Great Moments in Opera from The Ed Sullivan Show (1981) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Memories of Ed's "really big shooooe" may summon up images of Topo Giggio and Senor Wences, but Sullivan was primarily known for presenting the best talent from the New York stage, including night club, Broadway, and opera. This DVD gives us 2 hours of headliners primarily from the Met performing arias and duets from roles that they performed in New York. Most of these selections seem to be from the 60's (no dates are identified), and a few seem to be from the 50's. Almost all are performed concert-style (without sets and costumes).
Some of the most compelling segments are Callas' Vissi d'arte (Tosca) and Lily Pons' Gavotte (Mignon), two of the few selections filmed with costumes and sets. Callas' dramatic gifts are legendary, and Pons proves to be dramatically effective in her own way, singing and moving with ease and charm. Even at this late point in her career, she generates a lot of excitement. Joan Sutherland and Marilyn Horne trill together in Mira o Norma, and Sutherland solos in Sempre libera (Traviata) and Quando rapita (Lucia). A young Beverly Sills brings her considerable coloratura skills to O luce di quest' anima (Linda di Chamounix). Richard Tucker gives a moving rendition of Vesti la giubba (Pagliacci), and Anna Moffo is captivating in Il regimento (Daugher of the Regiment) and La Ballatella (Pagliacci).
Roberta Peters and Robert Merrill seem to have been frequent guests, and they certainly know how to connect with Sullivan's audience. Peters sings arias from The Barber of Seville, Traviata, Lakme, and Gounod's Romeo and Juilet, and Merrill sings arias and duets from The Barber of Seville, Forza, Traviata, and a medley of arias from Aida, Traviata, and Carmen. I was somewhat disappointed with Dorothy Kirsten, a long-time favorite of mine. Famed for her Puccini heroines, she sings Un bel di (Butterfly) and partners with Franco Corelli for Soave fanciulla (Boheme), but neither piece shows her at her best.
There are several repeats. We get three renditions of Vissi d'arte (Callas, Leontyne Price, and Birgit Nilsson), two of Un bel di (Dorothy Kirsten and Eileen Farrell), and two of Pace pace mio dio (Nilsson and Farrell). Farrell sings Pace pace mio dio (Forza) with commitment and passion, but an overly arty visual concept proves rather distracting.
Many of these selections are excellent, and it is exciting to see some of the Met's best singers of the 50's and 60's.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Great Moments in Opera from The Ed Sullivan Show (1981)

Click here for more information about Great Moments in Opera from The Ed Sullivan Show (1981)