An exceptionally well-conducted reading of Johann Strauss II's most famous comic operetta, this 2003 Glyndebourne production of Die Fledermaus, the first mounted at the festival's new theatre, finds Vladimir Jurowski directing the London Philharmonic with a real feel for the Viennese idiom; the rhythms are beautifully sprung and the orchestral work wonderfully lush (the score used is the new critical edition). Much of the singing is also very fine, especially by the women: Pamela Armstrong is a creamy-toned Rosalinde, Lyubov Petrova a perky Adele, and Malena Ernman a suitably droning Orlovsky (the men are less satisfactory). Visually, the production is a winner, too, with ornate sets and elegant costumes. Unfortunately, the performance just isn't terribly amusing: partially that's the fault of the libretto--not only does the complicated story of infidelity, masquerade, and revenge no longer seem fresh, but the text has also been rewritten to include lots of heavy-handed jokes, and the pacing of the dialogue is too slow for comfort (happily, Frosch's monologue has been relegated to an appendix). Even with excellent sound (with DTS and LCPM stereo options), the result is rather like champagne that's gone flat, or--to use a more appropriate metaphor--this is one bat that obstinately refuses to take wing. DVD extras on this double-disc set include interviews with the principals, a photo gallery, a discussion of the waltz, and a film about the construction of the new Glyndebourne house. Optional. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)
Die Fledermaus (The Bat)
(2004) 2 discs. 196 min. In German w/English subtitles. DVD: $29.99. BBC Opus Arte (dist. by Naxos of America). Color cover. Volume 19, Issue 4
Die Fledermaus (The Bat)
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