Hector Berlioz's 1862 opera (his last) is an adaptation of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing in which much of the original—except the central relationship between the initially squabbling titular couple and the contrasting romance of Claudio and Héro—has been jettisoned. And Berlioz invented a subplot of his own involving a pompous conductor called Somarone, who expends much energy composing festive music for Claudio and Héro's wedding—an addition meant as a satirical swipe at Berlioz's many critics. It would be nice to report that this 2016 Glyndebourne production reveals this long-neglected piece to be a forgotten gem, but this is not the case. Granted, Berlioz's arias and duets are often lush and beautiful, and the singing of Stéphanie d'Oustrac (Béatrice), Paul Appleby (Bénédict), Sophie Karthäuser (Héro), and Philippe Sly (Claudio) is impassioned and rich, while the London Philharmonic, conducted by Antonello Manacorda, revels in the sumptuous orchestration. But the material focusing on Somarone (Lionel Lhote) and the long stretches of spoken dialogue are tedious and lacking in humor. And none of it is enlivened by Laurent Pelly's staging, which relies on a single metaphor: people living in boxes (characters climb in and out of boxes throughout). Although the sets and costumes (varying shades of cream and gray) are attractive, that's not enough to overcome the production's flaws. Presented in DTS 5.1 (DTS-HD 5.1 on the Blu-ray edition) and LPCM stereo, extras include a “making-of” featurette, and a cast gallery. A strong optional purchase. (F. Swietek)
Béatrice et Bénédict
(2016) 118 min. In French w/English subtitles. DVD: $29.99, Blu-ray: $39.99. Opus Arte (dist. by Naxos of America). Volume 32, Issue 6
Béatrice et Bénédict
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