Dvorak's music is always wonderful. The singing is glorious. The orchestra is also good And the sound, in DTS, is excellent. But this is a fairy story. It has woodlands and a forest lake. There is a Water Goblin, nymphs, a witch and a prince. And what do we get. A stark modern set. No lake just a rectangular swimming pool, with just enough water so that the Water Goblin can appear to walk on water. The goblin himself wears a suit, shirt and tie, hat and overcoat just as you would expect from a goblin. The nymphs and Rusalka wear cotton nightdresses. The Prince wears a suit and tie and has a modern beard. The bedroom is stark with very modern furniture. Why? What's wrong with a production that shows us it really is a fairy-tale? Is it lack of money, lack of imagination, or simply that everything must be brought up-to-date and then ruined. So that I found myself tempted to switch off the viewing and just listen to the glorious music and singing. Full marks to the sound nothing for the sight. I could have stayed with the CDs.
