Carmen; Speaking in Strings

Smoking Camel filters, wearing cowboy boots, unselfconsciously saying "fart" in mixed company, Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg is not exactly your Stereotypical Virtuoso Classical Violinist. An Oscar nominee for Best Documentary, Paolo Di Florio's Speaking in Strings serves up a biographical portrait of a riveting artist whose wild, kinetic performances (she "attacks the music" notes one observer) has divided critics in their praise and condemnation and earned Salerno-Sonnenberg the rather odd sobriquet, "the bad girl of the violin." Combining interviews with Nadja, family members, and various colleagues from the world of classical music, together with mesmerizing concert footage, the film recounts Nadja's troubled childhood (her father abandoned her when she was three months old), musical upbringing and eventual Carnegie Hall debut in 1982, and personal trials and tribulations (ranging from briefly playing demanding pieces with only three fingers after she accidentally lopped off the end of her pinkie, to a failed suicide attempt in 1995). What's ultimately a wee bit frustrating about Speaking in Strings, however, is that it grabs us by the lapels purely on the basis of Nadja's charismatic presence--the filmmaking itself is unexceptional and even maddeningly elliptic (oblique references to Nadja's love life and a stalking fan, for example, are introduced and then never followed up on). Highly recommended for the subject, if not necessarily the treatment. [Note: the DVD purports to have extra features, but a one page incomplete bio and previews of other documentary titles hardly qualify.] Aud: C, P. (R. Pitman) Speaking of bad girls, George Bizet's Carmen, one of the most popular operas of all time, features the poster girl for Women Behaving Badly, a comely hot-blooded gypsy cigarette factory worker whose playthings of choice include the living, beating hearts of her suitors. With its action-packed story of unrequited love and betrayal and vibrant score featuring plenty of hit tunes, Carmen remains a perennial favorite, performed annually all over the world. Filmed at Earl's Court in London, this 1989 mounting capitalizes on a huge circular set that resembles a bull ring, with ramps permitting the free flowing movement of choruses, dancers and even horses. Choreography has been added throughout, including a spirited flamenco sequence in Act 4. On DVD, it's an almost participatory experience, with the crisp imagery and high fidelity Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack (presented in French with English subtitles) effectively conveying the excitement of the occasion. While the cast is generally capable, it's Maria Ewing's show: earthy, seductive, and vocally superb, she makes a thoroughly credible Carmen. When it comes to Carmen on DVD this shouldn't necessarily be your only choice (check out the 1991 Ewing production at Covent Garden and the 1984 Julia Migenes/Placido Domingo feature film), but any collection that can accommodate more than one version would be well served by this fresh perspective on an old war horse. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (J. Reed)