Leonard Bernstein's Candide (Great Performances)

Starring:Kristin Chenoweth, Patti LuPone, Paul Groves, Lonny Price, Sir Thomas Allen
Studio: Image Entertainment
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
When a show's pit band is the New York Philharmonic, you can expect something special, and that's what this all-star Candide delivers. It is a concert performance, without scenery but with costumes, makeup, a bit of dancing, and a lot of acting. Musically, it sounds like the best of all possible Candides. Besides an unusually talented cast, its strong points include the pacing and accentuation of Marin Alsop, one of the brightest individuals in the younger generation of conductors; the polished presence of Thomas Allen, who doubles as the narrator and Dr. Pangloss, and the spirited participation of the brilliant Westminster Symphonic Choir.

Taught in childhood to believe they live in "the best of all possible worlds," the young characters struggle to preserve their optimism through a harrowing sequence of war, famine, shipwreck, piracy, slavery, rape, and disease with a sparkle in their eyes and a tune on their lips, until, with difficulty, they finally reach a sense of reality.

Candide spans the traditional division between opera and Broadway. The soloists, all headliners, are recruited from both worlds. Broadway is represented by Patti LuPone, who became a legend in Evita, and Tony award winner Kristin Chenoweth. Paul Groves and Stanford Olsen have distinguished operatic backgrounds. They all sing Leonard Bernstein's catchy tunes and the show's clever lyrics with gorgeous voices, a lot of acting skill and a witty, flippant response to Voltaire's cynical (or, rather, realistic) philosophy. --Joe McLellan
Description
Leonard Bernstein's brilliant comic operetta comes to dazzling new life under theguidance of director Lonny Price (A Class Act). Based on the classic Voltaire tale of an innocent young man's journey through a life filled with colorful characters and unexpected life lessons, this tune-filled frolic features Tony Award©-winners Patti LuPone and Kristin Chenoweth heading a dazzling cast with Paul Groves, Stanford Olsen, Sir Thomas Allen and the Westminster Symphonic Choir. The impeccable score (with lyrics by luminaries including Lillian Hellman, Dorothy Parker, Stephen Sondheim, Richard Wilbur and John La Touche) includes a host of delightful songs such as "Life Is Happiness Indeed," "It Must Be So," "You Were Dead, You Know" and "Make Our Garden Grow." Now enjoy this all-new production of a musical comedy favorite with Broadway's top stars!

Leonard Bernstein's Candide (Great Performances)
Average customer rating:

Delightful!

Enjoyable theatre

Even though none of my DVD players can read it

Leonard is turing in his grave.

The Lost "Candide"

Leonard Bernstein's Candide (Great Performances)
Starring: Kristin Chenoweth , Patti LuPone , Paul Groves , Lonny Price , and Sir Thomas Allen
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video
Satire | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video
General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video
General | Musicals | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video
Musicals | Broadway | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video
General | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video
Lupone, Patti | ( L ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Price, Lonny | ( P ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Used DVDs | Stores | DVD | Video | Action & Adventure | African American Cinema | Animation | Anime & Manga | Art House & International | Classics | Comedy | Cult Movies | Documentary | Drama | Educational | Fitness & Yoga | Gay & Lesbian | Horror | Kids & Family | Military & War | Music Video & Concerts | Musicals & Performing Arts | Mystery & Suspense | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Special Interests | Sports | Television | Westerns
( L ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Broadway's Lost Treasures III - The Best of the Tony Awards

Let Yourself Go

Once Upon a Mattress

Bernstein - Wonderful Town / Audra McDonald, Kim Criswell, Thomas Hampson, Wayne Marshall, Simon Rattle, Berlin Philharmonic

Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street

ASIN: B0007WFXZI
Release Date: 2005-05-17

Amazon.com

When a show's pit band is the New York Philharmonic, you can expect something special, and that's what this all-star Candide delivers. It is a concert performance, without scenery but with costumes, makeup, a bit of dancing, and a lot of acting. Musically, it sounds like the best of all possible Candides. Besides an unusually talented cast, its strong points include the pacing and accentuation of Marin Alsop, one of the brightest individuals in the younger generation of conductors; the polished presence of Thomas Allen, who doubles as the narrator and Dr. Pangloss, and the spirited participation of the brilliant Westminster Symphonic Choir.

Candide spans the traditional division between opera and Broadway. The soloists, all headliners, are recruited from both worlds. Broadway is represented by Patti LuPone, who became a legend in Evita, and Tony award winner Kristin Chenoweth. Paul Groves and Stanford Olsen have distinguished operatic backgrounds. They all sing Leonard Bernstein's catchy tunes and the show's clever lyrics with gorgeous voices, a lot of acting skill and a witty, flippant response to Voltaire's cynical (or, rather, realistic) philosophy. --Joe McLellan

Description

Leonard Bernstein's brilliant comic operetta comes to dazzling new life under theguidance of director Lonny Price (A Class Act). Based on the classic Voltaire tale of an innocent young man's journey through a life filled with colorful characters and unexpected life lessons, this tune-filled frolic features Tony Award©-winners Patti LuPone and Kristin Chenoweth heading a dazzling cast with Paul Groves, Stanford Olsen, Sir Thomas Allen and the Westminster Symphonic Choir. The impeccable score (with lyrics by luminaries including Lillian Hellman, Dorothy Parker, Stephen Sondheim, Richard Wilbur and John La Touche) includes a host of delightful songs such as "Life Is Happiness Indeed," "It Must Be So," "You Were Dead, You Know" and "Make Our Garden Grow." Now enjoy this all-new production of a musical comedy favorite with Broadway's top stars!

Customer Reviews:

Delightful!.......2007-05-21

There is not much more to say about this production. Yes, it is a well-written and scored musical with wonderful singing and music, a fresh direction style, a splash of irreverence, a lot of humor, a great picture, and great sound (with a variety of audio options). But it can all be summed up with the one word: delightful.

My only quibble is that the DVD does not contain any extras. It could have included a separate soundtrack, a documentary or two, interviews, etc. A missed opportunity, but one that nevertheless does not diminish the sparkling production itself. Recommended.

Enjoyable theatre.......2007-05-12

Although done as an 'in concert' performance - this is a very enjoyable and entertaining rendition of Bernstein's Candide.

I highly recommend it for broadway musical fans. There a few times when lines (shadows from wires) appear across the singers' faces but that is almost unavoidable given it is a live production.

Even though none of my DVD players can read it.......2007-04-12

I've fallen even further in love with this show. I have to play it on my computer but I still love it. Kristin is as wonderful as ever (the main reason I bought this) and the rest play their parts and (where applicable) break character to bring together an overall magnificent piece. My only regret is that I wasn't there in New York for the live show.

Leonard is turing in his grave........2007-03-28

I understand that Candide is satire and so did Leonard. That being said some of what is in the book and some of what Lenny wrote is meant to be farce, even absurd. However, a prevailing characteristic of good satire is that it is not all farce. Buried in the hyperbole is an underlying message maybe even a solution to the insanity that unfolds. I never could quite grasp that in the book, not until I met this music. When performed properly there is such splendor, a trip from the highest moments of humor to utter despair, to passionate love, and loveless passion, all in Bernstein's Candide. Furthermore, with the musical themes developing as the characters do the prevailing message is lucid and perfectly timed.

Unfortunately this performance misses the boat completely. There is much farce and humor but the rest is gone. No despair, no real love, no message, just farce and plenty of it. If all you are interested in is Kristin Chenoweth's voice then this is a good performance to have. She is splendid. But, for the love of Lenny, don't consider this a good performance of Candide.

I saw this on PBS and in that performance I'd swear Candide's Lament was missing! 'Candide's Lament' is staple Tenor repertoire and is one of the main reasons the musical is so great. Not to mention the melody from the song is a persistent theme throughout the musical that molds from a lament to the 'Make our Garden Grow' existential affirmation. How can you leave it out!! And I will never forgive them for laughing in the middle of the 'one' duet at the end of 'You were dead you know'.

If you don't understand than I invite you to listen to 'You were dead you know' from the GP recording and compare it to the same track on the 'Bernstein conducts Candide' album. The second is much more operatic while the first is more Broadway but regardless, the second is in every way a superior rendition. The same holds true for every track ... with the possible exception of 'Glitter and be Gay'. Kristin was made for that song.

Bottom line: Despite what the title says this is not Leonard Bernstein's Candide. It is an immature attempt to strip the passion from the music and leave nothing but the surface humor behind. If you like Kristin then I suppose it is worth having, otherwise go for the 'Bernstein conducts Candide' recording (Bernstein Conducts Candide). That is Leonard Bernstein's Candide.

The Lost "Candide".......2007-03-01

This is a wonderful take on one of my favorites. Kristin Chenoweth is indeed superb, the presentation is witty, ingenious, lively, and filled with the sardonic fun Voltaire clearly intended and every production beginning with the first revival production with new libretto (the successor to Hellman's)has aimed for. This one succeeds on just about every level. Chenoweth's "Glitter and be Gay" is, I think, perhaps as well as it can be done.

Still, as good as this is, it misses the mastery of the 1986 New York City Opera PBS production introduced by Beverly Sills, executive directed by Hal Prince with Candide sung by an amazing David Eisler, Cunegonde with lyrical perfection by Erie Mills, and the Old Lady by the incredibly hilarious and on-target Muriel Costa-Greenspon. As good as Lupone is (and she's wonderful), Costa-Greenspon IS the Old Lady! This production is not available, only God knows why. I happened to have videotaped it in 1986 and just recently transferred it to DVD--a bit faded with some lessening of sound quality--but it is still a masterpiece. The program included a conversation between Sills and Prince in the intermission which is very illuminating for many reasons, not the least of which is intimate theater history. Someone needs to kick down the doors of Lincoln Center, PBS, and the New York City Opera archives and rescue this production and release it on DVD with enhancements and the aforementioned conversation. Please!

In the meantime, this version is very highly recommended. As usual, the finale, "And Make Our Garden Grow," (expertly presented) overwhelmed me and moved me to tears. It filled me with such a love for humanity and our striving to find meaning, my heart nearly broke with it.

It's not possible go wrong with this CD.

Average customer rating:

An absolute must-have for all Bernstein fans
Would rate 5 stars except...
Bernstein's final word on his beloved musical... Fine DVD from Deutsche Grammophon

Bernstein: Candide
Starring: Jerry Hadley , June Anderson , Christa Ludwig , Adolph Green , and Nicolai Gedda
Director: Leonard Bernstein , and Humphrey Burton
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video

Deals Over $10 | DVD Blowouts | Stores | DVD | Video

All Blowouts | DVD Blowouts | Stores | DVD | Video

Classical Music DVD Deals | Stores | DVD | Video

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Beethoven - Fidelio
Strauss - Daphne
Kalman - Die Csardasfurstin
Rimsky-Korsakov - Sadko / Vladimir Galouzine, Gegam Grigorian, Sergei Alexashkin, Larissa Diadkova, Nikolai Putilin, Valery Gergiev, Kirov Opera
Leonard Bernstein's Candide (Great Performances)

ASIN: B000ICLU3G
Release Date: 2006-10-10

Customer Reviews:

An absolute must-have for all Bernstein fans.......2007-06-14

Seeing Bernstein - this great American musical genius - conducting his labour of love not long before his untimely death is an extremely moving experience particularly when he takes a few moments to address the audience at the beginning, during, and at the end of the performance.

The reasons for the failure of Candide opera are clear - the story is episodic and just plain silly (staying true to the source novel by Voltaire) and at the end of the opera when the cast sing "Make our Garden Grow" we just don't feel that Candide has made any kind of personal journey.

Despite the serious deficiencies of the story there are many musical highlights to enjoy in Candide - the aforementioned "Make our Garden Grow", the Overture, "Oh Happy We", "Glitter and be Gay", "I am Easily Assimilated" to name but a few.

Candide places unbelievable demands on the performers and thankfully they are all up to it. Adolph Green is astonishing as Dr Pangloss, so for that matter is June Anderson as Cunegonde, the veterans Nicolai Gedda and Christa Ludwig are both excellent, Jerry Hadley is good if a bit colourless as Candide.

This DVD is an absolute must-have for all admirers of Bernstein.

Would rate 5 stars except..........2006-12-23

...that this performance was trumped by the Lincoln Center performances in 2004. I've enjoyed the Berstein/Hadley/Green CD version of this piece IMMENSELY for many years, but as a live performance piece it lacks to pizzazz of the Chenoweth/Lupone version.

IMHO, of course....

But is it worth buying? Oh for God's sake YES!

Bernstein's final word on his beloved musical... Fine DVD from Deutsche Grammophon.......2006-11-26

This is the historic concert performance of the final operatic version of Bernstein's Candide. It was recorded on December 13, 1989 at the Barbican Centre, with Leonard Bernstein conducting the London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, with a stellar cast of operatic stars gracing the solo parts. The programme lasts a full 2hrs 27 mins. It marks the end of a long and tortured journey for the musical/operetta that spent much of its first 35 years as an orphan in the musical wilderness.

Famously Bernstein had never conducted a performance of Candide in all its 30-odd years of existence. This would be his first and final statement on what many look upon as his problem-child. Bernstein is brimming with energy here. And joy. One can see how happy he is; like a proud father showing off his first-born. Just days after this concert, Bernstein would re-record this work in the studio for posterity. That studio recording with the exact same forces would be greeted with great critical acclaim. Despite the polish of the studio version, this live concert recording is for me the preferred choice. Here we can both see and hear the electric intensity that only comes with a live performance. Jerry Hadley with his wide-eyed innocence evokes the quintessential Candide. June Anderson (Cunegonde) also performs far better here than on the studio recording although she and most of the crew including Bernstein were down with the flu epidemic then sweeping London. Christa Ludwig is charming and delightful as the Old Lady. And you even get to see her twirling around with the castanets during her solo. The great Nicolai Gedda, makes a distinguished appearance as the Governor. I felt that Adolph Greene (Dr. Pangloss/Martin) was a little miscast here in this operatic Candide but he brings great showmanship and panache to his part. The LSO and Chorus are splendid throughout. This is late Bernstein and tempi are generally broad though you'd not notice it, such is the intensity the maestro conveys. As several reviewers have noted, the finale, "Make Our Garden Grow," unlike in most productions where it is simply a pleasing number meant to send the audience home humming, is here under Bernstein, glowingly transcendent; almost a spiritual experience, approaching the level of a Wagnerian Opera or a Mahlerian Symphony.

The concert includes all the linking narratives that were omitted from the studio recording. Also missing from the studio recording are the frequent interjections Bernstein himself makes throughout the concert. Act I is preceded by a 5-minute mini-lecture on the history and philosophy behind Voltaire's Candide with Bernstein warning of the danger of religious sectarianism and intolerance. Bernstein begins his short talk with an impish, "Surprise my dear friends... here comes the old Professor to lecture us again..." He continues the lecture in the prelude to Act II where he talks about the relevance of Voltaire's work to the present world, the musical's genesis in the anti-communist hysteria of the 1950s and reiterates the dangers of intolerance. In Act I's "I Am Easily Assimilated," he gleefully jumps in to explain that Rovno Gubernya is not found in Voltaire but is a tribute to his own father's birthplace in the Ukraine. The finale brings thunderous applause and whether it is that or, as Bernstein says, the "Royal Flu," one can see that his cheek is streaked with tears as he struggles to thank the cast, the crew and the audience. One would like to think that they were tears of joy that his wayward child had finally found acceptance with his beloved public.

Deutsche Grammophon has finally released this concert on DVD in a fine transfer that preserves the original 1.33:1 aspect (Full screen). Picture quality is good considering that this was recorded on video. The image is acceptably sharp. Colours are strong and natural. Audio is available in the original PCM 2.0 Stereo, or newer DTS and DD 5.0 remixes. Not sure why DG chose the 5.0 (No subwoofer) format but it sounds just fine with the deep bass redirected to the main speakers as in a standard stereo setup. Optional subtitles in English, German and French are also provided. Aside from a few DG trailers, there are no Extras. The DVD comes with a 12-page booklet with a short essay by John Wells who co-authored the Candide narrative with Bernstein, as well as a brief synopsis and track-listing enumerating the 67 individual chapter-stops. The DVD is Region 0 (Playable Worldwide).

DVD:

DVD

DVD

DVD

Me You Them

Kalifornia / Misery / Shallow Grave

Tanks! - The Fall Of France

DVD: My Best Friend's Wife

Bibi und Tina 5 - Der Liebesbrief