George Frideric Handel was one of those rare composers who excelled in works sacred and secular, instrumental and operatic, leaving us extraordinary masterpieces in every field of music. Already renowned in Italy, Handel made himself known in London with Rinaldo in 1711, which was such a success that he decided to remain in England for good. It is still regarded as one of his greatest operas. Set during the Crusades, Rinaldo is a lavish spectacle that tells a story of love, magic, struggles for power and ultimate reconciliation. Pier Luigi Pizzi's acclaimed production brings us into a 'dreamlike, unreal... world of spells and incantations'. (Epoca). This production by Pier Luigi Pizzi, conceived in 1985 for Teatro Romolo Valli in Reggio Emilia, has traveled since to some twenty major opera houses worldwide. Discounting practical cuts and a few displacements of musical numbers, it's durable attraction lies in the gorgeous costumes and scenery, a stylish paragon of Hyperbaroque eschewing both literalism and cheap provocation. It is performed at Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, which was the first theatre to reopen after lockdown. The set design and direction perfectly respond to the current safety measures.

Skin-tight rubber and lacrosse sticks bring contemporary chic to this timeless fantasy of warriors and witches in Robert Carsen's fun-filled transformation of Handel's first London triumph. Conducting from the keyboard just as Handel himself did, Ottavio Dantone leads a youthful cast of today's luminaries in the dramatic art of Baroque opera, the 'affecting' Sonia Prina, the 'unadorned intensity' of Anett Fritsch and 'fire-breathing flair' (The Observer) of Brenda Rae.

A new production by Opera de Lille

“Claus Guth, who had already staged the Messiah at the Theater an der Wien in 2009, is exactly the right person to present the oratorio Saul, which dates from this period of upheaval in 1739...This could not go wrong with this highly sensitive director, who always listens precisely to the music. That it would work out so well in such a brilliant way, however, is one of the surprises that make you happy. In Vienna, where Handel is still one of the exotics of music history, there was breathtaking music theatre at its best." -Neue Musikzeitung

“Handel vividly, today, as a mirror of the metamorphoses of power.” -Kurier

“Florian Boesch as Saul is a vocal and acting elemental force, simply an ideal cast.” -Kurier

This Blu-ray Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players and not compatible with standard DVD players.

Handel’s oratorio Saul is taken from the First Book of Samuel, and focuses on the first king of Israel’s relationship with David, his eventual successor, which eventually leads to his demise. The three act work with libretto by Charles Jennens premiered in January 1739, and was an immediate success. This production directed by Barrie Kosky was recorded live at Glyndebourne Opera House, Lewes, October 2015. It was ranked by The Independent amongst five top opera and classical performances of 2015. “Musically this evening is well-nigh flawless.” (The Independent) “A theatrical and musical feast of energetic choruses, surreal choreography and gorgeous singing.” (The Guardian)

Subtitles: English, French, German, Korean
Sound Formats: 2.0 LPCM, 5.1 (5.0) DTS
Running Time 185 mins
Region Code: 0 (All)

In Spring 2019, the Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists, led by John Eliot Gardiner, presented a critically-acclaimed European tour of Handel's opera 'Semele', including Alexandra Palace Theatre in London, where this live recording took place. Semele had not been performed by John Eliot Gardiner and the Monteverdi ensembles since they originally recorded it in the 1980s and this recording gives listeners the chance to hear a fuller version of the work. A glamorous team of young soloists joins the Monteverdi ensembles to bring the story of Semele to life, including celebrated English soprano Louise Alder, who takes on the title role, with the young tenor Hugo Hymas portraying the amorous Jupiter.

Initially a failure when first performed in London in 1750, 'Theodora' has proved to be one of Handel's most enduring and compassionate masterpieces - a work of introspective depth about the redemptive power of tolerance. Theodora's determination to die in defence of her religious freedom offers her the promise of eternal salvation. In this acclaimed Viennese production, award-winning stage director Stefan Herheim contrasts Theodora's self-sacrifice with the lack of spiritual direction of our own times. La Folia Barockorchester and the Arnold Schoenberg Chor are conducted by the acclaimed countertenor and Handel specialist Bejun Mehta.

Julia Bullock, Joyce DiDonato and Jakub Józef Orlinski star in Katie Mitchell’s thrilling new production of Handel’s Theodora in an alternative modern-day reality, Theodora, a religious fundamentalist, plots for the resistance against the Roman occupation. But when her secret plan to destroy the Roman embassy is discovered, she learns the true brutality of her oppressors. Not heard in Covent Garden since the 18th Century and sung in the original English libretto by Thomas Morell, Theodora is a tour de force for soloists and chorus alike, with ensembles, duets and arias of profound depth and beauty. This new interpretation, conducted by Baroque specialist Harry Bicket, shines a new, feminist light on the story.

'Just Dance the Steps' is a personal portrait of the Dutch choreographer Hans Van Manen in the run-up to his 90th birthday. For over five years director Willem Aerts followed and observed this internationally acclaimed master of contemporary ballet during his life and work at Dutch National Ballet in Amsterdam, in the studio of the Ballett am Rhein in Du�sseldorf and at Nederlands Dans Theater in The Hague. This powerful tribute and inspirational portrayal looks back at van Manen's remarkable artistic legacy, and documents a life that remains inseparable from dance and choreography.

Guided by his idol George Balanchine, Hans Van Manen has striven all his life to create meaning in his choreography. Alongside conversations with colleagues and collaborators, in the documentary Moving to Music, van Manen talks about his life and work, and from where his inspiration came in ballets that are charged with drama and eroticism. Also included are three complete works from Dutch National Ballet - the early Metaforen; Adagio Hammerklavier, which presents the slow movement of Beethoven's Op. 106 sonata performed live on stage with three couples in various configurations; and Frank Bridge Variations, a late masterpiece that plays with balance and counterpoint to music by Benjamin Britten. Total playing time: 127 minutes (Documentary: 52 minutes � Ballets: 75 minutes). Language: English � Subtitles: English, German, Japanese, Korean. HD 16:9 � PCM Stereo � BD 50 � Region: A, B, C. Photos: Front cover � Erwin Olaf; Back cover Courtesy Galerie Ron Mandos, Amsterdam � Erwin Olaf. Documentary � 2022 RM Creative � Ballets � 2017 La Belle T�l� - Festival Montpellier Danse - Mezzo. � 2024 Naxos Rights (Europe) Ltd � Made in Germany.

Hansel and Gretel is a Fairy Tale Opera, which Engelbert Humperdinck brilliantly composed in 1892. The charming melodies make it an opera that children enjoy. However, it's wonderful music is for everyone. The libretto was written by Adelheid Wette, Humperdinck's sister, and is based on the famous Grimm brothers' fairy tale of the same name. The Salzburg Marionette Theatre created a fascinating production with renowned singers and highly skilled puppeteers. Established in 1913, the Salzburg Marionette Theatre is one of the oldest continuing marionette theaters in the world. The ensemble performs a large repertoire of operas, ballets, and other productions for both children and adults, exclusively using marionettes.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

This Blu-ray Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players and not compatible with standard DVD players.

Also available on standard DVD

Haydn’s oratorio ‘The Creation’ is one of the greatest masterpieces in the repertoire. Its libretto was constructed by Gottfried von Swieten who took texts from the Book of Genesis, the Psalms, and who employed his own original poetry. In this radical and compelling staging by the ground-breaking Catalan theatre collective, La Fura dels Baus, and internationally acclaimed stage director Carlus Padrissa, the oratorio is seen through the prism of a stream of refugees expelled from Paradise. Stunning light projections encapsulate the stage space and incorporated philosophical and scientific perspectives make this truly an oratorio for our time.

-----

REVIEW:

Many productions these days use video as part of the design but this is the first I can recall which is so wonderfully—often breathtakingly—effective.

– Lark Reviews

• The Auryn Quartet perform Haydn's Op. 2 quartets composed in the mid-1760's. • The Auryn Quartet has not had a single change of personnel in its 30-year existence. A most respected ensemble. • One of the first set of 5 audio Blu-ray discs from TACET. • The Blu-ray audio disc was mastered in 24 bit / 96 kHz resolution, both in stereo and in TACET Real 5.1 Standard Surround Sound. • The Blu-ray disc joins the TACET assortment as the fifth sound carrier alongside CD, LP, DVD audio and SACD.

Blu-ray on TACET means: use like a simple CD player. Enjoy either stereo or 5.1 as desired; switch over with a simple button push. The representation of detail compared with those of other recordings is unmatched. And the love of these four musicians for Joseph Haydn is heard in each and every note. 'Once again, the Auryn Quartet shows itself to be the ideally matched partner for Haydn's world of thought... hardly another ensemble will be able to hold a candle to them.' (klassik-heute)

This Blu-ray Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players and not compatible with standard DVD players.

Also available on standard DVD

Henry IV is dead and Hal is king. With England in a state of unrest, he must leave his rebellious youth behind, striving to gain the respect of his nobility and people. Laying claim to parts of France and following an insult from the French Dauphin, Henry gathers his troops and prepares for a war that he hopes will unite his country.

Sound Format: 2.0LPCM, 5.1 DTS
Subtitles: English
Region Code: 0 (Worldwide)

This Blu-ray Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players and not compatible with standard DVD players.

Also available on standard DVD

Resonating powerfully with Hans Werner Henze’s pacifist perspective, Der Prinz von Homburg is based on a play by Heinrich von Kleist that opposes authority, celebrating a dreamer rather than a classical hero, and individualist freedom rather than militarist nationalism. Ingeborg Bachmann’s libretto heightens this message, and Henze’s chamber-music setting is at once powerful and unpredictable. This visually stunning production stretches from intimate transparency to dramatic heights, in a critically acclaimed staging by the award-winning director Stephan Kimmig.

This Blu-ray Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players and not compatible with standard DVD players.

Also available on standard DVD

Herbert von Karajan broke boundaries in many aspects of conducting, among those being that he was the first conductor to become interested in filming his performances to preserve his cultural heritage. This exceptional documentary begins with his first concert productions, taken in Japan in 1957. Following those first recordings is his cooperation with director Henri-Georges Clouzot, then Karajan’s own film company Telemondial. Karajan’s language for orchestral film productions is seen here through all of its stages. This documentary also includes interviews with Karajan and his collaborators.

Picture Format: 1080i, 16:9
Sound Format: PCM Stereo
Subtitles: German, English, French, Spanish, Italian, Korean, Japanese
Region Code: 0 (All)
Total Running Time: 84 mins

*** This Blu-ray Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players and not compatible with standard DVD or HD DVD players. ***



HÉROLD-LANCHBERY La fille mal gardée • Anthony Twiner, cond; Marianela Nuñez ( Lise ); Carlos Acosta ( Colas ); William Tuckett ( Widow Simone ); Jonathan Howells ( Alain ); Royal Op House O • BBC/OPUS ARTE 7021 (Blu-ray Disc: 112:00)


La fille mal gardée has a long and convoluted history dating back to its first production in 1789 at the Grand Théâtre, Bordeaux, where it was staged by Jean Dauberval to a largely anonymous score utilizing various contemporary popular tunes. It then entered the repertoire of the Paris Opéra in 1828 with new music composed and arranged by Ferdinand Hérold. He retained a few melodies from the original score, composed a substantial amount of his own music, and added some popular operatic excerpts by Rossini, Donizetti, and others. Peter Ludwig Hertel composed a new and much more heavily textured score for the Berlin Court Opera in 1864. This was more in tune with the tastes of the time. Hertel’s version was subsequently produced at the Bolshoi Ballet in 1885 and survived in various forms until Frederick Ashton decided to revive it with a new score freely adapted and arranged by John Lanchberry for the Royal Ballet in 1960. It was clear to Lanchberry that in order to achieve the delightful pastoral tone envisioned by Ashton that it would be necessary to base his arrangement on Hérold’s superior version, interspersed with passages actually composed by Lanchberry himself. The 1960 Covent Garden production was a spectacular success and has become a ballet classic revived repeatedly throughout the world. This lengthy history of La fille mal gardée is important because every version contributed in some way to the triumph of the Ashton-Lanchberry masterpiece. The Clog Dance is apparently the only surviving section based on elements of Hertel’s score.


Music-lovers and audiophiles were introduced to the seductive, melodic charms of La fille mal gardée by the sensational sounding 1962 Decca recording of extended excerpts played by the very same Covent Garden Orchestra conducted by Lanchberry. That performance and the ongoing success of the ballet led to a complete Decca recording by the same artists in 1984. This Blu-ray disc is stunning. The brilliantly colorful sets and costumes perfectly project Ashton’s delightful vision originally inspired by Beethoven’s “Pastoral” Symphony. Marianela Nuñez (Lise) and Carlos Acosta (Colas) generate remarkable chemistry as the young lovers. Nuñez accomplishes the near impossible: she not only holds her own, but is clearly the star of the show opposite the charismatic Acosta. Her dancing has a soft, lyrical elegance that fits the bucolic atmosphere of La fille mal gardée ideally without slighting her technically dazzling footwork. She connects directly with Acosta and the audience. If you think that this is a long way from Acosta’s macho turn in Khachaturian’s Spartacus ( Fanfare 32:5), you are correct, but Acosta pulls it off convincingly. He projects an appropriately boyish charm, and his natural charisma prevents him from being a mere prop for Nuñez. This is great stuff! William Tuckett is also delightful in the comedic role of the Widow Simone. Despite the personal virtuosity of the principals, they blend remarkably with the production overall. Conductor Anthony Twiner doesn’t match the incisive, rhythmic snap of Lanchberry’s speedier interpretation, but his emphasis on the lyrical aspects of the charming music works well.


This is probably the most technically gorgeous Blu-ray disc I have seen so far. As such, it is required viewing and listening for ballet-lovers. La fille mal gardée is also an ideal vehicle to introduce reluctant new viewers to the world of ballet. Clearly Want List material.


FANFARE: Arthur Lintgen
Picture format: 1080i High Definition, NTSC 16:9 Sound format: PCM 2.0 and 5.1
Region code: 0 (All regions)
Menu language: English
Subtitles: French, German, Spanish, Italian
Running time: 108 mins
No. of Discs: 1 (BD50 disc)

It is the centerpiece of the Salzburg Festival and an incontrovertible institution: For it’s 100th anniversary, the Salzburg Festival offered an opulent interpretation of Jedermann (Everyman) by Hofmannsthal. "Tobias Moretti plays with great commitment, Caroline Peters gives a brilliant performance" (Salzburger Nachrichten). On 22 August 1920, the first Salzburg Festival opened with Jedermann in a production by Festival founder Max Reinhardt against the breathtaking backdrop of the baroque Salzburg Cathedral. Since then, no other piece has more closely been connected with the 100-year history of the Festival than this play about the transience of the world, fame and money.

Music is a crucial element in every Oscar-winning film. In this concert you will be taken on a musical journey through the sounds of the greatest Oscar winners of all time, from classics like Casablanca and Citizen Kane to monumental cinematic works like The Godfather and blockbusters like Forrest Gump - blockbusters with music that for almost a century have made us shudder, melt and cry in the darkness of the cinema. The DN Symphony Orchestra, DN Concert Choir, solo singers and hosts are ready on stage to bring this classics and blockbusters to life with Music from Robin Hood, James Bond, The Mission, Apocalypse Now, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Dances with Wolves and more.

When lockdown was imposed in 2020 many artists began streaming performances from their own homes. In response, pianist Francesco Piemontesi and director Jan Schmidt-Garre launched a concert series to showcase artists living in Berlin. This collection of performances is a testament to the resilience and solidarity of these artists during the pandemic. (Naxos)

Now in his nineties, Herbert Blomstedt, former conductor of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra and the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, is still a powerful interpreter of the symphonic repertoire. His program with the Wiener Philharmoniker is straightforward: it begins with Honegger’s brilliant Third Symphony and ends with Brahms’ Fourth. The eminent maestro, one of the orchestra’s favorites since his debut at the 2011 Salzburg Mozart Week, continues to enchant audiences with his enormous presence, verve and artistic drive. “A stirring, long-lasting listening experience. At the end, standing ovations and boundless cheers.” (br-klassik.de) / “Fortunately, they still exist, the magical moments when time stands still, when music reaches and touches people.” (Die Presse)

In 1986, the legendary pianist Vladimir Horowitz, who left his homeland 61 years ago, announced that he would return to the Soviet Union for the first time since 1925 to give recitals in Moscow and Leningrad. This sensational historic recital from Moscow includes works by Sergei Rachmaninoff and Alexander Scriabin, whom Horowitz knew both, Domenico Scarlatti, W.A. Mozart, Franz Liszt, Frédéric Chopin, Robert Schumann and Moritz Moszkowski. The disc too contains additional documentary footage with Horowitz. “Horowitz, playing with a clarity and dynamic range that friends said he had not matched in many years“ (New York Times) made an outstanding performance of musical, as well as political, significance.

Diana Damrau and Angelika Kirchschlager star in the acclaimed 2008 production of Humperdinck’s famous fairytale opera, in the company of two of Britain’s most revered musical figures: Thomas Allen, playing the role of the Father, and the legendary conductor Colin Davis. Directors Patrice Caurier and Moshe Leiser combine their characteristic wit and a dash of deliciously dark comedy with the opera’s fairytale charm. Humperdinck’s music mixes catchy folk-like songs with sumptuous instrumental colour, making the result as tunefully approachable, musically memorable and visually delightful as opera gets. Filmed in High Definition and recorded in full Surround Sound.

Hansel: Angelika Kirchschlager
Gretel: Diana Damrau
Gertrud: Elizabeth Connell
Peter: Thomas Allen
Witch: Anja Silja
Sand man: Pumeza Matshikiza
Dew Fairy: Anita Watson

Tiffin Boys’ Choir and Children’s Chorus
The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Conductor: Colin Davis
Stage Directors: Moshe Leiser & Patrice Caurier

Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, on 12th and 16th December 2008.

Plus
Illustrated synopsis & animated cast gallery.
Interview with Colin Davis.
Fairytales feature.
Cinema trailer.

Reviews
‘Angelika Kirchschlager’s tousled, boyish Hänsel and Diana Damrau’s Gretel are dramatically convincing and vocally superb, while their parents, excellently sung and played by Elizabeth Connell and Thomas Allen, earn our sympathy as well as our censure. Pumeza Matshikiza’s goblin-like Sandman is truly magical and Anita Watson’s feather-dusting Dew Fairy another amusing creation. Colin Davis, unafraid to relish the icing on the cake, draws a warm, effulgent sound from the orchestra.’ Evening Standard

REGIONS: All Regions
LENGTH: 138 Minutes
FORMAT: PCM 2.0 PCM 5.1
LANGUAGE: German
SUBTITLES: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian