Prokofiev The Love for Three Oranges
January 2007 Reviewed by: Wes Marshall Format: DVD	(all ratings out of 5): Overall Enjoyment Picture Quality Packaged Extras Sound Quality

On July 4, 1957, Hungarian conductor Antal Dorati stepped in front of the London Symphony Orchestra and barnstormed his way through one of the most thunderous renditions of two Prokofiev suites, the "Scythian Suite" and the "Suite from The Love for Three Oranges." Luckily, the holy trinity of music production -- Wilma Cozart, Harold Lawrence and C.R. Fine -- were there to capture everything for Mercury Living Presence in a recording that puts most contemporary recordings to shame. For decades, it has been one of the best test discs made. After hearing the Dorati version, thousands of rabid fans went looking for a copy of the complete opera. Finding a good recording of the full opera has been another issue altogether.

In the CD era, Kent Nagano was the first to deliver the goods, and in the French language, in which the opera had had its premiere. In 1989, he committed the work to Laserdisc, and it was a fine version (still available on DVD from Image Entertainment). But it has been grandly superseded by this new version.

The story is one fit for a psychedelically enhanced brain. Witches and wizards intermingle with royalty and colossal dancing cards; giant oranges with people living inside give way to a princess who’s been transformed into a rat; curses come true, but love saves the day. Timothy Leary, come home!

Adding to the wild story is an even more psychedelic set. Chantal Thomas, the set designer, and Laurent Pelly, the director and costume designer, (how often do you see those two tasks in the same person?) have created a world that will appeal to children, yet has all the sophistication of very adult, high-budget Broadway.

The cast is filled with skilled singers, but two of the better ones to watch out for are Anna Shafajinskaja and Sir Willard White as the witch Fata Morgana and the wizard Chelios. Both chew up the stage in a grand manner. This is very much a large cast piece, and, overall, Pelly has elicited some very funny performances.

Both picture and sound (if you use the DTS version) are very high quality. And for once, hallelujah, there are extras on an opera! They include a very fine 25-minute discussion of all the hidden symbols and meanings, with elucidation by the principals. There is also a synopsis illustrated with actual stills from the performance. Let’s hope more companies follow Opus Arte’s lead in offering these helpful additions.

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