Die Zauberflöte is 5.0!

[Yeha-Noha]

Mozart: Die Zauberflöte Blu-ray

For those who have a taste for opera, this release by Opus Arte is outstanding in performance, stage production, and AQ. Sir Colin Davis conducts the Royal Opera House chorus and orchestra. It was recorded live at Covent Garden in 2003. The entire cast gave a sensational first rate performance. However, the Queen of the Night (Diana Damrau) and Papageno (Simon Keenlyside) are two of the best performances I've yet heard and seen.

For more, please read the user review that I've written:

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/movie...ow=userreviews

[jkwest]

I thought you meant it didn't have subwoofer support...

[yspkrk]

I want to get this title but it's a bit too pricy.

[Blu Titan]

Originally Posted by jkwest

I thought you meant it didn't have subwoofer support...

Same here, I was actually surprised to read that the OP was happy about the release. Almost did not recognize you with the new avatar.

[GJN]

Fully concur with the review. A great performance.
Let's hope other studios start releasing opera on Blu-ray soon. Deutsche Grammophon perhaps?
In the meantime, I'm looking forward to Opus Arte's Die Fledermaus and La Cenerentola.

[HDJK]

Originally Posted by jkwest

I thought you meant it didn't have subwoofer support...

Any true audiophile recording will be 5.0.

Applying bass management to the signal on disc will only lead to quality degredation if your sound system applies additional bass management (and a lot of surround systems do, even audiophiles like Kalman Rubinson from stereophile recommends it on full range speakers).

Special effects belong in the LFE, the occasional bass drum or sub bass maybe. But the music programme doesn't belong in the sub.

[jkwest]

Originally Posted by HDJK

Any true audiophile recording will be 5.0.

Applying bass management to the signal on disc will only lead to quality degredation if your sound system applies additional bass management (and a lot of surround systems do, even audiophiles like Kalman Rubinson from stereophile recommends it on full range speakers).

Special effects belong in the LFE, the occasional bass drum or sub bass maybe. But the music programme doesn't belong in the sub.

Oh there you go....

getting all sophisticated on me...

[wallendo]

Unfortunately, for those of us with receivers with HDMI "passthrough", and PS3's with no analog output, we have to settle for PCM 2.0. I would have liked the option of DTS.

[Heart&Soul]

I'm waiting for the Director's Cut.

[Yeha-Noha]

Originally Posted by jkwest

I thought you meant it didn't have subwoofer support...

Oh no, no, no. I meant my rating this opera is a 5.0. Sorry for the confusion there!

This BD offers two tracks, the PCM 5.1 and 2.0. I didn't listen to the 2.0 track. I will tell you this, the .1 (LFE) is there and needed, especially during the appearances of the Queen of the Night with the thunder and fanfare.

[Yeha-Noha]

Originally Posted by HDJK

Any true audiophile recording will be 5.0.

Applying bass management to the signal on disc will only lead to quality degredation if your sound system applies additional bass management (and a lot of surround systems do, even audiophiles like Kalman Rubinson from stereophile recommends it on full range speakers).

Special effects belong in the LFE, the occasional bass drum or sub bass maybe. But the music programme doesn't belong in the sub.

Well I don't follow Rubinson on this one. I have all seven of my speakers set to large so that none of the lower bass from the other seven channels is sent to the SW channel. The SW in my system is only getting the LFE (.1). You can get it away with it because most of the music program as you say, is coming from the other five channels. The LFE is definitely coming to life when the Queen of the Night makes her appearances.

[Yeha-Noha]

Originally Posted by Heart&Soul

I'm waiting for the Director's Cut.

Wait no longer. This is the Director's Cut.

[Yeha-Noha]

Originally Posted by GJN

Fully concur with the review. A great performance.
Let's hope other studios start releasing opera on Blu-ray soon. Deutsche Grammophon perhaps?
In the meantime, I'm looking forward to Opus Arte's Die Fledermaus and La Cenerentola.

+1 Me too. I hope that Die Zauberflöte sets the standard for Opus Arte's upcoming releases.

I've already pre-ordered Die Fledermaus from Amazon but they didn't have the BD for La Cenerentola, unfortunately.

[Yeha-Noha]

Originally Posted by wallendo

Unfortunately, for those of us with receivers with HDMI "passthrough", and PS3's with no analog output, we have to settle for PCM 2.0. I would have liked the option of DTS.

I would definitely upgrade ASAP since you are missing out on so much now that the PS3 is able to decode DTS HD MA! I like the Onkyo 805, but the 605 at half the price should work well too. I need to upgrade my player from the Sony S301 since I am also missing out on lossless DTS audio. I am not sure whether to get the PS3 or the Panny 50 coming out soon. But I am getting swayed more toward the latter.

[Wilche]

Originally Posted by rwojtalewicz

For those who have a taste for opera, this release by Opus Arte is outstanding in performance, stage production, and AQ. Sir Colin Davis conducts the Royal Opera House chorus and orchestra. It was recorded live at Covent Garden in 2003. The entire cast gave a sensational first rate performance. However, the Queen of the Night (Diana Damrau) and Papageno (Simon Keenlyside) are two of the best performances I've yet heard and seen.

For more, please read the user review that I've written:

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/movie...ow=userreviews

Thanks for posting this review. I've ordered my first Blu-ray opera. I'm hoping for many more high quality opera and ballet releases. That could cause me to upgrade my display in order to accomodate that beautiful ROH stage.

[HDJK]

Originally Posted by rwojtalewicz

Well I don't follow Rubinson on this one. I have all seven of my speakers set to large so that none of the lower bass from the other seven channels is sent to the SW channel. The SW in my system is only getting the LFE (.1). You can get it away with it because most of the music program as you say, is coming from the other five channels. The LFE is definitely coming to life when the Queen of the Night makes her appearances.

Good to know. I'm looking forward to this title

[dixonhill]

Originally Posted by Heart&Soul

I'm waiting for the Director's Cut.

Dis is not possible, pal, since Mozart died in 1791!

[Yeha-Noha]

Originally Posted by dixonhill

Dis is not possible, pal, since Mozart died in 1791!

Mozart conducted (or directed the orchestra) on September 30, 1791, the same year he died, but that wasn't the last time this opera was directed/conducted.

Every time this opera or any opera for that matter is performed, it is the director's cut.

[cheld]

Originally Posted by Heart&Soul

I'm waiting for the Director's Cut.

This has Damrau therefore it's God's Cut.

[Blu-Velvet]

This is a decent Blu-ray of a good production with some great voices (though I'm not crazy about the makeup and a few other artistic choices), but I rather prefer the new Blu-ray of the interesting 2011 La Scala multi-media production with Albina Shagimuratova. Both discs are worth having, as it's Mozart's best opera. The best recorded performance is still the old 1960s Deutsche Grammophone with Fritz Wunderlich, et al., unfortunately audio only. I wish Criterion would upgrade the Ingmar Bergman film version to Blu-ray.