Don Carlos [Blu-ray]

This is a great production of Don Carlos, partly because it includes Act I which is so often omitted. Here we have Verdi's original French version of the opera. Without Act I, the opera doesn't come alive for me until the final two acts because it's not until then that all the characters feel like flesh and blood people. In Act I, we get Don Carlos and Elisabeth's touching love duet, followed by the heartbreaking choice on her part to marry Carlos' father. These scenes make the subsequent motivations and sufferings of the characters clear, starting in Act II with Don Carlos' and Rodrigue's Oath Duet (which had never fully made sense to me) and ending with Elisabeth's Act V aria in which she recalls the joyous moment she shared with Don Carlos at Fontainebleau (the setting of Act I). Karita Mattila, as Elisabeth, is the star of this production. Her voice is rich, strong, and expressive; and, as icing on the cake, it's mysteriously sweet. Her high pianissimo is breathtaking. She's perfection as Elisabeth, a tragic figure trying to do the right thing politically, but in secret mourning for her lost love and her lost country. Her final aria, "Toi qui sus le neant," is stunning. Roberto Alagna is unpredictable on DVD. His voice is not always beautiful to listen to. It can grate (one reviewer called it "leathery" and another "thin and tinny") and he has a tendency to turn sharp. But, on key or not, his voice is always expressive and he's totally committed to his characters onstage. I think he's terrific here, using both voice and acting ability to portray Don Carlos' weaknesses and tormented soul. As a bonus, he and Mattila have great onstage chemistry. The rest of the cast is strong too. There's not a weak link. As a result, we're treated to sterling displays of the major voice types: soprano and tenor (already discussed); mezzo-soprano (Waltraud Meier as Eboli); baritone (Thomas Hampson as Rodrigue); and bass (Jose van Dam as Phillip). This is a great production, one of the best operas I've seen on DVD.

This French version features my favorite tenor, Alagna, who now owns the role. Mattila was in voice at the time and it works well though she towers over the short Alagna. The German mezzo, Meier acts well but is very unidiomatic in her singing. Van Dam is excellent Thomas Hampson great as always. Pappano knows the score like the back of his hand. In the French version we get to hear the fourth act's Prison scene great ensemble which Verdi took out in the Italian production. The production is curious and very spooky and effective. A Woodstock sculpter, Tricia Cline saw this DVD at my house and took a cue in costuming her figures in like manner. She sells well and even sold a Female Pope sculpture to Ellen DeGeneres in Calif. This is not the complete opera; that came later with Kaufman heading the cast in a not so great production. Kaufman is valued above Alagna at the Met because he also sings Wagner. In his complete DVD he seems to be trying to thicken his essentially lyric voice for the role...a habit which possibly has caused the nodule on his vocal cord in recent times. He is also short and tries to hide it, especially when standing next to Thomas Hampson. Take a look.

Luc Bondy's production of Don Carlos by Giuseppe Verdi (sung in the original French) has a superb cast who not only sing beautifully but act very convincingly as well. Roberto Alagna takes the title role and shows us an ardent lover, a thwarted, passionate man who has to deal with his fiancee marrying his father for reasons of state, his best friend being sacrificed to the Spanish Inquisition for his loyalty, finding his father distant and solitary yet vulnerable to his religious advisor and trying to fend off the unwelcome advances of his father's mistress. Verdi lavished some of his most poignant and lyrical music on the score which contains intimate scenes of arias and duets,but also public spectacle and huge choruses as in the "Auto-da-fe" scene. Thomas Hampson shines as Don Carlos' best friend, Rodrigo who is caught up in the fight for freedom for one of Spain's conquered countries, Flanders. His character represents the "enlightened" man of his age so Verdi gives him some of the most moving tunes but really all the characters are allowed to express themselves in such a way as to engage our sympathy at various times. The women are equally strong with Karita Mattila as Elisabeth de Valois, the noble, young princess who must leave her beloved France to marry the father while loving the son, and Waltraud Meier as Princess Eboli, the king's mistress who is also attracted to Don Carlos. Jose Van Dam distinguishes himself as King Philip 11 with his elegaic aria on unrequited love. This opera deserves to be as well known as Rigoletto, Traviata and Trovatore as it contains so many memorable tunes and ensembles. Hopefully with this production, which is more complete than most, we will be able to appreciate the large, magnificent canvas that Verdi has translated into a most human story of private love and public duty. Excellent singing, heart-rending acting, fraught situations and glorious tunes ... who could want more?

I would have loved to give this Five Stars rating if not for the awful set and the awful make-up of the male singers, particularly Mr. Hampson's wig and fake stubble. What is the purpose of this? In this production, we are very fortunate to have a group of singers who are wonderful to hear and also are very nice to look at. In the book "Opera for dummies", Angela Gheorghiu, Karita Mattila, Waltraud Meier, Roberto Alagna, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Cecilia Bartoli are listed as examples of "great looking" opera singers. The three of the singers mentioned are in this production. Mr. Hampson can certainly take Mr. Hvorotovsky's place. (The Siberian himself a magnificent Rodrigo in the Italian version. Where is his DVD of "Don Carlo"?) This must be the best "Don Carlos" in term of the cast. Karita Mattila, the very first winner of Singer of the World, definitely lives up to her well-deserved title. Her singing and acting is just exemplary. Jose Van Dam's performance of Philip II is regal with authority, yet still maintains the sensitive side of the character. Merier's Eboli is charming. When she is scorned, she really is a lioness. Mr. Hampson probably has the best music to sing in the whole opera. "Don Carlos" could be subtitled as "Everybody loves Rodrigue". Who would not want a friend like Marquis de Posa? Mr. Hampson does not disappoint us. He sings and acts very well. The "male bounding" duet "Dieu, tu semas dans nos ames" with Alagna is just beautiful. The gently persuasive "L'Infant Carlos" can melt the coldest heart. The death scene may lack Mr.Hvorostovsky's impressive legato, it is very well sung, dramatic and moving. Mr. Hampson's Rodrigue seems more like a lover than a best friend. He thoroughly enjoys this and torments poor Bobby with every physical contact. It is almost comical to see Alagna's discomfort in such an interpretation. His interaction with Mr. Hampson is very awkward. He can hardly make eye contact with Mr. Hampson when they are alone. You can see the difference when he is with the ladies. Bobby Alagna strangely resembles Andrea Bocelli physically (Thank God Bobby does not sound like Bocelli). "Don Carols" is not a glorious role for tenor. The tenor works so hard for the whole time and the show stoppers are for the other singers. To his credit, Mr. Algana does a great job. Overall, this long performance (210 minutes) is very enjoyable. It makes a worthy addition to any opera dvd library. For the price of $30.00, you can hardly get a seat in any opera house. This is a bargain, so grab it.

Still shaken to the core from this performance. Overwhelmingly deep. This is the fourth recording I have heard and one or two live at the Met. EACH of them is powerful in their own realm of interpretation. Each has a deep impact of its uniquely own. There can be no "best version" of any Don Carlo/Don Carlos. The thrill is diving into each on its own terms and absorb, bathe, be moved. The most powerful of Verdi's gift to us all is this opera...and I love Rigoletto, Othello, Traviata, ohhhhh all of them in their own realm. Hearing the different interpretations allows us to see deeper into Verdi's genius, which is amplified by productions each on their own. Cannot go wrong with all of the Amazon options.

A very great performance -- but the Kultur Blu-ray is MONO despite the fact that the original video is in STEREO and can be heard that way on Medici TV. The video dates from 1996 and is highly desirable because of its superb cast. Because the sets are all rather tacky, I'd give it 4 stars if it were not for the disc's technical problems. It should have been recalled.

got this because I wanted a video as well as a French version. For the price - $20 - I'm not complaining. Goodness, what we've come to expect - imagine if we could get this sound and video quality to watch whenever we wanted at home even up to the 1980s. I also don't know how many differences reflect the two versions. I've only ever heard the Italian before. But the complaints about the audio - on the blu-ray at least - are accurate. It's entirely listenable, but if you bought a CD or a vinyl record with this sound, you'd be unhappy. I, however, am happy to be able to watch it - it's not the unquestioned success in sets and acting that some have described, but it is pretty good and I find nothing in it that warrants harsh criticism. The singing is also entirely acceptable, even very good, but nothing accept for Mattila is really a consistently great performance. Some of this is that the voices are so far behind the music. But this is also not a big problem for me - it is a live opera performance, we have become accustomed to our stereo systems and the magic of studio recordings that artificially emphasize the voice. I love those recordings - Guilini especially, but that's not what you get with this. By the way, the countess d'Aremberg's face contorted in weeping reminds me of nothing so much as the party scene in Breakfast at Tiffany's. So, for the audio experience, I'll go to other performances both because of the regrettable disc production and the singing. But I do not regret this, either. Still, I'd think long and hard before I paid anything more than $20 for another disc by Kultur.

When I saw that this video was in my public library, I took it out, primarily to see Hampson and Mattila in a stage production. I was not necessarily expecting to be drawn in so completely, especially since Alagna is not one of my favorite tenors. But here, his thin, tinny tone is less bothersome than on records; in a theatre space it cuts nicely if not with a first-rate tone and, though he sings somewhat prosaically, he fills the bill adequately. Everything is at least musically phrased and in pitch. Waldtraud Meier does not have quite the technique to zip through the triplets in the "Veil song," but she is a powerful and impressive Eboli. Mattila, Hampson, Van Dam etc. are sheer perfection, and the conducting is superb...always supportive, never dragging, always moving forward and keeping each section in proportion. I was not as impressed with the stage sets as some other reviewers. They do not complement the very fine costumes (excepting, of course, the unshaven looks of Carlos and Rodrigue)...perhaps a drape here and there would have been appropriate. Leave it to a male set designer to not know how to use drapes effectively, LOL! In short, however, you must own this video if you love Verdi and especially this opera. This is the best French Don Carlos I have ever heard, and I've heard them all from as far back as the 1950s (at least on records). Before I had played the first tape of the library's copy, I was on the computer ordering this set from Amazon. Simply amazing.

Opera meravigliosa. Il Don Carlos in Francese, ovviamente, in versione integrale e con interpreti strepitosi. Un Marquis de Posà che tiene la scena meravigliosamente contendendosi il palco in modo superbo con il protagonista. L' infante di Spagna, Don Carlos interpretato in modo eccezionale e credibile da Roberto Alagna totalmente in parte. Ottimo tutto il cast. Una splendida rappresentazione imperdibile per un amante dell' Opera e un estimatore di Roberto Alagna

Super production in all way

素晴らしい。歌手、演出、音楽どれもドンカルロの映像で トップクラスです

Quel plaisir d'entendre et de voir notre fougueux Roberto dans cette production ancienne mais en fait très moderne, sobre, sans être inutilement dépouillée. Les voix sont toutes superbes,la princesse Eboli se transcende, le désarroi de Carlos si palpable. Je retiendrai le magnifique duo qu'il chante avec Rodrigue (thomas Hampson que je découvre), leur jeu,leur proximité, leurs voix sont en parfaite harmonie et traduisent magnifiquement la force de leur amitié. Evidemment le contexte politique de l'époque est très présent et l'histoire s'inscrivant dans ce contexte la rend d'autant plus intéressante. J'emettrai une petite (toute petite) réserve cependant quant au choix de karita Mattila dans le rôle d'Elisabeth: en effet, si la voix est superbe,physiquement, le couple amoureux qu'elle forme avec un Carlos plutot juvénile est un peu décalé.Mais c'est un avis tout personnel. Sinon, je recommande vivement ce moment de plaisir, à consommer sans modération.

An excellent production of Verdi’s opera, with a wonderful cast. Beautiful music, exquisite singing, great acting, intensity and emotion – these are the main virtues I look for in an opera performance, and I have found them all here. In addition, the staging is not aimed at reinterpreting or modernizing the original opera – Verdi would definitely recognize it - and this is something I’m especially thankful for. Don Carlos is a young, incurably idealistic and very vulnerable crown prince, who sincerely wants to be a hero, but who has become deeply frustrated while struggling with the issues related to a cold and tyrannical father (who turns into a powerful and dangerous rival to his son just when Carlos needs to become an emotionally and physically autonomous adult). Roberto Alagna sings impeccably and as naturally as other people breathe. He expresses the various and often conflicting emotions of the young prince in a very convincing way, and he makes it easy to understand why the other good characters love Carlos so much. Karita Mattila plays an Elisabeth who is considerably more mature than Carlos, a young woman for whom duty is everything, even though remaining dutiful and true to her principles requires more and more sacrifice on her part. If she seems too cold as a lover, it is totally in character – this queen can never be truly herself except when she is alone, and that is when Mattila’s acting becomes heartbreakingly intimate and emotional. As for the singing, she sings like an angel. Thomas Hampson as Rodrigue is brilliant both vocally and as an actor. He is very believably the hero who leaves the mark of his personality on everything he touches. A few words about the plot: It certainly has parts that are unrealistic (and I don’t even mean the appearance of the dead king), but, frankly, I don’t expect the same level of subtlety in the case of an opera libretto as in the case of a drama. Here everything serves the music, and the music is the main means of conveying meaning. For example, it’s been said that the political aspect (freedom for Flanders) is secondary in the actual plot, which may well be true, but when Rodrigue recalls the horror of the oppression, the power of the music does full justice to the cause, in my opinion. I have no problem with the idea that Elisabeth and Carlos fall in love at first sight and that they are unable to get over this love later. It is psychologically believable that they fall in love so easily because they want to. They have both been anxious about their impending marriage (they both know that they don’t have a choice), so when they find out that the other one is, in fact, a likeable person, they feel such relief that they fall in love at once. After that, the sudden obstacle that they face serves only to make this relationship more valuable in their eyes, strengthening their love. Also, the fact that even the good characters just stand by and watch as the heretics are burnt is a realistic touch, which underlines the power of the Inquisition. Everyone who lives in this climate knows that they can’t be saved now. All in all, the plot of this opera is as good as most of the others. In short, I wholeheartedly recommend this DVD to everyone who enjoys Verdi’s music and who can appreciate a traditional opera production whose main value is in the performance of the singers and the musicians.