{"title":"Dinah Shore","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"donizetti-don-pasquale-sung-in-english","title":"DONIZETTI: Don Pasquale (Sung in English)","description":"Classical Music","brand":"Chandos","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":44712033059050,"sku":"095115301128","price":27.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/244180.jpg?v=1778382781"},{"product_id":"howard-shore-anthology-the-paris-concerts-1","title":"HOWARD SHORE: ANTHOLOGY - THE PARIS CONCERTS","description":"In my opinion, film music is one of the rare territories where a composer can write freely, providing that he chooses the films and subjects that suit his personality. This is the ideology that Howard Shore, one of the most innovative film composers, has embraced for more than 40 years. This album provides the perfect synthesis of three Paris concerts, which aimed to define the mysterious contours of the composer's multifaceted output. 2 CD Softpak with booklet included. NUMBER OF DISCS: 2","brand":"DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":45864382431466,"sku":"028948662340","price":30.42,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4404114-3377750.jpg?v=1778360488"},{"product_id":"howard-shore-anthology-the-paris-concerts-2","title":"HOWARD SHORE: ANTHOLOGY - THE PARIS CONCERTS","description":"In my opinion, film music is one of the rare territories where a composer can write freely, providing that he chooses the films and subjects that suit his personality. This is the ideology that Howard Shore, one of the most innovative film composers, has embraced for more than 40 years. This album provides the perfect synthesis of three Paris concerts, which aimed to define the mysterious contours of the composer's multifaceted output. Picture Disc 3 LP set in special 3-flap-butterfly gatefold with lyrics in Sindarin and English translation from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of The Ring. Limited Edition.","brand":"DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON","offers":[{"title":"Vinyl","offer_id":45873740284138,"sku":"028948663934","price":102.26,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4404115-3377751.jpg?v=1778351534"},{"product_id":"doin-what-comes-naturlly","title":"DOIN' WHAT COMES NATUR'LLY","description":"Vinyl LP pressing. Dinah Shore was one of the USA's most popular and successful entertainers, her peak recording career spanning the war years and the immediate post-war decades, when she also became a high-profile TV host with her own weekly Chevrolet-sponsored show, which more or less defined the USA in the 1950s. She was one of the very first female singers to come to prominence purely as a solo artist, rather than as a big band singer, and was such a prolific chart performer that, having had her first hit in 1939, she had racked up more than 50 hits by the end of the '40s, including memorable No.1s like \"I'll Walk Alone\", \"Anniversary Song\", \"The Gypsy\" and \"Buttons And Bows\". She continued scoring hits through what was often called the \"Golden age of popular music\" in the early '50s, scoring her final chart entry in 1960, by which time the rock 'n' roll and teen revolution had largely superseded artists of her generation. This fantastic 15 track LP provides a great introduction to Shore's prolific success by featuring the recordings which brought her greatest popularity. On top of her huge hits already mentioned, it also includes \"Candy\", \"Dear Hearts \u0026amp; Gentle People\", \"Baby It's Cold Outside\" and \"Sweet Violets\", all showcasing her distinctive style and talent and provides an entertaining and nostalgic celebration of an artist who was such a glamorous icon of her era.","brand":"ACROBAT","offers":[{"title":"Vinyl","offer_id":46012864561386,"sku":"824046168421","price":28.64,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4414400-3391186.jpg?v=1780940663"},{"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":"call-me-madam-dinah-shore-original-broadway-201232","title":"Call Me Madam \/ Dinah Shore \u0026 Original Broadway Cast","description":"\u003cp\u003eCall Me Madam is a pure adrenalin shot of circa-1950 zeitgeist, a screwball comedy pulled from the headlines with impeccable timing. The show was conceived as a vehicle for Ethel Merman, at that moment arguably the biggest star in Broadway musicals, and reunited her with Irving Berlin, composer\/lyricist of her blockbuster 1946 hit Annie Get Your Gun. A red-hot ticket when it opened on October 12, 1950 at the Imperial Theatre, Call Me Madam proved to be the blockbuster Merman and Berlin hoped for. They were in the very best of hands: George Abbott directed, Jerome Robbins choreographed and the casting was supervised by Abbott’s new young assistant, Harold Prince. The cast included an Oscar-winning leading man (Paul Lukas), the bright new presence of Russell Nype as Mrs. Adams’s lovelorn attaché and – as Merman’s underutilized understudy – the young Elaine Stritch. The capitalization for the entire show came from NBC and its record division, RCA Victor. Unfortunately a big problem loomed as Merman was under contract to Decca Records who refused to release her to star in what was sure to be a hit record.  Ultimately, RCA Victor turned to one of its hottest singers, Dinah Shore, to step into Merman’s shoes for the original cast recording. It rose to No. 6 on the Billboard album chart but by the late 1950s, it had been deleted from the catalog. The recording got an LP reissue in 1977 but it disappeared again until this Masterworks Broadway release, and is the first and only authorized CD version of RCA Victor’s Call Me Madam digitally remastered from the original tapes.  \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"RCA","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46015553994986,"sku":"887254277323","price":17.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3893237.jpg?v=1778279562"},{"product_id":"the-colon-ring-wagner-in-buenos-aires","title":"The Colon Ring - Wagner in Buenos Aires","description":"The composer's great-granddaughter was keen to stage Cord Garben's abridged version of the cycle at the Teatro Colin in Buenos Aires, but in the event things turned out rather differently. The present documentary provides a thrilling and visually memorable account of the long journey taken by this version from it's inception to the first night.","brand":"C Major Entertainment","offers":[{"title":"Blu-Ray","offer_id":46025388425450,"sku":"814337011291","price":26.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/2248389.jpg?v=1778319206"},{"product_id":"wagner-der-ring-des-nibelungen-great-scenes","title":"Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen - Great Scenes","description":"“This set is essential” concluded Gramophone of the Ring cycle when this 2008 production was issued complete. Christian Thielemann leads a performance of masterful pacing and burning conviction that features detailed interpretations from many of today’s most experienced interpreters of their complex and glorious roles.","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46025390686442,"sku":"809478090113","price":16.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/2165778.jpg?v=1778320225"},{"product_id":"britten-death-in-venice-gardner-graham-hall-169704","title":"Britten: Death In Venice  \/ Gardner, Graham-hall, Shore, Mead, Zaldivar","description":"\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan class=\"COMPOSER12\"\u003eBRITTEN \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12bi\"\u003eDeath in Venice \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"BULLET12\"\u003e • \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e Edward Gardner, cond; John Graham-Hall \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003e(Aschenbach);\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e Andrew Shore \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003e(Traveler, Elderly Fop, Old Gondolier, Hotel Manager, Hotel Barber, Leader of Players, Voice of Dionysus);\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e Tim Mead \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003e(Voice of Apollo);\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e English Natl Op O \u0026amp; Ch \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"BULLET12\"\u003e • \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e OPUS ARTE 1130 (DVD: 153:00) Live: London 6\/18, 21, 24\/2013 \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBenjamin Britten’s last opera, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eDeath in Venice\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, has never really caught on, except perhaps in England itself. It has appeared twice at the New York Met, but the last appearance was some 20 years ago. I don’t believe it ever sold out the house. Based on a rather pretentious novella by Thomas Mann, the story seemingly does not adapt well to the operatic stage. The main conflict is an internal one for the aged main character, Gustav von Aschenbach, between powerful homoerotic lust for a young boy and the desperate desire to maintain his dignity and moral rectitude. Scene changes are so numerous the opera requires 17 short tableaus, a stage director’s nightmare. Britten’s score is also rather quirky and austere as befits the story, and lacks much melody. There are really only three singing roles, although the chorus is quite busy in several of the tableaus. Most of the heavy lifting (or singing) is done by the old man and a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003edeus ex machina\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e who appears in several roles and seems to be propelling Aschenbach relentlessly to his fate (the title perhaps might reveal a clue as to that). Still in all, it is quite an engrossing drama to see once, and this English National Opera (ENO) production provides quite a good representation of it. \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAccolades should go to stage director Deborah Warner, set designer Tom Pye, and costume designer Chloe Obolensky for the rapid, efficient scene changes and the eye-catching look of the staging. Most of the action occurs in and around Venice: on the beach, in the hotel, and in the city itself. The evocative perception of these settings is conveyed cleverly yet opulently with only the judicious use of a few props and curtains. Aschenbach’s erotic interest, the young boy Tadzio, and his chums on the beach are portrayed by dancers, so that Britten has ample opportunity to employ the orchestra without bothering the singers. Aschenbach surreptitiously follows the boy’s Polish family around: the mother with her parasol, two daughters, the boy, and a governess, all mute roles. They reminded me of a family of ducks parading constantly back and forth across the stage. If one’s attention sometimes flags, it is due more to the story itself than ENO’s creative staging. \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNone of the singers is vocally challenged by Britten’s score, though perhaps taxed for stamina, so consummate actors are the order of the day. The difficult role of Aschenbach, with all his internal struggles, is rendered powerfully here by John Graham-Hall. If Graham-Hall is not always completely successful in communicating the heat of his obsessive passion for the boy (they never talk) or his internal agonizing, it is at least partly due to what he is given to sing. Although Britten always claimed his declamation was based on natural inflections of speech, much of it doesn’t sound very natural, at least to these non-Brit ears. The multiple roles of the rather enigmatic propeller of Aschenbach’s fate are a bit reminiscent of the multiple, but singularly sung, villains in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eTales of Hoffman\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. The role(s) is taken here by baritone Andrew Shore. Shore sings well and seems just creepy enough to give the story the proper feel of existential angst and ambiguity it requires. The third major singing role is that of the Voice of Apollo, the personification of Aschenbach’s rational and moral side, opposed to Shore’s Dionysus of licentious appetite. Sung here quite well by countertenor Tim Mead in one of the opera’s few arioso passages, the rather trite and overused convention of arguing inner voices at least retains some interest. As with many modern operas, Britten gives the orchestra a major role, and the ENO forces under Edward Gardner respond admirably (as do the choristers). Special mention also needs to be made of young dancer Sam Zaldivar, who portrays the boy Tadzio seductively, but with an athletic grace of movement. I watched with English subtitles, but they certainly weren’t necessary, diction is very clear and Britten never overpowers the singing with dense orchestration. Subtitles are also available in French, German, and Korean. \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFor a rather obscure opera, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eDeath in Venice\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e seems to have been served well on video. First came a 1981 Tony Palmer film that was supposed to give Britten’s life companion, tenor Peter Pears, his chance to record the role. In the event, Pears was invalided by a stroke and was replaced, apparently most admirably, by Robert Gard. Baritone John Shirley-Quirk is also mentioned as being very fine in the role of the Traveler, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eet al.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e There is also a 1990 Glyndebourne production, and a 2008 production from La Fenice in Venice itself, both of which received good reviews and both still available. I must confess I have seen none of these competitors. The La Fenice set is available in high definition Blu-ray, just as this Opus Arte disc. I may only have the inclination or opportunity to see \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eDeath in Venice\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e once, and this handsome and well-performed ENO production certainly proves a fine way to do so. Recommended. \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight:bold\"\u003eFANFARE: Bill White\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e    \u003c\/span\u003e","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46025391571178,"sku":"809478011309","price":32.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/2524847.jpg?v=1778308877"},{"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":"britten-death-in-venice-gardner-graham-hall-207522","title":"Britten: Death In Venice  \/ Gardner, Graham-hall, Shore, Mead, Zaldivar [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=1165486\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlso available on standard DVD\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Benjamin Britten\u003cbr\u003e  DEATH IN VENICE \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Gustav von Aschenbach - John Graham Hall\u003cbr\u003e  Traveller \/ Elderly Fop \/ Gondolier \/ Barber \/ Hotel Manger \/ Player \/ Dionysus - Andrew Shore\u003cbr\u003e  Apollo - Tim Mead\u003cbr\u003e  Tadzio - Sam Zaldivar\u003cbr\u003e  The Polish Mother - Laura Caldow\u003cbr\u003e  Two Daughters - Mia Angelina Mather \/ Xhuliana Shehu\u003cbr\u003e  The Governess - Joyce Henderson\u003cbr\u003e  Jaschiu - Marcio Teixeira\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  English National Opera Chorus and Orchestra\u003cbr\u003e  Edward Gardner, conductor\u003cbr\u003e  Deborah Warner, stage director\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Recorded live at the London Coliseum, June 2013 \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, Korean\u003cbr\u003e  Running time: 153 mins\u003cbr\u003e  No. of Discs: 1 (Blu-ray)\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"Blu-Ray","offer_id":46025568780522,"sku":"809478071419","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/2523687.jpg?v=1780169127"},{"product_id":"wagner-siegfried","title":"Wagner: Siegfried","description":"Classical Music","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46025913532650,"sku":"809478090038","price":41.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/1541345-2579035_4aaa69ee-8d0c-45e8-bae0-cf6311dade3c.jpg?v=1778337467"},{"product_id":"wagner-gotterdammerung-5","title":"Wagner: Gotterdammerung","description":"Classical Music","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46025913630954,"sku":"809478090045","price":41.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/1719318.jpg?v=1778333442"},{"product_id":"donizetti-elisir-damore-l-the-elixir-of-love-sung-in","title":"DONIZETTI: Elisir d'amore (L') (The Elixir of Love) (Sung in","description":"Classical Music","brand":"Chandos","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46027686871274,"sku":"095115302729","price":27.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/278996.jpg?v=1778347354"},{"product_id":"opera-in-english-rossini-the-barber-of-202497","title":"Opera In English - Rossini: The Barber Of Seville","description":"\u003cp\u003eRecorded in: Goldsmith's College, New Cross, London 9-14 August 1994 Producer(s) Brian Couzens Sound Engineer(s) Ralph Couzens Richard Smoker (Assistant) \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Chandos","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46027689558250,"sku":"095115302521","price":27.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/299649.jpg?v=1778347027"},{"product_id":"howard-shore-anthology-the-paris-concerts","title":"HOWARD SHORE: ANTHOLOGY - THE PARIS CONCERTS","description":"In my opinion, film music is one of the rare territories where a composer can write freely, providing that he chooses the films and subjects that suit his personality. This is the ideology that Howard Shore, one of the most innovative film composers, has embraced for more than 40 years. This album provides the perfect synthesis of three Paris concerts, which aimed to define the mysterious contours of the composer's multifaceted output. 2 LP set.","brand":"DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON","offers":[{"title":"Vinyl","offer_id":46055172767978,"sku":"028948662371","price":44.89,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4404116-3377749.jpg?v=1780079801"}],"url":"https:\/\/arkivmusic.com\/collections\/dinah-shore.oembed","provider":"ArkivMusic","version":"1.0","type":"link"}