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Massenet: Manon / Netrebko, Villazon, Barenboim (2008) [Blu-ray]

Conductor: Daniel Barenboim | Label: Deutsche Grammophon

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish, German, Cantonese

Genre: Opera

Opera lovers easily put off by "updated" stagings of traditional 19th-century operas might well be missing something very special here, for this 1950's revisioning of Massenet's glorious 'Manon' is a true showcase for the incredible talents of Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazon. Netrebko in particular is simply dazzling, undergoing astonishing physical makeovers from act to act, and conveying the varying emotions of her character convincingly and with complete naturalness. You simply cannot take your eyes off of her. All this while singing with her usual luscious, creamy tone. Just gorgeous. Villazon is all intensity and passion, reaching his zenith in the Saint-Sulpice scene, where he and Netrebko all but tear the scenery apart. They have charisma to burn, and the chemistry between them is palpable. The rest of the cast is nowhere near their level, but they do a serviceable job in their supporting roles. Though this co-production between the LA Opera and the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin (where this performance was taped in the summer of 2007) sets the action a couple of centuries later than Massenet had intended, it nevertheless has some very clever and brilliant moments, but traditionalists will not be happy. Any doubts about the production, however, fade into the background whenever Netrebko or Villazon is on stage. The 1080i/60 PQ is stunning all around, and the AQ has great presence and dynamic range. (I listened to the 2-channel stereo PCM track.) With an image up to six times sharper than conventional DVD and superior high-definition sound, Blu-Ray lets you watch opera and ballet performances from the front row of the theater. Experience every detail, no matter how small, in the highest quality possible. With five times the memory of standard DVDs, Blu-Ray is a completely new way to experience the theater at home. Very highly recommended!

Anna Netrebko, Rolando Villazón, and Jules Massenet’s Manon would seem to be a match made in heaven. The brief essay for this DVD emphasizes that Manon is “an opera about sex appeal, glamour, beauty and youth.” Picking up on that idea, director Vincent Paterson has placed his production in 1950s Paris. Manon is a young girl who is obsessed with fan magazines to a point where she actually imagines herself (in the opera) to be the star of her own film. In this context, she is transformed into some of her film-star models (most famously, Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe). Given Netrebko’s present status as opera’s definitive glamour girl, Paterson’s concept suits her well. She never fails to project plenty of stage charisma, and she clearly enjoys what she is doing. As they say in tinsel town, the camera loves her. More important, her rich, creamy voice is well suited to Massenet’s super-heated score. Villazón is almost touching in the way he enthusiastically throws himself into the role of des Grieux, and his gorgeous Italianate voice doesn’t hurt, aside from his tendency to sing too loud. The entire supporting cast, with one exception, is merely functional, but it is admittedly difficult to compete with Netrebko and Villazón. The exception is Christof Fischesser’s richly burnished and imposing voice as the Comte des Grieux. Daniel Barenboim is a surprising choice to conduct Manon (he apparently agreed to fill in at the last minute). He resembles a disinterested zombie on the podium, but his interpretation is vital and suitably dramatic.

The ubiquitous David McVicar’s production with Natalie Dessay and Villazón provides major competition. The action occurs on an austere set surrounded by onlookers (chorus and ballet members) responding to the dramatic action. Dessay is undoubtedly a serious singing actress, who also displays an incredible level of energy. Her light and supple voice is preferable at times, but Netrebko’s vocal richness is probably better suited to Massenet’s music. She also has more power, which serves her well in the St. Sulpice scene. It is a pleasure to watch Netrebko cavort around the stage as if she is a movie star, but Dessay (and McVicar) achieve more intimacy and dramatic intensity. The ultimate choice will probably come down to fans of the individual divas.

The spectacular and ultra-colorful Paterson production looks great on Blu-ray, and all of his artful choreography, sets, and costumes contribute to keeping Massenet’s very long score alive. Audio formats are PCM stereo and PCM and DTS 5.1 surround sound. The surround options contain a slightly larger than usual contribution from the rear speakers that totally immerses you in the listening experience in high-resolution sound. Needless to say, Blu-ray offers visual splendors that are not wasted in this production. The 19-minute behind-the-scenes bonus contributes nothing to your knowledge of Massenet or Manon, but it does reveal where Paterson is coming from, along with the enthusiasm of Netrebko and Villazón. Paterson’s highly original idea for Manon really works, and should make this production, aided by the perfect casting of its stars, an enjoyable experience for operaphiles and neophytes who might be otherwise put off by Massenet’s lengthy score.

Cast:

Manon – Anna Netrebko

Le Chevalier des Grieux – Rolando Billazon

Le Comte des Grieux – Christof Fischesser

Lescaut – Alfredo Daza

Guillot de Morfontaine – Remy Corazza

Brétigny – Arttu Kataja

Poussette – Hanan Alattar

Javotte – Gal James

Rosette – Silvia de la Muela

Innkeeper – Matthias Vieweg

Works on This Recording:

1. Manon by Jules Massenet

Performer: Anna Netrebko (Soprano), Rolando Villazón (Tenor)

Conductor: Daniel Barenboim

Orchestra/Ensemble: Berlin Staatskapelle Orchestra, Berlin State Opera Chorus

Period: Romantic

Written: 1883-1884; France

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Rating:
2.5 out of 5 by Book123