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Show ynwT - i '. 'wear- V a S new video By lex Saltzman Crossword THE 1 Reflections, June 14, 1984, Page 11 Edited by Herb Ettenson For Opera Buffs And Others -- Sound the trumpets. Beat the drums. Thats the least you can do to celebrate subtitles. one of the most exciting triumphs of the home video revolution: the splendid marriage of aristocratic opera (that grand synthesis of music, words and drama) with democratic home video (the delivery system that brings thousands of pieces of software into every persons home). For the first time, it is possible to exper- Puccinis ience live perfor- sound and pictures of ning stun- reality. What is lost in the excitement of actually being there is gained in a clarity and precision sel- dom witnessed from a seat in the opera house. Videodiscs. Pioneer Artists has released nearly a dozen opera LaserDiscs in full color and stereo sound. The best of these video operas come from the Royal Opera House Covent Garden in Britain and are directed by two extraordinary television full-lengt- h directors, John Vernon and Brian Large. Large is the man responsible for adapting Richard Wagners monumen- Ring of the Nibelung" to the small screen and turning that operatic masterwork into a theatrical triumph for the home. Now he has done it again with the critically acclaimed 1982 production of Guiseppe Verdi's Falstaff" conducted by Carlo Maria Giulini, making his return to the opera stage after an absence of 14 years. Falstaff" is a sublime experience and proof positive that opera and video form a mighty union. The production was originally staged in Los Angeles; this LaserDisc documents the British production featuring Giulini and the same cast but replacing the Los Angeles Philharmonic with the Orchestra of the Royal Opera house. Baritone Renato Bruson is an excellent Falstaff, and the rest of the cast, featuring such singers as Leo Nucci, Katia Ricciarelli, Barbara Hendricks, Dalmacio Gonzalez, Lucia Valentin-TerranBrenda Boozer and the royal Opera Chorus, is equally good. But it is Giulini who is the star of this Falstaff" production. He because in this opera Verdi achieved an almost perfect union of text and music. Nothing upstages Verdi. The singers and the orchestra are equal; it is not merely an orchestra accompanying singers. Giulini brings out every detail of the score. tal ten's Peter Grimes" (Pioneer Artist LaserDisc) with John Vickers and conductor Sir Colin Davis. Both Vickers and Davis return for Saint-Saen- s spec- tacular Samson et Dalila" (Pioneer Artists LaserDisc). These extraordinary videodisc productions cost around $60. The Laser-Dismachine can be bought for under $750. And unlike the RCA CED videodisc corporate fiasco, it should be around for a long time to come. Videotapes. But what if you detest opera? Most people who say they do have never even seen an opera and know very little about this greatest of art forms. Now, Whos Afraid of Opera?" with c mances of opera in Director Large is also responsible for La Boheme (another superb Pioneer Artists LaserDisc). Director Vernon has given us a virtually perfect production of Benjamin Brit- 14-ho- i, hand-picke- d superstar soprano John Sutherland comes to the rescue (MGM-UBeta and BHS tapes, $40 apiece; and CED discs, $30 in three volumes). Sutherland and three puppets offer highlights Volume One and plots of six operas has Faust and Rigoletto"; Volume Two has La Travista and Daughter of the Regiment" and the best of the lot. Volume Three offers "The Barber of Seville" and "Lucia Di Lammermoor." These three tapes are aimed at the majority of Americans who have never seen or cared much about opera. The mini-opera- s are charming Sutherland explains the story to the puppets, then goes off to sing key arias, returning occasionally to reassure everyone that all is well. She will win any stubborn heart with her singing and informative chats with the puppets. Adding to this extraordinary experience are the London Symphony Orchestra, good supporting singers, grand costumes and sets. Opera buffs should stay away. The singers mouth their words to a prerecorded sound track and the puppets are often unbearably cute (although Sir , is apWilliam, an aging billy to hostile entire the propriately proceedings.) For the person who doesnt know anything about opera, Whos Afraid of Opera? is a gold mine of fun and song, an imaginative, entertaining attempt to educate the great majority of the public. Dont miss it. goat-critic- cut-dow- home-vide- o SOLUTION OP LAST WEEK' PUZZLES n ACROSS reserve 6 Finnic member 10 Distort 14 Storage bln 19 Confederate 36 38 39 40 42 46 1 In signature 20 Invention 21 Mishap 22 Glasses, hat, Accurate Foul-u- p 48 50 54 56 57 or house 23 Means of control 24 Vehemence 58 59 60 25 Luxurious living 27 Decorative case 28 Near 30 Fortification 69 Sort 70 Jazz buff 71 Baffling Setting Dullard Lean animal Defeat decisively Libertine Vainglory Learning Medics Certain light unit Family member Mountain Best of everything Makes better 64 66 Spouted Rent 32 Rubbish 31 75 80 82 83 84 85 86 88 89 problem Abrupt Legume Prosperity out Fr. composer NY Island Manner Coerced Prepared Lineage or tadpole Rapscallion 122 Parisian 121 friend 123 Enthusiasm for a cause 124 Ludicrous act 125 Equine sound 126 Subdue 127 Church recess 128 Pursue 91 Derisive sounds 92 Subsequently 93 Odd Couple name 95 Sully 97 Gone 99 Tranquil pitchers 67 Hostile nation 68 Fr. marshal 34 Demon 74 102 Interdict 103 Recover quickly 108 Gr. letter 109 Lasso 113 River currents 115 Horse 116 Loaded 119 USSR river 120 Caterpillar stealthily DOWN Fr. decree 2 Take care of 3 Ancient Troy 4 Jeans fabric 5 Recipients: suff. 6 Cushy exist- 61 Informed 62 Irritable 63 Pitches 65 Financially 9 Rich discovery 10 Intricate snare 11 Declare 12 Travel 13 Persevere 14 Symbol of abundance 15 Gl address .16 Nikola the Inventor 17 Fish basket wealth 94 Fashionable 96 Household secure 69 Task 70 The good things of life 37 Of the high-er- t rank 39 Cask 40 Engages In a water sport 41 Snug abode 42 Trailer 43 Study hastily 44 Cut of beef 45 Jewish month 47 Sorry! 49 Aromas 51 Moslem title 52 Contradict 63 Halt 55 Pub ence 7 Scorched, old style 8 lovely girl 87 Go to market 90 Withdraw 91 Source of 60 Criminal 18 Dispatch 26 White House pet 28 Bikini part 29 Big bird 33 Hindu ascetic 1 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 god 98 Energy source 99 Moves 100 Massenet opera 101 Money spent 103 Turk, city 104 Wild goose 105 Main artery 106 Carp 107 Dexterity 110 King of Israel Nap Stew Leave!: var. Prepare eggs Sleuth Wolfe Down in the dumps Win Fish sauce 111 112 114 117 118 120 Swelling Mai de Facts 86 Poker game money Occasion Sacred bull Furtive glance Be- nSolidify Vegas Large's cameras capture every nuance in carefully considered close-upand good overall coverage. The alimage and sound are though too much of the bottom portion of the picture seems chopped off and the assorted stage noises and audience distractions (coughs) can be annoying. The only video convenience missing is s first-rat- To make a one-poun- d honeycomb, bees must draw nectar from about two million flowers. e first New motion-pictur- Jersey drive-in- e in 1933 " theater was opened in for 500 provided Cam-Roo- cars. |