Die Entfuhrung Aus Dem Serail is not my favourite Mozart opera, but it is definitely worthwhile particularly for the music, which is unquestionably brilliant. While I do marginally prefer the 1980 production with Gruberova and Talvela and the Glyndebourne production, this Entfuhrung is nonetheless one of my favourites.
This production mayn't be the most exciting of all the Entfuhrungs I've seen due to Gelmetti's musical and effective if slightly relaxed tempos, however it is more poetic and nuanced than some. The costumes and sets are very traditional and look beautiful and are helped by some excellent videography and picture quality.
And there is some very imaginative staging, my favourites being the Traurigkeit aria being staged with a palm tree and sand under a setting sun's increasingly diminishing glow, Osmin snapping his fingers for Blonde to bring him another olive from a relaxed position and the staging of Marten Alle Arten.
The orchestra do a great job too, very well balanced and stylish, with the clear sound helping a lot.
Performances-wise, this Entfuhrung excels. Ruth Ann Swenson is a wonderful Konstanze, and Belmonte and Pedrillo are very fine too. Malin Hartelius's Blonde is exceptional, and the Osmin of Kurt Rydl is a lot of fun and more focused in pitch than the other times I have heard and seen him do the role.
Overall, excellent. 9/10 Bethany Cox
This production mayn't be the most exciting of all the Entfuhrungs I've seen due to Gelmetti's musical and effective if slightly relaxed tempos, however it is more poetic and nuanced than some. The costumes and sets are very traditional and look beautiful and are helped by some excellent videography and picture quality.
And there is some very imaginative staging, my favourites being the Traurigkeit aria being staged with a palm tree and sand under a setting sun's increasingly diminishing glow, Osmin snapping his fingers for Blonde to bring him another olive from a relaxed position and the staging of Marten Alle Arten.
The orchestra do a great job too, very well balanced and stylish, with the clear sound helping a lot.
Performances-wise, this Entfuhrung excels. Ruth Ann Swenson is a wonderful Konstanze, and Belmonte and Pedrillo are very fine too. Malin Hartelius's Blonde is exceptional, and the Osmin of Kurt Rydl is a lot of fun and more focused in pitch than the other times I have heard and seen him do the role.
Overall, excellent. 9/10 Bethany Cox
