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28.2.2016

Blu-ray up-scaled version (3 stars)This is a pre-HD recording so this Blu-ray release is correctly described as ‘up-scaled’ with digital processing applied to the original recording. Comparisons have been made between the original DVD release, still owned, and this new BD. The results offer dubious advantages for the collector as follows:The sound is only marginally clearer, if at all, over the original acceptable stereo soundtrack and is unlikely to justify upgrading for collectors already owning the previous DVD. The imaging is far more contentious though as significant sharpening has been applied along with lightening the imaging, which was correctly set in a forest with appropriate muted lighting.The result for the viewer is a lack of colour saturation and considerably increased grain in exchange for slightly crisper and lightened imaging. This grain is very apparent in both the staging props as well as the characters especially in all darker areas of the imaging – and there are lots of those!Sadly, this does not enhance the colourful and imaginative costumes provided for the woodland creatures which now have become close to aggressively defined and lack much of the earlier DVD’s sympathetic gentleness. Janacek, it must be remembered, was trying to convey the beauties of the woodland creatures as part of the never-ending cycle of regeneration.On this occasion therefore, unless BD is an absolute imperative, the DVD version arguably provides the more rewarding visual rendition while equalling the sound of this up-scaled Blu-ray. A better BD option would be the Paris recording on Medici Arts conducted by Dennis Russell Davies.Original DVD review of the Mackerras recording: (4 stars)Janacek's Cunning little Vixen is a very good place to start appreciating Janacek's operas as it is essentially much more accessible than some of his other works which deal with particularly difficult human situations. This opera is firmly based on the woodland animal world surrounding the life of a vixen and her interaction with the woodsman who initially captures her and subsequently tries to keep her as a pet. She escapes.The story follows the group of animals and the small group of humans as they age. The human group interact with each other and also with the woodland world. The animals do the same in reverse. Both groups inevitably clash with each other but continue to behave in their own particular ways. Basically Janacek is writing an opera showing how life continually moves on and recycles.Janacek first came across this story as a novella `Adventures of Vixen Sharp-Ears' which was published in 51 parts in a literary journal before being turned into book form. It is still in print. He immediately wanted to write the opera despite advice to the contrary. He stated that for years he had listened to the animals, memorising their speech. He declared "I am at home with them." He later confided that this score was the favourite of all his operas.All this can all be enjoyed at a fairly superficial level as a simple tale. It can also be seen as rather moralistic which may well be what inspired Janacek to write it bearing in mind his close identification with the language of the animals.The delightful story is beautifully performed with all the sympathy you would expect from such an experienced Janacek specialist as Mackerras. The cast is uniformly excellent and the staging makes imaginative use of rapidly changing scenery flats. The costumes are equally imaginative and brightly coloured giving a visually attractive air to all the woodland scenes.In more detail it should be mentioned that Thomas Allen is ideally cast as the aging forester who is still able to take a delight in his woodland surroundings. His voice is as mellifluously pleasant as always. The fox is wonderfully cast with just the right air of knowing worldliness being portrayed by Hana Minutillo. The cock and hens section is mildly amusing with the hens gently clucking as an unscripted background chattery noise. However Eva Jenis as the vixen is the star of the opera with a delightfully childlike approach to her role. She is young and sprightly enough to be completely charming. Her eventual death comes as a considerable dramatic shock.The various wood land animals are `danced' largely by adults and this brings an extra dimension of gentle adult imagination and humour that is not present to the same extent in the recent Blu-ray alternative which relies on a cast of children for the same roles.The widescreen imaging of this 1995 production remains sharp without having the ultimate Blu-ray definition. It is typical of the reliable standards of the Brian Large team. The sound is in stereo only but such is the pleasure of the production that one quickly adjusts although it is necessary to raise the volume by several decibels to obtain best results.As a performance and production this arguably merits 5 stars but because of the stereo only option and the presence of a good rival Blu-ray version (the Paris recording on Medici Arts conducted by Dennis Russell Davies), it is only fair to comment that for these reasons it is only reasonable to drop a star. However, for many collectors, this Mackerras version would still be the favoured issue over other options on the basis of interpretive insight delivered sympathetically and with musical skill from the key performers.
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8.11.2011

Janacek's Cunning little Vixen is a very good place to start appreciating Janacek's operas as it is essentially much more accessible than some of his other works which deal with particularly difficult human situations. This opera is firmly based on the woodland animal world surrounding the life of a vixen and her interaction with the woodsman who initially captures her and subsequently tries to keep her as a pet. She escapes.The story follows the group of animals and the small group of humans as they age. The human group interact with each other and also with the woodland world. The animals do the same in reverse. Both groups inevitably clash with each other but continue to behave in their own particular ways.Basically Janacek is writing an opera showing how life continually moves on and recycles.Janacek first came across this story as a novella `Adventures of Vixen Sharp-Ears' which was published in 51 parts in a literary journal before being turned into book form. It is still in print. He immediately wanted to write the opera despite advice to the contrary. He stated that for years he had listened to the animals, memorising their speech. He declared "I am at home with them." He later confided that this score was the favourite of all his operas.All this can all be enjoyed at a fairly superficial level as a simple tale. It can also be seen as rather moralistic which may well be what inspired Janacek to write it bearing in mind his close identification with the language of the animals.The delightful story is beautifully performed with all the sympathy you would expect from such an experienced Janacek specialist as Mackerras. The cast is uniformly excellent and the staging makes imaginative use of rapidly changing scenery flats. The costumes are equally imaginative and brightly coloured giving a visually attractive air to all the woodland scenes.In more detail it should be mentioned that Thomas Allen is ideally cast as the aging forester who is still able to take a delight in his woodland surroundings. His voice is as mellifluously pleasant as always. The fox is wonderfully cast with just the right air of knowing worldliness being portrayed by Hana Minutillo. The cock and hens section is mildly amusing with the hens gently clucking as an unscripted background chattery noise. However Eva Jenis as the vixen is the star of the opera with a delightfully childlike approach to her role. She is young and sprightly enough to be completely charming. Her eventual death comes as a considerable dramatic shock.The various wood land animals are `danced' largely by adults and this brings an extra dimension of gentle adult imagination and humour that is not present to the same extent in the recent Blu-ray alternative which relies on a cast of children for the same roles.The widescreen imaging of this 1995 production remains sharp without having the ultimate Blu-ray definition. It is typical of the reliable standards of the Brian large team. The sound is in stereo only but such is the pleasure of the production that one quickly adjusts although it is necessary to raise the volume by several decibels to obtain best results.As a performance and production this is an easy 5 stars but because of the stereo only option and the presence of a good rival Blu-ray version I feel it is only fair to comment that for these reasons some purchasers would drop a star. However, for my taste, this is still a 5 star issue.
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24.6.2012

The portrayal of the animals, including the insects, is achieved particularly well in this production, in which only the baby animals are portrayed by children. Right at the beginning the interaction of the wildlife in a forest glade on a summer's day is realistically portrayed in music, costumes and acting. It speaks volumes for Janacek's genius that he was able to portray the characteristics of each creature so accurately. Although children may very well enjoy at least parts of this opera, it would be a mistake to regard it as especially for them. In fact it has a deep meaning redolent with the interaction of humans with the wildlife around them.The gamekeeper and other humans are confused as to how to relate to the wildlife.Can a fox be tied up and tamed like a dog? The little vixen doesn't like it and she doesn't relate very well to the dog chained up near her. How stupid he is to allow the humans to boss him! Although none of us would like a fox to kill most of our chickens, we can't help being on the side of the little vixen when she slaughters the cock and hens and eventually escapes. The chicken slaughter is brilliantly choreographed.As someone who has had quite a bit to do with horses, pigs and dogs as well as with all kinds of wild creatures, I'm impressed by the way Janacek interprets the various animals in his opera. Fox and vixen meeting each other and settling down in the den is portrayed is so well that one can only assume that Janacek was an accurate observer of the natural world around him. It isn't that long ago that I came across a grunting old badger who had taken up residence under a neighbour's garden shed and he was just like the one in this opera.Whereas the humans are all bothered and confused in this opera, the animals know just what to do and where they are going. In the midst of his confusion the gamekeeper's answer is to shoot the vixen. None of the humans is truly happy and they don't properly understand the animals, but the animals understand them and the misery the humans are in from their failure to come to terms with the natural world all around them. This is a great production and one that the viewer can watch many times and still find something new in it. I think this opera not only helps us to love, understand and appreciate animals, it also causes us to think about the impact human overpopulation is having on the natural world on our planet. This is an opera that loves the animals, showing they have as much right to live on this planet as humans have. It's an expression of biodiversity and I love every bit of this first-rate production.
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23.3.2013

I have seen two previous productions of Janacek's Cunning Little Vixen - one on television many years ago (I do not remember who performed it) and more recently an abridged `cartoon' version (not that this opera really needs abridging, except perhaps for children, with a running time of only 90 minutes). But this 1995 staging from Paris tops them both. Sound and film quality are excellent, and the performance ad staging first class. Indeed with its colourful costumes, attractive acting, dazzling dancing, and sumptuous singing, and the music under the direction of that doyen of Janacek interpreters Charles Mackerras (then a sprightly 70 year old)it is difficult to see how this could be bettered.
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21.6.2020

I tried to submit this review in French, but it was not permitted. I hope English will be more acceptable - but why??What you have come to expect from Mackerras's Janacek is what you get - a total understanding of the idiom and an empathy with Janacek's (sometimes difficult) musical intentions which is unerring. I never cease to wonder at the sheer integrity of his conducting. The music, especially of Act 2, is quite wonderful - but as always with Janacek, it requires utter commitment and affection; precisely those are what it gets here. This DVD is just as much a gem as Jurowski's (which gives an idea of how exceptional Jurowski's is) Buy it while you can! Buy both!!

22.11.2012

Performance, wonderful from conductor's interpretation (of course!), singers, dancers and orchestra. Sound quality excellent. Production really beautiful and it managed to reverse the usual balance by making the humans seem small and intrusive, isolated in their drab little 'capsule' – the colourful, larger than life world is that of the animals. The actors capture the joyful zest for living that the animals have, as well as the little twitches and gestures of the animals and insects in such a lovely way; very discrete but very effective. Contrast the plain, rather depressed walking around of the humans! Better than any production I have seen. Highly recommended.

1.3.2013

Visually entertaining, as much a ballet as an opera, it is difficult to envisage a superior contemporary performance. This production will stand as tribute to Charles Mackerras, whose research into Janacek's unadulterated scores and quality performances of his complete range have, happily, established Janacek in the premier league of operatic composers.Singers and orchestra excellent; one must praise Eva Jenis for acting out a sexy vixen and, particularly Robert Allen; he seemed genuinely moved, in the final scene, by the score's evocation of forest beauty in springtime.Perhaps, though, it is the brilliant professional dancers, who carry the day!

21.1.2014

Brian Large again produces a visually seductive video(see also his Wozzek with Vienna Opera), and along with great music, choreography and acting it makes one of the best opera videos going.

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