Maurice Ravel wrote no full-length operas, but he composed two enchanting single-act works, presented here in vintage productions from England's Glyndebourne Festival. L'Heure Espagnole is a witty romp about a clockmaker, his unfaithful wife, and her lovers, while L'Enfant et les Sortilèges revolves around a naughty boy threatened by come-to-life furniture in his room, as well as insects and animals outdoors, until they perceive that his tantrums conceal a tender heart. The first was taped live before an audience, but the second, although based on the stage production, has been reworked for video, with more elaborate camerawork and even some primitive special effects. The performances are nicely done, with strong singing from the large cast and orchestral work by the London Philharmonic that revels in Ravel's colorful instrumentation (Simon Rattle is the conductor of L'Enfant, and Sian Edwards of L'Heure). But what really makes these presentations memorable are the sets and costumes by author and illustrator Maurice Sendak, which display his characteristic imagination and charm, matching the composer's musical élan in visual terms. It's a pity that the 1987 audio (in LPCM stereo here) and video qualities are mediocre—the full-screen images are often muddy, and the sound doesn't do the orchestration justice. Despite the technical flaws, however, these are delightful readings of Ravel's small-scaled masterworks. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)
L'Enfant et les Sortilèges & L'Heure Espagnole
(1987) 101 min. In French w/English subtitles. DVD: $29.99. Kultur International Films (avail. from most distributors). ISBN: 978-0-7697-8836-4. Volume 25, Issue 1
L'Enfant et les Sortilèges & L'Heure Espagnole
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: