Richard Strauss痴 Ariadne auf Naxos premiered in 1916, was something new, a startling blend of comedy and tragedy, both a frothy entertainment and a serious dip into the big issues--life, death, art, and love. It succeeds as a musical and theatre experience, especially in a production as respectful of the composer痴 intentions as this one, which more than fulfills his considerable musical demands on the performers. Strauss and his librettist, Hugo von Hoffmannsthal, fuse the tale of an opera company and a team of comedians hired to provide entertainment for a dinner party at the palatial home of Vienna痴 "richest man." The two groups of artists are forced at the last moment to combine their incompatible talents in a hastily rewritten opera which follows the Prologue--the familiar story of Ariadne abandoned by Theseus on the Greek island. This DVD of Ariadne is a 1978 film based on Filippo Sanjust痴 Vienna State Opera production. The bustling Prologue is set in the backstage area of the mogul痴 palace and the 18th century costumes fit neatly. In the opera proper, the stage is transformed into a very stagey desert island with an improbable set of stairs leading to the heroine痴 cave, the action spilling over into the theatre痴 side boxes at times. While there痴 nothing particularly imaginative about the production, it never distracts from the main event--the music. Strauss was profligate in his melodic gifts, his ability to make a reduced orchestra sound big, and his wonderful obsession with the female voice, which yields many glorious moments in the opera. Lavish casting helps.

Gundula Janowitz is the prima donna who sings the title role, her fresh voice and musicality make her lament moving, but the coloratura soprano, Edita Gruberova, all but steals the show as Zerbinetta, providing both singing and acting splendor. Her coloratura is flawless, the trills in the aria "Grossm臘htige Prinzessin," effortless. The harassed Composer, seen only in the Prologue, is Trudeliese Schmidt, whose singing is first-rate and whose acting in the pants role suits the part admirably, the veritable archetype of the ardent, impetuous artist. Among the men, veteran Walter Berry is a fine Musicmaster, the voice of reason amid all the madcap goings-on, while the comedians are a feisty bunch with good voices. Special mention is due baritone Barry McDaniel痴 Harlequin and lyric tenor Heinz Zednik痴 Dancing Master (in the Prologue) and Brighella. The role of Bacchus is a thankless part and if Ren� Kollo is sometimes stiff and blustery, so too, are most tenors in that role. Pacing and orchestral playing could not be bettered as the Vienna Philharmonic is led by the great Strauss conductor, Karl B�hm. John Vernon痴 video direction is efficient, but his discreet use of fades and tight closeups may strike some as too much of a good thing. Filmed to a prerecorded soundtrack, lip-synching is smoothly done. There痴 a fine 1988 MET production led by James Levine with Jessye Norman and a similarly starry cast, but you can稚 go wrong with either--or both--of these versions of Strauss痴 opera. -- Dan Davis

Ariadne auf Naxos is an all-regions DVD in color and 4:3 ratio. Sound options include PCM Stereo and DTS 5.1 Surround. Sung in German with subtitles in English, French, Spanish, and Chinese.