Search - Claudio Monteverdi - Tancred the Crusader (A short opera based on 'Il combattimento di Tancredi e Crolinda') on DVD

In Tancredi's memory

A general reader | Irvine, CA | 08/15/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Tancred is sung by Michel Brodard, the choreography is by Angelin Preljacaj. The whole takes place after the fact, in the memory of Tancredi, "re-enacted" as it were on a ship leaving Jerusalem, on a sea of Tancredi's tears that also represents the water of Christian baptism. The sailor and crusaders who watch the "narration" speak in a mixture of Italian and French and perhaps some other languages. All of Monteverdi's setting is in Italian. The subtitles are only in English. Excellent videography and a dignified, moving production. Total time including opening and closing credits in ca. 34 minutes."

An interesting and touching potrayal

S. Marcucci | Italy | 05/18/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Reminds me of the Sicilian puppet plays. An interesting and moving use of the few lines of the beautiful recitativo of Montecerdi that are left. The DVD was filched by my 40 year old son."

Dreamscape

Dr. John W. Rippon | Florida | 11/14/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Yes, it's only a paper moon over a cardboard sea but the whole dream scape is the essence of the cinematic tour de force of Francois Caillat. A dreamy setting of a boat going nowhere with a chorus of disheveled and battered crewmen declaiming modern poetic French while a narrator Knight recites Tasso's original 16th century Italian as set to music by Monteverdi in the 17th century. It sounds like an irresolute combination but it works quite well. The lone figure of Tancredi with his ever suffering stare conveys to the observer the deep sorrow of this once proud figure. The director has taken the slim but exquisite opera of Monteverdi and draped around it his added lines of dialog for the crew seperate from the opera itself. Tancredi relives yet again and again the fateful end of the all night, hand to hand battle in which he was finally victorious only to discover the now fatally wounded adversary was his own beloved Clorinda in disguise. So ends Monteveri's opera of 1624.

But Tancredi must get his act together and head back to Syracuse for his date with Amenaide and Rossini's great opera of 1817."