Description

Jacques Offenbach's Ritter Blaubart (Bluebeard) - Walter Felsenstein Edition

UPC: 8072801293979

Product Features

Title: Jacques Offenbach's Ritter Blaubart (Bluebeard)
Genre: Opera Bouffe in Three Acts
Language Options: German (DE), English (GB), French (FR), Spanish (ES)
Subtitle Languages: German (DE), French (FR), Spanish (ES)
Director/Script: Walter Felsenstein
Musical Direction/Arrangement: Georg Mielke
Set Design: Karl-Fritz Voigtmann, Paul Lehmann (with elements by Wilfried Werz)
Costume Design: Helga Scherff
Lead Cast:Orchestra: Komische Oper Berlin
- Sire de Barbe-Bleue: Hanns Nocker
- Boulotte: Anny Schlemm
- King Bobèche: Werner Enders
- Queen Clémentine: Ruth Schob-Lipka
- Princess Hermia (Fleurette): Ingrid Czerny
- Prince Saphir (Daphnis): Manfred Hopp
- Popolani: Rudolf Asmus
- Count Oscar: Helmut Polze
- Alvarez: Hans-Otto Rogge
- Isaure: Irmgard Arnold
- Héloïse: Evelyn Bölicke
- Eléonore: Eva-Maria Baum
- Rosalinde: Christa Noack
- Blanche: Ute Trekel-Burckhardt
Special Features:Picture Format: 4:3
- Script segments, sketches, and drafts
- Performance segments from "Bluebeard," Komische Oper 1964
- Interviews with Walter Felsenstein (1963 & 1973)
- Picture gallery of guest performances of "Bluebeard"
Sound Format: PCM Stereo
Region Code: 0 (Region-free)
Running Time: 139 minutes + special features
DVD Format: DVD9/NTSC
Year of Production: 1973
Publisher: Arthaus Musik GmbH
ISBN: 9783939873853

Overview

This edition of Ritter Blaubart (Bluebeard) offers a unique cinematic adaptation of Jacques Offenbach’s beloved opera bouffe, directed by the legendary Walter Felsenstein. Produced at the DEFA-Studio in Babelsberg in 1973, this feature film vividly brings to life the humorous and whimsical world of Bluebeard, with a new German adaptation by Felsenstein and Horst Seeger, based on the original work by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy. The film captures the brilliance of the Komische Oper Berlin under the musical direction of Georg Mielke, complemented by the exquisite set and costume designs that evoke the charm of Offenbach’s Parisian operetta.

Interesting Facts

Walter Felsenstein was a pioneering figure in 20th-century opera, known for his meticulous and innovative approaches to staging operas, especially at the Komische Oper Berlin.
This production was filmed as a feature film, which was a rare approach for opera productions at the time, showcasing Felsenstein’s commitment to bringing opera to a broader audience through film.
The film was produced at the renowned DEFA-Studio in Babelsberg, which was East Germany’s premiere film studio and known for its high-quality productions.
The Komische Oper Berlin, where this adaptation was staged, is celebrated for its innovative interpretations of classical operas, often making them accessible and engaging to contemporary audiences.

Publishers

Arthaus Musik GmbH: A distinguished publisher dedicated to the documentation and preservation of significant works in classical music and opera. Arthaus Musik is part of the Kinowelt Group, a leader in European film production and distribution.