May 2001Film Music CD Reviews

Film Music Editor: Ian Lace
Music Webmaster Len Mullenger

index page/ monthly listings /May01/


Johann STRAUSS (1825-1899)
Die Fledermaus

Operetta in Three Acts sung in English.
Recorded at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, New Year's Eve 1990 on the occasion of Joan Sutherland's farewell performance.
Conducted by Richard Bonynge
ARTHAUS DVD 100 134 2 DVDs [197 mins]
Crotchet   AmazonUK   AmazonUS

Cast in order of appearance -
Adele………………………………Judith Howarth
Rosdalinde………………………... Nancy Gustafson
Alfredo………………………….... Bonaventura Bottone
Gabriel von Eisenstein…………...... Louis Otey
Dr Blind……………………….…. John Dobson
Dr Falke…………………………. Anthony Michaels-Moore
Colonel Frank (Prison Governor) ....Eric Garrett
Prince Orlofsky…………………... Jochen Kowalski
Ida …………………………....… Glenys Groves
Ivan (Servant to Orlofsky) ………. Peter Archer
A Policeman………………..…… David Evans Rees
Frosch (The Jailer)………….....… John Sessions
With special appearances by:
Joan Sutherland; Luciano Pavarotti and Marilyn Horne
The Royal Opera Chorus;
The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

What a glittering occasion this was - a gala performance of Johann Strauss's ever-popular operetta enhanced by Act II guest appearances by Joan Sutherland who made this special evening the occasion of her farewell performance, with Luciano Pavarotti and Marilyn Horne. The setting was John Cox's lavish 1977 production with sumptuous costumes and beautifully detailed, colourful sets - a triumph of stage management. The DVD presentation is one of the very best that ARTHAUS has presented so far, the colour photography is first class as is the sound with crisp picture definition and impressive yet unobtrusive camera work, revealing all the spectacle as well as closing in on intimate moments.

The cast is well-nigh lawless, all relishing Strauss's generous supply of lovely melodies for this frothy tale of an upwardly mobile society keen to cheat and take on different personas to enjoy Prince Orlofsky's party. Nancy Gustafson is ideal as the knowing Rosalinde, bent on teaching her errant husband, Gabriel von Eisenstein (Louis Otey) a lesson as she attends the party masked and disguised as a Hungarian countess. Among the arias that gained her rapturous applause was her Act II rendition of the 'Czardas'. Judith Howarth is cheekily coquettish as Rosalinde's maid, Adele, who goes to Orlofsky's party in her mistress's finery, keen to find a rich sponsor to back her projected stage career. Her spellbinding coloratura Act II aria in which she admonishes Eisenstein for thinking she is just a maid again brought huge applause. Anthony Michaels-More makes a sardonic yet human Dr Falke whose quest for revenge because an Eisenstein prank had made him look a fool in front of his legal peers, is the cause of Orlofsky's party. His meltingly beautiful 'Brother mine, brother mine and sister mine' in which he encourages all the on-stage party couples to embrace, was another highlight. Proud Orlofsky is sung by the fine counter-tenor Jochen Kowalski enjoying himself tremendously as he encourages everybody to drink up. Bonaventura Bottone makes Alfredo a charming clown and Eric Garrett's Colonel Frank, the pompous and foolish prison governor, is another piece of perfect casting. Space forbids me mentioning the many highlights like the sublime Act III Trio between Alfredo, Eisenstein and Rosalinde when they all try to untangle the web of deception.

Act II is enhanced with the entrance of the guests. Pavorotti sings Federico's lament from Cilea's L'Arlesiana. Sutherland and Horne then sing Semiramide and Arsace's duet from Rossini's Semiramide. Marilyn Horne sings 'Mon coeur s'ouvre à ta voix' from Saint-Saën's Samson et Dalila. Next there is Alfredo and Violetta's duet from Verdi's La Traviata sung by Joan Sutherland and Luciano Pavarotti. In conclusion, Joan Sutherland sings, appropriately for Covent Garden, where she trained from 1952 and leapt to fame as Lucia in 1959, Henry Bishop's "Home, sweet home".

As if this was not enough, Act II also has a brilliant ballet performance by Viviana Durante and Stuart Cassidy. Then, in Act III, we have a comic performance by John Sessions as the jailer, Frosch, poking fun at the current political and arts scene. John Major, then Prime Minister, was in the audience. The evening was rounded off with an on-stage tribute to Joan Sutherland by Jeremy Isaacs.

A magical souvenir of a sparkling evening. A splendid, sumptuous performance of Johann Strauss's evergreen operetta, with so many memorable, extra treats. Don't miss this one!

Ian Lace

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