John Sorel - Eberhard Wächter Magda Sorel - Melitta Muszely Mother - Res Fischer Police Agent - Willy Ferenz Vera Boronel - Hilde Konetzni Magician - László Szemére Secretary - Gloria Lane
Orchestra of The Wiener Volksoper Franz Bauer-Theussl
"Directed by Rudolph Cartier, it's shot in relentless close-ups that give neither the performers nor the viewers anywhere to hide. Melitta Muszely charts Magda's progress from desperation to hope to suicidal despair with uncompromising veracity. There are equally impressive performances from Eberhard Waechter as her husband and Gloria Lane as the consular secretary." (The Guardian)
"Gian Carlo Menotti was one of the most important 20th-century composers of opera working in the United States. For his opera The Consul he won the Pulitzer Prize for Music and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award. This unique studio recording from the early years of television is performed by an extraordinary cast featuring Melitta Muszely, Eberhard Waechter, Res Fischer and Hilde Konetzni. The plot of the politically charged drama takes place in Europe of the 1950s. The Orchestra of the Wiener Volksoper is conducted by Franz Bauer-Theussl. An important document of operatic and film history, this restored recording is available on DVD for the first time." (Art Haus)
Documentario di Antonio Farré del 2003. Durata 98 min
Con la partecipazione di Claudio Abbado, Placido Domingo, Giuseppe di Stefano, José Carreras, Cheryl Studer, Joan Sutherland ecc.
"This film accompanies Montserrat Caballé on a trip through the most significant cities, historical performances and audio recordings of her life, including testimonies of those who, through a professional or personal relationship, can help us understanding Montserrat, the person and Caballé, the diva.
This film is a complex and passionate portrait of a woman who can only be described as a myth. Yet our objective is to get the truth which lies beyond the myth of this extraordinary performer – her sensitivity and vitality underscore her uncontested place as one of the greatest communicators of the Twentieth Century. The film unveils the human side of her personality as well as pay homage to her stunning career. Her ability to reach millions of devoted fans is not so much a result of her superb technical abilities and apparently limitless endurance, but mainly due to her ability to express her most sincere and deepest feelings. While a composer may have created a masterwork, it is up to the interpreter to communicate the composer's emotions to the public, to share their fears and moments of joy together.It is only from a deep understanding of the human condition that one can move so many millions of people for as long as Montserrat Caballé has done."