{"title":"David Matthews","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDavid Matthews\u003c\/strong\u003e (b. 1943) - British orchestral, chamber composer. Signature works: \u003cem\u003eSymphony No. 4\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eString Quartet No. 10\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eIn the Dark Time\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"biber-h-i-f-sonatas-for-strings","title":"Biber, H.I.F.:  Sonatas for Strings","description":"Classical Music","brand":"Centaur Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":44712166162666,"sku":"044747261522","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/2243355.jpg?v=1778295559"},{"product_id":"at-cafe-de-copains","title":"AT CAFE DE COPAINS","description":"AT CAFE DE COPAINS","brand":"DELMARK","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":44930231337194,"sku":"038153202620","price":15.4,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/2053066.jpg?v=1778366689"},{"product_id":"sackman-n-scorpio","title":"Sackman, N.: Scorpio","description":"NIcholas Sackman's music is not limited by particular stylistic lines but within the freedom of contemporary expression uses traditional qualities of harmony, pitch and rhythm to engage with the performer and listener. More simply, just really good music.","brand":"Metier","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012874326250,"sku":"5060054460279","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/1922112_030f132c-b238-4883-8115-f64d2c6484cc.jpg?v=1778316786"},{"product_id":"verdi-rigoletto-opie-matthews-oneill-reggoli-australian-114734","title":"Verdi: Rigoletto \/ Opie, Matthews, O'Neill, Reggoli, Australian Opera [Blu-ray]","description":"\u003cb\u003eThis Blu-ray Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players and not compatible with standard DVD players.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"album.jsp?album_id=586906\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlso available on standard DVD\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e One of Opera Australia's best-loved productions. Inspired by Fellini's classic film La dolca vita, Verdi's dark melodrama is transposed into the world of modern day mafiosi. 'A classic production' (Sydney Morning Herald) 'A significant triumph' (The Opera Critic). \u003cbr\u003e Recorded in 2010\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Opera Australia","offers":[{"title":"Blu-Ray","offer_id":46013028597994,"sku":"5060266600098","price":32.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/1860574.jpg?v=1778392442"},{"product_id":"baroque-opera-classics-9-dvds-133162","title":"Baroque Opera Classics","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAlso available on Blu-ray\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Featuring some of the earliest operas in existence, this box set features Baroque Opera Classics. The set contains Handel’s Deidamia, Cavalli’s La Didone, and Ercole Amante,Pergolesi’s Adriano in Siria, Rameau’s Zoroastre, and Scarlatti’s Dove e Amore e Gelosia. These recordings from De Nederlandse Opera, Le Theatre de Caen, Pergolesi Spring Festival, Jesi, Ancona, and DNO are not to be missed.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46013070311658,"sku":"809478012047","price":53.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3314782.jpg?v=1778284652"},{"product_id":"delibes-lakme-2","title":"Delibes: Lakme","description":"Lakme, Delibes greatest opera, is performed by Opera Australia in all it's oriental glory. Starring the exquisite coloratura soprano Emma Matthews as the innocent girl priestess Lakme, and superb tenor Aldo Di Toro as the love-struck Gerald, the story tackles religion and cross-cultural love against a backdrop of British rule in India in the mid-19th century. French conductor Emmanuel Joel-Hornak brings out the full depth of the lush, dramatic score, with familiar high points being the beautiful renditions of the well-known Flower Duet and Bell Song. Dominica Matthews adds her rich voice as Mallika and Stephen Bennett is darkly dominating as Brahmin priest Nilakantha, Lakme's father, while Roxane Hislop is a consummate Mistress Bentson.","brand":"Opera Australia","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46013146300650,"sku":"5060266600319","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/1973742.jpg?v=1778310835"},{"product_id":"puccini-g-gianni-schicchi-rachmaninov-s-the-miserly","title":"PUCCINI, G.: Gianni Schicchi \/ RACHMANINOV, S.: The Miserly","description":"Alessandro Corbelli, Felicity Palmer, Maria McLaughlin, Massimo Giordano, Sally Matthews, and Sergei Leiferkus star in this production of the Puccini opera with Vladimir Jurowski conducting the London Philharmonic Orchestra.","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"Blu-Ray","offer_id":46013157605610,"sku":"809478070108","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/1411808.jpg?v=1778388702"},{"product_id":"baroque-opera-classics-7-blu-ray-discs-84132","title":"Baroque Opera Classics (7 Blu-ray Discs)","description":"\u003cb\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.arkivmusic.com\/classical\/album.jsp?album_id=2171750\"\u003eAlso available on DVD\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"Blu-Ray","offer_id":46013221961962,"sku":"809478071945","price":74.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3314783.jpg?v=1778385130"},{"product_id":"mozart-le-nozze-di-figaro-matthews-priante-256556","title":"Mozart: Le Nozze Di Figaro \/ Matthews, Priante, Murray, Ticciati, Glyndebourne","description":"\u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"album.jsp?album_id=975074\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlso available on Blu-ray\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Perhaps no opera is closely and affectionately associated with a single house as Le nozze di Figaro is with Glyndebourne. Effortlessly witty yet shot through with pain and sadness, this deeply ambivalent life in the day of masters and servants as they scheme and outwit one another was Glyndebourne’s opening production in 1934. Michael Grandage’s staging is the seventh, set in a louche Sixties ambience. Marshalled by the ‘ideal pacing’ of Robin Ticciati, a youthful cast of principals has ‘no weak link’ and ‘looks gorgeous’ (The Sunday Times) in a production that continues Glyndebourne’s rewarding history of engagement with Mozart’s and da Ponte’s ‘day of madness’.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart\u003cbr\u003e  LE NOZZE DI FIGARO\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Countess Almaviva – Sally Matthews\u003cbr\u003e  Figaro – Vito Priante\u003cbr\u003e  Count Almaviva – Audun Iversen\u003cbr\u003e  Susanna – Lydia Teuscher\u003cbr\u003e  Cherubino – Isabel Leonard\u003cbr\u003e  Bartolo – Andrew Shore\u003cbr\u003e  Marcellina – Ann Murray\u003cbr\u003e  Don Basilio – Alan Oke\u003cbr\u003e  Antonio – Nicholas Folwell\u003cbr\u003e  Don Curzio – Colin Judson\u003cbr\u003e  Barbarina – Sarah Shafer\u003cbr\u003e  First Bridesmaid – Ellie Laugharne\u003cbr\u003e  Second Bridesmaid – Katie Bray \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Glyndebourne Chorus\u003cbr\u003e  Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment\u003cbr\u003e  Robin Ticciati, conductor \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Michael Grandage, stage director \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Recorded live at Glyndebourne Festival, June 2012 \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Bonus:\u003cbr\u003e  - The Greatest Opera Ever Written\u003cbr\u003e  - From page to stage \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Picture format: NTSC 16:9\u003cbr\u003e  Sound format: LPCM 2.0 \/ DTS 5.1\u003cbr\u003e  Region code: 0 (worldwide)\u003cbr\u003e  Subtitles: English, French, German, Japanese, Korean\u003cbr\u003e  Running time: 180 mins\u003cbr\u003e  No. of DVDs: 2\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003eFULL REVIEW \u003cbr\u003eDespite some qualification, Glyndebourne’s new Figaro (summer 2012) is a delight. The curtain opens during the overture on the outside of a Spanish mansion—just what we might expect from an opera set on the outskirts of Seville—with shiny tiles, Moorish arches, and handsome latticework, and townsfolk bustling back and forth. It’s startling to see a circa late-1960s red sports car pull up and have the Almavivas get out: they’re coming home from somewhere or settling into their summer getaway. The Count is the very picture of not-such-great-taste, sporting a page-boy haircut and costumed in a velvet suit with bell-bottomed pants and a wide-lapelled, multi-colored shirt. He obviously is quite a swinging dude, and director Michael Grandage and his wonderful designer Christopher Oram have placed the opera in the decade of the flower children. Will this work? \u003cbr\u003eWe meet Figaro and Susanna, dressed more moderately (she would appear to be pregnant in a black outfit with white collar, but it’s never mentioned) and nicely familiar. She is spunky and he seems like a nice guy, and he certainly doesn’t like the fact that his boss wants to sleep with his fiancée, although she seems able to take care of herself. And why should Figaro like it? This is the 1960s or ’70s, and despite the fact that Franco is still in power, the Count’s request is not a feudal right; it’s nothing but bullying. And so Beaumarchais’ and da Ponte’s satire on class war no longer exists, and that tends to be the crux of the opera in its original setting. \u003cbr\u003eInstead, we get the never-ending battle of the sexes, a look at an unhappy marriage, and a rather nasty, wealthy guy with a sense of entitlement along with a pretty good comedy peopled by what seem like real people. During “Non piu andrai”, which Figaro sings while the Count is present, the two men hang out like chums, Figaro leaning with an arm on the Count’s shoulder. Susanna never curtsies and she seems genuinely concerned with cheering up the Countess. If you’re willing to forego the pre-Revolutionary subtext, you’ll have a fine time, especially watching the cast do the twist at the wedding and during the finale. The absolutely natural stage action eschews slapstick and vulgarity and the singers seem more than happy to adapt. Vito Priante’s Figaro, shorn of class anger, is a bit mild, but his stage presence and singing are extraordinary. Rhythmically precise throughout, he eats up “Aprite un po’…” in the last act and is superb in ensembles. Lydia Teuscher’s Susanna is a rich-voiced, non-soubrette, observant Countess-in-the-making; and of course, within this context she might some day have the same social standing. Sally Matthews, if she had a trill for the end of “Dov’e sono”, would be a perfect Countess: her predicament is very clear, and you sense that she wishes she were more lighthearted, more able to adjust to the swinging attitudes going on around her. The voice itself is a gorgeous, full lyric. Audun Iversen’s Count is a sloppy, privileged tyrant, all the more frustrated because no one will pay any attention to his nastiness. His singing is the least neat of all, but he’s a powerful presence. Isabel Leonard’s Cherubino is perfect—boyish and sassy and nimble. \u003cbr\u003eClass acts Ann Murray and Andrew Shore, both a bit vocally worn, are nonetheless a terrific Marzellina and Bartolo, and Alan Oke’s Basilio is snidely right-on. (Neither he nor Marzellina get their last-act arias.) Sarah Shafer is a fine Barbarina, looking to be about 14 years old. And as mentioned, Oram’s luxurious sets add to the special feel of the production. I’m somewhat stumped by Robin Ticciati’s conducting of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. The instruments are period but the approach is mid-20th century—not slow or heavy, really, but somehow lacking the zip we expect these days. The finale of Act 2 is wonderfully clear but lacks the “accidental” mania it should have. There are plenty of laughs from the Glyndebourne audience, but the whole affair is not the insane day Mozart envisioned. The preferred DVD versions are Pappano’s from Covent Garden (Opus Arte) and Jacobs’ (on BelAir); nonetheless, this new one is fresh and charming and a good bet. \u003cbr\u003e-- Robert Levine, ClassicsToday.com","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46013316006122,"sku":"809478011026","price":20.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/2248448.jpg?v=1778305522"},{"product_id":"mozart-le-nozze-di-figaro-ticciati-glyndebourne-109779","title":"Mozart: Le Nozze Di Figaro \/ Ticciati, Glyndebourne Festival [blu-ray]","description":"\u003cb\u003eThis Blu-ray Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players and not compatible with standard DVD players.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"album.jsp?album_id=975071\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlso available on standard DVD\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Perhaps no opera is closely and affectionately associated with a single house as Le nozze di Figaro is with Glyndebourne. Effortlessly witty yet shot through with pain and sadness, this deeply ambivalent life in the day of masters and servants as they scheme and outwit one another was Glyndebourne’s opening production in 1934. Michael Grandage’s staging is the seventh, set in a louche Sixties ambience. Marshalled by the ‘ideal pacing’ of Robin Ticciati, a youthful cast of principals has ‘no weak link’ and ‘looks gorgeous’ (The Sunday Times) in a production that continues Glyndebourne’s rewarding history of engagement with Mozart’s and da Ponte’s ‘day of madness’. \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart\u003cbr\u003e  LE NOZZE DI FIGARO\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  (Blu-ray Disc Version)\u003cbr\u003e  Countess Almaviva – Sally Matthews\u003cbr\u003e  Figaro – Vito Priante\u003cbr\u003e  Count Almaviva – Audun Iversen\u003cbr\u003e  Susanna – Lydia Teuscher\u003cbr\u003e  Cherubino – Isabel Leonard\u003cbr\u003e  Bartolo – Andrew Shore\u003cbr\u003e  Marcellina – Ann Murray\u003cbr\u003e  Don Basilio – Alan Oke\u003cbr\u003e  Antonio – Nicholas Folwell\u003cbr\u003e  Don Curzio – Colin Judson\u003cbr\u003e  Barbarina – Sarah Shafer\u003cbr\u003e  First Bridesmaid – Ellie Laugharne\u003cbr\u003e  Second Bridesmaid – Katie Bray \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Glyndebourne Chorus\u003cbr\u003e  Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment\u003cbr\u003e  Robin Ticciati, conductor \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Michael Grandage, stage director \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Recorded live at Glyndebourne Festival, June 2012 \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Bonus:\u003cbr\u003e  - The Greatest Opera Ever Written\u003cbr\u003e  - From page to stage \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Picture format: 1080i High Definition\u003cbr\u003e  Sound format: LPCM 2.0 \/ DTS 5.1\u003cbr\u003e  Region code: 0 (worldwide)\u003cbr\u003e  Subtitles: English, French, German, Japanese, Korean\u003cbr\u003e  Running time: 180 mins\u003cbr\u003e  No. of Discs: 1\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  REVIEWS\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Despite some qualification, Glyndebourne’s new Figaro (summer 2012) is a delight. The curtain opens during the overture on the outside of a Spanish mansion—just what we might expect from an opera set on the outskirts of Seville—with shiny tiles, Moorish arches, and handsome latticework, and townsfolk bustling back and forth. It’s startling to see a circa late-1960s red sports car pull up and have the Almavivas get out: they’re coming home from somewhere or settling into their summer getaway. The Count is the very picture of not-such-great-taste, sporting a page-boy haircut and costumed in a velvet suit with bell-bottomed pants and a wide-lapelled, multi-colored shirt. He obviously is quite a swinging dude, and director Michael Grandage and his wonderful designer Christopher Oram have placed the opera in the decade of the flower children. Will this work?\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  We meet Figaro and Susanna, dressed more moderately (she would appear to be pregnant in a black outfit with white collar, but it’s never mentioned) and nicely familiar. She is spunky and he seems like a nice guy, and he certainly doesn’t like the fact that his boss wants to sleep with his fiancée, although she seems able to take care of herself. And why should Figaro like it? This is the 1960s or ’70s, and despite the fact that Franco is still in power, the Count’s request is not a feudal right; it’s nothing but bullying. And so Beaumarchais’ and da Ponte’s satire on class war no longer exists, and that tends to be the crux of the opera in its original setting.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Instead, we get the never-ending battle of the sexes, a look at an unhappy marriage, and a rather nasty, wealthy guy with a sense of entitlement along with a pretty good comedy peopled by what seem like real people. During “Non piu andrai”, which Figaro sings while the Count is present, the two men hang out like chums, Figaro leaning with an arm on the Count’s shoulder. Susanna never curtsies and she seems genuinely concerned with cheering up the Countess. If you’re willing to forego the pre-Revolutionary subtext, you’ll have a fine time, especially watching the cast do the twist at the wedding and during the finale. The absolutely natural stage action eschews slapstick and vulgarity and the singers seem more than happy to adapt. Vito Priante’s Figaro, shorn of class anger, is a bit mild, but his stage presence and singing are extraordinary. Rhythmically precise throughout, he eats up “Aprite un po’…” in the last act and is superb in ensembles. Lydia Teuscher’s Susanna is a rich-voiced, non-soubrette, observant Countess-in-the-making; and of course, within this context she might some day have the same social standing. Sally Matthews, if she had a trill for the end of “Dov’e sono”, would be a perfect Countess: her predicament is very clear, and you sense that she wishes she were more lighthearted, more able to adjust to the swinging attitudes going on around her. The voice itself is a gorgeous, full lyric. Audun Iversen’s Count is a sloppy, privileged tyrant, all the more frustrated because no one will pay any attention to his nastiness. His singing is the least neat of all, but he’s a powerful presence. Isabel Leonard’s Cherubino is perfect—boyish and sassy and nimble.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Class acts Ann Murray and Andrew Shore, both a bit vocally worn, are nonetheless a terrific Marzellina and Bartolo, and Alan Oke’s Basilio is snidely right-on. (Neither he nor Marzellina get their last-act arias.) Sarah Shafer is a fine Barbarina, looking to be about 14 years old. And as mentioned, Oram’s luxurious sets add to the special feel of the production. I’m somewhat stumped by Robin Ticciati’s conducting of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. The instruments are period but the approach is mid-20th century—not slow or heavy, really, but somehow lacking the zip we expect these days. The finale of Act 2 is wonderfully clear but lacks the “accidental” mania it should have. There are plenty of laughs from the Glyndebourne audience, but the whole affair is not the insane day Mozart envisioned. The preferred DVD versions are Pappano’s from Covent Garden (Opus Arte) and Jacobs’ (on BelAir); nonetheless, this new one is fresh and charming and a good bet.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  -- Robert Levine, ClassicsToday.com\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e --------    \u003ctitle\u003e3722890.az_MOZART_Le_Figaro.html\u003c\/title\u003e  \u003cmeta http-equiv=\"Content-Type\" content=\"text\/html; charset=utf-8\"\u003e   \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan class=\"COMPOSER12\"\u003eMOZART \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12b\"\u003eLe nozze di Figaro \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"EXTRAS12\"\u003e\u0026amp; \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"BULLET12\"\u003e • \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e Robin Ticciati, cond; Vito Priante (\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003eFigaro\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e); Lydia Teuscher (\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003eSusanna\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e); Audun Iversen (\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003eAlmaviva\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e); Sally Matthews (\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003eCountess\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e); Isabel Leonard (\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003eCherubino\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e); Ann Murray (\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003eMarcellina\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e); Andrew Shore (\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003eBartolo\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e); Sarah Shafer (\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003eBarbarina\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e); Alan Oke (\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003eDon Basilio\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e); O of the Age of Enlightenment; Glyndebourne Ch \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"BULLET12\"\u003e • \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e OPUS ARTE 7118 (Blu-ray: 154:00+14:00) Live: Glyndebourne 2012 \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan class=\"EXTRAS12\"\u003e\u0026amp; \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003eLe Nozze di Figaro\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e: The Greatest Opera Ever Written? \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003eLe Nozze di Figaro\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e: From Page to Stage \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhat do we have here? A \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eMarriage of Figaro\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e where the noble couple arrive home in a snazzy Austin-Healey convertible; where the Susanna sports a 1950s-style maternity top and an obvious baby bump in her wedding dress; where the Count wears a velour-trousered leisure suit with bell bottoms, and shares a hand-rolled joint with his maid while trying to grope her; where the peasants at the festivities (along with the Count) dance the Twist and the Frug; where several of the characters look like they were outfitted on London’s Carnaby Street in the 1960s. We get all of that, along with some lavish Moorish-style sets and a historically informed pit band, in this 2012 Blu-ray video from the Glyndebourne Festival. Helped along by some excellent singing, it all proves quite satisfactory and highly entertaining. \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eI’m not sure a pregnant Susanna makes much more sense than a pregnant Juliet; after all, the Count is supposed to be trying to amorously seduce her, and is asked to attest to her virginal status prior to the wedding. But when a pregnant lead soprano turns up for work, I suppose the show must go on. The soprano in question, young German lyric Lydia Teuscher, does, in truth, look quite attractive and well worth seducing even in maternity garb, and the fine singing she brings to Susanna more than compensates for the slight loss in verity to Da Ponte’s libretto. In fact, all of the singing is quite excellent, down to the luxury casting of noted mezzo-soprano Ann Murray in the role of Marcellina. (Unfortunately, her act IV aria, along with Don Basilio’s, is cut.) Young Italian bass-baritone Vito Priante brings a rich and accurate instrument to Mozart’s title character, and his rather hyperkinetic acting has been toned down a bit by director Michael Grandage to more properly fit the production concept (and the close-up cameras). Aside from Murray, the best-known singer in the cast is probably British soprano Sally Matthews, who here is a quite lovely and enjoyable Countess and provides finely sung versions of “Porgi amor” and “Dove sono.” She also combines beautifully with Teuscher to sing a consummate “Sull’ aria,” one of my favorite duets in all opera. The Count with his 60s-style Mod haircut, mustache, and hippie style clothes, comes off as a bit ridiculous, robbing the character of any real menace, but baritone Audun Iversen also has a fine, rich voice, and brings a rather comedic swagger to the part. He also brings much avid physical contact to his enthusiastic pursuit of Susanna. (One might wonder why in the Act IV Garden Scene he fails to notice the lady he is embracing is minus the belly). Isabel Leonard continues her rapid climb to the top ranks with this lively and endearing portrayal of boy Cherubino; some say she steals the show here. Oh, and she can really sing, a joy to listen to. As usual for Glyndebourne, the smaller roles are finely cast as well. The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment provides a properly light touch in Mozart’s score, just as this wonderful little light comedy demands. \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThere are over 20 versions of this opera out on video, several fine ones among them. In Blu-ray format the field is much smaller. Perhaps the Covent Garden production from 2006 with Erwin Schrott in the title role is the equal to this one, I haven’t seen it, but it has gotten good reviews. As with nearly all Glyndebourne productions I have seen, they provide full value here with elegant sets, fine singers, and a well-rehearsed cast in a charming staging. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eLe Nozze\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is a bit of a special opera for the Festival, as it inaugurated the series back in 1934 with a cast including the owner’s wife, Audrey Mildmay. The Glyndebourne forces have done the opera full justice in this new production, and this entertaining Blu-ray set deserves to be highly recommended. \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight:bold\"\u003eFANFARE: Bill White \u003c\/span\u003e","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"Blu-Ray","offer_id":46025517793514,"sku":"809478071181","price":39.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/2248449.jpg?v=1778305488"},{"product_id":"mozart-die-entfuhrung-aus-dem-serail-matthews-71072","title":"Mozart: Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail \/ Matthews, Ticciati [Blu-ray]","description":"\u003cb\u003eThis Blu-ray Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players and not compatible with standard DVD players.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"album.jsp?album_id=2185586\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlso available on standard DVD\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail (The Abduction from the Seraglio) is a three act opera Singspiel by W. A. Mozart. With libretto by Christoph Friedrich Bretzner, the plot follows the attempt of Belmonte and his servant Pedrillo to rescue his Konstanze from the seraglio of Pasha Selim. This production comes from the Glyndebourne Chorus, and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenmnent conducted by Robin Ticciati. Director David McVicar has strived in this production to give an original-period version of the opera. The costuming from Vicki Mortimer and the sets add to the dazzling performance. “Mesmerising, sensitive, at times troublingly erotic, the whole thing forces us to rethink a remarkable work. Outstanding.” (The Guardian)\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"Blu-Ray","offer_id":46025610690794,"sku":"809478072041","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3387113.jpg?v=1778385960"},{"product_id":"mozart-die-entfuhrung-aus-dem-serail-matthews-71093","title":"Mozart: Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail \/ Matthews, Ticciati, Age of Enlightenment Orchestra","description":"\u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"album.jsp?album_id=2185588\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlso available on Blu-ray\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  A  \u003cb\u003eMusicWeb International\u003c\/b\u003e Recording of the Month\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail (The Abduction from the Seraglio) is a three act opera Singspiel by W. A. Mozart. With libretto by Christoph Friedrich Bretzner, the plot follows the attempt of Belmonte and his servant Pedrillo to rescue his Konstanze from the seraglio of Pasha Selim. This production comes from the Glyndebourne Chorus, and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenmnent conducted by Robin Ticciati. Director David McVicar has strived in this production to give an original-period version of the opera. The costuming from Vicki Mortimer and the sets add to the dazzling performance. “Mesmerising, sensitive, at times troublingly erotic, the whole thing forces us to rethink a remarkable work. Outstanding.” (The Guardian)\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  -----\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  REVIEW:\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  Like most opera lovers I have my favourite composers and operas. High on my list are Verdi and Mozart works, the latter's Le nozze di Figaro, one of the greatest operatic stage works in many peoples opinion, and Verdi’s Don Carlo feature at the top of my list. However, in the case of both named composers there is other of their works that I love dearly which do not feature so regularly in recordings, or live in the theatre. In the Mozart oeuvre Die Entführung aus dem Serail, a title often shortened to Il Seraglio, the harem in translation, features highly. After some years of relative neglect, perhaps out of mistaken political correctness relating to the impact of Muslim fundamentalism, this work has returned to favour. It is defined as a singspiel, a work of musical numbers interspersed by spoken dialogue. Perhaps to get away from the traditional and any other sensitivities, this renaissance has led to some rather quirky productions including one set on The Orient Express; yes, a train for a harem, any gimmick is possible for some directors and designers. I could not imagine how it could work and it didn’t (see review). Similarly, Opera North treated the work as slapstick (see review). I go back to the early 1980s when Glyndebourne produced elegant sets by William Dudley alongside a touring cast that brought the best out of Mozart’s creation and whilst not shirking a coloured harem guard, Osmin, complete with curled toe shoes and fez. That production, and elegant sets, were caught on film at the main Glyndebourne Festival and is available on DVD in 4:3 aspect (review). I found much to commend in a later production from Florence in 2002 by Eike Gramss with sets by Christoph Wagenknech and costumes by Catherine Voeffray. Issued in 2011 in now standard 16:9 screen aspect it impressed me to the extent that I gave it the imprimateur of a DVD of the month (review). Its timing of 136 minutes gives a clue to limitations that include severe slashing of much of the spoken dialogue. I had experience of a full dialogue version in a BluRay of Christof Loy’s minimalist production filmed in the Gran Teatre de Liceu in July 2011. However, I did not like the modern dress and minimalist set (review). Aware of this limitation, when I heard that David McVicar, a favourite director of mine, was to direct a new production at Glyndebourne in 2015, with the dialogue complete, I was more than a little interested to the extent I recently bought a copy of the DVD and which I review here.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  Die Entführung aus dem Serail was a groundbreaking work for Mozart. As an appendix, I recount the circumstances of the work’s creation and how it was a watershed in his compositional life. Meanwhile, let me state quite clearly that this performance and staging, complete with all the spoken dialogue, is the best I have seen and heard of this work in a long life of opera going. McVicar and his designer update the work as far as Mozart’s time, thus allowing a traditionalist staging and which is particularly opulent and apt. The characters are all in appropriate costume and the sets represent what we might expect of a seraglio and not far from that to be seen today in Granada, Spain, and built during the Ottoman Empire.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  One of the consequences of the inclusion of all the spoken dialogue is the importance of Franck Saurel, the actor who speaks the role of Pasha Selim. He does so with his vocal nuance and body language matching his acting, an altogether outstanding portrayal and indicating something as to why there are times when Sally Matthews’ Konstanze’s response to him is equivocal in respect of his sexual impact on her. However, she maintains her dignity and faithfulness to her lover, singing and acting outstandingly in all respects. She excels in the long recit and aria Traurigheit ward mir zum Lose and Martern aller Arten of Act I and shows her doughty character vocally in the second act in particular. As her suitor, who braves the pasha’s domain in pursuit of her, Edgaras Montvidas acts the somewhat starchy character well whilst not quite matching her in ideal vocal mellifluousness. The other two Europeans captured and working in the Pashas palace benefit from two excellent portrayals and performances from Mari Eriksmoen as Blonde, Konstanze’s maid, and the superb acting of Brenden Gunnell as her would be lover. The manner of his acting, particularly when seeking to spike Osmin’s ardour for Blonde, are quite magnificent. Then there is Osmin himself. Very often the role is somewhat marred by slapstick. Here, Tobias Kehrer creates a funny, but fearful character, such as Mozart must have had in mind for the role. The phrases roll off his tongue as he relishes the vocal and acted demands made on him.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  To conclude my enthusiasm and pleasure at this issue, I find the conducting by the flying fingers of conductor Robin Ticciati, and his period band forces, to be ideal accompanists throughout, as well as bringing an appropriate verve and vitality to the proceedings.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  – MusicWeb International (Robert J. Farr)","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46025656402154,"sku":"809478012153","price":26.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3387111.jpg?v=1778261675"},{"product_id":"mahler-symphonies-nos-7-9","title":"Mahler: Symphonies Nos. 7-9","description":"In a nearly unmatchable seven decades-plus of public exposure as a conductor of more than 150 orchestras that included nearly every major American orchestra, more than 5,000 concert appearances and 300 official recordings, Lorin Maazel can be said to have been one of the most important figures in 20th and early 21st c. music. His recordings of symphonic cycles of composer’s complete orchestral works include those of Beethoven, Brahms, Debussy, Schubert, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, and Richard Strauss, for which he won an astonishing ten Grands Prix du Disques. Another composer who figures prominently and importantly in his discography and concert performances is Gustav Mahler, to which this last of three issued sets of symphonies, recorded live with the Philharmonia Orchestra at London’s Royal Festival Hall, concluding a much-lauded symphony cycle, sees release on Signum Classics. “... it’s wonderfully stylish: that hesitant Viennese-style playing-around and a lovely warm string sound ...” (BBC Radio 3) “This second volume, along with the first, is a treasured set on my shelves. I cannot wait for the final volume, Symphonies 7-9.” (ClassicalSource)","brand":"Signum Classics","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46026539335914,"sku":"635212036228","price":41.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/2911299.jpg?v=1778301507"},{"product_id":"beethoven-symphony-no-9","title":"Beethoven: Symphony No. 9","description":"A recording of Ludwig van Beethoven's \"Ninth\" is always a great event, especially because the symphony's final chorus, Schiller's \"Ode to Joy\", is understood around the world as a plea for peace and international understanding. It was no coincidence that the catchy melody to the text \"Joy, beautiful spark of divinity\" was chosen as the Hymn of the European Union. This recording of Beethoven's great choral symphony under the direction of Bernard Haitink and with excellent instrumental and vocal soloists is not only an outstanding interpretation of the work but also very much an event in itself -because these recordings document Haitink's last ever concerts with the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks. Only a few months after his two Munich concerts on February 21 and 22, 2019, the great Dutch conductor -who celebrated his 90thbirthday on March 4 -announced the end of his career.","brand":"BR Klassik","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46027628478698,"sku":"4035719001808","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3738133-2523868.jpg?v=1778245357"},{"product_id":"basies-basement-count-basie-259863","title":"Basie's Basement \/ Count Basie","description":"Track Listing \u003cbr\u003e  1. Hey, Pretty Baby \u003cbr\u003e  2. Seventh Avenue Express \u003cbr\u003e  3. Walking Slow Behind You \u003cbr\u003e  4. Mister Roberts' Roost \u003cbr\u003e  5. Don't You Want a Man Like Me\u003cbr\u003e  6. South \u003cbr\u003e  7. You Call Yourself a Jungle King (I Found Out You Ain't a Doggone Thing) \u003cbr\u003e  8. Sophisticated Swing \u003cbr\u003e  9. House Rent Boogie \u003cbr\u003e  10. Basie's Basement \u003cbr\u003e  11. Brand New Wagon \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Personnel includes: Count Basie (piano); Jimmy Rushing (vocals); Preston Love, Rudy Rutherford, C.Q. Price, Earl Warren (alto saxophone); Paul Gonsalves, Buddy Tate (tenor saxophone); Jack Washington (baritone saxophone); Ed Lewis, Snooky Young, Harry \"Sweets\" Edison, Clark Terry, Jimmy Nottingham, Gerald Wilson (trumpet); Bill Johnson, Ted Donnelly, George Matthews, Eli Robinson, George Washington (trombone); Freddie Green (guitar); Walter Page (bass); Jo Jones, Butch Ballard (drums).\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Recorded between January 3 and December 12, 1947.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e But for the fact that it only has 11 tracks, this mid-priced compilation (not to be confused with the identically titled Bluebird collection covering Basie's early-'30s recordings with the Bennie Moten band) could easily get the highest rating. And this could be the place to start for any rock fans wondering what Basie was about, at least some of the time. This disc shows Basie and company (especially singer Jimmy Rushing) working in an R\u0026amp;B mode, doing such songs as Willie Dixon's \"You Call Yourself the Jungle King (I Found Out You Ain't a Doggone Thing),\" \"Hey, Pretty Baby,\" \"Brand New Wagon,\" and \"Walking Slow Behind You.\" Rushing and the band sound like they're pushing toward Chess Records' turf. And the astonishing thing is that they pull it off -- if these records had sold in any serious number, Basie and Rushing might have had a whole second career in R\u0026amp;B, right up there with Big Joe Turner. There's a minimum of annotation, and not all of the sound is quite perfect -- amazingly, the 1991 remastered \"Basie's Basement\" featured here has a click or two in evidence, for which there's no excuse. But the sound quality everywhere else is pretty much beyond reproach, and there's also one number here, \"Mister Roberts' Roost,\" a laidback instrumental prominently featuring Basie's piano, that's otherwise unavailable.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"RCA","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46027916017898,"sku":"078636106526","price":17.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3892910.jpg?v=1778280710"},{"product_id":"chosen-tunes-grace-cathedral-matthews-251291","title":"Chosen Tunes - Grace Cathedral \/ Matthews","description":"\u003cp\u003eIncludes work(s) by various composers.  Soloist: Susan Jane Matthews.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gothic","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46027925618922,"sku":"000334920623","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/551977.jpg?v=1778187183"},{"product_id":"the-pachelbel-canon-other-baroque-favourites-254563","title":"The Pachelbel Canon \u0026 Other Baroque Favourites","description":"\u003cp\u003eIncludes passacaglia(s) for keyboard by Georg Muffat.  Ensemble: Seattle Baroque Orchestra.  Conductor: Ingrid Matthews.  Soloist: Byron Schenkman.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Loft","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46039822958826,"sku":"617145101921","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/308200.jpg?v=1778816859"}],"url":"https:\/\/arkivmusic.com\/collections\/david-matthews.oembed","provider":"ArkivMusic","version":"1.0","type":"link"}