Plot: What’s it about?
This gathering of musical talents was indeed historic and now, we can all revisit the performances on this disc, thanks to DVD International. The event is hosted by veteran actor Gregory Peck and as the evening progresses, a wealth of incredible musicians will take the stage and of course, all have their best work on showcase. With an international collection of musicians in the house, this event is a must see for classical music buffs, to be sure. In addition to Peck’s own rendition of one number, you’ll also see performances from Herbert Lipper, the Vienna Choir Boys, Paul Groves, Martina Serafin, The Boys Choir of Harlem, Henry Cuesta, Eva Lind, and Elizabeth Norman, and many others, all in their finest forms. The program runs almost two and a half hours, with minimal unused time and as such, you’re in for a substantial amount of musical entertainment, that’s for sure.
I like to see classical music releases on this format and in that realm, DVD International has been one of the leaders. They have issued a wealth of discs in their Naxos Musical Journey series and I’ve enjoyed those to no end, especially thanks to the masterful Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 surround tracks. With this release, they add another classical music title to their catalog and as before, they’ve included some excellent audio options to enhance the experience. I was quite taken by this program and it offers a lot of entertainment, if you’re a fan of classical style music, that is. Gregory Peck serves as host and does a fine turn, while the various musical performers also more than live up to the reputations involved, an impressive array of music to be sure. I liked all of the performances found in this program, but the Vienna Choir Boys and Elizabeth Norman were especially wonderful, at least in my opinion. This was a historic event to be sure and while you can’t see it live now, this disc offers an excellent chance to relive that night, which is enough. The program is terrific and the audio is superb, there’s no reason not to give this disc a spin, if you’re at all interested.
Video: How does it look?
The program is presented in a full frame transfer, which preserves the intended aspect ratio. I think this is a terrific visual presentation, although frequent instances of shimmering and edge enhancement keep the score down somewhat. These errors don’t amount to all that much, but you can see them with ease and as such, I have to report them here. Otherwise, this is a very nice transfer and I think most people will be most pleased indeed. The image is very sharp and shows a lot of detail, thanks to well balanced contrast levels and well rendered colors. A few problems do surface here, but this is still a more than effective visual treatment.
Audio: How does it sound?
This is a musically driven feature and as such, the audio options are the most important elements involved. In this case, the included Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 tracks are superb and while both sound awesome, the DTS option takes the lead in a few instances. In either case however, you’ll be treated to terrific sound and you’ll feel right in the middle of the concert, to be sure. The surrounds are used often and to very effective ends, but always in a natural fashion, so it never seems forced in the least. I was swept away by the music and in this case, that is just how it is intended to be presented, very impressive indeed.
Supplements: What are the extras?
A promotional trailer has been included, but that’s all she wrote here.
