’s Mimi in
1992. It was the depth and range of both the vocal and psychological
dimensions that she brought to this role that made such a
remarkable impression. She tells us, in her interview, that
Mimi is stronger than one might think and independent, and
that she already knows her neighbour, Rodolfo, and seizes
her opportunity to make him love her and protect her in her
serious illness. In the new DVD of the
Metropolitan
Opera production, Gheorghiu makes this abundantly clear.
As the review
states: “she makes the point that she does not regard Mimi
as pure and innocent - why then would Rodolfo have cause
to be jealous? In fact it is noticeable that it is she who
blows out the candle first in her first encounter with Rodolfo,
clearly eager to gain his protection!”
Gheorghiu clearly
feels very deeply about her roles. She confesses that she
is so affected by the plight of Cio-Cio San that “when you
are so disappointed in your love … I cannot play
Madama
Butterfly on-stage”. She is seen passionately singing
the Act I love duet from
Butterfly, with Roberto Alagna,
in concert, on this DVD.
Tolansky enthusing
about her role as Magda observes that Gheorghiu “captures
the poise, the sentimentality and the touching romanticism
of Magda with the most spectacular virtuosity, a kaleidoscopic
palette of colours and a spontaneous sense of improvisation
that virtually brings to life Magda’s feelings of the moment.” He
is talking especially of her Act I aria ‘Chi il bel sogno
di Doretta’ in which, as a kept woman of an elderly rich
man, she dreams of romance with a student and a light, tender
kiss that burns. The excerpts on the CD of this album illustrate
Gheorghiu’s magnificence. Please refer to
my
review of the full EMI
La Rondine.
Gheorghiu, speaking
of
La Rondine, says, “I love its sparkling sweetness
and passion. … I know how that music goes into your soul:
I feel it in my body.”
The excerpts
on CD 1 are all from previous releases and have won praise
from the critics. All are treasurable, heartfelt performances:
Tosca (with Alagna on a
BBC
DVD), highlights of the
EMI Tosca and
Gheorghiu and Alagna in the
EMI Il
trittico (including, of course,
Gianni Schicchi on
CD1).
A splendid collection
of Puccini heroines illuminated by the incomparable Gheorghiu.
Although the
Angela Gheorghiu – Reflections on Puccini component
of the DVD is audio only (shame on EMI) it is most revealing.
Ian Lace
2174412 [CD:
75:26; DVD: 59:00] 
