Zauber der Venus

A Hungarian conductor tries to unite a multi-national European opera company preparing for a televised production of Wagner's Tannhauser, with mixed results. The same might be said of the film itself, which represents director Istvan Szabo's bid for a wider slice of international box office. Unfortunately, what begins as a mild but engaging Murphy's Law comedy (complete with labor disputes, political arguments, artistic conflicts and so forth) soon devolves into a phony feel-good melodrama, with all the comic frustrations of the early scenes jettisoned in favor of a predictably stormy off-stage romance between the conductor and his temperamental superstar diva (Glenn Close). A few incidental pleasures and an attractive, charismatic cast (presenting the entire European community in a fascinating microcosm) aren't enough to hide all the obvious shortcomings, including (but not limited to) shoddy lip-synching, unnecessary voice-over commentary, and the assumption that listening to Wagner is like dying and going to heaven.

Various musicians and singers of many nationalities led by Hungarian conductor Zoltan Szanto (Niels Arestrup) are gathering in Paris for a new opera performance to celebrate the new Europe. He begins a fling with Karin Anderson (Glenn Close), the star of the show. He has to navigate the jealousy, ambitions, bureaucracy, former communists, national rivalries, and union regulations.

There are some funny bits with the story background. All the chaos has some fun. The romantic plot is a little flat and the drama comes out of nowhere. I didn't realize that he was married. Karin gets hot and cold for unforeseeable reasons. I do like Glenn Close's performance but it can be abrupt. The script should spend a little more time ironing out the drama in the relationship. I don't know much about the music and I don't care that much about it either.

This film is much more than a customary movie about opera, though opera lovers get first-rate extracts from Wagner's Tannhauser as well. The action takes place in an imaginary "Opera Europe" in Paris. István Szabó, the excellent film director is really interested here in fanatic people of the theater who came from several countries of Europe to unite their talent in order to create a successful performance of Wagner's youthful masterpiece. The ensemble is a mixture of multinational people: the head of the company (a Spaniard, a former hero of the Spanish Civil War,) her private secretary and mistress (descendant of a noble Russian family,) the conductor (a talented young Hungarian who suffers from inferiority complex because of his East-block origin,) the singer who plays Tannhauser (a permanently offended dumpy man from the DDR with beautiful voice,) the French theatrical technician (a pig headed trade unionist who causes much trouble,) etc. They carry with themselves all good and vicious habits and traditions of their origin which cause many conflicts but humorous episodes as well during the rehearsals. There is a remarkable scene when at a dinner party the protagonists put aside all of their conflicts and sing together a song called "Suliko" which was once Stalin's favorite. (They sing it not because they love Stalin, but because of a certain nostalgia for their youth.) In the center of the story stands the Hungarian conductor's and a Nordic singer's (played by Glenn Close) stormy love affair which ends in diminuendo (using here deliberately this term of music.) Strongly recommended for everyone who loves art and theater.

I saw this last night on UK TV. Glenn Close looked the part as a diva.

Her mouthing of Kiri Te Kanawa's singing was stunning. I've seen Elizabeth Schwarzkopf and Victoria de los Angeles sing, from the front row, and I would have believed this to be real thing, had it not been a movie.

I can only imagine that Te Kanawa recorded it after Close has shot the scenes. Otherwise, Close is a wonderful mimic.

Anyway, I was charmed by the movie. Simplistic it may be. But then so was Shakespeare in Love. And, as there, a miracle happens when the curtain goes up (except that there was no curtain at the Globe and here it doesn't actually go up, which is where the miracle happens).

David

This movie is really something different. It's all about music. It is about the desperate attempt of an idealistic hungarian conductor to perform "Tannhaeuser" in the opera house of Paris. The problems he encounters are unbelievable... and for us viewers, unbelievably funny.

What really is wonderful about this movie is of course the music. It shows how much passion and love lies within classic music, and how much work there is to do until the staff of such a big production is finally in synch.

This film also offers a chance to get an insight into classical music pieces. Some of the most splendid passages of Wagners "Tannhaeuser" can be listened to in full beauty, and thus the film might tempt some people to overcome their inhibitions and to dive into the world of opera.

For those more interested in characterization there are a lot of weird persons playing in this story, showing different kinds of European lifestyle and tackling topics like prejudice, bureaucracy and of course love.