SITE RATING: 8/10
SITE
REVIEW: Although
I gave the audio CD a high ranking, and
although the technical aspects of the
blu-ray disc I viewed are excellent as far
as image and sound, I feel like I need to
drop the rating a touch on the video - for
some visual aspects which detracted from the
experience. Beautifully filmed
at Basilica Stift Klosterneuburg in Lower
Austria, the stunning architecture is
highlighted during the opening Sinfonia, in
aerial shots which showcase the landmark church.
Similarly, the interior, soloists, orchestra
and choir are given excellent showcasing
from both long and close-range camera angles.
The sound is beautifully mixed, capturing
the natural acoustic, and yet clear and
well-blended; it's an idea space for such a
project, and for the small size of the Bach
Consort Wien. The problems arise in
the visual performance of a couple of the
soloists and the choir - for a project that
was obviously meant to be seen as well as
heard, some of the performers obviously have
no idea how to "play" to a camera.
First, the good: tenor Michael Schade and
soprano Hanna Herfertner give luminous
performances, with their faces reflecting
the alternately tender, joyous moments they
are singing about. Alternately, alto
Gaia Petrone, dressed in a severe blue suit
and with her eyes glued to her score, sounds
wonderful, but looks stiff and emotionally
mute. Bass Christian Immler seems to
have one look: stern fatalism; which, while
appropriate to many of his arias, still
comes across as one-dimensional. The
chorus too, looks uninvolved and the rote
appearance on their faces make it appear they
are not terribly involved in the glorious
music they are making. So, while the
performance is still top-drawer, the visual
aspect tempers that impression a bit.
Still - it's a well produced, excellently sung
Messiah - and worth picking up.
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