Menotti: The Consul (USA, 1960)

Cast: Patricia Neway (Magda Sorel), Chester Ludgin (John Sorel), Evelyn Sachs (The Mother), Leon Lishner (The Police Agent), Regina Sarfaty (The Secretary), Werner Torkanowsky (conductor), Gian Carlo Menotti (director), Jean Dalrymple (producer)

Television recording of 1960

Issued on DVD by VAI in 2004 [4266, NTSC/all regions, menus in English, optional subtitles in English, French, German, Italian]

Technical details:
Aspect ratio 4:3 - monochrome
Sound Monaural

Running Time 120 minutes
Sung in English
In one respect, this review is simple: If you are interested in this work, the present DVD must be seen. The performance was not only under the control of the composer/librettist, it also fits the singers as if written for them. However, two hours of polemic on the plight of man against bureaucracy, dominant declamation with rare moments of melody, and unrelenting emotional intensity are not for all.

Patricia Neway embodies Magda Sorel to a frightening degree. She was only three years Magda's senior at this performance and one can only hope that her vivid, heartwrenching portrayal stems from superb acting not from personal experience. Perhaps 'To this we've come' could be a bit more sung, perhaps some other moments could be played a bit less forcefully, but those are trivial conjectures in the face of a stunning portrayal. Ludgin presents John with similar force; the rest of the cast is well suited to their tasks. Notably, Regina Sarfaty's secretary provides a stunning counterweight to Neway, implacable, though not unkind, against the torrents of pleas until she yields.

Rather than complain about the failings of video and audio, it is fitting to rejoice that the recording was preserved and is now available in this fine transfer. In practice, the technical achievements are extraordinary for the era and, within the limitations of the day, the disc is as fine as one could hope.
 
Related website:
Video Artists International (VAI) http://www.vaimusic.com/
 
Michael Richter, 23 October 2004
mrichter@cpl.net
 
See also Michael Richter's Introduction to the DVD, for a list of other reviews see the DVD Project page.