Previn - A Streetcar Named Desire / Fleming, Futral, Gilfry, Griffey, SF Opera, Previn [Box set]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
This Deutsche Grammophon recording stems from San Francisco Opera's 1998 premiere production of André Previn's opera based on the harrowing Tennessee Williams play, with the composer himself at the helm of a strong and supportive cast. Previn's eclectic style embraces rather than challenges operatic conventions. He evokes Williams's New Orleans setting through loping, jazz-tinged motives and wistful, asymmetrical commentaries from solo winds and brass. By contrast, Previn reveals the protagonists' sense of longing and alienation by way of lyrical set pieces scored with lush economy. Philip Littell's libretto emerges at a leisurely gait, while the music underscores and follows the action with dramatic restraint instead of leaping center stage. Similarly, the cast's Southern accents are distinct but never distracting. Renée Fleming handles Blanche's taxing tessitura with effortless aplomb, although she sacrifices diction for tone in her middle register. Elisabeth Futral's light, agile soprano suits Stella's vulnerability to a fare-thee-well, while Rodney Gilfrey is careful to a fault in not letting Stanley Kowalski lapse into caricature. Most valuable player award, however, goes to Anthony Dean Griffey, who infuses Blanche's wooer Mitch with immense dignity and a sense of need. Stage noises and between-numbers applause may enhance the recording's sense of occasion, but they distract as much as those few niggling instances of thin string tone and shaky intonation. That's why God invented studio patching sessions. Still, Streetcar proves a solid achievement overall, priced at three discs for two, with full texts and annotations. --Jed Distler

Previn - A Streetcar Named Desire / Fleming, Futral, Gilfry, Griffey, SF Opera, Previn, Music, André Previn, Renée Fleming, Elizabeth Futral, Orchestra of the San Francisco Opera, Rodney Gilfry, Anthony Dean Griffey, Matthew Lord, Judith Forst Josepha Gayer, Classical, Opera, Opera / Operetta / Oratorio, Opera/Operetta
Previn - A Streetcar Named Desire / Fleming, Futral, Gilfry, Griffey, SF Opera, Previn
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Well I had no expectations so...
  • Calling Leonard Bernstein
  • Renee Fleming - The Vivien Leigh of opera!
  • Excellent!
  • Misunderstood
 Previn - A Streetcar Named Desire / Fleming, Futral, Gilfry, Griffey, SF Opera, Previn
André Previn , Renée Fleming , Elizabeth Futral , Orchestra of the San Francisco Opera , Rodney Gilfry , Anthony Dean Griffey , Matthew Lord , and Judith Forst Josepha Gayer
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  4. Dead Man Walking (Live recording of 2000 world premiere production)
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ASIN: B00000G3XH
Release Date: 1998-12-22

Tracks:

  1. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act One - Scene 1: 'They Told Me To Take A Streetcar Named Desire'
  2. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act One - Scene 1: 'Blanche!' I 'Stella! Oh Stella!'
  3. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act One - Scene 1: 'I Can Hardly Stand It'
  4. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act One - Scene 1: 'You Left! I Stayed And I Struggled!'
  5. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act One - Scene 1: 'I...I...I... Took The Blows On My Face'
  6. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act One - Scene 1: 'Hey Mitch! Come Back Here'
  7. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act One - Scene 1: 'You Must Be Stanley. I'm Blanche'
  8. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act One - Scene 2: 'Hiyah, Sweetheart'
  9. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act One - Scene 2: 'Let Me Enlighten You On A Point Or Two'
  10. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act One - Scene 2: 'Hello Stanley. Do You Mind?'
  11. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act One - Scene 2: 'Here! There Are Thousands Of Papers'
  12. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act One - Scene 3: 'Well, I Ought To Be Getting Home'
  13. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act One - Scene 3: 'Yes? Oh Hello'
  14. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act One - Scene 3: 'Stella!' - 'Stanley, That's my... What Are You Doing'
  15. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act One - Scene 3: 'Hmmm...' - 'Stella? Stella?'

Tracks:

  1. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act Two: Prologue
  2. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act Two - Scene 1: 'Say, Blanche... Do You Happen To Know'
  3. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act Two - Scene 1: 'Soft People Have Got To Shimmer And Glow'
  4. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act Two - Scene 1: 'Ah Me... Ah Me... Come In'
  5. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act Two - Scene 1: 'Don't You Love These Rainy Afternoons?'
  6. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act Two - Scene 1: 'What's The Time? Come On, Mitch'
  7. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act Two - Scene 2: 'Fraid You Didn't Have Much Fun'
  8. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act Two - Scene 2: 'I Work Out With The Weights'
  9. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act Two - Scene 2: 'Blanche... How Old Are You?'
  10. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act Two - Scene 2: 'I'm Not A Boy, She Says'
  11. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act Two - Scene 2: 'He Was A Boy When I Was A Very Young Girl'

Tracks:

  1. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act Three: Prologue
  2. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act Three - Scene 1: What's All This For?
  3. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act Three - Scene 1: You Should Just Know The Line
  4. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act Three - Scene 1: What Time Is It?
  5. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act Three - Scene 1: Stanley, Tell Us A Joke
  6. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act Three - Scene 1: Stell, It's Gonna Be All Right
  7. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act Three - Scene 1: Yes... Don't Light These Pretty, Pretty Candles
  8. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act Three - Scene 1: Me And You When We First Met
  9. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act Three - Scene 2: Who Is It, Please?
  10. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act Three - Scene 2: It's Dark In Here
  11. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act Three - Scene 2: Real! Who Wants Real?
  12. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act Three - Scene 2: I Don't Mind Your Being Older
  13. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act Three - Scene 3: How About Taking A Swim
  14. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act Three - Scene 3: Take A Look At Yourself
  15. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act Three - Scene 3: Operator, Operator, Give Me Long Distance
  16. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act Three - Scene 3: Interlude
  17. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act Three - Scene 4: Damn Your Luck
  18. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act Three - Scene 4: I'll Wear The Cool Yellow Silk
  19. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act Three - Scene 4: I Can Smell The Sea Air
  20. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act Three - Scene 4: That Must Be Them
  21. A Streetcar Named Desire: Act Three - Scene 4: These Fingernails Need To Be Trimmed

Amazon.com essential recording

This Deutsche Grammophon recording stems from San Francisco Opera's 1998 premiere production of André Previn's opera based on the harrowing Tennessee Williams play, with the composer himself at the helm of a strong and supportive cast. Previn's eclectic style embraces rather than challenges operatic conventions. He evokes Williams's New Orleans setting through loping, jazz-tinged motives and wistful, asymmetrical commentaries from solo winds and brass. By contrast, Previn reveals the protagonists' sense of longing and alienation by way of lyrical set pieces scored with lush economy. Philip Littell's libretto emerges at a leisurely gait, while the music underscores and follows the action with dramatic restraint instead of leaping center stage. Similarly, the cast's Southern accents are distinct but never distracting. Renée Fleming handles Blanche's taxing tessitura with effortless aplomb, although she sacrifices diction for tone in her middle register. Elisabeth Futral's light, agile soprano suits Stella's vulnerability to a fare-thee-well, while Rodney Gilfrey is careful to a fault in not letting Stanley Kowalski lapse into caricature. Most valuable player award, however, goes to Anthony Dean Griffey, who infuses Blanche's wooer Mitch with immense dignity and a sense of need. Stage noises and between-numbers applause may enhance the recording's sense of occasion, but they distract as much as those few niggling instances of thin string tone and shaky intonation. That's why God invented studio patching sessions. Still, Streetcar proves a solid achievement overall, priced at three discs for two, with full texts and annotations. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Well I had no expectations so..........2007-05-21

I'm gradually liking this opera. I've recently gotten into opera and I love 'streetcar' so I bought this. The music is great, and so is the singing. But the constant sing-talking is obnoxious, in my opinion. I know it doesn't bother some, so obviously this is a point-of-view thing, but to be honest I'd rather they just spoke or sang more of it than the sing-talk. There were moments when I would've preferred hearing just the background music. The story, though, is good, of course. If you like streetcar, check it out.

3 out of 5 stars Calling Leonard Bernstein.......2004-09-17

Streetcar Named Desire is the most operatic of plays and one of my all-time favorite plays. I think it would make a terrific opera. But unfortunately this isn't it. Andre Previn's previous Musical Theatre works include several lackluster shows: Coco and Good Companions. They were both moderately agreeable but plainly derivative and neither one of them was successful.

I was hoping Streetcar would prove an exception. But for me it only confirms the shallowness of Previn's musical imagination. Once again we get a pale imitation of other people's work. This opera sounds like a rip off of Carlisle Floyd's Susannah--- accompanied by some phony, cliched 1950's jazz soundtrack music. This was the general consensus among critics when the show debuted and I concur.

Oh sure, there are some effective moments like Stella's bedroom music, Mitch's big aria and the finale--- but where is the real passion and beautiful melody this story cries out for? Renee Fleming is in splendid form as a singer but I am sorry... I just don't see Blanche Du Bois as a loud mouthed belter. For God's sake, she's supposed to be a fragile creature who has been crushed by the brutality of the world. If this is not made explicit, then all the pathos disappears and the power of this great work is lost. I'm afraid Fleming's Blanche is far too robust to be seen as fragile. Her acting skills are simply not strong enough to convince me that she is teetering on the twilight edge of reality. Fleming's Blanche seems like a cheesy hustler trying to con Mitch into marrying her.

Leonard Bernstein might have been able to create a masterpiece with this material but I'm afraid Previn is out of his league. He has all the right ambitions, but after watching and listening to this I have to agree with the majority of the original reviewers that he will never be known as anything but an "also-ran."

5 out of 5 stars Renee Fleming - The Vivien Leigh of opera!.......2004-04-16

Not since Vivien Leigh's haunting interpretations of Blanche on the big screen and in theatres has Blanche been brought to life like this. I'm not a fan of modern opera but with this god-given cast nothing can go wrong. A recording to cherish and to adore! Also try to find the video, there is at least one!

5 out of 5 stars Excellent!.......2003-10-31

This is an excellent recording of a very interesting work. I really enjoyed it. Unlike some, I have never seen the opera in performance, so I don't know how it worked. I have seen the play, and the now classic movie version. Whenever standard spoken theatre plays are rewritten as operas some of the touching moments change. The importance shifts, and the subtleties alter. That has happened even when the Great Verdi wrote his Shakespeare operas. The two types of works must be judged separately and one their own terms.

This opera is really quite beautiful, and the music quite exciting. The performers seem to work well together as a group and not a collection of egos and stars, which is so necessary for this story to work. Modern opera is a funny thing, for in many cases it is very alienating, it literally drives the listener/audience away because it is so foreign and the composers are so stuck on themselves and some theory of music they are trying to present they bore the audience completely. It is as if they are writing deliberately to spite those who would eventually make the opera last, the paying audience. This opera, on the other hand, does NOT do that at all. It engages the listener right from the start. True, it is more "traditional" in some ways than many modern operas (excepting a very new one premiered here in Calgary where I live, written specifically for our local opera company, Filamina; it even deals with a locally historical incident; sadly, since it has just had its world premier there is no recording of it available) but it is really completely modern.

Like other modern operas I have spoken of, I have to admit, it is not something that will grow on you. This one impresses right from the beginning, but if you are not into modern opera, it will leave you flat. It does have its "meandering" moments, like most modern opera have, and those are often even more boring than the pages of endless recitative one finds in Baroque opera. Fortunately, in this opera these moments are very rare and very far between.

My only complaint with this opera, and I guess with English opera in general, is the poor diction. The singers may as well sing in meaningless syllables for all the meaning one gets out of what they do sing. I don't understand it, for one can go to some super old and horrible historic recordings of singers at the turn of the century and their English is flawlessly easy to understand. I have recordings of Edward Johnson singing Canadian songs (and anthems) along with operatic music, and his English is so perfect and unmannered it is a real treat to hear and understand every word, particularly in ones own language (a treat only foreigners seem to have when listening to opera). Most singers of today, and it started before the complaints about Sutherland and her diction, simply make English sound like they are singing with a mouth full of mashed potatoes. Diction is so important in opera, and we have all come to expect it in other languages, but why it is allowed to be so poor in our own language is simply unacceptable. English is a funny language and has NO pure vowel sounds as other languages have. It is nothing but dipthongs, and to sing it correctly each and everyone of them must sound. Even in words that one thinks are Pure Vowels aren't if a little thought is put in. Until directors and singers stop singing English with the same pure vowels they learned as singing students (everything based on Italian) and learn to think through the dipthongs (like the old singers did) we will never understand the words, and thus we miss half the fun of the work. English also requires a far more "forward" sound. That is why the broadway belt was invented. Belting is not loud singing, or shouting, as is often thought. It is a form of singing, well supported with the breath like classical singing, but the dome or raised soft palat is not stressed. The tone if focused very heavily into the upper teeth/nasal area, but the tone is not "nasal." Broadway developed belting without really thinking, really. All it learned was the old "operetta" way of singing English, though pretty, made the words unclear, and the transition from speaking to singing too noticeable. To be understood clearly, that sort of forcus is necessary for English, and until singers start adding it to their way of singing, we will never understand a word of things when sung in English, and that in and of itself is one reason English opera, and modern opera like this is often disliked by the opera going public. The old adage and complaint about opera rings completely true, "you can't understand a thing they sing." Renee Fleming should have done much better in this than she did, as she was first before an opera singer a jazz singer. Of all the cast she should have known better what to do to be understood.

Still, you will either like this opera, or you won't, there is no middle ground. If you are not sure, borrow it from the library before buying it.

5 out of 5 stars Misunderstood.......2003-06-01

First I must say that Renee Fleming renders a marvelously complex Blanche. Brava! Now down to business: While reading the other reviews posted here, I've noticed that much criticism stems from the fact that this is an adaptation of a play which didn't need improving. From my point of view, this work is not "Tennessee Williams set to music." It is an entirely different piece, using his words as a backbone, but leaving behind some ideas and highlighting in bold relief other concepts. Opera is rarely as subtle in its characterizations as legitimate theatre. Certain key elements of drama and character are retained for operatic adaptations because it is nearly impossible to musically portray the full complexity and nuance present in the spoken (and unabridged) word. Among the composers to attempt to convey through music the myriad emotions that may cross a stage actors face is Wagner, whose music is incredibly intense and rich but notoriously dense and difficult. Essentially, don't expect to see or hear a play set to music. Previn has created his own Streetcar here, and it shines in its own light.

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