Product Description
Giacomo Puccini's immortal opera in a high budget feature-film version directed by Academy Award nominee Robert Dornhelm, stars opera's 'Golden Couple', Rolando Villazon and Anna Netrebko as the protagonists, Rodolfo and Mimi. The chemistry between them is electric, unrivalled in the theatre today. Russian soprano Anna Netrebko is not only beautiful but has a marvelous voice and technique; Mexican tenor Rolando Villazon, has a wonderful voice and an incredible charisma. The excellent bonus features include fascinating interviews with all the key performers and the director, who confirms that he not only wanted to remain steadfastly faithful to Puccini's design but also document two of the leading singers of the modern age rather than embarking on a 'trendy' contemporary re-creation.
Product Details
- #18824 in DVD
- Brand: Kultur
- Released on: 2009-12-15
- Rating: Unrated
- Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
- Number of discs: 1
- Formats: Color, Subtitled, Widescreen, Dolby, NTSC
- Original language:
Italian
- Subtitled in:
English
- Dimensions: .20 pounds
- Running time: 100 minutes
Editorial Reviews
Review
'Breathtakingly dramatic and emotional... full to the brim with some of the best vocal talents of today... director Robert Dornhelm has not only managed to stay true to Puccini's story, but has also succeeded in adding another exciting and dynamic dimension to the opera.' --Opera News Magazine
Review
'lavishly detailed... Dornhelm translated the opera to the screen with imaginative, occasionally arty, touches... [Villazon's] singing is glorious.' --Sunday Times
Review
'chocolatey richness directly into the vein' --The Guardian
Rating: 
-
Visually and Musically Satisfying
This is my fourth recording of La Boheme and a welcome addition to my collection. I have been a fan of this opera for more years than I can easily remember. I still love it and must admit that Netrebko and Villazon's performance of the first act love duet left me in tears.
The movie settings for all four acts make marvelous contributions to the story and give one a greater feeling that one is watching it all happen. The entire opera seems to go by much faster than the 109 minute length.
Although Nicole Cabell has a satisfying voice, her appearance is not as convincing in the role as the other cast members are in theirs. Her interview in the bonus section is very compelling, however, and one comes away with a good impression of her. I'm not even sure I can put my finger on the visual disharmony but I felt it as I watched.
I noticed one reviewer criticized Netrebko's red lipstick; I for one found it a rather touching effort by Mimi to bring some color into what was a rather drab, sad life.
The Blu-ray recording is very good in surround sound. My only complaint is certain parts in the Second Act were not clearly audible; it seemed as if the sound level fluctuated somewhat. That was a very minor problem and hardly worth mentioning.
If you are a fan of La Boheme I think you'll enjoy this performance. I noticed that Villazon took his part of the Act 1 love duet down a half step, but that's not all that unusual; on two of my recordings of the opera the tenor does that and on two the tenor sings it as written. I also noticed he sang the final section as written rather than going up for the high c with the soprano, but that too is not all that unusual.
The Special Features are good and provide interesting insight into the cast and the making of the film.
Overall it is an enjoyable experience and I'm delighted to have it in my collection!
Rating: -
Don't miss -
Shame, shame, shame on American distibutors for not releasing
this film theatrically in the US. I would have killed to see this
on the big screen in full surround, et al. Suffice to say,
this film captures a 'La Boheme' no Metropolitan Opera
satelitte simulcast ever could - meaning, it preserves
the performances of Netrebko and Villazon as, what are
likely to be, the definitive Mimi and Rodolfo. This is
as cinematic as any opera can get (and vice-versa!).
Rating: 
-
What's Not To Like?
Clearly (from the reviews of this title) there are some opera lovers who like only traditional stage performances of operas. Which is fine, but the virulent criticism of this version seems a bit over the top. It's as if the critics are so concerned with demonstrating the purity of their high-minded regard for the art that they forget how to enjoy it.
Concerns about lip-syncing aside, this seems to me to be a perfectly legitimate creation. I sincerely doubt that Puccini would regard it as a "rape", to quote a previous reviewer. He was an artist, and therefore open-minded. You may or may not like Anna and Rolando; for me it's much more convincing to see a handsome, slender intense young Rodolfo than a middle aged plumpo. The same applies for the stunning Anna. It does appear that not too many reviewers had complaints about the singing, at least.
Anyway, aren't there enough versions of Boheme around to allow something different and experimental? I bet this film brings a lot more new fans to the genre than any of the more traditional productions. And if you want to see the genre survive, you're going to need new blood in the audience.
Rating: 
-
Rape of a masterpiece
It's inconceivable, a terrible production with no chemistry no soul, everything else is being said by other reviewers. I like Rolando Villazon and Anna Netrebko, great voices and a lot of passion in most of their performances. Opera is about soul and for sure not about bad movie making. Puccini's masterpiece raped.
Rating: -
An excellent cinema production
The cinema photography is excellent for this classic opera. I recommend this blueray production very highly.
HIDEO MD FACS
Rating: -
Check your Blu-ray Region Code, Aussie
These are two of my favorite performers, and I love Puccini. The theatrical rendering of this opera is fine by me; the music falls a little more into the background in this kind of production because one tends to focus intently on the action, so that the lip syncing really wasn't a problem for me.
I'm also happy with my Blu-ray disc. It certainly doesn't resemble the very negative description given by the reviewer in Australia. Probably he's not aware that US Blu-ray discs are different from those normally used in other parts of the world.
Rating: -
A well-done balancing act
Kudos definitely to all concerned in the production of this program, for making a very modern movie, but still keeping it largely within the framework of the original story. So many stage directors are doing wild and wacky things these days with time periods, scenery and clothing (want to hear about a Don Giovanni where the Commendatore comes out of the trunk of a Mercedes?)that I am glad that Mr. Dornhelm resisted temptation and kept this La Boheme in it's correct period. You cannot deny that the camera loves Anna, or yes, that Rolando LOVES the camera, but their voices are absolutely thrilling and touching in the right places. On the Blu-ray, I agree with the reviewer from Blu-ray.com about the picture quality, particularly as the colors of Musetta's gown just leap off the screen. As for the complaints before about lip-syncing, they've been doing that in movie musicals for years folks, from South Pacific to Grease to Nine, and in opera films like Domingo and Julia Migenes in Carmen. As for the reviewer from Australia who didn't like the picture quality, perhaps it's a region coding problem. No complaints here.
Rating: -
INTENSELY PASSIONATE FILM!
This film was done with true love and dedication.
The producer did a wonderful job in creating this rendition of LaBoheme.
Intensely passionate is all you can say for the producer and the singers/actors who
make this film a true treasure and success. They put everything into it! You will not be disappointed. Great sound, great cinematography, great everything!!!!!!
Rating: 
-
Not as bad as first thought but not as good as I hoped
OK, my earlier condemnation was a bit premature. Being such a fan of Netrebo & Villazon I was compelled to revisit this Blue Ray film and was rewarded with some moving artistry so am revising this review.
As posted earlier I nearly gave up on this film. The opening scenes were dull and lacked Blu Ray quality although later scenes were fine and up to expected HD standards. But the Dolby 5.1 audio was particulaly diasappointing and appears to not be the new HD format. The Stereo option is very flat and lifeless.
The costuming and sets are traditional but overall the film lacks the atmosphere of a live production although Netrebco and Villazon come across convincingly. I see some are put off by the miming but that did not bother me as the subtitles distracted close attention to it. The other artists and chorus are fine although there is no full cast listing and the conductor and orchestra remain a mystery.
But there are quite a few negatives: the 2.35:1 film format; the questionable sound quality already referred to (although to be honest my ears adjusted so it was not as big a drawback as on first encounter); odd distracting B&W sequences; the dull lighting of Act 1.
However the artistry is first rate so this disc is a bit of a curates egg with good and bad features. Note it is region coded, in my case A but that has nothing to do with the video quality as other region A discs here are fine.
So I'll withdraw my earlier condemnation but only recommend it with caution.
Rating: -
Glorioius performances, lovely sets
We were delighted. Beautifully photographed, perfect sets, compelling performances both in acting and singing -- this is a treasure to recreate for you the world of La Boheme and flush out the tear ducts. Compares with the stunning production of Tosca directed by Gianfranco de Bosio in astonishing effectiveness in adapting opera to film.
Click here for comments posted by our customers
Apparel-Sitemap 
