Tan Dun - The First Emperor (The Metropolitan Opera HD Live Series)

This project sounded promising when it was first announced. I had high hopes. I was looking forward to an interesting collaboration between Placido Domingo, Tan Dun and the Metroplitan Opera but the result is a disaster! The music is a strange combo of east and west that just doesn't work. The story is too broad and all over the place. It would have been better to focus on the relationships and forget the nonsense about the anthem.

What's up with this guy that he is so obsessed with a song. Why? With all the intrigue and crushing of enemies, he focuses on music? This is the guy who united China? A ruthless leader? Give me a break. In this opera he is a wreak! I understand wanting an anthem for a united China but it doesn't work with everything else going on. Focus on either the people in the palace or the uniting of China but not both.

I gave this dvd 3 stars because of the performers; especially those from Beijing. Given the disasterous music and story I think the performers mostly are ok. The main singers are adequate, not outstanding. They rise to the occasion and make the best of what they are given to work with. My biggest criticism of the leads is saved for my great hero Placido Domingo. I am a huge admirer of his amazing talent but this effort was less than stellar. He looks and sounds as uncomfortable as anyone. There are also times his voice sounds really strained. He makes it work but like the others his performance is only adequate. A real disappointment. He also has the unenviable task of trying to sing convoluted music in English which we know is not his first language. It has to be difficult. His Spanish accent, which I find charming when he speaks, makes it almost impossible to understand what he is singing. It is another problem in this already troubled production. In all fairness I have occasional trouble understanding some of the others as well. Subtitles are definitely needed.

The best things about this performance are the costumes which are beautiful and the performers from China. They are amazing and wonderful to hear and see. This dvd is worth it for their performance alone. They deserve all the credit for making this bearable. I only wish the entire production could have been from Beijing. It may have been better.