WAGNER vs. VERDI – A Documentary in Six Parts, Blu-ray (2014)

by | Jan 1, 2015 | DVD & Blu-ray Video Reviews

WAGNER vs. VERDI – A Documentary in Six Parts, Blu-ray (2014) 

Featuring: Hans Neuenfels, Christian Thielemann, Rolando Villazón, Eva Wagner-Pasquier, Gottfried Wagner, others
Studio: Arthaus Musik 108-120 (10/28/14) [Dist. by Naxos]
Video: 16:9 1080i HD color
Audio: PCM Stereo 2.0
Subtitles: English, French, Korean
Length: 156 minutes
Rating: *** for content   *** for audio

While there has been much debate over the roles of Wagner and Brahms in the history of music, there hasn’t been as much light shed on Wagner versus Verdi, two towering characters in the world of opera. Both composers were born in the same year, and Arthaus Musik has provided us a six-part documentary comparing and contrasting their lives and views.

It’s a well photographed and well produced documentary, but it’s a German production, with an English track laid over the original interviews and narrations. After awhile, it’s bit of a chore to listen this way, and it’s not helped by the English narrator who doesn’t seem very thrilled with having to read the material.

The content itself is compelling. Well-researched, and each of the six chapters of films deal with a different aspect of the composers’ lives. The two composers could not be more different. Wagner was polarizing, Verdi less mysterious. Many of the interviews speak to these differences, illuminating each composer in ways I haven’t seen presented. For example, I was surprised to hear that the two attended each others concerts. Wagner wasn’t too impressed with Verdi. Verdi, on the other had, did respect Wagner’s accomplishments.

Topics include the composer’s views on religion, women, and what each has meant to the world.  Background music from both men are used in the background as the documentary proceeds, and there are excerpts from the Arthaus Musik catalog.

Sadly, the disc is a 2.0 stereo presentation, and it would have preferred a multi-channel mix. I can’t help but be torn by this disc. As a documentary, it is first rate, and the production (photography and editing) are certainly top drawer. But the English version wears me out because basically this a make-over of a program really intended for a German audience.

Still, if you are interested in the topic, this is a frank and compelling documentary, warts and all. I’d love to see some other musical biographies dealt with in this way, and it’s a shame there’s isn’t much comparable as English based productions.

—Mel Martin

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