| | |  | HIP HOP KRUMP & BREAKDANCING | Home » » » Rameau - Les Indes Galantes / Petibon, Croft, Hartelius, Agnew, Rivenq, Berg, Strehl, Christie, Les Arts Florissants, Paris Opera | | | | | | | Description: | | RAMEAU:INDES GALANTES (GALLANT INDIAN - DVD Movie | | | Product Details: | | | Actors:
| Richard Croft, Patricia Petibon, Danielle de Niese, Paul Agnew, William Christie | | Director:
| Thomas Grimm DVD-Director | | Format:
| Classical, Color, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC | | Language:
| French | | Subtitle:
| German, English, Spanish, Italian, French | | Number of Discs:
| 2 | | Studio:
| BBC / Opus Arte | | Run Time:
| 190 minutes | | DVD Release Date:
| August 16, 2005 | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 17 reviews |
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| $33.38 | New | | | $33.40 | New | | | $33.39 | New | | | $33.91 | New | | | $34.66 | New | | | $35.97 | Used
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- Mint | | | $107.97 | New | |
| New | |
| $33.38 | New | | | $33.40 | New | | | $33.39 | New | | | $33.91 | New | | | $34.66 | New | | | $35.99 This item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping. | New | | | $37.96 | New | | | $37.99 | New | | | $39.69 | New | | | $55.25 | New | | | $55.60 | New | | | $107.97 | New | |
| Used | |
| $35.97 | Used
- Mint | | | $37.65 | Used
- Good | | | $55.60 | Used
- Mint | |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 17 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
62 of 67 found the following review helpful:
 Outstanding!Jul 22, 2005
By T. C.
Les Indes Galantes was Rameau's second theatrical work. This opéra-ballett was first given on August 1735. This enchanting and exotic piece consists of a prologue and four entrées (acts).
Opus Arte released this month a DVD version of This performance was recorded at the Opera de Paris - Palais Garnier in 2004. William Christie conducted the Les Arts Florissants chorus and orchestra. The director was Andrei Serban. Décor and costumes: Marina Draghici Choreography: Blanca Li. This proves to be the A team!!
In the prologue the stage is crowded with people representing various mythological figures. The dancers are dressed in colorful Rococo styled costumes. The dancing is full with humor charm and imagination. From the singers, I liked Danielle de Niese as Hébé with a bright soprano. There is action all the time on stage. Never a dull moment!
In the first entrée, we are near the sea and the sea waves are shaped beautifully. The blue color dominates. I was very impressed with the singing of Anne-Maria Panzarella as Emilie. She has a beautiful voice and really knows how to sing this kind of music, as is evident from numerous recordings of Lully and Rameau she had made. Nicolas Cavallier is very good as Osman and Paul Agnew is an effective Valère. The sailor's dance is amusing and exotic and has a more modern character.
The second entrée, Incas of Peru is dominated by warm colors: red, yellow and orange. Nathan Berg is impressive in the role of Huascar. After the very effective earthquake where the mountains scenery is moving from side to side, comes the finale of this act, which is ending the first DVD, with the chorus praising the sun and this leaves a great impression.
In the third entrée, we meet two couples, which are playing disguising games: A mini Cosi fan tutte. The four singers are very good: Richard Croft, Nathan Berg, Gaële Le Roi and Malin Hartelius. In the middle of the act, the four are singing a quartet: this is extremely tender music of overwhelming beauty and fragility. And then follows the biggest divertissement: it begins with a funny dance of flowerpots and that dances for the flowers. This is a brilliant dance sequence. Wonderful!!
And than the last entrée. Nicolas Rivenq and the amazing Patricia Petibon are the Indian lovers. Christoph Strehl and Christophe Fel are the French and Spanish suitors. More exquisite music and brilliant dances. The highlight of the act is the dance of the savages and then the splendid duet with chorus "Forets Paisibles" (Peaceful forests).
It was not a short evening. The opera lasts a little more than three hours. But I haven't felt its length. The wealth of colors, the charming dances, and above all, Rameau's beautiful music, makes it such an entertaining experience, that time is really flying.
The second DVD contains a 50 minutes long documentary. Christie says, "Rameau is the greatest dance composer before Stravinsky. You cannot listen to his music without performing some dance movements...". Christie is proving his case, during the final applauses when he sings and dances with the rest of the performers the "Forets Paisibles" from the final entrée.
Technical quality is first rate. I cannot recommend this DVD highly enough. Magnifique!!
40 of 43 found the following review helpful:
Beautiful voices and lovely dancingOct 01, 2005
By Stan Seleen
Jean-Philippe Rameau would be proud of how his work shines on this DVD by Les Arts Florissants, Paris Opera. Les Indes Galantes was popular after its 1735 premier, and one can see why while watching this widescreen version. Here you have the best seat in the house and a chance to see creative costuming that adds great beauty to what is already beautiful dance.
If there are tears in your eyes by the final curtain, they will be tears of joy. I love William Christie and this magnificent cast. Not only do they sing, dance and act well, but they also seem to have fun doing it. The joy of doing this work is apparent after the final curtain, when Christie strikes up the orchestra from the stage. The singers and dancers recapitulate a bit of the last entr'ee with Christie joining in the joyous dance. Christie's love of doing the dance is contagious. Their pleasure and that of the audience was complete. The house erupted after this encore.
An enjoyable bonus on this DVD is a film entitled: "Swinging Rameau." It consists of interviews with William Christie, Nicolas Rivenq, Blanca Li, Andrei Serban, Paul Agnew and Patricia Petibon. The French tradition of dance within opera has turned into a work of love for Christie.
8 of 9 found the following review helpful:
Now this is more like it!Feb 09, 2007
By Steve E. Ulrich
"hornspieler"
This is far and away the best Rameau DVD out there. Though the production is modern, it stays within the Barouqe style and is not a distraction from the music. The tempi are lively and slow arias are touching. The premise of the opera is original by even today's standard and offers the viewer a good idea of what a baroque opera prouction would have looked like in the 1730's while making full use of modern technology. Good extras on the DVD and very exciting music, of course!
4 of 4 found the following review helpful:
Opera as a total artistic expression,.....delightfullSep 12, 2007
By Jaime Fabian Mendoza Lopez
"Jaifa"
In which moment of life "the opera" concept took away the DANCE?
Seven years ago, in Cancun, a french friend recomended me to enjoy this opera, he was in a live performance in Paris. Now I can say it is one of my favorites operas. The production is espectacular, the music just wonderfull.
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
Excellent Baroque Opera Production and DVD!Nov 28, 2009
By T. Thompson
"Clydesight Productions"
I saw a clip from this production on YouTube and knew I just had to get the DVD, which I found here on Amazon at a very good price.
The DVD is excellent, clear and sharp and the menus (in French) get you around the disc pretty easily. All of the content is in French, but the subtitles cover it nicely for those who don't understand the language.
Pros:
Fantastic performances and production
The Extras sections are very helpful in understanding the opera
Cons:
None to speak of, except two-line subtitles are hard to read when the white type appears over an orange or yellow background.
Review:
Baroque Opera is something of an acquired taste to be sure. Often, these operas are performed in an historical perspective, with singers used as they were originally intended (counter-tenors or female singers for "castrati", etc.) While this may be accurate to the history, it is difficult for our modern tastes.
"Les Indes" as presented here takes a more modern approach. The orchestration is rich and full, the singers are strong, and there is a lot of wonderful choreography. Although the pacing is a tad slow, the music of course, sustains it, and the set designs, costuming, make-up, choreography, and performers make up for the pacing.
Anyone new to this DVD of the production (or the opera itself) would get a lot out of the Extras section, especially the bonus film called "Swinging Rameau". This explains the synopsis of the opera (which is made up of four separate love stories), the approach taken in the production, and answers all questions about why they did what they did. You see, they are focusing on the imagination here, the imagination of the composer in telling the stories in music, and the imagination of the company in bringing the composer's vision to life.
While this approach may not be to everyone's tastes, I certainly found it inventive and intriguing.
A lot of historical Baroque Opera involves people standing around on stage, either singing or waiting to sing. This can get very tedious. In this production, the choreographer keeps things moving -- both the principles and extras in the cast -- so we don't get bored. There is a lot to see at every turn. It is thought provoking.
This performance also has a lot of whimsy to it. It's good humored fun, reflective of the opera (it's not a comic opera, but it is certainly "light" compared to the more common "tragic" operas of the time) and while it is always professional, it takes a light hearted approach that is engaging and makes the opera much more accessible.
I have read some reviews that claim this performance is more like a circus than an opera. Certainly, I can see the reference, as many of the dancers are acrobatic, the make up and costuming is bold and engaging, and the props are big and bold.
In a scene about a shipwreck, they use props for the waves to great effect, in another scene there are mountains that move and shake, and there is a giant golden chicken or turkey brought in at the end -- why I have not figured out, nor why they turn it so the audience is looking at its backside... may be an "in" joke! Yet, the sets are minimal and bright, giving the whole thing a "circus" and entertaining atmosphere to be sure. But this opera is no joke or parody. It is serious and genuine to itself with a charm that is hard to describe. I think this approach makes it fun, and when was the last time a Baroque Opera was fun to watch?
The cast is superb -- no other way to describe them. The singers -- principles as well as chorus -- are clear, on pitch and on time, and they move about and use facial expressions to engage the audience. The dancers are excellent, well timed, at times absolutely thrilling to watch. The choreography is a mix of traditional baroque ballet with modern interpretative dance, and it works! This again is a modern approach to historical "set singing", and I think a good one. The camera work is also quite good, with plenty of close-ups as well ensemble shots.
Perhaps the best part of the opera is the end, with a fully orchestrated and choreographed performance of "Les Sauvages" (also the name of that story in the opera). This started life as a harpsichord piece which Ramaeau re-worked into the opera. As a harpsichord piece, it was -- and is -- one of the "top 10", and as an orchestral and choral piece, Rameau gave it even more life and excitement, as does this performance. It is the highlight of a show filled with highlights -- so much so that when they roll the credits, the conductor and cast reprise the music in a dance of joy. Very moving stuff.
In short this DVD and performance celebrates Rameau and his music.
I would recommend this opera DVD to anyone who loves good music. It has great re-play value, and you do have to watch it more than once to get all the inside jokes, the subtleties, the nuances. That makes it a good value for the money.
A+++ for this wonderful production and technically excellent DVD!
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