Rimsky-Korsakov - Sadko / Vladimir Galouzine, Gegam Grigorian, Sergei Alexashkin, Larissa Diadkova, Nikolai Putilin, Valery Gergiev, Kirov Opera
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Actor: Alexander Gergalov, Alla Dmitrieva, Marianna Tarasova, Valentina Tsidipova, Vladimir OgnovenkoBrand: Universal Studios
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); Russian (Original Language)
Format: Classical, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 174 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2006-09-12
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Philips
DVD Reviews of Rimsky-Korsakov - Sadko / Vladimir Galouzine, Gegam Grigorian, Sergei Alexashkin, Larissa Diadkova, Nikolai Putilin, Valery Gergiev, Kirov Opera
DVD Review: Welcome to the Miraculous World of Russian Opera
Summary: 5 Stars
Let go of Puccini, Wagner and the rest. Russian opera is its own universe of sound. The voices, the instrumentation, the melodies all are unique to this vast musical culture which is finally starting to make an impact in the West.
We can thank Mr. Gergiev in many ways for opening this doorway for us. He is a tireless advocate and missionary of Russian opera. Is he a great conductor? That's another matter. But what he does unquestionably accomplish is the task of familiarizing us with the numerous operatic treasures that Russia has produced. Some of his efforts achieve greatness, like his Tsar's Bride, Pique Dame and Iolanta.
Here he gives us Rimsky's Sadko, arguably one of the most beautiful works in the Russian repertoire. This production is gorgeous, as is the music. The singers and the conducting, though, are disappointing if you are familiar with the authentic Russian tradition of music-making. The Russian language has a unique palatalization of vowels, which gives it that beautiful quality so immediately perceptible when we hear Russian spoken.
That underlying vocal quality inherent in Russian may be partly responsible for the Slavic sound that makes historic Russian singers so instantly recognizable, as well as their individuality of sound. When we hear a famous Russian singer from the past, we know we are hearing a personality - typically a huge voice with a real face, as it's said. Today, unfortunately, the little, pretty generic voices that abound everywhere are deprived of the power, nobility and polish that we hear in great Russian singers of the past.
And here we have one of the big problems with Gergiev's Sadko. There's no Sadko! The tenor singing this heroic part is pathetically inept. There are some notable voices in this production. Valentina Tsidipova has a beautiful, shimmering but not quite big enough sound for the Sea Princess. She's also an exotically lovely woman, so it's surprising, given her lush vocal sound, that she's not seen anywhere else in the musical marketplace. Some of the other singers have that certain Slavic something that makes you sit up and take notice. But without a Sadko, you don't quite get the proper introduction to the greatness of Rimsky's work.
The other problem is Gergiev's - at times - boringly feeble conducting. He is sorely lacking in the propulsive, rhythmic power that drove the great Russian opera conductors like Golovanov, Melik-Pashayev, Khaikin, Kondrashin, Svetlanov and Ermler. These conductors existed in a nonstop lineage of dramatic and musical splendor that dissolved when the last of them, Mark Ermler, passed on a few years ago. They had a driven, theatrical, and I must add - virile - method of conducting that breathed life and vigor into the orchestra. This powerful method of conducting has disappeared from the scene. At times Gergiev's conducting seems so drained of any rhythmic pulse whatsoever, that the poor singers have to anxiously try to maintain some kind of beat themselves in the void of Gergiev's slack and nerveless musical environment.
Whether it's the injection of internationalism or westernization flooding the former Soviet Union, resulting in the dilution of the unique Russian sound and a consequential cultural attenuation, or a lack of adequate talent which is at the root of this problem remains to be seen. But if you can get past the - at times - completely inert conducting and the inadequate singing of some of the principles, including the chorus, this DVD will initiate you into an unforgettable sound world of sensuous and magical music. This Sadko has enough moments of greatness in it to draw the uninitiated into further exploration of the rich and wondrous arsenal of Russian operas.
The greatest recording of Sadko was made in 1949 by the conductor Nikolai Golovanov with the ringing powerhouse of Georgi Nelepp's magnificent and erotic tenor voice. His heart-melting duet with the Sea Princess in Scene II is only one of the many moments of spectacular music-making on this exalted recording. Nelepp's unforgettable performance, at times heroic, at times seductive, is available on several labels Rimski-Korsakov: Sadko but only Gergiev's CD recording, which may be identical to this DVD's soundtrack, will give you a libretto.
One of the many joys of this opera occurs in Scene IV, when we are given three show-stopping tunes, historically performed by the Bolshoi's greatest singers. In the Golovanov Sadko we have Ivan Kozlovsky singing the famous Song of India. The other two gems come from the extraordinary Armenian baritone Pavel Lisitsian, and that godlike favorite of Stalin's, bass Mark Reizen. In the uneaven Mr. Gergiev's Sadko, only the Viking gives us something reminiscent of the Bolshoi's former vocal splendor.
There is another unreleased video of Sadko live from the Bolshoi with Vladimir Atlantov and his wife Tamara Milashkina as the Sea Princess. It's a pretty tacky production, and very noisy, from a lot of stomping around and the shrill voices of these two. However, it has the sumptuous mezzo of Irina Arkhipova, a very great exemplar of the Russian singing tradition. It may be released one day if people continue to express interest in Russian operatic achievements.
Watch this video then get Golovanov's dynamic, theatrical performance and listen to it while you watch the video with the sound off. Then you'll have an idea of the immense sensual and spiritual beauty of Rimsky's operatic masterpiece.
Highly recommended, in spite of its limitations, for introducing the world to this gorgeous work.
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Description of Rimsky-Korsakov - Sadko / Vladimir Galouzine, Gegam Grigorian, Sergei Alexashkin, Larissa Diadkova, Nikolai Putilin, Valery Gergiev, Kirov Opera
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