Donizetti - Anna Bolena Reviews

[Highly rated reviewer]

Less well known Donizetti

It is always interesting to watch one of a well known opera composer's less well known operas. Donizetti is obviously into ending an opera with a beheading but this is not as good as Mary Stuarda. However it is a very good story for an opera with plenty of dramatic situations. Some reservations. Joan Sutherland is not a good actress and that shows up more on a DVD. The last scene goes on too long (though it might be better with a better actress) and is musically not a patch on the last scene of Mary Stuarda. I found I couldn't work up much sympathy for Anna Bolena, but again that might have been better with someone different in the part. I'm not sure but I also suspect that the music could be played better and with a different conductor I might have got more involved. The other two sopranos acted much better and I enjoyed it more when they were on stage. Also I always have liked James Morris and he made a good Henry VIII but he was not on stage much. Definitely worth watching and I'd like to see another performance to see if the opera can do more for me.

[Highly rated reviewer]

Better than expected

This began as a TV relay; the picture is less detailed than you'd expect from a made-for DVD film, the camera work is amateurish, and the make-up at times absurd - if Henry VIII were to sneeze, the stage would be covered with random bits of added hair. The sound though is quite good - more resonant and pleasant than Covent Garden. This is quite late Joan Sutherland - she looks at least twice the age that Anne Boleyn should be - but she is in much better voice than in the CD set or in the performances she gave in London as her farewell to the stage. James Morris is the only other 'name' in the cast, but all the big roles are well cast; the Jane Seymour is especially good. The opera is slightly cut, but it is a long piece if you play absolutely everything, and this keeps the drama moving. One hopes that a more modern version, say with Renee Fleming, will come along, but in the meantime, this is certainly enjoyable.

Wonderful

The Very Best of renditions

[Highly rated reviewer]

Gtreat singing orchestration and staging.

A leading bass and soprano playing king and queen, and grand staging, what more could you want. Do not miss this if you enjoy opera. You also get ' no place like home' in Donizetti's version sung beautifully.

Splendid

I found this absolutely delightful with beautiful music and first class singing. Much much enjoyed

[Highly rated reviewer]

Hmmmm

In order to adjust the image qulaity to something lifelike, I had to change: colour saturation, contrast, brightness, gamma, reduce noise and enhance edges. All wide shots are out of focus. The recording was made for old-fashioned Canadian TV.

Negatives aside, the singing is very fine and expressive (Sutherland, Forst, Morris and Myers), the acting is believable and the music is excellently conducted by Bonynge.

Overall, I would say that I enjoyed Anna Bolena but there are many negative aspects to this film. The music is excellent, the signing is very good but the video work is quite bad.

Adjustment of your DVD settings is a must with this one.