Grétry: Pierre le Grand (Moscow, 2003)

Cast: Maxim Mironov (Pierre), Elena Voznessenskaya (Catherine), Mikhail Davidov (Georges), Elena Guschina (Genevieve); Orchestra and Chorus of Helikon-Opera Theater, Sergey Stadler (conductor), Dmitry Bertman (director)

Recorded at Helikon Opera in Moscow in 2003

Issued on DVD by Total [318564896K, PAL/all regions, menus in English, French, Russian; subtitles in French, Russian] and by Arthaus-Musik [101097, NTSC/all regions, with menus and subtitles in English, German and French]

Technical details
Aspect ratio 4:3
Sound PCM Stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS

Running Time: 92 minutes (Total) 146 minutes (Arthaus)

Sung in French; spoken in Russian and French

Review of the Total DVD

Mozart was in his last year of life; Gluck was the previous generation; Rossini was the generation to come. Judging from this performance, Grétry was a suitable champion of the opéra-comique in 1790 when Peter the Great premiered.

In a tiny theater, using conventional instruments and a single set, Bertman has developed and Stadler leads a delightful trifle. The vocal star is Mironov, heir to a French tradition of fearless excursions in well-produced voix mixte. Scarcely less notable, Voznessenskaya is a pleasure in a rather conventional rôle. The other soloists prove to be excellent actors whose voices are sufficient for the modest demands - assuming one is not bothered by an occasional missed note in the joy of the occasion. Exuberance and excellent diction may not conquer all, but they come close.

The image is bright and colorful; the sound, a bit lush but otherwise fine. The technical bonuses add little and may have contributed to difficulties such as poor lip-sync when the nominal angle is used. The persistent logo of Total is a mild distraction; an indication of when alternate angles are available would have been preferable. The French subtitles for Russian dialogue are frequently excessive. One can go on about the failings, but why fault such a romp for an occasional flaw?

There are suggestions that English subtitles were considered; their absence in such an unfamiliar work will limit the pleasure for many. But even with limited comprehension of French, you may join in my enthusiasm. Let us have more of Grétry, more of Helikon Opera, more of this spirit.

 

Related website:

Intersoft www.intersoft.ru
Helikon Opera www.helikon.ru

Arthaus Musik www.arthaus-musik.de

Michael Richter, 15 July 2005

mrichter@cpl.net

 

See also Michael Richter's Introduction to the DVD, for a list of other reviews see the DVD Project page.