Janacek - Jenufa / Davis, Alexander, Silja, Glyndebourne Opera

Starring:Roberta Alexander, Anja Silja, Menai Davies, Philip Langridge, Mark Baker (II)
Director: Derek Bailey
Studio: Kultur Video
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Janacek's masterpiece Jenufa, captured in this 1989 Glyndebourne Festival Opera production, is among the most revived modernist works. Compared with much grand opera, the story of one woman's struggle to rise free from social constraints at a terrible cost is remarkably poignant, credible, and accessible. Scenes are short and intense. The music shimmers with Janacek's characteristic blend of sweetness and sharp dissonance. Tragedy is inevitable, but here, unusually, hope triumphs. In the title role, Roberta Alexander is utterly convincing as the stepdaughter of the Kostelnicka Buryja, placing her love and trust in the wrong man, with dire consequences. As the Kostelnicka, Anja Silja turns in an equally towering performance, unraveling with the awful consequences of her pragmatism. Alexander's fluid soprano reveals the extraordinary beauty of some of Janacek's finest arias: the moment when she becomes supernaturally aware of her baby's fate and is actually singing prayers for its soul is quite overwhelming. This Jenufa is sung splendidly, a revelation of the essential humanity that lurks at the heart of the greatest operas. --Piers Ford

Janacek - Jenufa / Davis, Alexander, Silja, Glyndebourne Opera
Average customer rating:

ACCURATE AND DRAMATIC SINGING, SUPERB ACTING AND AN UNUSUAL SOUND PERSPECTIVE.

Gripping drama, good production

A Great Opera -- a slightly disappointing Release

I'm almost speechless

a great and moving performance

Janacek - Jenufa / Davis, Alexander, Silja, Glyndebourne Opera
Starring: Roberta Alexander , Anja Silja , Menai Davies , Philip Langridge , and Mark Baker (II)
Director: Derek Bailey
Manufacturer: Kultur Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000687E8
Release Date: 2002-06-11

Amazon.com

Janacek's masterpiece Jenufa, captured in this 1989 Glyndebourne Festival Opera production, is among the most revived modernist works. Compared with much grand opera, the story of one woman's struggle to rise free from social constraints at a terrible cost is remarkably poignant, credible, and accessible. Scenes are short and intense. The music shimmers with Janacek's characteristic blend of sweetness and sharp dissonance. Tragedy is inevitable, but here, unusually, hope triumphs. In the title role, Roberta Alexander is utterly convincing as the stepdaughter of the Kostelnicka Buryja, placing her love and trust in the wrong man, with dire consequences. As the Kostelnicka, Anja Silja turns in an equally towering performance, unraveling with the awful consequences of her pragmatism. Alexander's fluid soprano reveals the extraordinary beauty of some of Janacek's finest arias: the moment when she becomes supernaturally aware of her baby's fate and is actually singing prayers for its soul is quite overwhelming. This Jenufa is sung splendidly, a revelation of the essential humanity that lurks at the heart of the greatest operas. --Piers Ford

Customer Reviews:

ACCURATE AND DRAMATIC SINGING, SUPERB ACTING AND AN UNUSUAL SOUND PERSPECTIVE........2007-05-03

Opinions on the sound will be very polarized, so I want to get to the reason why first. My first impression listening on excellent (AKG k240 Studio) headphones was one of bad sound. As the opera progressed I was impressed with how clearly I was hearing Janacek's complex harmonies. Turning the treble way down and the bass way up, improved the sound greatly, leading me to suspect that there was a major equalization error in the recording set up. If you do not have at least two tone controls (bass and treble) this disk will sound pretty bad. If you have an octave equalizer, so much the better. I suspect that very few microphones were used at a distance, as there was no need to suppress audience noise. That gives a perspective that is not common anymore, because of the need in live recordings to close mic.

Many live opera DVD use hairline microphones on the singers and many microphones in the pit. With all these separate microphones the skill of the Tonmeister (balance engineer) is crucial to getting something that resembles a normal mix. Generally this complex mix is a bit close sounding. Hairline microphones in my opinion are great for solos, but as more and more hairline microphones are activated for ensembles, the more "electronic" sounding the mix gets.

Here we have an empty opera house hence the reverberation is longer than it would be with an audience. If you like this reverb, fine. If you expect close up sound you will not like this very "live" acoustic. If the microphones had been just a little closer, the sound would have been more normal.

The Jenufa (Alexander) struck me as being a bit old (but not overweight) for the part. On the other hand, her singing and acting is exceptional. I know of no other singer who could do better combining the extreme emotional and musical demands as accurately, without holding back. Silja goes off pitch on occasion, but who else could display so much drama as well? The men are excellent too. Davis conducts with great energy adding plenty of gas to the fire on stage.

Finally there is the excellent staging, which is free of regietheater additions where none are needed.

Gripping drama, good production.......2007-03-06

Following the successful concert performances in London and fully staged in Glyndebourne, this empty-theatre recording captures the riveting drama of Janacek's most acclaimed opera. I must admit that being mostly into Italian opera I struggled with his music that I initially found crude and unsubtle, especially in the first act. I heard little connection between the emotional state of the characters and the music written for them. By the second act, the fascinating story got me involved and I felt more comfortable with the music.

Both Alexander and Silja are excellent in their roles. Alexander's Jenufa is very convincing as the daughter manipulated by her mother but at the same time believable in her madness when she finds out about her child. Silja's Kochelnicka reminds me of Olivia in `flowers in the attic'. Scary in a nutty way and you never know what she's going to do next which is Silja's acting style anyway. Baker and Langridge sing well, though I expected Steva to upset me more than Baker did. Minor roles are in some cases interestingly cast, the chorus is committed but not always accurately cooperating with Davis who brings enough energy to excite the viewer.

This is an opera that needs both visual and textual presentation to appreciate it and the dvd format is the best alternative to a live performance. Most Jenufa recordings offer something to admire but in dvd format, this is probably the best way to discover the opera.

A Great Opera -- a slightly disappointing Release.......2006-03-24

Jenufa -- Leos Janacek's "breakout" composition -- had a long and in some ways turgid performance history. The present recording, using the "original" score (before major revisions by the composer in the 1920s) is welcome if only for the ability to compare Janacek's original intention with his later reflections and alterations. Having said that, the audio quality lacks immediacy and presence and the otherwise excellent production values are ultimately hindered by the lackluster sound. Indeed, after viewing this DVD I immediately took out the MacKerras Jenufa recording (Elizabeth Soderstrum) to remind me just exactly how this magnificent opera is supposed to "sound." It's a pity that there is not another DVD available; this opera deserves the widest possible audience.

I'm almost speechless.......2006-02-19

I bought this DVD at the recommendation of an opera-loving friend. I knew nothing about it, so I found a plot synopsis on the web (there are no notes at all, just a list of sections). Well, wow. This is a powerful work...the music reminds me of Wagner, except a human Wagner, with real people and emotions, instead of gods. In fact, and this will enrage Wagnerians I suppose, I think there is more honest emotion in Act II of this opera than in the entire ring cycle. The acting is believable and the singing is fine. Anja Silja as the mother is riveting. The only reason I don't give it five stars is that I think the sound recording is a bit tinny, and it's not a live performance. At the end I wish there'd been an audience cheering, because I wanted to cheer too.

a great and moving performance.......2005-06-21

The sets are sharp, spare and effective, costumes traditional. The singers are all committed and as good as one could get. The over-all effect is tear-jerking. A must-have for any Janacek fan and a perfect introduction to his amazing operas. It helps to have the booklet from Mackerras CD recording with its very thorough notes.

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