Monteverdi: Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria
(Zurich, 2002)

Cast: Dietrich Henschel (Ulisse / L'humanita fragilita), Vesselina Kasarova (Penelope), Malin Hartelius (Melanto), Isabel Rey (Minerva/Amore), Martina Jankova (Fortuna/Giunone), Cornelia Kallisch (Ericlea), Jonas Kaufman (Telemaco), Rudolf Schasching (Iro), Reinhard Mayr (Antinoo); Orchestra la Schintilla, Nikolas Harnoncourt (conductor), Klaus-Micahael Grüber (director), Felix Breisach (video director)

Recorded at the Zurich Opera House in 2002

Issued on DVD by Arthaus in 2003 [100 352, PAL and NTSC, all regions, menus in English, German, French, Spanish; subtitles in those and Italian]

Technical Details:
Picture Format: 16:9
Sound Format: PCM Stereo, 5.1

Running Time 155 minutes

Sung in Italian
Here is a wonderful, dynamic realization of one of the earliest operas. The production is simple, illuminating what at times can be a tedious work by modern standards. Costuming is present day, but unobtrusive.

The orchestra shares top honors with the singers and the conductor. Harnoncourt enlivens the score with varying but always appropriate dynamics, moving it out of the museum thanks as well to Grüber's stage direction. Casting is excellent throughout, barring a Penelope who does not rise from her purple melancholy even after recognizing her husband. One might wish for more substantial extreme low notes from the basses, but they manage and the others excel. Henschel's portrayal cannot be faulted in singing or acting, but the rest are not far behind.

The contrast between this recording and the excellent one from Glyndebourne featuring Janet Baker and Benjamin Luxon under Raymond Leppard is substantial. Leppard's lacks dramatic variety where Harnoncourt's exploits extra-musical variety. Kasarova does not convey the humanity of Penelope as Baker does, but Henschel enlivens Ulisse beyond Luxon's capability. Harnoncourt brings the smaller roles forward with each figure uniquely characterized where the older recording provides a uniform staging and consistency of sound. In short, a lover of historically informed performance will be delighted with this recording, but should know the more traditional one for the best of a modern interpretation; the devotee of conventional opera will find confirmation from Glyndebourne but a new vista from Zurich.
 
Related website:
Arthaus Musik www.arthaus-musik.de
 
Michael Richter, 27 March 2004
mrichter@cpl.net
 
See also Michael Richter's Introduction to the DVD, for a list of other reviews see the DVD Project page.