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There have been first-class productions that respected Hogarth's vision. One of them is sure to find its way to home video eventually, and those who are upset by visual tampering with an opera's original concept might want to wait. But the Salzburg audience applauds it thoroughly in this production. Stravinsky's music is well handled. Jerry Hadley brings both pathos and humor to the title role, Dawn Upshaw puts a lot of personality into the rather bland, goody-goody role of Anne, and they have an expert supporting cast. --Joe McLellan
| ACTORS: | Jonathan Best (II) |
| CATEGORY: | DVD |
| DIRECTOR: | Jerry Hadley |
| THEATRICAL RELEASE DATE: | 01 January, 1996 |
| MANUFACTURER: | Image Entertainment |
| MPAA RATING: | NR (Not Rated) |
| FEATURES: | Color, Widescreen |
| TYPE: | Music Videos - Classical |
| MEDIA: | DVD |
| # OF MEDIA: | 1 |
| UPC: | 014381577822 |
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Customer Reviews of Stravinsky - The Rake's Progress
A travesty Wait for the excellent Glyndebourne production with Hockney sets to appear. This production is really silly and works counter to the marvelous score.
The is the One to Have!
So far this 1996 Salzburg Festival production of 'The Rake's Progress', Stravinsky's 'Mozartian opera,' is the only one to make it to DVD. But frankly I don't think you need look any further; from the opening scene set in Tom's painter's studio (with Anne as his demure model) to the amusingly staged epilog that is an homage to that of 'Don Giovanni,' the production never flags, impelled smoothly by the alert conducting of Sylvain Cambreling. The production, conceived and directed by Peter Mussbach with set/costume design by Jörg Immendorff, goes from triumph to triumph. The stage action, scenery and costumes, although not always immediately clear in intent, are colorful, amusing, always engaging.
The cast could hardly be bettered. Jerry Hadley, sometimes not a very inspired actor, makes a believable and sympathetically tragic Tom Rakewell in this tale of a young man ruined by wealth and temptation. His singing is pointed, if not always innately beautiful. Dawn Upshaw, as Anne Trulove, is delectable both visually and aurally. It is hard, frankly, to imagine a better Anne. Her two big scenes, 'No word from Tom ... I go, I go to him,' and 'Gently little boat' are beautifully sung and emotionally moving. Nick Shadow, sung by Monte Pederson kitted out as a kind of Daddy Warbucks, is both vocally superb and dramatically menacing. Contralto Jane Henschel as Baba the Turk is hilarious but also sings the part's coloratura as well as I've ever heard. Not a small woman, Henschel is light on her feet and her nimble moves onstage contribute conspicuously to her impersonation of the nattering bearded lady. Linda Ormiston's licentious Mother Goose, Barry Banks's oily Sellem, and Jonathan Best's stalwart Trulove contribute vocally and visually well-drawn characterizations to round out, along with the almost omnipresent Vienna State Opera chorus, a top-drawer cast.
The production was directed for TV by Brian Large. Is there anyone better doing this sort of thing? If so, I don't know who.
I give this DVD my strongest recommendation.
Review by Scott Morrison.