Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #38772 in DVD
• Released on: 2003-02-04
• Rating: Exempt
• Aspect ratio: 1.77:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Formats: Anamorphic, Classical, Soundtrack, PAL
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, German, French
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 217 minutes

Special Features
Handel: the Entertainer - a film by Reiner E. Moritz/an RM Creative production for Bayerischer Rundfunk and RM Associates.

From the Back Cover
Cast:

Goffredo David Walker
Almirena Deborah York
Rinaldo David Daniels
Eustazio Axel Kohler
Argante Eglis Silins
Armida Noemi Nadelmann
Mago christiano/Donna/Araldo Charles Maxwell
Two sirens Noemi Nadelmann, Deborah York

The Bavarian State Orchestra, conducted by Harry Bicket
Harpsichord Harry Bicket, Roderick Shaw
Violoncello Friederich Kleinknecht
Chitarrone Axel Wolf

Customer Reviews

Such a shame
What I would give to savour David Daniels and the exhilerating art of conductor Harry Bicket and the surprisingly 'authentic-sounding' Bayerische Rundfunk in just about any other context than David Alden's trashy and very, very inefficient production. There is nothing here to shock you, which is the only thing Alden would hate to hear of what he himself must have hoped was very daring indeed. Instead there is limitless amateurism, very poor execution, and the whole thing abounds with childish, giggly, conceited gimmicks that come across as extremely unmusical. The other singers are all fair, and Daniels could do with a more intelligent background to shine from, but Bicket and his orchestra are the true revelations. I have never heard a modern symphony orchestra play with this level of Baroque acuteness, never heard modern strings come so close to Baroque ideals. I enjoyed every second of what happened in the pit, and deplored every second of what took place onstage.

Handel Humbug
Initially I considered granting this DVD-recording of Handel’s Rinaldo from Munich, 2001, two stars. One for each of the two sole redeeming features of the production: the glorious singing of David Daniels and the spirited conducting of Harry Bicket. As a whole however, the production lacks any overall, unifying concept, let alone purpose, and as the stage design can only be described as a vicious attack on the senses, I finally settled for just the one star.
Musically, David Daniels’s interpretation of the title part has, if anything deepened since the justly famed recording of the opera under Christopher Hogwood. Daniels sings with a formidable technical proficiency, and has developed into a singularly expressive artist - for the moment only rivalled in his ‘Fach’ by the German countertenor Andreas Scholl. The rest of the cast ranges from adequate to downright unacceptable. Deborah York sings the part of Almirena competently, but with a monochrome, whitish timbre that in the long run becomes tedious. Eglis Silins as Argante is efficient but crude; Noemi Nadelmann forgettable as Armida; while David Walker makes piecemeal of Goffredo, singing out of tune in every single aria.
The lack of an overall concept and the many ‘clever’ ideas of director David Alden obscure the plot, which is slight to begin with. And worse, these extensive and meaningless brouhahas deprive the singers the possibility of developing their parts into real characters capable of expressing credible human emotions.
For truthfulness and sincerity you have to go to the pit, where conductor Harry Bicket heads the Bavarian State Orchestra. Bicket’s conducting is stylish, articulate and rhythmically crisp. One cannot but pity the poor devil, who from his (disad)vantage point, had to witness night after night the atrocities unfolding on stage.

What an odd performance
I am a bit sad to give only one star to one of the operas that I most enjoy. Once I saw a performance of it in Teatro San Carlos, Lisbon, which was magnificent. The main roles were given to Teresa Berganza and Maria Bayo, and the director was Pier-Luigi Pizzi. It was a delight to the eyes and to the ears.
This one here has odd scenarios and the action is located in a church in modern times. The singers are very fine but the entire environment is too strange and disturbs all the story and enjoyment. I do understand that some classic opera can be staged with modern "methods", but this one lacks soul and charm. Yes it lacks the appealing charm that some modern approaches to classic operas have.
I would have enjoy to give 5 stars but I can not do it.