Customer Reviews

Aida

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

A nivel general esta es una gran version de Aida, comenzando por la puesta en escena de LUCA RONCONI, bella y coherente visualmente en todo momento, sin los alardes tipicos de la obra, pero con un inteligente movimiento de figurantes.
Luego, en el apartado vocal tenemos al sobresaliente Radames de LUCIANO PAVAROTTI, en uno de sus dias de gloria, a la poderosa Amneris de GHENA DIMITROVA (sin los medios de la Zajick, pero muy notable tambien) y a esos lujos para los papeles secundarios que se llaman PAATA BURDZULADZE (Ramfis), JUAN PONS (Amonasro) y NICOLAI GHIAUROV (Rey de Egipto), todos de lujo en sus respectivas partes.
La Aida de MARIA CHIARA cumple bien, aunque no llega a arrebatar vocalmente, impone una presencia escenica bastante interesante. Aunque prefiero a Aprille Millo...
LORIN MAZZEL lleva comodamente la direccion de los cuerpos estables de la Scalla de Milan, todos ellos muy ductiles, rematando asi una version de Aida bastante interesante.

The singing was wonderful, but the staging ranged from distracting to hilarious.

You like slaves? This production has them in abundance, cluttering up the action, groaning and moaning as they pull and push stones and monuments like a pack of crack-smoking ants. They were especially annoying in the triumphal scene, where the chorus could barely squeeze on stage, cowering in the background while the over-acting wretches took center stage. (Hey slaves! Triumphal celebration going on! Take five!)

It was also kind of weird in Act I, Scene II, where the rocks just popped up out of the ground, noisly banged about, and occasionally formed,one assumes, significant shapes.

Act II, Scene I was bizarre. First, there were topless women "bathing." Let me tell ya, topless women are always a distraction, except in a topless bar, and even there they distract. What was the point of them here? Second, while most ballets in this scene feature the usual gaggle of Egyptian girls "walking like an Egyptian," they changed it up a bit by having young boys--very young boys!--hopping about in thongs, while being whipped by some old dudes. (Speaking of pointless, don't miss the entrance of Radames in the Act II, Scene II, with the scantily clad young hunk standing over him, ready for action.)

Finally, Herr Pavarotti was big enough; hanging curtains on him only added to the effect. (One could almost hear the slaves lamenting, "We can pull the sphinx across the stage, but not that tenor!")

It is also noted that the once discriminating La Scala audience fell for this MTV approach like wrestling fans marking out to a Hulk Hogan pose down.

All in all, an absurd and sterile desecration of Verdi's opera.

A cast like this is practically impossible to find or replicate today. Pavarotti and Dimitrova were in their prime (the latter would "progress" to the Aida rôle shrotly afterwards) and Maria Chiara, in spite of a tentative start, amply shows that she still was in very fine form, her portrayal soon growing into a warmth and securenes seldom seen. The Ronconi production was spectacular and shed some of the traditions that tended to be the norm (like dancing, remember the ballets were asked for by Verdi to accomodate Parisian tastes when the original production moved from Cairo to Europe) and thence you will encounter the ballet music firstly to accomodate pranks by kids who brusquely interrupt the languor and peacefulness of Amneris's bath, and later to accompany some heavy labouring by slaves in the triumphal scene. Mazzel's conducting is precise and to the point, the La Scala orchestra irreproachable as is also the very idiomatic chorus. And what's more, to have Ghiaurov, Buchuladze and Pons to support Pavarotti, Chiara and Dimitrova as Amonasro, the Paraoh and Ramfis was a splendid luxury only a theatre like La Scala could attract. The opera was recorded live some 15 years ago and, along with the Met's rival version with Millo and Domingo on a DG dvd, belong in any collection. You can't go wrong with either, although I'd slightly prefer this La Scala production, in spite of the lack of ballet criticised by some colleague reviewers. And don't mind the (for me unobtrusive) nudity that accompanies the Amneris' bath scene: after all, it's only natural that people undress to bathe!

It is excellent! The music of this opera is awesome and singers like Pavarotti make it even better. If you like Verdi or Pavarotti that's exactly what you want.

This is a fabulous opera. It is nothing compared to the Broadway production. Despite Luciano Pavarotti's weight, he has an amazing voice and is perfect for the role of Radames. Maria Chiara makes a wonderful Aida. Ghena Dimitrova is a fabulous Amneris. I just wish they mentioned her character by name. The sets are amazing. I think it is amazing how they managed to fit the exterior of the Temple of Vulcan beneath the stage. I think one of the pillars looked like Louis Armstrong. Watch for that pillar. The guy who plays Amonasro looked so convincing, you would have thought he was actually African American. Mind you, this was the first time I saw that guy. I've heard that he's really white. Even though I give it 5 stars, I have three complaints. One is major and two are minor. The major one is the first scene of Act II. It's Nudist City in that scene. There are naked women exposing their you-know-whats in front of millions of opera patrons. To make matters worse, one minute you're getting over the shock of naked women, suddenly, the Moorish Slave Dance starts up and naked kids run on stage. Some may have been wearing jewelry that covers up their middle areas but their tushies are still exposed. It is a crime for women and children to expose themselves in public. My three minor complaints are the subtitles that go ok at the beginning of the opera but get quirky after Ramfis exits. They either show up, show up too late, or don't show up at all. My second minor complaint is the outfit that Aida wore in her final scene. Why did she get dressed up just to die with Radames. Did she want to look beautiful when archaeologists found the tomb. She and the mothers of the Moorish children should have protested about the costumes. It's too late now but still, that bawdy headdress looked too vibrant for a tomb. My final complaint (and this one is pretty minor) is that during the curtain calls at the end of the show, there was a shot of a balcony but a house light got in the way making room for the DVD's only moment of poor filming.

This performance of "Aida", despite from other reviews say, has a great production, The scenario is Wonderfull.
Chiara is a great performer of Aida, with that dark powerfull voice of dramatic soprano, her acting isn't great but is better than Pavarotti's or (most of all) Dirmitrova. I never seen a woman moove so little on stage. But the worst of all is the ballet in the triunfal march ¡¡there isn't any ballet!!.
Vocally I find this performance great, but in matters of acting isn't that good.
The Orchestra is perefctly displayed here, Maazel does a great job.
I would rate with 5 stars If I would be thinking in the voices and the orchestra but If I had to rate acting I would put 2 stars. I keep with 3 stars

CRITICISMS:

1. If you know the opera very well and can handle the Italian, tough. There's no way to get Italian subtitles (at least on the edition of this DVD sold in Europe).

2. The "grand march" (musically, probably the most magical moment of this opera) was inanely coreographed. According to the libretto, they're supposed to be bringing in "the spoils of war," as they dance to the music. Instead we have a bunch of guys dragging giant statues around the stage with ropes. The famous "Dance of the Moorish Slaves" was also ineptly done, but that has been adequately discussed below.

3. Pavarotti does indeed have weight problems. He's so fat in this performance, it's distracting.

4. The quality of the audio recording, if you put on some quality headphones and listen to it carefully, is frequently poor. The attentive listener can hear pops, clunking, clanking, coughing, page turning, etc. (Of course, to be fair, this WAS recorded live.) This is something you'll want to know if you're an aural purist.

PRAISE:

1. Singingwise, the performers are at their peak.

2. With the exception of the lack of Italian, the subtitles were well brought off.

3. Considering the limitations of their situation, the cameramen did an excellent job. But amazing work on their part doesn't necessarily mean it's quality viewing.

This is an incredible Aida for Luciano Pavarotti. I have never heard him in such a good voice for a dramatic tenor role. But please cut off the video and just hear him otherwise you will be extremely disappointed by this DVD. The acting is so so bad (by everyone). Pavarotti having his knee problem never moved on stage. Chiara's acting is even worse. Dimitrova has an ugly voice. The best amneris I ever heard was Ghorr in the Solti, Vickers , Price recording.

OVerall....NOT recommended...the MET production with Domingo, millo is excellent!

Take out Pavarotti, and this is the worst Aida I've ever seen. The production is horrendous; during the Triumph March, all they do is push and shove around scenery. The ballet has an ENORMOUS CUT IN THE MIDDLE. there's even nudity in the previous scene.

Dimitrova is possible the worst singer ever. She can call home without a telephone. her costume doesn't help much either. no wonder Radames hates Amneris so much! And why did they get Aida to dress up so formally to join Radames in the tomb? Her voice is better than Dimitrova's, but still is no L. Price. maazel's conducting is boring, lax, and weak. very uninteresting. subtitles are either late, or don't show at all.

don't bother with this version. get the Met version with Domingo/Millo. THAT is Aida!

First things first: Pavarotti, Chiara, Dhimitrova, and Pons were all in good voice, but none of them can compare with performances like the early Callas, del Monaco, Dominguez, Taddei set, or the Bjorling, Milanov, Barbieri, Warren set, or the Corelli, Nilsson, Bumbry, Sereni set, or anything!... Though Pavarotti's Radames was beautiful, his acting made him seem like a statue in the background. Chiara's Aida was pretty but her acting was atrocious and the way she grinned and bowed after, "O patria mia" made me want to throw up. Dhimitrova was a rich-voiced Amneris, but her acting was similarly poor. Meanwhile, the sets were miserable. Ugh! Disgusting! The final scene wasn't even divided in half, and the triumphal march seemed like an earthquake with people running insanely back and forth between shifting statues. The costumes were horrendous- why would you give a slave like Aida a million necklaces and bracelets like she has? Why would everyone be wearing immensely hot clothing in Ancient Egypt? Why would La Scala let there be nudity in the Nubian Slave Dance? Why? And then there was the "ballet" in the second act. I couldn't distinguish the dancers from the running mob of citizens! And the dance with the priests and priestesses in the first act? It's all arm-waving and walking around. I'd buy the Domingo, Millo, Zajick, Milnes, Levine video if you want a good Aida video. If you know a lot about opera and have heard other Aida sets, you might want to buy this to laugh at.