Hosted by Charlton Heston, each of the 10 hour-shy episodes of Opera Stories features excerpts from a famous opera—here, predominantly Italian romantic operas: five of Giuseppe Verdi's (from 1844-1893—Ernani, Il Trovatore, Aida, Otello, and Falstaff); Giacomo Puccini's 1893-1900 triptych of Manon Lescaut, La Bohème, and Tosca; and Umberto Giordano's 1896 Andrea Chènier (the final, rather incongruous, selection is Johann Strauss II's operetta Die Fledermaus). The most impressive excerpts are from five performances at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden (La Bohème, Manon Lescaut, Andrea Chènier, Falstaff, and Die Fledermaus), and one (Ernani) from La Scala in Milan, featuring such artists as Placido Domingo and Kiri Te Kanawa. Less successful are the four programs from the cavernous Arena di Verona; not only are the casts far more variable in quality, but the staging is also less effective. What distinguishes Heston's contribution is not only the actor's customary oracular delivery, but the fact that in each case he's situated in the geographical location of the opera's action—Venice for Otello, Paris for La Bohème, and so on. As thumbnail introductions to some of the best-loved operas in the repertory, these 10 programs—presented with decent Dolby Digital stereo sound—are serviceable, although listeners familiar with the works won't find anything new here. A strong optional purchase. Aud: H, C, P. (F. Swietek)
Opera Stories
(1989) 5 discs. 524 min. In English, Italian & German w/English subtitles. DVD: $39.99. Kultur International Films. ISBN: 0-7697-8593-X. Volume 23, Issue 1
Opera Stories
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