War and Peace

While the penultimate opera by Sergei Prokofiev--written in the shadow of the Nazi invasion of 1941--can't match the vastness of the Tolstoy novel on which it's based, it's still a piece of epic (perhaps one should say Wagnerian) scope, originally designed to be performed over two successive nights and lasting a full three-and-a-half hours in this mounting filmed in the spring of 2000 at the Op(ra National de Paris. War and Peace is a magnificent work, composed of 13 scenes--the first seven treating peacetime moments between 1806 and 1812 and the last six dealing with the successful Russian defense against Napoleon's invasion--which manage to capture the original's spirit in musical terms. The “peace” tableaux are marked by limpid melodies, dance interludes, and soaring expressions of romantic yearning, while the “war” scenes understandably have a more militant cast, dominated by great choral numbers reminiscent of Alexander Nevsky. This Paris production does the work full justice: the huge cast, mostly Russian, sings gloriously; Gary Bertini leads the orchestra with passion and urgency; and the sets, costumes, and lighting are all exquisite. Presented in crisp and sumptuous DTS, Dolby Digital 5.0, and LPCM stereo, this double-disc set also includes nearly 80 minutes of fascinating pre-production footage. Quite simply, a superb presentation of one of the greatest operas of the 20th century, this is highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)