In a message dated 2/11/2006 9:44:34 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
> Do you know a really good DVD of Les Contes d'Hoffmann, musically, and > in terms of the technical quality of transferring the music, and where > they didn't go and use modern clothes for costumes or something? > ******************** I have the DVD with Placido Domingo doing Hoffmann...on the Kultur label. It's not bad. But there are several versions. Here's a link to ArkivMusic's page of them: ArkivMusic | Album List Page But my fave recording [not DVD...just a CD] is with Francisco Araiza: ArkivMusic | Offenbach: Tales Of Hoffmann / Tate, Norman, Araiza, Et Al This is not your usual version you hear in the opera house. They have restored the complete introduction with the scene with the Muse....who disguises herself as Nicklausse to keep Hoffmann true to his art. [suddenly a lot of things make more sense, don't they?] And the speaking scenes are restored...but you lose Copelias' aria about "eyes". [Offenbach died while they were preparing the 1st production. Afterwhich...the producers did what they wanted, composing it thru and eliminating a lot of stuff.] The Antonia act is second instead of last, The Giuietta act is last with a very different ending. Instead of her just leaving Hoffmann, Dapertutto plots his death by poisoning a glass of wine. But Giulietta drinks it by mistake and drops dead as Dapertutto laughs. Doncha love opera??? Like Anna Russell says: "You can do anything, as long as you sing it." Any of you who are not familiar with this opera, I highly recommend it. It one of the greats...in either version. _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
