Puccini - Tosca / Kabaivanska, Domingo, Milnes, Luccardi, Mariotti, Bartoletti
 | Average Customer Rating: Recommend Opera is an inherently theatrical medium that does not lend itself readily to the realism of film treatment. The shining exception is Puccini's Tosca, an action-packed melodrama that unfolds in three taut and gripping acts like the meatiest of Hollywood films noir. And unlike most operas, these three acts are set in three very specific Roman locales. Thus this 1976 film takes place in the church of Sant'Andrea della Valle (Act… Product details and pricing info |
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25 Customer Reviews Posted
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- domingo - is in good voice and is a great actor, i like other tenors in this role more, but domingo does it well in this movie.
kabaivanska - sometimes sings some less than pleasurable notes, but they are very few and far between, she sings this well despite, she is also a decent actress.
milnes - is my favorite, he is in great voice and a great actor, he steals the show for me.
overall production - very good - 2005-07-19, 6 of 10 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- Thank you, Deutsche Grammophon !
- Raina Kabaivanska is one of the few historic interpreters of the role of Tosca.The history of this operatic heroine begins with Maria Jeritza and Claudia Muzio,after that Magda Olivero,Ljuba Welitsch and Maria Callas and in the last times Raina Kabaivanska.The facts are impressive: she have sung the part more than 400 times (three productions in La Scala,in Covent Garden and Met,three productions in Rome,Naples and Parma);her last interpretation was at the age of 69!!! Pavarotti says that she is the greatest Tosca of her times.
Unfortunately the recording companies have never made her well-deserved studio registration.The discography of the opera includes all less impressive "mega stars" without the greatest of them.
Why Raina is considered to be the greatest Tosca? Maybe she does not have the voice of Callas,Caballe or Dimitrova but her interpretation is incomparable.She is the most sensible,charming,delicate and passionate performer of the role. And the most beautiful! A real "Tosca to die for"!!!
This movie is one of the few documents of Raina's maestry.She looks and sounds like an angel! She'll make you cry!
I invite you to visit the fan site of Raina where you can learn much about her and see a lot of photos:(...) - 2005-06-10, 10 of 12 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- Glorious singing
- Many, many years ago I saw this film on TV and I have been looking for the DVD for years. Today I finally bought it (yes already released in Europe). The DVD quality is not good. It is slightly better than Butterfly (with Freni and Domingo see my other review), but it is a shame that Deutsche Grammophone did not feel the obligation to the public to remaster the film for DVD. With prices as much as three times the price an average movies costs, one would expect a better treatment of the material (and the customer). The sound is very good though. The singing of all the principal singers is glorious, glorious...... Kabaivanska is really beautiful to look at, Domingo is in excellent voice and I always wonder how such a beautiful voice can convey so much evil as Milnes does in his role here (same with his Iago in Otello). One of the most beautifully sung Toscas.
- 2005-06-06, 9 of 10 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- VIVA RAINA DIVINA !!!
- She is the most beautiful Tosca on video and her voice is simpley glorious! If you want to know much about her: www.rainafan.tk
- 2004-07-11, 1 of 3 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- A successful and compelling interpretation of Tosca
- This production will seize you and not let you go; it is so powerful. The inate dramatic intensity that is "Tosca" is successfully transferred into this actual full-fledged film. I think this is achieved in part through its filming at the actual sites in Rome where the story takes place, using costumes and props as the people would actually have had in Rome around 1800. There is little, if any, fledgling experimental interpretation here. Everything has been carefully crafted, as if the audience member watching the production were thrown into exactly how Puccini would have imagined it, if one could make such a claim.
Placido Domingo's performance is as to be expected. We find him here at the very height of his career, full of youthful splendor: a seemingly effortless, yet brilliant delivery. Kabaivanska commands a quite compelling role of Tosca, as well. Although I've watched this production a countless number of times, I still say "wow" every time she finishes the very much underrated withing operatic criticism, in my opinion, aria "Vissi d'arte" in the second act. Stronger performances of Tosca's vocal part can be heard on other recordings, though. Try anything with Kiri Tekanawa, for instance, who sings with much more of the dark resonance that is Tosca. However, the real catcher is that of Scarpia with Milnes performing. Scarpia actually is a very demanding role, especially for a baritone, a fact not really widely accepted. But Milnes really shines in his role and, I think, makes the most striking impression of the three leads.
Flaws with this production include the relatively poor video quality. Yes, it's true that there are constant white spots that show up on the screen throughout the piece. The final scene also can be a little disappointing. The soldiers do not march in step, although they try to, and this clutter can distract from the ultimate emotional climax that Puccini achieves here. The orchestra also does not play together in the final echo of the flagship theme of the opera, which makes the whole opera come to an unsteady close. These are nevertheless details, and probably wouldn't be noticed the during the first few viewings.
All in all, I would definitely recommend buying this production because overall it very much achieves the quintessential dramatic splendor of Tosca and is thus worth owning your own copy to view over and over again. - 2003-01-02, 15 of 18 people found this review helpful, Rated:
