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Salome

Starring: Catherine Malfitano, Bryn Terfel, Kenneth Riegel, Anja Silja, Robert Gambill
Director: Hans Hulscher
Format: Anamorphic Classical Colour Dolby DVD-Video Subtitled PAL
Released: 24 Feb 2003
RRP: £19.99
Average Rating:

Customer Reviews

A remarkable production - By: Simon Bartlett, 13 Jun 2005
A record of a live performance at the Royal Opera House of what was a truly remarkable production.

The simplicity of Luc Bondy's classical setting, beautifully lit, focuses the work almost totallly (and as it should) on Salome herself. In Catherine Malfitano's performance there is a worthy star to hold the spotlight.

Her almost ballletic movements through-out (culminating in the famous Dance of the Seven Veils)create a trance like feel for the characters' obsessions, as well as retaining the feel of a young girl. Her voice has hardened over the years but has tremendous dramatic & musical power - as well as the full range required for the part. There are many dramaticallly telling moments - not least when the Prophet unconsciously sits beside her whilst relating of Jesus baptism & she can barely control her physical desire for him - to one of the most gorgeous & tranquil melodies in the piece.

The supporting cast is equallly remarkable - Bryn Terfel's Jokannan is one of his finest creations - & he is totallly in command of the role - a giant dwarfing the tiny figure of this Salome. Riegel excels in the role of Herod, almost matching Salome in his paranoia & obsessiveness - & wonderfully partnered by Anya Silja's majestic, alcoholic Herodias - graduallly sobering as the realization of her daughters actions sinks in.

Orchestrallly this is a triumph - with Dohnanyi conducting an almost chamber like performance - supporting his cast rather than drowning the voices.

Over ten years on this is still an unmissable version of this great work.

A perfect performance - By: R. Hasekamp, 14 Apr 2003
This performance of Strauss' opera Salome, recorded in London, but based on an earlier performance at the Salzburg Festival, could be the perfect Salome on DVD for several years to come.
In the first place the casting is superb. Malfitano & Terfel as Salome & Jokanaan are not to be surpassed in the next years. Malfitano does the Dance of the Seven Veils herself, which gives the performance an extra thrill. Herod is good too & as a bonus we see Anja Silja as Herodias, a well-known Salome herself in her younger days.
The setting is as it should be: Classical but simple. It follows the directions in the libretto quite well.
The scene with the head of Jokanaan is not too sensational (as one sometimes sees), though blood chilling enough.
Is there no criticism at alll then? Yes, the sound quality is not what I am accustomed of on CD, as happens more on live DVD's but the fact that here we can see what happens in a first class performance fully compensates this.
I dare say that Malfitano will remain the "standard" Salome for several years, not only in het singing, but in her acting too. The DVD is widescreen (16/9).