Claudio Abbado: Lux Aeterna and Verdi's Missa Da Requiem (1986)
Review by Dindrane
Film:
DVD:

Directed by Norbert Beilharz
Recorded at the Church of San Marco in Milan
Starring Claudio Abbado and the Choir and Orchestra of the Scala di Milano

Features:

• English, with French and Spanish subtitles
  

Rating: NR

Anamorphic: N/A

My Advice: Rent it at least once.

Lux Aeterna contains pieces from several full rehearsals of Claudio Abbado conducting Guiseppe Verdi's Requiem. Viewers see Abbado working with the full orchestra, as well as the solo vocalists one on one, including the sopranos, the mezzosoprano, the tenors, and the bass vocalist.

Given that Abbado is one of the world's foremost conductors, Lux Aeterna is a rare chance to see behind the scenes of a great orchestra, in this case Milan's Scala di Milano, as well as how the interaction between orchestra and conductor actually works. Viewers get to see how Abbado learns to understand the piece of music and then brings the various musicians and singers into his vision. He railroads no one, but he is still able to squeeze the very best performances out of them, over and over.

The audio and video quality are both outstanding. As much as sound matters to a disc of this sort, the digital transfer was up to the task. You'll hear the problems that make Abbado stop the orchestra and restart them, you'll hear the variations between soloists singing the same parts, and you'll truly feel the orchestra and choir getting into their parts. Discs like this are what digital music is for.

It is also worth nothing that the site of most of the orchestra rehersals is the Church of San Marco in Milan. This church was the site of the Requiem's original premiere, and is a fitting site for this study of the work. The filming, while also focusing on the human drama involved, also makes use of the architecture and setting.

The hefty booklet that accompanies the disc provides a cast listing and a listing of the various movements of Verdi's Missa Da Requiem. Following that is an essay of sorts about the work and the history surrounding it. This is very interesting and useful information, and most viewers will want to read these few pages before viewing the disc to increase their understanding and appreciation. It would have been nice to have been given a text translation of the choral pieces in the Requiem, or perhaps a snippet of the score itself.

The only thing that Lux Aeterna is missing is a full performance of the final piece. Viewers of the disc get to see Abbado and the Milan choir/orchestra in action, but never the entire Requiem from beginning to end; such a performance would have been the crowing jewel of the disc and show off the fruit of all Abbado's work. It would also be a wonderful way to reward the musicians--and the viewers--for hanging in there with him.

Overall, Lux Aeterna is a wonderful disc for anyone interested in performance, vocal or instrumental, as well as viewers who appreciate music in general. I think it should be required viewing for music masters and conductors, as well as anyone anywhere studying music education. These professionals could learn much from Abbado's instructional and motivational methods. People who are not fans of classical music might still want to check this disc out for the insight into how choirs and orchestras work, as well as the various personalities involved. You might find a whole new love for Verdi, at least. Only musicians and opera-lovers will probably need to own a copy of this disc, but everyone should at least rent or borrow it and see for themselves. You'll enjoy the interplay of music and humanity, which is really what it's all about, after all.