Apart from The Merry Widow (1905), the operettas of Franz Lehár are essentially much ignored today, outside of the occasional provincial production, so this 2017 mounting of The Land of Smiles (1929) by the Zurich Opera is rather remarkable for its very existence, let alone its opulence. Set in 1912, the piece tells the bittersweet tale of Chinese prince Sou-Chong and an Austrian countess named Lisa, who meet in Vienna, fall in love, marry, and go to China, where Lisa is unable to accommodate herself to the culture and decides to return to Europe. A secondary romance between Sou-Chong’s sister Mi and Viennese diplomat Count Gustav also ends unhappily. The title derives from the prince’s decision to let his beloved depart, smiling despite his loss—supposedly meant to illustrate the Chinese way of dealing with misfortune. Dominated by a magnificent spiral staircase, the set is imposing and the costumes are gorgeous. Fabio Luisi leads the company orchestra in an affectionate performance of the score, and the chorus is excellent. Of the soloists, Piotr Beczala stands out as Sou-Chong, handling every demand of the role written for tenor Richard Tauber with aplomb—including its most famous number, the so-called Tauberleid "Dein ist mein ganzes Herz." And if Julia Kleiter occasionally sounds a bit strained as Lisa, she is generally a fine partner, while Rebeca Olvera and Spencer Lang add humor as the secondary lovers. Although hardly the equal of The Merry Widow, this opera has its moments, and lovers of Viennese schmaltz will appreciate the effort that has gone into this revival. Presented in DTS 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1, and PCM stereo on DVD, and DTS-HD 5.1 and PCM stereo on Blu-ray, this is recommended. (F. Swietek)
Das Land des Lächelns
(2017) 103 min. In German w/English subtitles. DVD or Blu-ray: $39.99. Accentus Music (avail. from most distributors). Volume 33, Issue 5
Das Land des Lächelns
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