The musical merits of this production of Die Soldaten have been set forth in these pages before in the review of Teldec’s studio recording taken from the same production; suffice to say I have a more positive view of this enormously problematic work’s stature. I was impressed by a televised broadcast some 10 years ago or so of Harry Kupfer’s Stuttgart production‚ so its appearance on DVD is extremely welcome. Bernhard Kontarsky’s shaping of the alternately coruscating and black dramatic score is splendid and there are no weak links in the cast. In the central role of Marie‚ Nancy Shade is sweetly flighty in the first two acts‚ showing off her vocal mettle in the agitated solo at the end of Act 1 (menacingly intercut here with images of her would­be seducer‚ Desportes‚ and the army closing in on her). After romping with Desportes – a nicely turned characterisation of the strutting womaniser by William Cochran – her descent into the gutter reduces her role almost to that of a prop (bedecked in ever gaudier‚ darker dresses) as her erstwhile fiancé‚ Stolzius‚ and others take over as the main protagonists. All the characters‚ major and minor‚ are finely drawn although necessarily some seem more like caricatures: Mark Munkittrick’s Wesener‚ Marie’s father‚ whose ambiguous attitude towards her suitors Desportes and Stolzius sets up the tragedy; Michael Ebbecke as the simpering‚ lovelorn Stolzius‚ who turns into the suicidal avenger of Marie’s ruin; Klaus Hirte as the grotesque Haudy; and Ursula Koszut as the Countess‚ who vainly offers Marie a chance of escape – and the opera’s only truly lyrical episode – in a radiant trio with Marie and her sister Charlotte (the excellent Milagro Vargas) at the close of Act 3. On the visual side‚ the Stuttgart production is extremely well shot‚ Kupfer’s fast moving‚ split­stage realisation brilliantly captured by Hans Hulscher’s film. The use of close­ups‚ shot from a variety of angles‚ is telling and well­planned‚ though full­stage views are used throughout to catch as much of the often teeming action as possible. Kupfer’s lighting of this dark tale was a crucial element‚ and the more nightmarish scenes take place in semi­darkness which does not always translate well on­screen. Similarly‚ the multi­media first scene of Act 4 almost overwhelms the video form. Die Soldaten cries out for cinematic reproduction visually‚ but this film is a tremendous record of a stunning‚ if deeply disturbing‚ theatrical experience.