Famous for her Wagner recordings as Tosca, Regine Crespin is featured on this historical recording. This recording was taken on May 18, 1961 at the Covent Garden London. Along with the Wagner diva, the Orchestra and Chorus of the Royal Opera House performs here, conducted by Edward Downes.

PUCCINI: Messa di Gloria / Preludio Sinfonico

In 1996, Vox released a 4-CD set that included this, the original La Scala fiasco version of Madama Butterfly, as well as Puccini's revisions for Brescia and Paris. It was a fascinating release and fans of the opera immediately realized what had been wrong with the first version: The first act contained far too much "local color" in the form of music for Butterfly's relatives (there's even a drinking song for her uncle Yakuside), and the 90-minute last act, in addition to simply being too long in general, dragged out the overnight vigil, too abruptly went into Butterfly's lullaby to her child, and wasted an extra couple of minutes between Butterfly's final lines and her suicide--what on earth could she be doing? Puccini later trimmed away a great deal of fat, altered many, many notes and tonalities (it's a delight, actually, to note the differences), added Pinkerton's rueful "Addio fiorito asil" as well as Butterfly's heartbreaking recognition of Kate Pinkerton, and much more. (The ultimate "Ah! Morte!" at the close of her pathetic second-act narrative to Sharpless was an afterthought as well; originally her vision of returning to life as a geisha ends softly and less desperately.)

This is a very well sung performance. Bulgarian soprano Svetlana Katchour is a big lyric (going on spinto) with an attractive sound, her pitch is dead-center, the voice is well and evenly produced, and when her Italian isn't garbled, it's not bad. Her Butterfly is severely undercharacterized, however: she seems a bit shy in Act 1 and pretty unhappy in Act 2, but she never truly moves us as the greatest Butterflys (such as Dal Monte, Scotto, or Callas) do. Pity--the voice is marvelous. Tenor Bruce Rankin, having to make Pinkerton nothing but a cad (without his final, sympathetic aria), does so very well. His also is a lyric voice, but the sound is appealing, the technique in place, and a lively mind is clearly behind his interpretation. It will be nice to hear more of him.


Fredrika Brillemburg's Suzuki is right there with Butterfly, sympathetically and with nice tone in the Flower Duet. Baritone Heikki Kilpeläinen sounds very young for Sharpless, but it's a quality voice. Gunter Neuhold takes six minutes less in the first and 10 minutes less in the second act than Charles Rosekrans on Vox, and the latter hardly lags. I must admit that even though things occasionally do seem rushed on Naxos at 57 and 82 minutes respectively (per act), perhaps getting through them somewhat quickly is not such a bad idea. The Bremen Orchestra is very good, the chorus less so. Naxos' sound is excellent. The Vox performance featured an okay cast--no more. This new Naxos set is the one to own if you want the original, and fans of the opera (particularly at Naxos' price), will need this.
--Robert Levine, ClassicsToday.com

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

Also available on standard DVD

Giacomo Puccini
MADAMA BUTTERFLY
(Sferisterio Opera Festival, 2009) (NTSC)

Cio-Cio-San (Butterfly) – Raffaella Angeletti
F.B. Pinkerton – Massimiliano Pisapia
Suzuki – Annunziata Vestri
Sharpless – Claudio Sgura
Goro – Thomas Morris
Il Bonzo – Enrico Iori
Kate Pinkerton – Nino Batatunashvili
Il principe Yamadori – Enrico Cossutta

Coro Lirico Marchigiano ‘V. Bellini’
Marchigiana Philharmonic Orchestra
Daniele Callegari, conductor

Pier Luigi Pizzi, stage director, set and costume designer
Recorded live from Arena Sferisterio, Macerata, Italy, 2009.

Picture format: 1080p High Definition
Sound format: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Subtitles: Italian, English, German, French, Spanish, Chinese, Korean
Booklet notes: English, German, French
Running time: 137 mins
No. of Discs: 1

R E V I E W:

Opera at Macerata, which is located between the rivers Potenza and Chienti in Italy’s Marche region, has several significant advantages over other summer opera festivals in that country. Unlike other venues, such as Torre del Lago, Bergamo and Pesaro, its activities are not restricted to presenting the operas of a composer who lived there, or was born nearby. It sports two venues: the lovely Teatro Lauro Rossi, as it happens named after a composer born in the town and whose operatic oeuvre is becoming more recognised and the open air Sferisterio Arena. The mighty curved Arena Sferisterio was built in 1829 and seats over three thousand. The Arena was once the venue for a handball game called pallone al bracciale involving ricochets off its long wall, a feature that has presented some directors with too great a challenge. The year of this performance, 2009, was the forty-fifth season of operas in Macerata.

In recent years the Macerata season has had its difficulties. Following the appointment of the vastly experienced Pier Luigi Pizzi as its director, it has returned to past glories. He sees the vast space of the stage area as a challenge and varies its use to suit the work being presented. In Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda he used the long wall to advantage. In this Madama Butterfly, a more intimate opera, he focuses on the central stage for the main action, using only the width to show the arrival of individuals or the passing of processions.

The set is focused on a small traditional Japanese home with its sliding windows allowing for rapid change of scene and space. In front of the house is an area of raised decking and there are long walkway approaches from each side. In other words it is a traditional set in the best meaning of the words, completely unlike that from Torre del lago in its fiftieth anniversary year when I could not place the venue and Butterfly had to live in the open air. Pizzi not only directs, but is responsible for the sets and traditional costumes to produce a fully integrated whole. In his composition Puccini was keen to convey Japanese culture via his music and went to a great deal of trouble to hear and integrate ethnic tunes into his creation. Daniele Callegari on the rostrum of the orchestra, who are placed in front of the stage and lower down, does full justice to the Japanese motifs as well as the lyrical and dramatic moments.

Despite taking care to represent the Japanese ambience, Puccini seemed not to take on board the age of Butterfly in David Belasco’s play that he had seen in London when visiting for the premiere of his Tosca in that city in 1900. The libretto, the third of a great trio created for him by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica, clearly states Butterfly’s age at fifteen. Realistically, no light-toned soprano can sing the music he wrote for the part that needs a strong lyric soprano moving towards a spinto-sized voice; such voices rarely come associated with young faces and figures. In the title role of this production Raffaella Angeletti sings with bright forward lyric tone and with all the necessary heft to ride the dense orchestral colour that Puccini demands. Medium to tall and angular, her facial features are a little too old - for which she compensates by her convincing acting and expressive singing. Her un bel di, vedramo (CH.17) is well phrased and articulated whilst she brings a breadth of tonal colour to the dramatic last scene as Butterfly realises that Pinkerton has married and has come, with his wife, to take their child to a better life in America. The caddish Pinkerton of Massimiliano Pisapia benefits considerably by his smart white high-collared navy uniform. It disguises his rather plump figure and unappealing features. His tenor is strong, but without much grace of phrasing. The director highlights Pinkerton’s true character from the beginning when he has him pass dollar bills to all and sundry to facilitate the supposed marriage to Butterfly. This Pinkerton has few, if any, redeeming moral standards; he knows what he is doing and intends to do with his child bride, on the wedding night and in the future. Sharpless, the American Consul and the fall guy who has to try clear up the mess of the relationship is sung by Claudio Segura with strong expressive tone. His tall and physically imposing physique is a great benefit to his well thought out and realised characterisation. Annunziata Vestri's acting as Suzuki is a little understated at first, but comes into her own as she faces her duties in the final scene and particularly in the ultimate harrowing dénouement.

All the minor roles play a full and involved part in the realisation of Pier Luigi Pizzi’s vision of this work with the Goro of Thomas Morris scurrying about and Enrico Iori an imposing Bonze. The chorus and orchestra under Daniele Callegari are a tower of strength, whilst the video director is sensitive in his choice of angles whilst using close-ups with circumspection. The sets, production and video direction disguise the challenges posed by the venue and which are superbly overcome in this naturalistic production.

The singing and orchestral sound is clear and well balanced with the audience applause muted by their distance from the stage action in this open-air performance. The picture definition is first class.

-- Robert J Farr, MusicWeb International

Madama Butterfly (Recorded Live 1959)

Although one of his most consistently lyrical operas, La rondine (The Swallow) remains one of Puccini’s least known. Dissatisfied with the result of his work, Puccini wrote three versions, with two different endings, and continued to make further revisions up to his death in 1924. The innovative 2007 production at the Torre del Lago Giacomo Puccini Festival, presented on this DVD, is in effect a fourth version, which combines Acts I and II of the first version (1917), with Lorenzo Ferrero’s 1994 orchestration of parts of the Finale of Act III of the incomplete third version (1921), some of which had survived only in piano score, as well as Ruggero’s Act I romanza, Parigi è la città dei desideri, from the second version (1920).

With a sparkling score reminiscent of Franz Lehár and Richard Strauss, La rondine, set in mid-19th century Paris, tells the story of Magda de Civry, a young courtesan who falls in love one evening with Ruggero Lastouc, the handsome son of a childhood friend of her protector, Rambaldo Fernandez. Although Magda believes that her compromised social position prevents their marrying, in Puccini’s third version it is Ruggero who leaves Magda when he discovers that she is the mistress of Rambaldo. - Naxos

Giacomo Puccini
LA RONDINE

Magda – Svetla Vassileva
Lisette – Maya Dashuk
Ruggero – Fabio Sartori
Prunier – Emanuele Giannino
Rambaldo – Marzio Giossi
Périchaud – Fernando Ciuffo
Gobin – Giorgio Berrugi
Crébillon – Andrea Patucelli
Yvette – Polina Volfson
Bianca – Alessandra Meozzi
Suzy – Annunziata Vestri
Fleury – Katia De Sarlo
Mariette – Chang Chiung Wen
Roro – Elisabetta Lombardo
Un maggiordomo – Alessando Manghesi

Puccini Festival Chorus and Orchestra
Alberto Veronesi, conductor

Recorded live from the 53rd Puccini Festival, Torre del Lago, Italy, on 8, 10 and 16 August 2007

Picture format: NTSC 16:9
Sound format: Dolby Digital 2.0 / Dolby Surround 5.0
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Subtitles: English, Italian
Running time: 111 mins

Classical Music

With this "Girl of the Golden West" Dynamic begins a new collaboration with Teatro San Carlo of Naples. This is a new production by Hugo De Ana (who provided sets, costumes and direction), conducted by Juraj Valcuha, who was recently appointed Musical Director of the theatre. A great cast revolves around Emily Magee, the American star from New York City in the title role (Minnie). In this opera she is the only girl in a world of men. The three-act opera “Girl of the Golden West” by Giacomo Puccini with libretto by Guelfo Civinini and Carlo Zangarini is based on the play of the same name by American author David Belasco. While the work lacks some of the showstopping characteristics that some of Puccini’s other operas have, the work has been admired since its premiere for its impressive orchestration and for a score that is more melodically integrated than is typical of his previous work. The opera premiered in 1910 at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, and Puccini deemed it one of his greatest works.

puccini tebaldi; gianni poggi;manuel ausensi;nedda rovero;guilio neri;alberto albertini; nov. 1954 bacelona live la boheme

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

Also available on standard DVD

Giacomo Puccini
LA BOHEME
(Blu-ray Disc Version)

Rodolfo – Diego Torre
Marcello – Vasilij Ladjuk
Mimì – Marita Sølberg
Musetta – Jennifer Rowley
Colline – Giovanni Battista Parodi
Schaunard – Espen Langvik
Benoit / Parpignol / Alcindoro / Toll Gate Keeper / Death – Svein Erik Sagbråten

Norwegian National Opera Children’s Chorus
(chorus master: Edle Stray-Pedersen)
Norwegian National Opera Chorus and Orchestra
(chorus master: David Maiwald)
Eivind Gullberg Jensen, conductor

Stefan Herheim, stage director
Heike Scheele, set and costume designer
Anders Poll, lighting designer

Recorded live at Oslo Opera House on 31 January and 4 February 2012

Bonus:
- Cast gallery
- Interviews

Picture format: 1080i High Definition
Sound format: LPCM Stereo / DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Subtitles: English, French, German, Korean, Spanish, Italian
Running time: 127 mins
No. of Discs: 1 (Blu-ray)

Also available on Blu-ray "The director Stefan Herheim creates productions that are larger than life: intellectually charged but joyously theatrical... Mr. Herheim deconstructs the traditional sets of the company’s previous production... Mimi dies of cancer at the start, and the opera is reconfigured as Rodolfo’s refusal to admit it. The production is a surreal, moving experience: sometimes mystifying but ultimately haunting." -- Zachary Woolfe, The New York Times [11/20/2012]

Giacomo Puccini
LA BOHEME

Rodolfo – Diego Torre
Marcello – Vasilij Ladjuk
Mimì – Marita Sølberg
Musetta – Jennifer Rowley
Colline – Giovanni Battista Parodi
Schaunard – Espen Langvik
Benoit / Parpignol / Alcindoro / Toll Gate Keeper / Death – Svein Erik Sagbråten

Norwegian National Opera Children’s Chorus
(chorus master: Edle Stray-Pedersen)
Norwegian National Opera Chorus and Orchestra
(chorus master: David Maiwald)
Eivind Gullberg Jensen, conductor

Stefan Herheim, stage director
Heike Scheele, set and costume designer
Anders Poll, lighting designer

Recorded live at Oslo Opera House on 31 January and 4 February 2012

Bonus:
- Cast gallery
- Interviews

Picture format: NTSC 16:9
Sound format: LPCM Stereo / DTS 5.1
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Subtitles: English, French, German, Korean, Spanish, Italian
Running time: 127 mins
No. of DVDs: 1 (DVD 9)

Also available on Blu-ray

This sensational new production of La Boheme, the inspired concept of director Gale Edwards, is set in early 1930s Berlin, a city of liberal indulgence, glittering Spiegeltents and glitzy cabaret clubs, where no excess is considered too much. But the world of the Bohemians, romantically playing at being poor, forgets the truth of real poverty and its consequences. Charismatic Ji-Min Park gives a stunning performance as Rodolfo, the poet who falls in love with Mimi, played by Takesha Meshe Kizart, who delivers a dazzling version of the impoverished working girl. In the Cafe Momus Taryn Fiebig sings seductively as the beautiful Musetta. Renowned conductor Shao-Chia Lu draws from the orchestra and chorus a magnificent performance of Puccini's lush score.

Featuring:

Ji-Min Park (Rodolfo), José Carbó (Marcello), David Parkin (Colline), Shane Lowrencev (Schaunard), Takesha Meshé Kizart (Mimi), Taryn Fiebig (Musetta), John Bolton Wood (Benoit), Adrian Tamburini (Alcindoro), Benjamin Rasheed (Parpignol), Malcolm Ede (Customs Sergeant), Clifford Plumpton (Customs Officer)

Opera Australia Chorus, Michael Black (Chorus Master), Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra, Huy-Nguyen Bui (Associate Concertmaster), Shao-Chia Lü (Conductor), Gale Edwards (Director)

Format: LPCM Stereo, DTS 5.1
Subtitles: English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Korean
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Number of DVDs: 1

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

Also available on standard DVD


This release is a delight, a relay from Covent Garden which was, as far as I’m aware, broadcast live into cinemas last December. It features their current production which has been doing the rounds since the early 1970s, here revived by the original director himself. Copley’s production is traditional and beautiful, its chief concern being to tell the story directly. In December 2009 some criticised it for looking a little worn and shabby. Don’t believe a word of it! In the close-up of the screen it looks neat, fresh and as good as new, every piece of furniture and inch of set design serving the purpose of the drama nicely. The garret is well designed on two levels so that the most intimate action takes place closest to the audience, away from the busyness of the entries and exits. The Barrière d’Enfer looks beautiful with its warm looking tavern and gently falling snow. The Cafe Momus is uncrowded and easy on the eye, though the action in the street outside seems rather cramped. Costumes and sets place us firmly in Paris in the 1830s and there is nothing to detract from the basic narrative. Some might find this unimaginative, but there is a lot to be said for telling a story well and this is certainly one production (or, by extension, DVD) to which I would happily take a newcomer to opera.

The cast of singers are all young up-and-comings, but they are all the better for that. Bohème is all about the energy of youth and the excitement of young love, and this cast all look the part as well as sounding great. Hibla Gerzmava is a lovely Mimi, lyrical and vulnerable with a very beautiful voice: she is at her best during the parting duet of Act 3. Teodor Illincai is a very fine Rodolfo with a great ring to his voice and lots of youthful ardour. Strangely, though, Che gelida manina is probably the weakest point of his performance as he attacks from below the note – a shame as the top of his voice is thrilling. Inna Dukach is a characterful Musetta, her bright, slightly sharp soprano contrasting well with Gerzmava’s. Viviani is a warm, likeable Marcello, powerful in Acts 2 and 3 and very moving in the duet at the start of Act 4. Kostas Smorginias is of rather pale voice until the Raincoat aria which he sings with strength, and Jacques Imbrailo’s Schaunard is lovely of presence and voice. Benoit and Alcindoro are acted well by two stalwarts who love every minute of it.

Like his cast, conductor Andris Nelsons brings youth, vigour and energy to this ever-young score. The pulse of the first Act is infectious and the great crashes that begin and end Act 3 are razor-sharp. The orchestra play this most familiar of scores as if it were the only performance they would ever give, enthusiasm and virtuosity coming through in every bar. They are helped in this by production values of the highest order: the DTS sound, in particular, is outstandingly clear and well-separated without drawing attention to itself. The picture is also crystal-clear and the camera-work is effective and entirely non-intrusive.

Opus Arte’s usual high standards are maintained in the presentation and title menus, and there are brief interviews with Nelsons and Copley about the production. There are many Bohèmes available on DVD, but this one is as recommendable as any, and it feels good to be able to say this about such a home-grown product. Covent Garden have kept this production for so long because it works so well, and I think that anyone with this DVD in their collection would feel the same way.


-- Simon Thompson, MusicWeb International

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J Regions: All regions
Picture Format: 1080i High Definition / 16:9
Sound Type: 2.0 LPCM & 5.1 DTS Surround
Subtitles: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian

Rodolfo: Teodor Ilincai
Mimì: Hibla Gerzmava
Marcello: Gabriele Viviani
Musetta: Inna Dukach
Colline: Kostas Smoriginas
Schaunard: Jacques Imbrailo
Benoit: Jeremy White
Alcindoro: Donald Maxwell
Royal Opera Chorus
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Conductor: Andris Nelsons
Director: John Copley

Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, in December 2009

Extra features:
Cast gallery
Interview with Jonathan Copley
Interview with Andris Nelsons

John Copley’s enduring production of one of the most famously melodious and popular of all operas is a classic of the Royal Opera repertory. With historically accurate designs by Julia Trevelyan Oman and an excellent cast headed by Hibla Gerzmava and Teodor Ilincai, this 2009 revival, in which conductor Andris Nelsons makes a distinguished Royal Opera House debut, does full justice to Puccini’s masterpiece. Filmed in High Definition and recorded in true surround sound.

Regions: All regions
Picture Format: 16:9 Anamorphic
Sound Type: 2.0 LPCM & 5.1 DTS Surround
Subtitles: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian

Rodolfo: Teodor Ilincai
Mimì: Hibla Gerzmava
Marcello: Gabriele Viviani
Musetta: Inna Dukach
Colline: Kostas Smoriginas
Schaunard: Jacques Imbrailo
Benoit: Jeremy White
Alcindoro: Donald Maxwell
Royal Opera Chorus
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Conductor: Andris Nelsons
Director: John Copley

Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, in December 2009

Extra features:
Cast gallery
Interview with Jonathan Copley
Interview with Andris Nelsons

"[Ilincai] gave a thoroughly assured and engaging performance. ... Sumptuously sung, Gerzmava’s portrayal was sensitive and wellrounded – timid yet warm and attractive in her first scene with Rodolfo, intimate rather than melodramatic in her final death-bed moments."
Classical Source

Puccini: La bohème (Recorded Live 1961)