Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro / Claudio Abbado / Vienna State Opera (1991)

[McCrutchy]

Sony Music Japan will release Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro (1991) on October 1st, 2025.

This performance was conducted by Claudio Abbado, with the Wiener Staatsoper (Vienna State Opera) in Vienna, Austria.

[McCrutchy]

This could be a very interesting release. As far as I can gather, it has never been released on DVD, but it was released on VHS and Laserdisc. A big potential issue, though, is that the running time on the Japanese LD is shorter than the Western LDs, and Sony hasn't listed the running time of the Blu-ray, yet.

The US, UK and Japanese re-issue Laserdiscs are listed here, while the original Japanese LD is listed here.

The original Japanese LD is SRLM-1062 and was apparently released on July 21st, 1993 for ¥11,000, then on September 1st, 1996, the re-issue LD SRLM-2016 was released for ¥5,000.

Whereas the NTSC LD and the PAL LD are both timed out to be 180:38 on their back covers:

[Show spoiler]

Side 1 [Chapters 1-12] Overture / ACT I (48:14)
Side 2 [Chapters 13-22] ACT II (50:23)
Side 3 [Chapters 23-33] ACT III (42:24)
Side 4 [Chapters 34-41] ACT IV / Closing titles (39:37)

The Japanese back cover shows it is timed out to be 165:09, which is a difference of 15:29:

[Show spoiler]

Side 1 [Chapters 1-12] Overture / ACT I (44:24)
Side 2 [Chapters 13-22] ACT II (48:30)
Side 3 [Chapters 23-33] ACT III (40:21)
Side 4 [Chapters 34-40] ACT IV (31:54)

I find this really odd. Clearly, the Japanese release must have cut the "closing titles" from the end (note the missing last chapter), but every act / side has a markedly shorter timing, too. I hope Sony use the longer version, but since this is a Japan-only release, they could simply upscale the shorter Japanese LD.

However, as you can see from the back covers, this was shot in Sony's HDVS analog high definition video system, so it could be available in true 1080i with a 1.78:1 aspect ratio. Having said that, the back covers all say the following:

This program was produced using HDVS technology, and has been adapted to the television format in common use today [1992].

So, perhaps the image on the LDs was cropped to 1.33:1. Unfortunately the aspect ratio is not visible on the back covers of any of the LD or VHS releases I have found. The Japanese LD might say it, but the available images are not clear enough for me to translate the Japanese text. But the prospect of getting more early 1990s analog HD video on Blu-ray is tantalizing.

It's early days yet and we don't even have a cover image available, but here is what Sony Music Japan has on their site listing, so far:

Originally Posted by Sony Music Shop

[Show spoiler]商品内容

ウィーン国立歌劇場来日記念特別企画

ウィーン国立歌劇場日本公演の歴史は1980年に始まりました。以来45年間に日本公演は10回を数えます 。今回のツアーは2016年以来9年ぶりになります。ウィーンは音楽の都と呼ばれます。ウィーンの香り、ウ ィーンの響き、日本の音楽ファンにとって憧れの対象です。ウィーン国立歌劇場はまさにその象徴といえます。 偉大な作曲家、多くの名指揮者、名歌手を生み、数々のすぐれたオペラを初演し、いまなお18世紀の宮廷オペ ラ以来の栄光と伝統を保っています。今回の来日では、モーツァルト：歌劇「フィガロの結婚」とR.シュトラ ウス：楽劇「ばらの騎士」の2演目が上演されます。その来日を記念して、クラウディオ・アバドが音楽監督に 就任する直前のモーツァルト・イヤーの1991年にウィーンのアン・デア劇場で上演、1994年の来日公演 でも上演されたジョナサン・ミラー演出の伝説の「フィガロの結婚」を世界初BD化。日本独自企 画です。

【収録内容】
モーツアルト：歌劇「フィガロの結婚」K.492
台本：ロレンツオ・ダ・ポンテ

アルマヴィーヴァ伯爵・・・ルッジェーロ・ライモンディ（バリトン）
アルマヴィーヴァ伯爵夫人 ・・・シェリル・ステューダー（ソプラノ）
スザンナ・・・マリー・マクローリン（ソプラノ）
フィガロ・・・ルチオ・ガッロ（バス）
ケルビーノ・・・ガブリエーレ・シーマ（ソプラノ）
マルチェリーナ・・・マルガリータ・リロヴァ（メゾ・ソプラノ）
バルトロ・・・ルドルフ・マッツオーラ（バス）
バジリオ・・・ハインツ・ツェドニク（テノール）
ドン・クルツイオ・・・フランツ・カッセマン（テノール）
バルバリーナ・・・イヴェッタ・タンネンベルゲローヴァ（ソプラノ）
アントニオ・・・イシュトヴァーン・ガーティ（バス）

ウィーン国立歌劇場管弦楽団・合唱団
クラウディオ・アバド（指揮）

演出：ジョナサン・ミラー／監督：ブライアン・ラージ

1991年ウィーン芸術週間、アン・デア・ウィーン劇場にてハイビジョン収録

Product contents

Special project to commemorate the visit to Japan at the Vienna State Opera

The history of the Vienna State Opera's performance in Japan began in 1980. In the 45 years since then, we have performed in Japan for 10 times. This is the first time we've had this tour in nine years since 2016. Vienna is called the city of music. The scent of Vienna, the sound of Vienna, and the aspirations of Japanese music fans are a dream come true. The Vienna State Opera is truly a symbol of this. He has produced great composers, many famous conductors and famous singers, premiered numerous excellent operas, and still remains glorious and tradition since the court opera of the 18th century. During this visit to Japan, the second performance of Mozart's opera "The Marriage of Figaro" and R. Strauss's drama "The Rose Knight." To celebrate his visit to Japan, the world's first BD version of the legendary "The Marriage of Figaro," directed by Jonathan Miller, was performed at the Anne Der Theatre in Vienna in 1991, just before Claudio Abbado became music director. This is a unique project in Japan.

[Contents]
Mozart: Opera "Figalo's Marriage" K.492
Script: Lorenzo da Ponte

Count Almaviva...Ruggero Raimondi (baritone)
Countess Almaviva...Cheryl Studer (soprano)
Susanna... Marie McLaurin (soprano)
Figaro...Lucio Gallo (Bus)
Cervino: Gabriele Cima (soprano)
Marcellina...Margarita Lilova (Mezzo Soprano)
Bartolo...Rudolph Mazora (Bus)
Basilio... Heinz Zednik (tenor)
Don Cruzio Franz Casseman (tenor)
Barbarina... Yvetta Tannenbergelova (soprano)
Antonio...Istvarn Ghatty (Bus)

Vienna State Opera Orchestra and Choir
Claudio Abbado (conductor)

Directed by: Jonathan Miller / Directed by: Brian Large

High definition recording at the An der Vienna Theatre in 1991 Vienna Arts Week

https://www.sonymusicshop.jp/m/item/...=SIXC000000116

EDIT: HMV Japan says the image is 16:9 and the audio is LPCM Stereo:

[Show spoiler]Product Description

モーツァルト：歌劇『フィガロの結婚』
クラウディオ・アバド＆ウィーン国立歌劇場、演出：ジョナサン・ミラー

世界初Blu-ray化／日本独自企画
ウィーン国立歌劇場日本公演の歴史は1980年に始まりました。以来、45年間に日本公演は10回を数えま す。今回のツアーは2016年以来9年ぶりになります。ウィーンは音楽の都と呼ばれます。ウィーンの香り、 ウィーンの響き、日本の音楽ファンにとって憧れの対象です。ウィーン国立歌劇場はまさにその象徴といえます 。偉大な作曲家、多くの名指揮者、名歌手を生み、数々のすぐれたオペラを初演し、いまなお18世紀の宮廷オ ペラ以来の栄光と伝統を保っています。今回の来日では、モーツァルト：歌劇『フィガロの結婚』とR.シュト ラウス：『ばらの騎士』の2演目が上演されます。
　その来日を記念して、クラウディオ・アバドが音楽監督に就任する直前のモーツァルト・イヤー（1991年 ）にウィーンのアン・デア劇場で上演、1994年の来日公演でも上演されたジョナサン・ミラー演出による伝 説の『フィガロの結婚』を世界初BD化。日本独自企画です。（メーカー資料より）

【収録情報】
● モーツアルト：歌劇『フィガロの結婚』 K.492 全曲

　ルッジェーロ・ライモンディ（バス／アルマヴィーヴァ伯爵）
　シェリル・ステューダー（ソプラノ／アルマヴィーヴァ伯爵夫人）
　マリー・マクローリン（ソプラノ／スザンナ）
　ルチオ・ガッロ（バス／フィガロ）
　ガブリエーレ・シーマ（ソプラノ／ケルビーノ）
　マルガリータ・リローヴァ（メゾ・ソプラノ／マルチェリーナ）
　ルドルフ・マッツオーラ（バス／バルトロ）
　ハインツ・ツェドニク（テノール／バジリオ）
　フランツ・カッセマン（テノール／ドン・クルツイオ）
　イヴェッタ・タンネンベルゲローヴァ（ソプラノ／バルバリーナ）
　イシュトヴァーン・ガーティ（バス／アントニオ）
　ウィーン国立歌劇場管弦楽団＆合唱団
　クラウディオ・アバド（指揮）

　演出：ジョナサン・ミラー

　収録時期：1991年（ウィーン芸術週間）
　収録場所：アン・デア・ウィーン劇場（ライヴ）
　収録監督：ブライアン・ラージ

　画面：カラー、16:9
　音声：LPCM Stereo
　Region All

　ブルーレイディスク対応機器で再生できます。

Product Description

[Show spoiler]Mozart: Opera "The Marriage of Figaro"
Claudio Abbado & Vienna State Opera, directed by Jonathan Miller

World's first Blu-ray release / Japan-only project
The history of the Vienna State Opera's performances in Japan began in 1980. Since then, there have been 10 performances in Japan in the 45 years since. This tour will be the first in nine years since 2016. Vienna is known as the city of music. The scent and sound of Vienna are objects of admiration for Japanese music fans. The Vienna State Opera is the very symbol of this. It has produced great composers, many famous conductors, and famous singers, premiered many excellent operas, and still maintains the glory and tradition since the 18th century court opera. During this visit to Japan, two works will be performed: Mozart's opera "The Marriage of Figaro" and R. Strauss's "Der Rosenkavalier".
To commemorate his visit to Japan, the legendary "The Marriage of Figaro" directed by Jonathan Miller, which was performed at the Theater an der Vienna in Mozart Year (1991) just before Claudio Abbado became the music director, and was also performed in Japan in 1994, is being released on Blu-ray for the first time in the world. This is a Japan-only project. (From the manufacturer's materials)

[Recording information]
● Mozart: Opera "The Marriage of Figaro" K.492 Complete works

Ruggero Raimondi (bass/Count Almaviva)
Cheryl Studer (soprano/Countess Almaviva)
Marie McLoughlin (soprano/Susanna)
Lucio Gallo (bass/Figaro)
Gabriele Cima (soprano/Cherubino)
Margarita Lillova (mezzo-soprano/Marcellina)
Rudolf Mazzuola (bass/Bartolo)
Heinz Zednik (tenor/Basilio)
Franz Kassemann (tenor/Don Curzio)
Ivetta Tannenbergerova (soprano/Barbarina)
Istvan Gati (bass/Antonio)
Wiener Staatsoper Orchestra & Chorus
Claudio Abbado (conductor)

Directed by Jonathan Miller

Recorded in 1991 (Vienna Arts Week)
Location: Theater an der Wien (live)
Recording director: Brian Large

Screen: Color, 16:9
Audio: LPCM Stereo
Region All

Playable on Blu-ray Disc compatible devices.

https://www.hmv.co.jp/en/artist_Moza...ghlin_16034131

[McCrutchy]

Just to add, here's a capsule review of the VHS tape from the Los Angeles Times in November 1993:

Claudio Abbado proves he is as adept a Mozartean as he is a Verdian in a 1991 “Nozze di Figaro” (Sony SHV 46406) from Vienna. He reminds one of the unspoiled Karajan of the ‘50s with his lovingly disciplined command of the ensemble. Cheryl Studer’s limpid, achingly sad Countess stands out, as does Ruggero Raimondi’s bel-canto horniness as the Count. Lucio Gallo is an unusually boyish Figaro, seeming much younger than the somewhat coarse (both vocally and physically) Susanna of Marie McLaughlin. Jonathan Miller’s staging is inventive without descending to vulgarity or camp.

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-...111-story.html

It's a bit odd that none of the video releases are up on Discogs.