The Bourgeois Gentleman ( Le Bourgeois gentilhomme )

The Bourgeois Gentleman (DVD) (*)

~~$49.99~~ $46.98

Original Title: Le Bourgeois gentilhomme
Screened, competed or awarded at:
Other Film Festival Awards

Language Selections:
Dutch ( Subtitles )
English ( Subtitles )
French ( Dolby Digital 5.1 )
French ( Subtitles )
German ( Subtitles )
Spanish ( Subtitles )

Product Origin/Format:
France ( PAL/Region 0 )

Running Time:
262 min

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen (1.85:1)

Special Features:
2-DVD Set
Documentary
Featurette
Interactive Menu
Scene Access

Movie filmed in 2005 and produced in:
France ( France, Benelux )

Directed By:
Martin Fraudreau

Written By:
Molière

Actors:
Olivier Martin ..... Monsieur Jourdain
Nicolas Vial ..... Madame Jourdain
Benjamin Lazar ..... Cléonte, Le maître de philosophie
Jean-Denis Monory ..... Covielle, Le maître tailleur
Alexandra Rübner ..... Nicole, Le maître de musique
Julien Lubek ..... Le maître à danser / Danseur
Lorenzo Charoy ..... Dorante, Le maître d'armes
Anne-Guersande Ledoux ..... Dorimène
Louise Moaty ..... Lucile
Bernard Arrieta ..... Un chanteur / L'homme du bel air / Un Espagnol
François-Nicolas Geslot ..... Premier musicien / La vieille bourgeoise babillarde / Un Espagnol / Un Poitevin
Serge Goubioud ..... Un chanteur / Un Gascon / Un Poitevin
Claire Lefilliâtre ..... Une musicienne / La femme du bel air / L'Italienne
Arnaud Marzorati ..... L'Elève / Le Muphti / Le vieux bourgeois babillard
Lisandro Nesis ..... Un chanteur / Un Gascon / Un Espagnol

Synopsis:

Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme was the eleventh comedie-ballet of Moliere (regarded as France's Shakespeare) and Lully (the first major French opera composer, although he was of Italian origin) and was first performed in 1670. It is regarded as the culmination of their co-operation. This production is claimed to be the first for some centuries to present the work as it would have been seen by King Louis XIV and his court. English speaking audiences familiar with Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme know it as a play. Those of us who are French opera buffs may also be acquainted with the Leonhardt CD of the musical component of the play. This extraordinarily beautiful and energetic production by Le Poeme Harmonique combines the two. Because the entire production is candlelit - a row of partly concealed candles serving as footlights - the faces, which are lit from below, have an almost surrealistic quality. Olivier Salvan portrays Jourdain as a large, plump, still quite young, naive and generous enthusiast. When he falls asleep at the end of the sublime, extended dialogue en musique between three singers, which comes not long after the opening of the comedie-ballet, his large, soft, oval face is propped to one side like a Chinese mask. Visually this production is stunning - the cinematography is on a par with a Terrence Malick film such as Days of Heaven. Moliere, the former tapestry maker, (a fact which is explained in a film about the making of the production, which follows the main comedie-ballet) would have been delighted by the sumptuous and subtle costumes. The candlight does strange things to the faces of the dancers and singers. They are mask-like and enormously expressive. You see a young female dancer vanish behind a panel with a gleam of malicious joy in her eyes. There is a great deal of dialogue, which may disappoint some opera lovers, but when the music arrives, it is utterly ravishing. This production of a bizarre combination of art forms is a revelation and is likely to be reference point for future baroque opera DVD productions for years to come. Few will be able to match it. King Louis would have been gob-smacked.

This product was added to our catalog on Tuesday 19 May, 2009.

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