Korn Video:

		List Price: $29.99		Label: BBC Opus Arte Salesrank: 82755 Released: March 16, 2004
		Our Price: $15.91
		Used Price: $15.89
		MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated) Media: DVD

Johann Strauss II - Die Fledermaus / Armstrong, Allen, Petrova, Ernman, Hagegard, Jurowski (Glyndebourne Festival Opera) Reviews:
Fresh new look at a funny operetta!
2008-08-18 - This is an extremely entertaining performance. All the characters are wonderful and so right for their roles. My only complaint is they shortened Frosh's role to next to nothing and I've always enjoyed the actor who gives a new interpretation to this wonderfully comic role. It has been updated with beautiful costumes and a trememdous revolving set which is a subtle suggestion of a jail all the way through the opera. I think almost anyone would enjoy this beautiful and clever production.

Delightful
2008-08-15 - There is not much that I really wish to add to the reviews already printed here; the quality of the recording (both audio and video) is extremely good and the performances from all of the singers especially Pamela Armstrong as Rosalinde, Lyubov Petrova as Adele and Thomas Allen as von Eisenstein make this a truly ensemble work. The conducting of the London Philharmonic by Vladimir Jurowski was extremely exciting to listen to, and hearing his comments in the Special Features section was most informative. The fact that perhaps not too many people have seen the comic side of Thomas Allen is their misfortune as, from 1969 to 1972 when Mr. Allen was a member of the Welsh National Opera, I was able to see quite a few of his performances. When he appeared as Figaro in The Barber of Seville or Papageno in The Magic Flute, his enthusiasm and sense of comedy made these roles the highlight of the season.
I agree wholeheartedly with all of Mr. Morrison's comments concerning the costumes, acting, choreography and updating the performance to the start of the last century and my only disappointment was that when the stage rotated from Rosalinde's house to the Villa Orlofsky there seemed to be very little change. The stage director obviously liked the set as he rotated it a number of times, with ever diminishing returns, during the work. To see how a revolving stage would enhance a performance of Die Fledermaus, check the DVD of the 1986 Munich Opera performance conducted by Carlos Kleiber, with a production designed by Otto Schenk, which drew applause from the audience when the exterior of the ballroom revolved to show the inside. Both sides of the stage were extravagantly opulent but completely different.

Although I could drop a star because of the slight disappointment with the stage set, the overall production certainly warrants five stars.


excellent in every respect
2007-07-19 - First and foremost; great sound quality. The acting and singing are fine; all the singers are very strong. Purists may object to the absence of the exploding stove gag in the last act, but I didn't miss it.

I couldn't figure out whether this one was lip snyc'ed or used parabolic mikes. I'd guess the latter, but the sound quality was so good it's hard to believe.

It was performed before a live audience with applause in all the right places. Really gives the feeling of being in the theater.

Make sure you play it on a really good sound system.

An Enchanthing Fledermaus
2004-09-03 - I'm not going to compare it with other versions of this operetta, but I must say that you will enjoy a lot this dvd(You will watch it over and over... and over), the singing, the customes, the staging, and the dancing are the best and the orchestra did an exellent work(Bravo!!!) exellent video and audio quality. Extra Features: Cast Interviews/Genesis of Waltz and more... GREAT PRODUCTION!

Enchanting
2004-08-18 - I first saw this in the unflattering surroundings of in-flight entertainment on Singapore Airlines and was so impressed I bought the DVD. The music and staging are wonderful - but, above all, this is very funny and very engaging. Sir Thomas Allen shows a comic timing I was unaware of and Pamela Armstrong gives a wonderfully ballsy performance. And surely no-one has ever been so BORED as Malena Ernman as Prince Orlofsky? This is a real treat which treats the text with suitable irreverance and the piece as an enjoyable operetta, not a delicate work of art.