DVD

The Florence Foster Jenkins Story

Joyce DiDonato
Adam Benzwi
Jan-Philipp Rekeszus
Lars-Peter Schmädicke
Jasmin Antic
Manuel Palazzo

Director: Ralf Pleger

The Florence Foster Jenkins Story, a film directed by Ralf Pleger, staring Joyce DiDonato, has been released on DVD in Germany, and is scheduled for a release in the fall of 2017 worldwide. A mix between drama and documentary, the film explores the career of Florence Foster Jenkins. Called the worst singer in the world, she pursued a career as an opera singer, staring in the 1920s, in New York City. Despite her lack of natural talent, and vocal technique, she performed in prestigious venues, and recorded records that are still sold today. Cole Porter, Gian Carlo Menotti, Lily Pons, and Sir Thomas Beecham, were counted among her fans, while Enrico Caruso is said to have “regarded her with affection and respect.” She remains a fascinating figure to this day.

As one of the leading singers performing today, the dichotomy of casting Ms. DiDonato to play the role of one of the worst performers in history might seem strange. Director Ralf Pleger explains, however, that the film explores not only how she was viewed by the public, but also how she viewed herself. This disparity is explored by contrasting recording of Ms. DiDonato singing with that of how Mrs. Jenkins actually sounded. From an acting perspective, Ms. DiDonato enjoyed exploring the challenge of portraying a singer with utmost belief in her incredibly flawed performance.

Album info

Release date: May 19, 2017
Number of Discs: 1
Format: DVD / Blu-ray
Label: 3B-Produktion
ASIN: B06Y62MYHXq