Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #93174 in DVD
• Released on: 2005-08-01
• Rating: Exempt
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Classical, PAL
• Original language: Italian
• Subtitled in: German, English, Italian, Spanish, French
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 160 minutes

Customer Reviews

Superb - the best Serse
This is an amazing performance. There are no weak links. A consumate piece of art, with excellent soloists, ensemble work and orchestral playing. A totally satisfying production. Well done all concerned!

Hard going

I find it very hard to like this performance. I find the sound of the orchestra harsh on the ear. The production is impressive rather than beautiful. Several scenes start very hesitantly -as if the cast member were waiting for a piece of scenery to be fitted into place, which I guess could be the case. The audience has an annoying habit of starting to applaud an aria when the conductor has moved on to the next piece of music. None of the singers were ones I would go out of my way to hear again. All in all this performance failed the crucial test of whether it increases my appreciation of a great work.

DIRE

Interesting historically to see what Patricia Bardon, playing Amastre, was having to do in the year 2000. And Sandrine Piau, playing Atalanta, does her best to liven things up. Otherwise this amateurish production is best avoided. The title role is sung devoid of characterization, and the ill-conceived grey set and grey costumes only add to the cold feeling of the proceedings so it appears incongruous to see the conductor mopping his face with a towel, yes, a towel. Perhaps he was really crying over the fact that his involvement in such a dire production was being recorded for posterity.