# Occasional blu-ray blues



## SCHLEMO (Jun 19, 2015)

You Can See All Too Well 
There’s a price to pay for the incredible visual clarity of a Blu-ray opera played on a large LED TV: you see lots of distractions in the close-ups. Early in Lohengrin, one of the king’s officials sang so forcefully that he sprayed gobs of spit on the stage. During her most intense, lengthy aria, rivulets of sweat ran down the cheeks, hair, and ears of Dorothea Roschmann, the Countess in The Marriage of Figaro. At one point, I think I saw Rolando Villazon’s tonsils vibrate in one of his despairing arias in La Traviata. And for “The Berlin Concert,” his hair looked like it was curled with the gooiest gel in town. At the Baden-Baden Opera Gala, when Ludovic Tezier sang, you couldn't see his upper teeth; all that was visible was his very yellow bottom teeth. Even Anna Nebtreko isn’t picture perfect. I noticed some large pores on her neck during her performance during that same Gala. 

As I get used to my home theater, I will probably overlook these superficialities and concentrate more fully on the dramatic interaction of the characters and the glorious sound.


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## RobertKC (Dec 9, 2013)

I bought a Blu-ray titled "Live from Red Square Moscow" featuring Anna Netrebko and Dmitri Hvorostovsky. I was disappointed that this concert video was not visually appealing - which I think it should have been given the performers. It's as though there was not an artistic director responsible for the videography. Harsh afternoon light, unflattering camera angles looking into singers' mouths, etc.

Here's how I like to think of Anna:


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## Marschallin Blair (Jan 23, 2014)

RobertKC said:


> I bought a Blu-ray titled "Live from Red Square Moscow" featuring Anna Netrebko and Dmitri Hvorostovsky. I was disappointed that this concert video was not visually appealing - which I think it should have been given the performers. It's as though there was not an artistic director responsible for the videography. Harsh afternoon light, unflattering camera angles looking into singers' mouths, etc.
> 
> Here's how I like to think of Anna:












I think Anna's cute when she's done up right- and of course with long hair- but her voice and delivery is just so down market for me though.

Thumbs up on the telegenicity though.


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## RobertKC (Dec 9, 2013)

Ouch, MB. You're talking about my Anna. I like her singing!

How about this pic of Anna with another of my favorites, Elina Garanca:


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## Marschallin Blair (Jan 23, 2014)

RobertKC said:


> Ouch, MB. You're talking about my Anna. I like her singing!
> 
> How about this pic of Anna with another of my favorites, Elina Garanca:


I totally approve. _;DD_. . .

Anna's your Doll- I'll say no more.


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

I have a blu ray of Barenboim Playing and Conducting the 5 Beethoven PCs. It is hard to ignore his heavy perspiration and the sweat pouring off him landing on the piano with splashes and forming puddles. Not his fault, but definitely distracting, and couldn't the director of the video focused a little less on his sogginess?


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