Wagner: Tristan & Isolde [Blu-ray] [2009] [Region Free]

I was really looking forward to this Blu ray DVD of one of my favourite operas - what a disappointment it turned out to be. Let us be positive to start; the HD vision and sound are all one could wish for; after that is all goes down hill .For this opera to work and grab you emotionally and musically, the two leads need to a: be believable b; able act C; be able to sing these very demanding roles to a height of excellence that Wagner deserves. Nina Stemme can just about do all 3 however Robert Gambill as Tristan didn't look like a man a women could fall head over heels in love with . He looked scruffy and unshaven and goodness knows why he wore a wig an the first two acts which happily he dispensed with in Act 3 and looked the better for doing so.There is supposed to be hot passionate love between Tristan and Isolde and the audience have to feel that power and sense of attachment. Not in this production. I found both leads emotionally cold, indeed I though they were practising social distancing before we actually had to. At no time did they ever convince me they were in love with each other. I did idly wonder if the singers had had a big row back stage before curtain up and their cold contact with each other was the result!! Gambill as Tristan was also musically challenged I got the very real feeling that Tristan was just a little out of his league.As as an example of lack of emotional intensity take the big moment at the end of Act 2 where Tristan is wounded and Isolde, beside herself with anguish, has to rush to him, as one would if you were as deeply besotted with each other as they are meant to be. Not in this production- Isolde was at the back of the stage as her lover is stabbed aND shows as much feeling as if Tristan had merely stumbled and grazed his knee. Incidentally, the acting at this point of the production is so very amateurish the moment Tristan is run through with the sword iS is crass and looks like something for a not very good school production.Although I haven't got my vocal score in front of me I am fairly certain part of Acts 2 was cut, including the bit where Tristan reveals the story of the love potion. Why???Although I have read superb reviews of Stemme as Isolde she is certainly not on form here and that means that outstanding moments of the production belong to Rene PApe as King Marke who gives a peerless performance and one can really feel and understand his pain at Tristan's betrayal of him. The other outstanding performance is that of Bo Skovus as Kurwenal who sang and acted with impassioned realism.When King Marke and Kurwenal are the stars of the show then you know the production is in deep trouble. The scene between Tristan and is his servant at the start of Act 3 was the emotional highlight of the show. Indeed Tristan and Kurwenal behave more like lovers than Tristan and Isolde. As least you finally felt something emotionally was happening and thank goodness for it even though he have had to get to Act 3 before there was a a spark of humanity.The opera's climax of course is Isolde's Liebestod one of the most sensational and heart-moving 5 minutes in all opera. Not here; Stemme sing it well of course, but at the back of the stage absolutely uninvolved and cold and just about sums up her relationship with Tristan in this productionThe set is an abomination; a miss-shapen polo mint that supposed to conjure up a ship in Act 1, a garden in Act 2 and grounds of Tristan's castle in Act 3. The text of the opera even refers to various things that are supposed to be on the set. Why do producers these days feel they do not have to honour the text so that it makes sense. According to the production notes in the booklet the set is supposed to be am eliptical cube with steps is both a womb and a cage to keep the lovers in.. It fails to convince or educate the viewing public about the story nor does it add a new dimension to our understanding of the story. I was fine i know the opera well, I know what I was supposed to be seeing. But for a first time viewer they would have been totally lost - is that what we really should be doing with opera I think not. I am not necessarily arguing for a production as Wagner would have seen it. WE do have reinterpret for each successive generation. But it has done to be done sensibly and to enhance not detract.Finally Bellohlavek's conduction is generally fine although I though the middle of Act 1 could have done with pushing along a little bit more and other conductors I have heard bring out the heights and emotional intentisity of this magnificent opera rather more. Perhaps, and understandably so, Bellohlavek was not inspired to wear his heart on his sleeve given the lack of passion on stage. The London Philharmonic are wonderful.Opus Arte the company who have produced the DVD have produced a nice informative booklet to accompany this opera. However it is very disappointing that on the DVD that have dispensed with most of the audience involvement, we don't see the conductor going into the pit and see and hear the adulation of the audience. It was very disorientating that we don't even see the LPO play the prelude we just look at a blank screen until the curtain rises. There is nothing at the end of each act in way of applause apart from at the end.Bizarrely you get the end credits in silence before it cuts back to applause. At the end of nearly 5 hours of Wagner you expect a huge audience reaction. The way the DVD has been ordered it spoils a great theatrical moment that you get at the end of the opera. Part of the pleasure of watching a DVD of a live recording from the opera house is that you get the audience reaction, you see that special moment at the conductor takes his first bow of the evening. You can hear the hum of anticipation before the curtain rises on Act 1. I have opus artes dvd of Die Meistersinger from Glyndebourne where are these things a very much in tact and it just adds to the overall enjoyment of the disc. It was a very bad mis-calculation not to include some of these on the disc.IN summary therefore, deeply flawed try and look elsewhere for a DVD of Tristan Und Isolde if you want to see, hear and experience this magnificent opera as you should.

Excellent production. Great singing and superb music. Well worth a purchase. Certainly better than the recent KWagner Bayreuth production. Thank you

Having just watched das Rheingold on Blu-ray which is visually stunning I was disappointed that this production is really dull, nothing at all on the screen to look at during the preludes so, exquisite as the music is, one might as well save the money and buy a CD. The sets are extremely simple, not in itself a bad thing perhaps, but then there is the problem that the male singers are not attractive to look at. One wants to see Tristan as a romantic as well as heroic lover and for me unshaven with scruffy hair doesn't do it. The dress doesn't help. I am going to try Barenboim's La Scala production next in my search for an emotionally fulfilling Tristan.