Dancing Across Borders (2010/First Run Features Blu-ray) + Wagner/Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg – Bayreuth Festival…
(Opus Arte) + Braunfels/Die Vogel – LA
Opera (ArtHaus) + R. Strauss/Elektra
– Muncher Philharmoniker (Opus Arte) + Flames
Of Paradise – Bolshoi Ballet (Bel Air) + C. Thielmann/Wiener Philhamoniker: Beethoven – Sym. Nos 4, 5, & 6
(Unitel Classica/C Major/Naxos Blu-rays) + Leopold Stokowski – Beethoven – Sym. No. 7 (1958/Intermusic
Blu-spec CD/Top Music International)
Picture:
B- (Elektra: B) Sound: B (Elektra: B+/Borders: B-) Extras: C+ (Beethoven and Borders:
B) Main Programs: B (Wagner: C+/Vogel: B-)
PLEASE
NOTE:
The Stokowski Blu-spec Compact Disc is only
available from our friends at Top Music International, will play on virtually
all CD players and can be ordered at the link below.
Our
latest round of Blu-rays from the performance arts world includes a remarkable
documentary on a dancer who has become a top ballet star, a full ballet and
more classical and opera entries. We
also take on our second-ever Blu-spec CD release (a CD manufactured with
Blu-ray precision and the first classical title.
Ann Bass’
Dancing Across Borders (2010) tells
the amazing story about a young man from Cambodia named Sokvannara “Sy”
Sar. He was a dancer there with a knack
and talent for dancing, but not the training to do ballet. Miss Bass saw the possibilities when in
Angkor Wat and decided to back him.
Going to New York City, then Seattle and working with
the best in the business, Sar grows into an amazing dancer and slowly become
son the premiere dancers in the field with one-of-a-kind talents that allow him
to shine. At only 88 minutes, this is an
amazing documentary of his rise and what he had to do to deal with the many
changes involved, but I was pleasantly surprised and can see why it has
received so many raves.
This is
the first of two Blu-ray releases from longtime independent First Run Features
and is also a solid performer. Despite
the use of several analog video and low definition digital video sources, the
1080i 1.78 X 1 digital High Definition image is better than you might expect
from a documentary. Though the best HD
footage can have some detail issues, I was surprised by the consistency of the
image and its editing, while the DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) lossless 5.1 and 2.0
Stereo mixes are almost on par with each other, but the sound editing is a plus
and the 5.1 offers more sound and more of a soundfield than usual for such a
program. Extras include bonus
performances of Sar on stage, stills and an on-camera interview with Bass.
Then we
have the Naxos-distributed offerings of entire stage performances starting with
a decent version of a piece I ma not a big fan of, Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg from the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra & Chorus
from Opus Arte. I though the singing and
performances were good, but they could not lift the work above the material,
though I do get the points, but it does not work for me which is a premiere of
this lesser-seen work. That is reason
enough to see it at least once, but be awake.
Extras include the informative booklet on the work, Cast Profiles and a
Making Of featurette.
Then
comes Walter Braunfels’ The Birds
aka Die Vogel from the LA Opera conducted
by James Conlon, which I liked more than the last release, but still was not
totally happy with. In this case, two
young men named Ratefreund and Hoffegut leave Athens, Greece
to reconnect with nature among the birds far away from other people, but
wherever they go, there they are. They
are both differently affected by the results in what is a character study. For me, there are mixed results and some
predictability, but I wonder how this would compare to a differently staged
take. Extras include the informative
booklet on the work and trailers.
We have
covered Richard Strauss’ Elektra
before, but this Muncher Philharmoniker
version is the first time we have any home video performance and it is the best
performing Blu-ray on the list, which is nice since it has as good a performance
as any release here. Christian Thielemann
(more on his later) conducted, Herbert Wernicke produced for the stage and
Linda Watson solid in the title role.
Backed by a stunningly talented acting, vocal cast, this is an amazing
version that is done with some visual minimalism, yet never seems small or
empty. If anything, it makes it more
powerful as the performers take center stage every time and the result is
amazing chemistry and synergy that brings the classic tale to life. Very impressive! Extras include the informative booklet on the
work and a Making Of featurette.
Our other
ballet title is Flames Of Paradise
performed in by no less than the legendary Bolshoi
Ballet. Presented in two parts (at
103 minutes), it is a smooth, seamless presentation that plays very well and
moves on just fine. Nikolai Volkov &
Vladimir Dmitriev created the original libretto, Alexander Belinsky &
Alexei Ratmansky wrote the book and Boris Asafiev did the music for this
classic tale of war and peace in France and beyond. This follows the Blu-ray of the Bolshoi
performing The Pharaoh’s Daughter (reviewed elsewhere on this site) and is
another solid entry. Trailers and a
basic, informative booklet on the work are the only extras.
The final
Blu-ray brings us back to the talented Christian
Thielmann with The Wiener
Philhamoniker performing a totally symphonic concert of Beethoven – Sym. Nos 4, 5, & 6. These are rich performances of these all-time
classics and will impress fans who know that not all performances of Ludwig Von
are equal. There is a real love,
understanding and grasp of the master composer here and I really liked this
disc. Extras include the terrific
Discovering Beethoven documentary in three hour-long parts, covering each
symphony (!) that is reference quality and another informative booklet on the
works.
All five
titles feature 1080i 1.78 X1 digital High Definition images and DTS-HD MA
(Master Audio) lossless 5.1 mixes, save the DTS-MA 5.0 on Beethoven and they are all great recordings, though Elektra is the sonic standout that will
impress home theater fans, Beethoven
has more of a soundfield than you might expect and Paradise is uncompromised in its soundfield by recreating the aural
space on stage. None will disappoint
sonically. All also have less motion blur than usual for these kinds of
releases in this set, though Elektra
once again is a cut above with even richer color and a more realized image
throughout.
Our last
title is the oldest, but far from the least.
Many know Leopold Stokowski
for his work on the 1940 Disney classic Fantasia, which finally arrived on
Blu-ray, more of which you can read about at this link:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/10657/Fantasia/Fantasia+2000+(Disney+Blu
Now, at
the same time, the Top Music International/Intermusic label has issued his
remarkable 1958 recording of Beethoven’s
Symphony No. 7 in its first-ever stereo release on CD and the accuracy of
the Blu-spec CD’s mastering precision delivers a playback result that betrays
the 53 year old recordings age. Though
it can show some of its age, this is an incredible release with solid sonic
playback to rival any CD of a late 1950s music release.
For
technophiles, here are the specs for how the disc was made:
The
Project re-mastered by Povee Chan
32Bits/192kHz
High Resolution Mastering
SADiE
DSD Digital Precision
Mastering
Monitor: Almarro M1A
Monitor
Amplifier: Octave Jubliee Preamp
Power
System: Isoclean Power Conditioning System
Mastered
with Black Rhodium cables, Made in EnglandAudio
Plays
On All CD Players
Made
in Japan
by Sony
The
works he pulls off with amazing ease includes:
1)
Poco sostenuto –
Vivace (11:59)
2) Allegretto
(10:18)
3) Presto
– Assai meno presto (8:08)
4) Allegro
con brio (7:17)
Stokowski
was way ahead of his time and this is so good, it makes one want to hear more
of his album releases and see what else he recorded. This transfer plays back as PCM 2.0 16/44.1
Stereo, but does not have the ceiling you will find on many common CDs and is
worthy of the many classical CDs and even SACDs Naxos and other companies have
sent us in the genre over the years.
Though it would be too old to make multi-channel and an SA-CD may have
revealed some flaws and age, this is the best classical CD I have heard in a
good while and fans should definitely go out of their way for it. A paper foldout with some information is
included.
All these
titles are now available. To find out
more about ordering this Stokowski
release, start with this link, then go to the HOW TO ORDER tab on the left-hand
side column:
http://www.topmusic.com/tm-bscd7015.5.htm
The
direct order link is:
http://www.topmusic.com/to-order.htm
-
Nicholas Sheffo
