Farinelli (1994)

Note Générale:

6,8/10   

Réalisateur:

Gérard Corbiau

Scénaristes:

Marcel Beaulieu (writer)
Andrée Corbiau (writer)

Date de sortie:

17 mars 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Biographie | Drame | Musique

Accroche:

Où s'arrête le pouvoir de sa voix?

Intrigue:

Farinelli, is the artistic name of Carlo Broschi, a young singer in Handel's time. He was castrated in his childhood in order to preserve his voice...

Plot Keywords:

Singer | Opera | Suicide | Threesome | Mediocrity

Récompenses:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 5 wins & 2 nominations

Avis des utilisateurs:

Overripe History and Histrionics

Ensemble

Stefano Dionisi	...	Carlo Broschi (Farinelli)
Enrico Lo Verso	...	Riccardo Broschi
Elsa Zylberstein	...	Alexandra
Jeroen Krabbé	...	George Frideric Handel
Caroline Cellier	...	Margareth Hunter
Renaud du Peloux de Saint Romain	...	Benedict
Omero Antonutti	...	Nicola Porpora
Marianne Basler	...	Countess Mauer
Pier Paolo Capponi	...	Broschi
Graham Valentine	...	Prince of Wales
Jacques Boudet	...	Felipe V
Delphine Zentout	...	Young admirer
Richard Reeves
Jonathan Fox
Jo Betzing		(as Josef Betzing)

Autre(s) titre(s):

Farinelli (International: English title)
Farinelli voce regina (Italy) (alternative title)
Farinelli, il castrato (France)

MPAA:

Rated R for depiction of adult themes and sexuality.

Durée:

111 min

Pays:

Belgium | France | Italy | USA

Langue:

Français | Italien

Couleur:

Couleur

Rapport de forme:

1,85 : 1

Son:

Dolby

Classification:

Iceland:L | Canada:14+ (Ontario) | South Korea:18 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Chile:18 | Finland:K-12 | Germany:12 (w) | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R

Lieux de tournage:

Bayreuth, Bavaria, Germany

Société:

K2 SA

Anecdotes:

Both male and female voices were combined to create the sound of Farinelli's singing voice. The male voice was Derek Lee Ragin, a British countertenor and the female Ewa Małas-Godlewska, a Polish mezzo-soprano.

Connexions:

figure dans The 52nd Annual Golden Globe Awards (1995) (TV)

Overripe History and Histrionics

Famed 18th century (castrato) soprano Ferinelli invites a serious biographical study. This 17-18th c. period was, until recent times, skirted over by musicologists and music history teachers.

The result of this omission has been an unsuspecting awareness of the extent to which male performers dominated all forms of period theater, including opera, oratorio, cantata, ballet, and stage plays. "Ferinneli" had an opportunity to provide substantive information in filling this void.

Unfortunately, what resulted is just another Ken Russell-type production (a la "The Music Lovers," "Lisztomania," "Mahler," etc.). In fact, were Andre Corbiau's name not credited as director of "Ferinelli," one would swear this was a Russell composer biopic.

All Russell trademarks are there: excessive closeups of actors in dramatic distress, swirling activity to cover up script weaknesses, and disjointed highlights instead of sequence continuity.

Director-coscriptor Corbiau has Stefano Dionisi as Ferinneli forever falling down and collapsing both on and offstage for no apparent reason, and using the old device of having him hesitate to sing on cue before a full house to superficially create suspense and anxiety.

In fact, Corbiau, like Russell, is more intent on affecting than expressing: manipulating the viewer than sincerely sharing. As a result, one is held a arm's length of emotional participation throughout.

While no contemporary production can create a truly authentic period setting, there are questions which arise here: George Frederick Handel, one of the world's most prolific and fine composers, is reduced to that of a mere rival theatrical impressario; and Farinelli is forever acting oddly--claiming vocal loss, serious indisposition, and tripping out on opium. Indeed, at times this seems more like a baroque version of sex-drugs-and-rock-'n'roll.

On the brighter side, the staging of the operatic scenes are wonderfully on-target, having been obviously well-researched and meticulously designed. The combination real-and-computer-created vocal work is fascinating in its etherial timbre and in its negotiation of Handelean melismas, embellishments and assorted ornamentation. Likewise, the baroque pit orchestra and period opera house decor is strikingly detailed.

What a pity "Farinelli" fails in its main opportunity: to convey a simple, heart-felt story of one of history's most celebrated singers.