Puccini: La Rondine starring Teresa Stratas

Great performance, finally out on DVD!
When Baz Luhrmann's La Bohème was presented on Broadway in 2002/2003, I was disappointed that they performed it in the original Italian with surtitles. I believe the producers missed a golden opportunity to present the work in English and thus offer a more direct (and emotionally powerful) experience for theater-going audiences, helping them see how all modern musical theater, from Broadway to pop music videos, has its roots in opera. This 1971 Canadian TV production of La Rondine proves my point: Puccini's bittersweet romance is ideally suited to English translation (especially the one used here, full of witty rhymes), and this version features a cast of first-rate singing actors, led by the legendary Teresa Stratas. Stratas is in her prime, singing gorgeously and looking like a million bucks. For English speakers, it's a real pleasure to be able to lose oneself in the nuances of her acting without needing to glance at subtitles. The whole production is done with enormous...

Not the most satisfying version
The production is shortened to 87 minutes. On comparing this version to the several Italian version that I own, I think that the English translation, while nice, loses some of the fluidity present in the original Italian. The sets are beautiful, the sound clear and the image quality is very good. Teresa Stratas is lovely both visually and vocally. However, I found that the 2009 Metropolitan opera production of La Rondine with Gheoghu and Alagna much more satisfying and the 1982 La Traviata directed by Zefarelli a much better example of Ms Stratas's abilities. There is nothing wrong with the production, but compared to the other DVD's available of La Rondine it is lacking. If one is seeking their first exposure to La Rondine try another of the 5 or so DVD's available.



Click to Editorial Reviews