Le Nozze di Figaro by Harnoncourt Trailer

[blais00]

I own 4 different DVD's of Le Nozze de Figaro, including this one. All of them are valid interpretations. It is not often that one has the opportunity to use the word obtuse...but some people who posted remarks about this version of Le Nozze de Figaro are just that: extremely obtuse people. Des ignorants pédants!

[blichilde]

I suppose that anyone who has different opinions is obtuse. This is really freedom of thought!

[phantomnumber20]

i don't know, i found this production very interesting. I'll admit I had to stop the DVD in the middle to take a break but the singing I thought was great. Dorothea Roschmann is one of my favorites and so is Anna Netrebko. I found Harnoncourt's interpretation interesting and engaging. The only serious problem I had was staging. Interesting at first but after about two hours you get tired of that same room. But I applaud doing something different.

[verbax]

I like Mozart and Nozze too... and usually also Harnoncourt but i don't like singers... and the arrangements...

[Jemima1377]

I don't like it. Harnoncourt has never pleased my ear much, but in this it gets even worse, as the setting and stage are boring and weird. They look like they are trying to copy pop music videos in this. (Don't get me wrong - I'm in my twenties and like pop music, but all in the right place).

Good for those of you, who enjoy it, but I prefer the more classical appearnce. With costumes that match the time and natural movements.

Then it's a whirlwind of joy to me. I'll just forget about this...

[carlom85]

Wonderful performance. Great singers in this new conception of "Le Nozze di Figaro". We need this adaption. It is new. If the music and the libretto must be always the same, it is possible to change the stage.

In Le Nozze we need always tree component:

ironic, sensuality and good drama.

Here they are.

Harnoncourt is a Great direktor.

Musically perferct.

[edbrane]

Good singers but it's pathetic to see images and such a stupid stage: no idea, always the same things, so strong feelings. It should not be allowed to show this kind of stuff!

[Sarastrothewise]

This production is incredibly bad. Musically, conceptually, visually e.t.c Where is the comedy? Or the central message of Love and Forgiveness?

[foupoisson]

I agree with hillevifan. A great classic such as "Le Nozze" should have as much interpretation as possible and a great genius like Mozart will never take this sincere work offensive. Netrebko might not be a Mozartian singer or the counts might have overdone his anger, but all tolerable. Harnoncourt sure gives a fresh look to this nonpareil ouvre. Why don't we keep our open-mindedness to both the old-school and the so called modernized versions?

[samuraitaliano77]

Mozart should be cursing Harnoncourt from above. Herr Direktor utterly destroyed the spirit of "Le Nozze". This is one of the worst productions the Salzburger Festspiele has ever had. And it's not about the setting, it's about the horrible tempi Harnoncourt used. And the overacted Count of Skhovus. And Netrebko it's not a Mozartian singer. And D'Arcangelo sucks as Figaro. For the real deal, check Gardiner's DVD.

[pianist41]

@ samuraitaliano Look into the score and you'll see that Harnoncourt is very precise with the tempi.

One example: What many people call very slow in the ouverture is actually around 250 beats per minute for a 4/4 Presto, which Mozart former listed as Allegro molto in his work-list.

Gardiner and many others clearly conduct this as alla-breve, what Mozart did not write. And in comparison in the arias Harnoncourt is much more near to the content of the words.

[pianist41]

And regarding the spirit? I never understood why people see this as a comedy. the coutess moaning the losse of love, her husband trying to get the first night with a woman berfore her marriage. Cherubino in hopeless love.

Very funny for those persons. Read the words, and read the how the story continues. Figaro is the second part of a trilogy. Beaumarchais said with the third one a lot about the persons in Figaro. Harnoncourt and Guth are close to that.

[skorek104]

I think the Mozart is puking somewhere up there. The worst production ever.

[hillevifan]

How can you even say that! This is THE best production of figaro ever- it shows real inventivness of trying to give life to an opera that is much overdone the same way over and over and over until your sick of it

[KatherineXIX]

Haha, I think this production IS Mozart's puke!

[maggeo78]

I love this piece!

[aeru9]

It`s one of the best figaro production with one of the best casts.

[KatherineXIX]

Haha, during the last part, I just realized it looks like they haven't even been directed at all. They're just kind of roaming around thinking, "What the hell?" I seriously think the director just said, "I don't care what you do - just create mass hysteria (the slow-mo kind, not the realistic kind) and fall down at the end!"

[hillevifan]

Thats what that scene is...its supposed to be a whirlwind of anger and emotion- figaro, susanna, and the countess are angry bc their plans have fallen through and the others are happy bc their plans succeded it really brings out the craziness of the situation and the "follies of a day"

[ruggerbruno]

There's plenty of weirdness and tension in the libretto as is, but that is all this director seems interested in and that is limited and far too easy. I have no problem seeing darker aspects of Mozart emphasized--they are there--but this seems like an unbearably tedious and smug nightmare.

[norcalrobbie2]

I either love or hate Harnoncourt sometimes. It seems like he's tried to hard to say something new with the tempi and it came out disasterous. The staging *LOOKS* fine (I don't mind regietheater) and I actually think it's aesthetically pleasing. But the direction is just awful. The extra character is just annoying. I still love all of the singers though, but it's no wonder Harnoncourt got booed for this production.

[Desdemona80]

Why does "Nozze" always have to be a joyful giggling performance, with everyone there happy but the Countess (who becomes happy at the end) and endless recitativi with boring subretta-like sopranos? It is an interesting capture which gives a totally different aspect to a three-hour-opera.

[123abced]

this looks like the worst figaro with the worst susanna EVER. Can 'trebs please please learn the score to these things?

[Emadeus77]

badest susanna ever !!

[hillevifan]

If your going to insult her at least use the basic laws of grammer lol

[SpottyDorsord]

and spelling (grammar)....

[ruggerbruno]

Or, Sprockets directs Mozart. Such a pretentious mess, and why are they out of breath all the time (check out the other clips)? Was that direction or what? And the blocking--very, VERY serious and profound. Yeesh. I was trying hard to get on board with this but had to jump off real quick.

[KatherineXIX]

WTF? Why is "Aprite presto aprite" in slow motion? And I totally agree about "certain Russian divas"...definitely the worst production ever. You'd think the director had no idea what the libretto meant.

[gabrielfalbe]

dear katherine, do YOU have any idea what the libretto is about? i am afraid if you take the time to read it closely, if you don`t limitate yourself by sticking to the reception history of the past 100 years and instead let your imagination float freely you might find some wonderful ideas in this production, a great sense of musicality in the direction and many links to your own emotions and sensibilities... good luck! :-)

[KatherineXIX]

I'm just expressing my opinion. And I'm still yet to see an answer for my first specific question...

[ratws]

Außer der Erinnerung an Teresa Berganza gibt es mindestens für die nächsten 500 Jahre keinen Cherubino, der Chrsitine Schäfer gleichkäme.

[MizakiShidou]

Shouldn't Susanna be a lighter soprano?

[wenarto]

what's the angel for? HANONCOURT should be banned from conducting Mozart! either he injects heroins or he is just senile...this is the W O R S T ever, even worst than his own DVD in the 90s.

[Fiordilgi]

That. Was. Awful.

[rexeterna]

Um. Wow. And to think that they are going to slap a $50 price tag on this DVD when it comes out in a few months.

[Ethratian]

:) i hope there'll be more movies on youtube about the performance of le nozze di figaro at the salzburg festival in 2006 because it's very interesting and amusing to discuss with you (SIT805) about harnoncourt, netrebko and so on.

[SIT805]

Yes, a wonderful show! One thing I have to admit is the nearly perfect synchrony between orchestra and stage: Harnoncourt always manages to do that, like that marvellous "Lucio Silla" I saw in Vienna last year. Es ist trotzdem soooo lahm! Schade, Wolfi verdient besseres.

[Ethratian]

Gut zu wissen, dass du Deutsch verstehst, dann muss ich mich nicht so sehr mit Englisch abmühen;)

Nun zu der Aussage "Wolfi verdient was besseres.":

Geschmäcker sind ja bekanntlich verschieden (de gustibus non est disputandum) und vielen Leuten gefallen Aufführungen von Karajan, Böhm o.A. weit besser - jedem das Seine.

[ARReith]

wow. . . that's a rough performance

[SIT805]

I can't see the best moments of this brilliant new production here...

It's claustrophobic, autumnal and oppresive atmosphere, very much similar to Bergman or Hitchcock, leaves no room for jolly follies and denies all misunderstood ideas of a Mozart whose primal concern was a happy end.

It's a pity that singing and conducting are not even close to an acceptable level, and certain russian "divas" tend to overact, as always.