Hindemith - Cardillac DVD 2007 / Directed by Brian Large / Staged and designed by Jean Pierre Ponnelle / Deutsche Grammophon / Artists: Donald McIntyre, Maria de Francesca-Cavazza, Robert Schunk, Doris Soffel

UPC 044007343241

REGION 0 NTSC DVD 

MADE IN EU

AUDIO: Pcm Stereo, DTS 5.1

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish, German, Italian

Total Runtime: 88 minutes

English Summary:

Wolfgang Sawallisch conducts this production of Hindemith's 20th-century opera, with set design and staging by Jean-Pierre Ponelle.

1985 Bavarian State Opera production of Hindemith's 1926 opera, based on E.T.A. Hoffmann's celebrated tale of an incomparable but obsessive goldsmith and a rash of mysterious murders in the Paris of Louis XIV. The work, staged by Jean-Pierre Ponnelle and conducted by Wolfgang Sawallisch, tells the story of the goldsmith Cardillac who is unable to part with his creations and recovers the objects he has sold by murdering the purchasers. The stellar cast is led by bass singer Donald McIntyre. 

Cardillac, Op. 39, is an opera by Paul Hindemith in three acts and four scenes. Ferdinand Lion wrote the libretto based on characters from the short story Das Fräulein von Scuderi by E. T. A. Hoffmann.

Synopsis

The setting is Paris in the 17th century.

Act 1

Scene 1

The crowd is agitated about a series of recent mysterious murders. The police calm the crowd. The goldsmith Cardillac enters the scene and the atmosphere becomes hushed. The Lady asks the Cavalier about the goldsmith Cardillac, and the Cavalier tells of the goldsmith and his priceless jewelry. The Lady promises the Cavalier a tryst that evening if he can bring her Cardillac's most beautiful work.

Scene 2

The Lady and the Cavalier enjoy their tryst and the Cavalier delivers one of Cardillac's belts. A masked figure steals into the bedroom and fatally stabs the Cavalier. The Lady faints and the mysterious figure leaves with the belt.

Act 2

The Gold Merchant mentions to Cardillac the latest murder that involved the theft of a recent work of Cardillac. The Gold Merchant has his suspicions about the identity of the murderer. Cardillac orders his daughter to watch over his work. She does so and awaits her lover, the Officer. Cardillac returns, and it becomes clear that he values the articles he has crafted more than he does his daughter. He then meets the King and offers to create his greatest work of art for him. The Officer enters to ask Cardillac for his daughter's hand in marriage, and Cardillac consents. Though the Officer realizes how much Cardillac values his creations over his own daughter, he offers money for one of the goldsmith's chains. After the Officer leaves, Cardillac indicates that he himself is the murderer.

Act 3

In a tavern, the Officer wears the chain, presenting himself as a target for the murderer. Cardillac enters and wounds the Officer, but the Officer beats back the attack and holds on to the chain. He advises Cardillac to flee. The Gold Merchant then brings on a crowd and accuses Cardillac of the murders. Cardillac is brought in, followed by his daughter. The Officer defends Cardillac, rebuts the Gold Merchant's accusation, and accuses the Gold Merchant of being the murderer's accomplice. In the ensuing ensemble, Cardillac's daughter realizes her father is the murderer. The crowd sings Cardillac's praises, but as they continue, his words make them wonder about the identity of the murderer. Finally, Cardillac reveals to the crowd that he is the murderer. They demand he repent his crimes, but he makes no such gesture. The crowd then lynches Cardillac. With his final gesture before dying, he reaches out for the chain around the Officer's neck, not his daughter. The Officer and Cardillac's daughter swear mutual devotion.

Cast / Artists:

Der Goldschmied Cardillac - Donald McIntyre

Die Tochter - Maria de Francesca-Cavazza

Der Offizier - Robert Schunk

Der Goldhändler - Hans Günter Nöcker

Der Kavalier - Josef Hopferwieser

Die Dame - Doris Soffel

Der führer der prévoté - Karl Heim

Der Chor der Bayerischen Staatsoper

Chorus Master: Günther Schmidt-Bohländer

Das Bayeriche Staatsorchester

Conductor Wolfgang Sawallisch

Costume Design: Pet Halmen