Vivaldi - Ercole s'ul Termodonte / Il Complesso Barocco, Curtis (Spoleto Festival 2006) | 
 enlarge | Director: John Pascoe
Actors: Alan Curtis, Zachaly Stains, Mary-ellen Nesi, Laura Cherici, Luca Dordolo
Studio: Dynamic
Category: DVD
List Price: $43.98
Buy New: $21.95
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New (28) Used (7) from $21.95
Rating:  12 reviews
Sales Rank: 23989
Format: Dolby, Ntsc, Subtitled, Widescreen
Languages: English (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), German (Subtitled), Italian (Subtitled), Italian (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Region: 0
Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 136 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: 33525
UPC: 675754000165
EAN: 0675754000165
ASIN: B000RGSW7U
Theatrical Release Date: 2007
Release Date: June 26, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Five Star Seller!!! New, factory sealed US Region 1 DVD. Item is 100% guaranteed not to be a bootleg or import. Item is shipped directly from our warehouse. Easy exchange if item defective or damaged in shipped.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 7 more reviews...
 sparkly crackly Vivaldi June 13, 2008
Kenneth V. Zammit-tabona (st julians, malta Malta)
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
a very interesting performance; lovely voices especially the countertenors and a crisp and crackling orchestral interpretation of a sometimes unusually sombre Vivaldi; the ensembles were electrifying and Zachary Staines's concentration and precision was amazing considering that most of the time he was practically nude which is indeed unusual in opera; it will however not happen too often as it is very very rare to come across a singer with a heroic physique like his! They usually look like marshmallows or barrage balloons. br / br /I enjoyed the experience very much br / br /Kenneth Zammit Tabona
 Great April 6, 2008
Joseph H. Marion
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Love it, living in rural North Dakota I do not have the opportunity to attend beautiful events such as this; so having it on DVD is great. One thing that would have been really great; english text.
 Was I watching the same opera as the other reviewers? March 31, 2008
Barry J. James (Honolulu, Hawaii United States)
2 out of 11 found this review helpful
After seeing the very favorable reviews of this work I decided to acquire a copy. I feel that a more reasoned review will prevent other buyers from being disappointed in the same way that I was. br /Apart from the somewhat sensational production by John Pascoe, this DVD has very little going for it. In fact, where does one start to list the less than wonderful aspects of this work which looks as though it was recorded at a very poorly attended avant-garde High School production. The extremely small stage and stage set which is unchanged for most of the production makes the work somewhat boring after the first fifteen minutes and, although there is plenty of movement from the principal singers, the use of mirrors makes this a little confusing to watch. Zachary Stains must be applauded for his lack of inhibition in agreeing to go along with John Pascoe's interpretation of Hercules but I too found some of his singing very coarse and not particularly attractive to listen to. I also thought that it was unfortunate that countertenor Randall Scotting, while certainly able to project a strong and masculine presence as the opera developed, was a little too feminine with his gestures in the beginning and, unlike the other reviewer, I never got to adjust to or enjoy the female mezzo-soprano sound of his voice. There is nothing complementary that I can say about the costumes worn by the female performers which were completely out of character and totally inappropriate. br /It seems that very little money was spent on this production of `Ercole s'ul Termodonte at the Spoleto Festival. Given a bigger budget and better sets this early opera might, just might, become more interesting to watch. br /
good looking versus good singing March 27, 2008
Francesco Alvarez
2 out of 5 found this review helpful
This is a recently reconstructed opera by Vivaldi. The music is quite nice but it does not reach the depths and beauty of most Handel's operas from about the same period, nor the beauty of some other, better known, Vivaldi's operas. Male singers were probably chosen mostly because their good looking than for their good singing. They are not particularly bad but there are not outstanding either. In the battlefield of good singing the war of sexes is definetely won here by "le belle". Zachary Stains does not have a technique and voice as remarkable as his physique and Randall Scotting, although not that bad in his important role, is still a student with a long way ahead to go. About how "naturally" nudity fits to the staging of this opera I disagree with most posts in this forum. I am not a prudish person but I do not really see the point of ZS' nudity on stage, other than using it as a cheap resource to keep the audience interested in an otherwise unknown and probably "boring" opera for most people. I do not think Vivaldi's music needs such a "help" even for those who are just starting to get familiar with barroque operas. The staging is gay Eurotrash with a pervasive presence of fallic symbols. The picture of this DVD is quite dark, grainy and poor in quality. Sound is Ok in spite of some annoying and distracting background noises. For those reviewers who gave 5 stars to this DVD try better something really out-of-this-world checking some of Vivaldi's operas featured by the Spinosi/Jaroussky french combo and then, rethink your reviews of this rather gray Ercole!!!
Greek Theatre March 3, 2008
Robert L. Corrick (san francisco ca)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I find this recording of Vivaldi's long lost, newly reconstructed ERCOLE absolutely brilliant. The combination of piece, performance and production make for a feast of grand entertainmnet and ultimately thought provoking musical theatre. br / The performance is outstanding, a very high level of virtuoso singing and dramatic commitment. Yes, it is a human endeavor, yes, there is the occaisional blemish; some phrases not finished off perfectly, a top extension roughness on some coloratura, some fussy acting here and there. Detrimental? Each of these singers is so much larger than the few quibbles one might have, it is easy to say i am thrilled by everyone in the cast. br / A word for the Telemone, who seems regularly overlooked. His is not a showy role, but he sings it superbly and creates a wonderful character, a rather taciturn youth with dark, internal adolescent passion. Though he fails in his pursuit of Martesia, by implications in the staging I would hardly call him a loser. br / For my taste the cast boasts three artists who by virtue of vocal authority and command of the stage give world class stellar performances; Laura Cherici, Mary-Ellen Nesi and Zachary Stains. br / Listening to Laura Cherici's coloratura is like seeing an explosion of diamonds. Were her first words spoken on a trill? br / It is a delight to witness Mary-Ellen Nesi's proud, fiercly intentioned Antiope as she digs into her thirst for vengence arias and flings them into the house. br / ERCOLE - Zachary Stains, this artist has my full attention. Why do we love some voices more than others? I don't know, but this man's sound has been added to my small list of those that give full satisfaction and make my heart happy. His first aria, which sits rather low in the voice shows an almost baritonal snarl that aptly expresses the rage of this out of control character. His second, 'non fia la mia vittoria' is THE SOUND, youthfully heroic, warm, agile, masculine. His final scene as the civilized ERCOLE-cum-18th century nobleman is pure golden honey. This particular color makes me eageer for his Don Ottavio {and to see what internal fire he might bring to that usually bland character.} Add to the voice the fact that the guy is a total stage animal and we have some to pay attention to. br / Vivaldi's score is all elegant sound infused with Italian light; 18th century grace and balance aligned to a remarkable forward momentum. Within the da capo aria structure there is a wonderful variety of emotional tone, dramatic intent, orchestral color, humor, rage and rhythmic pulse. An altogether lovely piece. br / But it is a lovely piece made potent by John Pascoe's bold even audacious production. The battle of the sexes so clearly spoken in the libretto and so at the heart of the ancient Greek myth/history is vividly set up in the opera's opening scenes. The bosom proud Amazons live in nature; silver moonlight bathing an olive grove with gentle rays, diaphanus, flowing dress, nurturing feminine embraces. Set on the island of Delos, Mr. Pascoe makes great use of the famous truncated phalli at the temple of Dionysus. As the first threat seen by the Greeks on their arrival they are perfect tinder for ERCOLE'S rage. And that arrival shows the Greek's polar opposite to the Amazons. The male contingent enters with miltary might, muscled arms and legs, black leather breast plates, sweaty virility in the heat of the late afternoon sun, capped by ERCOLE'S spectacular entrance, heroically nude, but for his now famous lionskin cape. The battle is on! {Jeff Davis' evocative, painterly lighting throughout is another major plus in this production.} br / To me, Mr. Pascoe, with complete respect for Vivaldi's words and music, boldly enlarges and deepens what this piece has to say. The generous, but no more than historically accurate, use of heroic nudity brings to the production a weight, a power which lifts this piece from its quasi opera buffa, quasi court entertainment roots and sets it in a context which does have the feeling tone of pagan/classical Greece. In keeping with the ethos of that time and place Pascoe joins force with Plato and Aristotle in reminding us that there is no inherent reason to separate the things of the mind from those of the body. Thus in the opera's pivotal moment, when ERCOLE learns of compassion and let's go his savagery, he drops even the lion's skin and begins his aria utterly naked, standing in white light purity. the effect is sublime. br / I feel this production, while always entertaining, gently holds us to the mirror and implies the question 'what have we lost in losing this?' br / Beautiful opera, wonderful singing, stunning production. br / br / buy it now! br / br /robert corrick br /san francisco, ca
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