Opera Fanatic: A Jan Schmidt-Garre Film

Jan Schmidt-Garre directs this documentary about the wild, passionate, campy world of opera singers. Stefan Zucker -- authenticated by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's highest tenor -- travels about Italy in search of retired divas, many of whom are none too pleased with Zucker's visit. They all deplore the lack of emotion of the current crop of opera singers, arguing that they favor cold technique over passionate flamboyance. Making liberal use of archival footage, the filmmaker clearly shows that performances during the 1950s and '60s did not lack excessive abandon. At one point in the film, Zucker interviews the indomitable Marcella Pobbe, who grows increasingly annoyed with his questions, especially when they are not specifically about her.