Beniamino Gigli: Ave Maria

Just received this film today,and I love it.Watched both versions and preferred the German one.It brings out the light comedic aspect more than the Italian one.In fact,I nearly died laughing when Claudette was singing in the Parisian cafe,as she put me forcibly in mind of Madame Edith in Allo Allo,except Claudette could sing in tune(unless you've seen Allo Allo,you won;t get what I;m on about.It;s an English thing)Gigli takes a good starring role,and acts the part of an old fashioned gentleman courting a young lady,unaware that she's scamming him.When he sings the aria from La Traviata,he's brilliantly smouldering.It's a fantastic film.10 out of 10

My 87 year old father is thrilled that I found this singer on DVD!!

Here we can see Gigli's personality shine through, even as he plays another character. The sound is remarkably good for such an old recording.

good

The Two Versions of Ave MariaAve Maria was shot and recorded by Itala Films in the Tobis Atelier, in Berlin, May 1936. Johannes Riemann directed. Alois Melichar conducted the orchestra of the Berlin Staatsoper. Ernesto De Curtis composed "Soltanto tu, Maria" and Melichar composed "Anima mia" for the film.In the German version of the film Gigli does a lovely job of coloring his speaking voice. The film's ending begins with the Bach/Gounod "Ave Maria" and segues into the final moments of "Soltanto tu, Maria." The result is exuberant. In the Italian version an actor does an excellent job of dubbing Gigli's speaking voice. The film concludes with "Ave Maria"--the ending is sweet and delicate.The Italian version premiered August 17, 1936, in Venice. The German version premiered August 21, 1936, in Bremen, at the Tivoli. The Berlin premiere was on August 28, 1936, at the Ufa-Palast am Zoo (today known as the Ufa Zoo-Palast).Notes on the Audio RestorationWe have provided two separate PCM audio soundtracks for both the German and Italian versions of Ave Maria. One track is restored, the other not. Imperfections in the film prints caused pops, clicks and thumps. In undertaking the restorations our philosophy was simple: do no harm. Therefore we removed most of these disturbances but limited ourselves to reducing the impact of others, to avoid dulling the sound or changing the character of the background noise. In restoring the German version we applied broad-spectrum hiss reduction to the dialog but not the music, so as not to compromise its emotional impact. (With today's technology, you cannot remove hiss without attenuating soft overtones as well as acoustical ambience or "space" around the sound.) The Italian version was less hissy, so we did not de-hiss it.We believe the restored soundtracks are preferable but suggest you compare them to the unrestored tracks and choose for yourself. The main menus on each DVD make this easy.The plotA tenor is betrayed by a woman and expresses his rage through singing a performance of Traviata. In the Traviata denunciation scene Gigli is at his most impassioned, and in the Bohème aria he is at his sweetest. He sings the high C of "Che gelida manina" on the vowel "ah" ("la speranza") instead of on the written "eh" ("la speranza"), and as he did in Traummusik (Video #508, out of print).Ernesto De Curtis wrote "Soltanto tu, Maria" and "Sei tu, Maria" and Alois Melichar wrote "Anima mia" for this film.--Stefan Zucker"The sight of Gigli singing impresses the memory: the mouth' opens cavernously and it is like the sudden exposure of the heart under surgery."--John Steane, Opera Now"Of the Bel Canto Society videos I have sampled, three comprise films from the 1930s enshrining the art of Gigli (two) and Schipa (one). At that period famous singers appeared regularly in films to spread their popularity. Each shows the direct, unsophisticated appeal of these two gifted artists, suggesting the power of the tenor voice to cure most ills."Gigli is cast twice, in his first and second films, Non ti scordar di me (in English, despite its title) and Ave Maria, as a middle-aged singer who has recently lost his wife. In the first he marries a young girl who's on the rebound from an affair and remains faithful to him (just) when her lover returns--again through the appeal of his voice. In the second his singing wins him the love of a cabaret artist who has been inveigled into conning him. In both Gigli has ample opportunities to deploy his art, the true, honest quality of his singing saving him and the plot from sentimentality."One gains a wonderful idea of the disarming simplicity and generosity of the man which wholly exonerates him from a charge of ham acting. The voice itself pours out of him in that well-known, heartfelt manner, uniquely his, the honeyed mezza voce a thing to wonder at."--Alan Blyth, Gramophone"Ave Maria and Non ti scordar di me are irresistible. The sweetness of Gigli's tone is a reflection of the sweetness of the personality. It's well seen in both these films. As in opera, one's disbelief in situations is suspended."In theory, Gigli was unsuited to the cinema, at least for young, romantic roles, but it's extraordinary how successful he is and how quickly--within a couple of scenes. One is willing him to succeed, and with his voice, he doesn't have any problem. It's one of the most glorious and beguiling voices; it's more than beautiful; his voice is like a siren, in the classical sense, it beckons you to his island."From a singer's point of view, listening as dispassionately as one is able, one can study him to learn and improve one's own performance--that's the force of the man's genius."--Dennis O'Neill interviewed by Patrick O'Connor in International Opera Collector"Ave Maria reestablishes Beniamino Gigli's tremendous draw and is likely to top his first vehicle in the talker field (Non ti scordar di me). A socko pic that will do wonders at the b.o. all over Europe. Gigli, strangely enough, is a perfect lover and a fine actor. Beauty of his voice and captivating story keep up the dramatic tension. Photography is outstanding."--Variety (1936)"The legendary Italian singer Beniamino Gigli was one of the greatest operatic tenors of all time, blessed with a richly toned voice of great beauty and technical facility. He rose to international prominence after the death of the mighty Italian tenor Enrico Caruso in 1921, and such was his popularity with audiences that he was sometimes called 'Caruso Secondo', although he much preferred to be known as 'Gigli Primo'. Ave Maria, made in 1936, was his second film and tells the story of an opera singer, Tino Dossi (Gigli), who has had one great love in his life, that for a devoted French-girl who died. He comes to Paris for his annual visit to her grave on the anniversary of her death, but is forced to go through with a concert his manager had arranged without his knowledge. He is temporarily shaken from his doldrums by vivacious Montmartre entertainer Claudette (Käthe Von Nagy), not realising that she is only using him. Ultimately won over by Dossi's sincerity and courtesy, Claudette falls in love with him, only to suffer the pangs of conscience. Directed by Johannes Riemann, Ave Maria was recorded by Itala Films in the Tobis Atelier in Berlin. Two versions were made -- German and Italian -- and both are included in this double-DVD set. Most of the musical selections are the same but an actor dubs Gigli's speaking voice in the Italian one. Two separate audio soundtracks are provided for both versions--one of them restored to eliminate imperfections and the other not. Gigli turns in a decent acting performance and the consummate ease of his singing is well displayed in this charming yet little-known film. Highly recommended."--Eileen Rose Smith, New Classics:A letter from a customer:I want to tell you how much enjoyment this Gigli DVD has given myself and my family. The story is fast-moving and compelling, and the selections and Gigli's voice are marvellous. The beauty of his voice is breathtaking in the Traviata excerpts. I know that the DVD took you two years to produce, and I would imagine that you have a few grey hairs as a result of your efforts, but I can tell you that in at least one household it's very much appreciated. I read in Schipa's biography that he was fond of exclaiming "Che Bellezza!" whenever he watched the trapeze acts at the circus. Well, I was saying the same thing as I was watching Ave Maria. Many thanks for making this beautiful film available to us.With the wamest of good wishes from Melbourne,Clinton DeanErna Berger, Gigli's Co-StarBorn October 19, 1900 in Cossebaude, outside Dresden, Erna Berger traveled with her parents to Paraguay after WW I. In 1924 she scraped together enough money to return to Germany, where she studied voice with Herta Boeckel and Melitta Hirzel, in Dresden. In 1925 she was engaged by Fritz Busch for the Sächsische Staatsoper there, making her debut as a Knabe in Die Zauberflöte. In 1928 she appeared there in the world premiere of Strauss's Die Ägyptische Helena and in 1929 made her debut in Berlin's Städtischen Oper (now the Deutsche Oper Berlin), in Hans Pfitzner's Christelflein. Toscanini engaged her for the Junger Hirt in Tannhäuser, for the 1929 Bayreuth season, after which she sang the Erste Blumenmädchen and Waldvogel there. In 1932 she debuted in Salzburg, as Blondchen. In 1934 she joined the Berlin Staatsoper, where she continued for 30 seasons. Making her Covent Garden debut in 1934, where she returned in 1938 and 1947, in 1949-50 Berger sang at the Met, opening the season as Sophie, also appearing as Gilda, Der Königin der Nacht, Rosina, Woglinde and Waldvogel. After the war she gave concert tours in North America, South America, Australia and Japan. In 1960 she became a professor of singing at Hamburg's Musikhochschüle and published her autobiography, Auf Flügeln des Gesanges. Erinnerungen einer Sängerin.(1) She died June 14, 1990 in Essen. A street in Dresden was renamed in her honor.Her recordings include the Shepherd, in a Tannhäuser recorded by Columbia at Bayreuth in 1930, a 1938 Königin der Nacht, under Sir Thomas Beecham, two Gildas, respectively for RCA and Deutsche Grammophon, Hänsel und Gretel, Martha and Hoffmann's Erzählungen for Urania, a live Ariadne auf Naxos from 1935, on BASF, and a film of Don Giovanni in 1954. She recorded songs and arias for Columbia, HMV, Polydor and Bellaphon and sings in Beethoven's Ninth Symphony on the Bel Canto Society DVD D0052, Great Conductors of the Third Reich: Art in the Service of Evil.To see Gigli and Berger in the Traviata denunciation scene from this DVD at no charge, visit the Bel Canto Society site.--Stefan Zucker1. Erna Berger, Auf Flügeln des Gesanges. Erinnerungen einer Sängerin (Zurich: Atlantis Musikbuch, second edition, 1989)

Ich habe mich auf diesen Film wegen der Musik und wegen Gigli gefreut und auch darauf, dass der Ton ÜBERARBEITET worden sein soll. Es ist ja mit 76 Jahren ein wirklich alter Film, den ich selbst vor etwa 35 Jahren im Fernsehen gesehen habe und seither kam er nicht wieder. Von der DVD war ich dann aber sehr enttäuscht, d.h. von dem überarbeiteten Ton!!! Man verstand teilweise das Gesprochene noch schlechter als den Gesang.Dermaßen enttäuscht habe ich gleich hinterher, in der Hoffnung auf Besseres die NICHT überarbeitete Fassung angesehen- und ich hatte den Eindruck, dass nun sowohl Gesprochenes als auch Gesungenes wenigstens gleichermaßen zu verstehen waren.Dass es deutlich besser war, würde ich nicht behaupten. Aber keinesfalls schlechter.Insgesamt lebt der Film in dieser Qualität von der Nostalgie seiner Fans!Und er lebt natürlich von der MIMIK der Hauptakteure Benjamino Gigli, Paul Henkels und Käthe von Nagy.Die Einlage von Erna Berger ist natürlich gut, aber für Erna Berger-Fans eigentlich zu wenig.

Die Aufnahme ist natürlich nur etwas für Fans und Sammler. Es ist halt ein alter Film. Als ich den Film abspielen wollte, streikte meine DVD-Player. Die DVD hat die Farbfernsehnorm NTSC. Dieser wichitger Hinweis fehlt leider bei der Beschreibung. Ich habe einen Player der alle Regionen und alle Normen lesen kann und so bin ich doch noch in den Genuss gekommen, die DVD sehen zu können.Jedenfalls habe ich mich gefreut, diese Aufnahme bekommen zu haben. Sie gehört einfach in jede Klassiksammlung von großen Künstlern.

Definitely an interesting collector's item. Soundtrack, even restored, and overall quality far from perfect but for me this does not diminish value of the recording. Would buy again.