What are some good movie versions of operas?
July 7, 2015 8:40 PM Subscribe
I'm looking for recommended movie versions of operas -- an example that comes to mind of the sort of thing I'm talking about is Ingmar Bergman's Magic Flute. I am NOT looking for filmed stage productions (like the Metropolitan Opera Live productions) or movies where only parts of operas are featured (like Amadeus) or movies based on operas where significant changes have been made from the libretto (like Carmen Jones), but whole operas filmed as movies. It's okay if they didn't get a normal cinematic release.
I like this film version of Carmen.
Jean Pierre Ponelle directed several pretty good movie versions of famous operas. I like his Figaro.
Also, Joseph Lossey's Don Giovanni is pretty good.
And a couple years back, Kenneth Branagh directed a not-too-bad version of Flute, but I think it's hard to track down a copy.
posted by geryon at 9:31 PM on July 7, 2015
Jean Pierre Ponelle directed several pretty good movie versions of famous operas. I like his Figaro.
Also, Joseph Lossey's Don Giovanni is pretty good.
And a couple years back, Kenneth Branagh directed a not-too-bad version of Flute, but I think it's hard to track down a copy.
posted by geryon at 9:31 PM on July 7, 2015
What about this 1958 early TV version of Amahl and the Night Visitors - here introduced by Minotti himself. It was also turned into a film in 1978 - IMDB.
posted by rongorongo at 11:54 PM on July 7, 2015
posted by rongorongo at 11:54 PM on July 7, 2015
OK, I know you said you didn't want filmed stage productions. But the series of Peter Sellars's productions that were filmed for TV aren't your typical filmed stage productions. He has a very cinematic directing style that comes as close to putting a movie on the stage as anything I've seen. And the cinematographer uses interesting shots and cuts instead of just turning a camera on the stage and leaving it there. I particularly like his Don Giovanni and Giulio Cesare.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 7:46 AM on July 8, 2015
posted by The Underpants Monster at 7:46 AM on July 8, 2015
This film of Salome is based on a stage production but was filmed explicitly for TV and is very cinematic.
posted by dfan at 9:56 AM on July 8, 2015
posted by dfan at 9:56 AM on July 8, 2015
I haven't seen the Kasper Holten film of Don Giovanni (trailer is mildly NSFW, by which I mean there are some bare butts in it) but it seems to attract a lot of vitriol from the anti-regietheater crowd, which means I'd probably like it.
posted by Orinda at 7:57 PM on July 8, 2015
posted by Orinda at 7:57 PM on July 8, 2015
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posted by Confess, Fletch at 8:46 PM on July 7, 2015