Cecilia & Bryn at Glyndebourne Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		4.0

Cecilia & Bryn at Glyndebourne Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov August 22, 2008

The second installment in this month’s batch of Opus Arte titles is Cecilia & Bryn at Glyndebourne – Arias & Duets. Recorded in 1999 at the Glyndebourne Opera House, Lewes, UK Italian mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli and Welsh bass-baritone Bryn Terfel sing arias from such renowned classics as Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Rossini’s Il barbierre di Seviglia, and Handel’s Judas Maccabaeus, among others. In collaboration with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Maestro Myung-Whun Chung.

Unlike previous Opus Arte releases where masterpieces of classical music were introduced in sparkling new transfers this time around what I have in my hands is a unique recital of selected arias and overtures. Performed at the Glyndebourne Opera House, a venue founded in 1934 and claimed as home by the London Philharmonic Orchestra since 1964, these are works anyone with even the slightest of interest in classical music will quickly recognize.

The concert begins with Mozart’s overture to Le nozze di Figaro and is quickly followed by Cecilia Bartoli and Bryn Terfel performing the following arias: “Cinque…dieci”, “Se a caso madama”, and “Se vuol ballare”. Each of these is sung in a highly-spirited fashion often accompanied by a charming exchange of gestures and smiles the two singers indulge in while enticing the audience with their beautiful voices. Next is "Parto, Parto" from Mozart's La Clmenza di Tito, which introduces a lovely little competition between Cecilia Bartoli and the principal clarinetist of the London Philharmonic. The sense of balance and precision here is absolutely stunning as the singer and clarinetist imitate each other exceptionally well. Next are two offerings from Rossini’s famous Il barbierre di Seviglia – the marquee overture and "Dunque io son". The overture has been given a particularly effective treatment and the wind section of the London Philharmonic Orchestra is nothing short of spectacular. After Rossini comes yet another classic favorite – Mozart’s “Madamina” from Don Giovanni. With Bryn Terfel as the only soloist on stage the camera is now focused entirely on the singer’s highly emotional performance whose sense of balance is impeccable. The crowd responds with a passionate round of applause and Cecilia Bartoli enters the stage again to perform another solo piece – “Al tuo seno fortunato” from Haydn’s L’anima del filosofo. This highly challenging aria is once again handled with utmost precision by the Italian mezzo-soprano and an enthusiastic Myung-Whun Chung. The following aria reunites Cecilia and Bryn as they sing “Qanto Amore” from Donizetti’s L’eisir d’Amore. And this is without a doubt my favorite bit from this magnificent concert. It is subtly performed, with Cecilia truly allowing her voice to take over, and marvelously accompanied by the orchestra. “La ci darem la mano” from Mozart’s Don Giovanni keeps the duo on stage and they receive an enthusiastic round of applause from the audience yet again. There is an extra bit of “acting” between the two in this aria and the audience responds to it with appreciation. “Arm, arm ye brave” from Handel’s Judas Maccabeus is where Bryn Terfel shines. Sung with a great deal of stage presence by the Welshman Handle’s masterpiece is given an excellent treatment. The following solo-aria “Bel raggio lusingher” from Rossini’s Semiramide brings Cecilia Bartoli once again on stage as she delivers, arguably, her best performance of the night. The concert ends with the crowd pleaser “Pa-pa-pa-pa” from Mozart’s The Magic Flute.

Cecilia & Bryn at Glyndebourne–Arias & Duets was made possible with the collective efforts of BBC Television, ABC Australia, NRK Norway, DR Denmark, SVT Sweden, France 2, and BR Germany. Directed for the screen by Brian Large and executive produced by Hazel Wright.

Cecilia & Bryn at Glyndebourne Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded in AVC, and relying on a 1080i transfer Cecilia & Bryn at Glyndebourne is quite pleasing to behold. Opus Arte have once again delivered a transfer that will surely meet the expectations of classical music aficionados. The colors here are mostly natural looking, contrast is convincing though varying substantially as the camera moves from the soloists to the orchestra/conductor and back, and detail just as adequate as one could expect it to be given the limitations of the recording equipment. This being said, the quality of the presentation here isn't as spectacular as the one witnessed on Opus Arte's A Midsummer Night's Dream. The variations in the lighting, particularly during the overtures, result into a difference in depth and detail which you will notice when the camera is focused on the soloists (during their duets or solo arias) and respectively when it records the London Philharmonic Orchestra in action. Aside from that, just as I noted in my review for Swan Lake, there is a tiny dose of motion judder here. The effect, however, is far less noticeable and I doubt you would be affected by its presence. The rest of the presentation is of high enough quality and I am definitely pleased with Opus Arte and their overall treatment of this spectacular concert.

Cecilia & Bryn at Glyndebourne Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Once again PCM is the preferred codec for Opus Arte. On this disc you shall find a PCM 2.0 and PCM 5.1 tracks. I tested both and to be honest with you I prefer the 2.0 mix. For two reasons – it is somewhat better balanced and especially during the overture for Le nozze di Figaro the orchestra sound is more homogeneous. With the PCM 5.1 track the gap between the strings and the winds is far more obvious and some of the groups simply stick out. When the timpani enter the imbalance is even more noticeable. The good news is that on the PCM 2.0 mix unless trained to isolate the above orchestra groups you certainly won't be able to recognize what I described earlier. Thus, I feel strongly about recommending the PCM 2.0 mix as it preserves the "live" feel of this concert incredibly well and more or less maintains the balanced sound I believe is crucial here. Aside from that I did not detect any technical faults in either of the two tracks, they are both flawless. Optional English, French, and German subtitles are provided.

Cecilia & Bryn at Glyndebourne Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

There are no supplemental materials on this disc.

Cecilia & Bryn at Glyndebourne Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Another marvelous offer from favorite distrib Opus Arte. Cecilia & Bryn at Glyndebourne is an excellent treat for the music lover. Some of the greatest arias from the classic repertoire are sung by Italian mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli and Welsh bass-baritone Bryn Terfel in a manner impossible not to admire. There is enough zest, finesse, and pure brilliance the duo reveals that truly makes this concert an unforgettable event. The London Philharmonic Orchestra, as expected, is in top-notch form under the supervision of Maestro Myng-Whun Chung. The actual disc, subject of this review, is up to Opus Arte's usual standard of excellence. Highly Recommended.