Aria (1987 film)
Encyclopedia
Aria is a 1987 British musical film.
Cast
This is just the main cast for each of the 10 films:- Theresa RussellTheresa RussellTheresa Russell is an American actress.-Biography:Russell was born Theresa Paup in San Diego, California, the daughter of Carole Platt and Jerry Russell Paup. She attended Burbank High School, but did not graduate. She married English film director Nicolas Roeg , in 1982...
- King Zog (segment "Un ballo in maschera") - Stephanie Lane - Baroness (segment "Un ballo in maschera")
- Roy Hyatt - Chauffeur (segment "Un ballo in maschera")
- Sevilla Delofski - Maid (segment "Un ballo in maschera")
- Ruth Halliday - Companion (segment "Un ballo in maschera")
- Arthur CoxArthur CoxArthur Cox , is a British actor of television and film.His most regular role was as George, the driver of Jim Hacker in the comedy Yes Minister. His other television credits include The Avengers, Terry and June, and Harbour Lights...
- Major (segment "Un ballo in maschera") - Dennis Holmes - Colonel (segment "Un ballo in maschera")
- Paul BrightwellPaul BrightwellPaul Brightwell is an English actor. He has acted in many different films and TV shows since the late 1980s.-Early life & career:Brightwell's first main role was as Uriah Heep in the TV Series David Copperfield in 1986...
- Assassin (segment "Un ballo in maschera") - Frank BakerFrank BakerJohn Franklin "Home Run" Baker was an American third baseman in Major League Baseball from 1908 to 1922, and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1955. As a member of the famed $100,000 infield, Baker helped the Philadelphia Athletics win the 1910, 1911 and 1913 World Series...
- Assassin (segment "Un ballo in maschera") - Chris HunterChris HunterChris Hunter is a former field hockey forward from Canada, who earned a total number of 69 international caps for the Women's National Team during her career in the 1990s. She started playing hockey in high school in Winnipeg. Hunter studied Occupational Therapy at the University of Alberta.-...
- Assassin (segment "Un ballo in maschera") - Nicola Swain - Marie (segment "La virgine degli angeli")
- Jackson Kyle - Travis (segment "La virgine degli angeli")
- Marianne McLoughlin - Kate (segment "La virgine degli angeli")
- Marion Peterson - Les Jeunes Filles (segment "Armide")
- Valérie AllainValérie AllainValérie Allain is a French actress.She portrayed "Mireille" in the 1987 instructional television series French in Action, which acquired a cult following largely because of the appeal of the romantic comedic theme of its fifty-two episodes of full-immersion French language lessons...
- Les Jeunes Filles (segment "Armide")
Songs
- "Un Ballo in Maschera (extracts)"
- Music by Giuseppe VerdiGiuseppe VerdiGiuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi was an Italian Romantic composer, mainly of opera. He was one of the most influential composers of the 19th century...
- Performed by Leontyne PriceLeontyne PriceMary Violet Leontyne Price is an American soprano. Born and raised in the Deep South, she rose to international acclaim in the 1950s and 1960s, and was one of the first African Americans to become a leading artist at the Metropolitan Opera.One critic characterized Price's voice as "vibrant",...
, Carlo BergonziCarlo BergonziCarlo Bergonzi is an Italian operatic tenor. Although he performed and recorded some bel canto and verismo roles, he is above all associated with the operas of Giuseppe Verdi, including a large number of the composer's lesser-known works that he helped revive...
, Robert MerrillRobert MerrillRobert Merrill was an American operatic baritone.-Early life:Merrill was born Moishe Miller, later known as Morris Miller, in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, New York, to tailor Abraham Miller, originally Milstein, and his wife Lillian, née Balaban, immigrants from Warsaw, Poland.His mother...
, Shirley VerrettShirley VerrettShirley Verrett was an African-American operatic mezzo-soprano who successfully transitioned into soprano roles i.e. soprano sfogato...
, - Reri GristReri GristReri Grist is an American coloratura soprano, one of the pioneer African-American singers to enjoy a major international career in opera.-Biography:...
with RAC Italiana Opera Orchestra and Chorus - Conducted by Erich Leinsdorf
- segment "Un Ballo in Maschera"
- "La Virgine degli Angeli"
- from "La Forza del destino"
- Music by Giuseppe Verdi
- Performed by Leontyne Price with RCA Italiana Orchestra and Chorus
- Conducted by Thomas Schippers
- segment "La Vergine Degli Angeli"
- "Armide (extracts)"
- Music by Jean-Baptiste Lully
- Librette by Philippe Quinault (uncredited)
- Performed by Rachel Yakar, Zeger Vandersteene, Danielle Borst (as Danièle Borst) with Ensemble Vocal et Instrumental de La Chappelle Royale
- Conducted by Philippe Herreweghe
- segment "Armide"
- "Rigoletto (extracts)"
- Music by Giuseppe Verdi
- Performed by Robert Merrill, Anna Moffo, Alfredo Kraus with RCA Italiana Opera Orchestra and Chorus
- Conducted by Georg Solti (as George Solti)
- segment "Rigoletto"
- "The Lute Song (Glück, das mir verblieb)"
- from "Die tote Stadt"
- Music by Erich Wolfgang Korngold (as Erich Korngold)
- Performed by Carol Neblett and René Kollo with Munich Radio Orchestra
- Conducted by Erich Leinsdorf
- segment "Die Tote Stadt"
- "(Entracte) - Suite des Vents"
- from "Les Boréades (Acte 3)"
- Performed by English Baroque SoloistsEnglish Baroque SoloistsThe English Baroque Soloists is a chamber orchestra playing on period instruments, formed in 1978 by English conductor Sir John Eliot Gardiner. Its repertoire comprises music from the early Baroque period to the Classical period...
- Conducted by John Eliot GardinerJohn Eliot GardinerSir John Eliot Gardiner CBE FKC is an English conductor. He founded the Monteverdi Choir , the English Baroque Soloists and the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique...
- segment "Les Boreades"
- "Nuit redoutable !... Lieu désolé"
- from "Les Boréades (Acte 4, Scène I, II)"
- Music by Jean-Philippe Rameau
- Libretto by Louis de Cahusac (uncredited)
- Performed by Jean-Philippe Lafont (uncredited) Philip Langridge with Monteverdi ChoirMonteverdi ChoirThe Monteverdi Choir was founded in 1964 by Sir John Eliot Gardiner for a performance of the Monteverdi Vespers in King's College Chapel, Cambridge. A specialist Baroque ensemble, the Choir has become famous for its stylistic conviction and extensive repertoire, encompassing music from the early...
and English Baroque Soloists - Conducted by John Eliot Gardiner
- segment "Les Boreades"
- "Jouissons, jouissons ! Jouissons de nos beaux ans"
- from "Les Boréades (Acte 3, Scène III)"
- Music by Jean-Philippe Rameau
- Libretto by Louis de Cahusac (uncredited)
- Performed by John Aler (uncredited) (credited Jennifer Smith, Anne-Marie Rodde, but their parts were not used in this) with Monteverdi Choir and :English Baroque Soloists
- Conducted by John Eliot Gardiner
- segment "Les Boreades"
- "Liebestod"
- from "Tristant und Isolde"
- Music by Richard Wagner
- Performed by Leontyne Price with Philharmonia Orchestra
- Conducted by Henry Lewis
- segment "Liebestod"
- "Nessun dorma"
- from "Turandot"
- Music by Giacomo Puccini
- Performed by Jussi Björling (as Jussi Bjoerling) with Rome Opera House Orchestra
- Conducted by Erich Leinsdorf
- segment "Nessun dorma"
- "Depuis le jour"
- from "Louise"
- Music by Gustave Charpentier
- Performed by Leontyne Price with RCA Italiana Orchestra
- Conducted by Francesco Molinari Pradelli (as Francesco Molinari-Pradelli)
- segment "Depuis Le Jour"
- "Vesti la giubba"
- from "Pagliacci"
- Music by Ruggero Leoncavallo
- Sung by Enrico Caruso
- Baritone voice by Fernand Dumont
- segment "I Pagliacci"
- "Preludio"
- from "La Traviata"
- Music by Giuseppe Verdi
Critical response
- Won the Golden Palm award at the Cannes Film Festival the same year it was released.
- Amazon.com video review: "This omnibus directors fest brings together 10 different filmmakers making 10 different films based on operatic arias. Jean-Luc Godard is stylistically the boldest, Robert Altman possibly the most imaginative, Franc Roddam celebrates American glitz, and Bruce Beresford is the most sentimental. Nearly all the other filmmakers involved—including Nicolas Roeg, Ken Russell, Julien Temple, Charles Sturridge, Derek Jarman, and Bill Bryden—are (or were, in the case of the late Jarman) world-class talents, but you wouldn't know that from their murky participation here." --Tom Keogh
- Printed Media Review: Guerand, Jean-Philippe. In: Première (France). (MG), June 1987, Pg. 17
- Essay: Godard, Jean-Luc. Jean-Luc Godard par Jean-Luc Godard, Tome 2 1984-1998. Cahiers du Cinéma, 1998, 2866421981