This interactive program gives the viewer an opportunity to sing along with 10 of the most famous Arias from the Gilbert and Sullivan Savoy Operas. The viewer has the option of singing alone with the orchestra or with the complete musical arrangement.
A sparkling personality on the contemporary dance scene, Swedish choreographer Alexander Ekman has been invited for the first time to work with the dancers of the Paris Opera Ballet. His language, both visceral and tinged with humor, combining theatricality, and classical and contemporary vocabulary alike, perfectly resonates with the incredible versatility and stage presence of the Ballet: the result is Play, a piece that evokes the world of childhood and its careless pleasures. But beyond pure entertainment, this performance contemplates the meaning and the importance of play when we become adults. Best known for the spectacular quality of his pieces and their dreamlike imagery, like for instance his Midsummer Night’s Dream, the Swedish choreographer fills the stage of the Palais Garnier with an entrancing energy. The metallic structures, dancers suspended in space, and the elevations are but a few of the powerful images that will strike the audience’s imagination! For this new creation, Alexander Ekman worked with his acolyte composer Mikael Karlsson, but also with a talented team of instrumentalists not often seen on the stage of the Palais Garnier, among which gospel singer Callie Day, or the incredible percussionist Adelaïde Ferriere. An unexpected performance, carried along by enticing rhythms and communicative energy!
As seen on PBS, the San Francisco Symphony's ongoing series, Keeping Score, explores Berlioz's romantic masterpiece, Smymphonie Fantastique. This orchestral sonic spectacular, written to win the heart of a beautiful actress, demanded sacrifice from it's author and his audience. From romantic daydreams to displays of devotion, the symphony relates an "episode in the life of an artist," that artist being the love-obsessed composer himself. This DVD includes as a bonus a full-length concert performance of Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique.
Shostakovich may have hidden a subversive cipher beneath the surface of his life-saving Symphony No. 5. After his opera Lady MacBeth was publically condemned as immoral by Pravda, the Soviet newspaper, Shostakovich knew he only had one chance to redeem himself. When he penned this fifth symphony, the composer was literally writing for his life. Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony explore the hidden language of this masterwork. As a bonus, the DVD includes a full-length concert performance of this symphony.
Sarah Lamb and Vadim Muntagirov star as tragic lovers Manon and Des Grieux in this performance of Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon, a classic of the Royal Ballet repertory. Nicholas Gerogiadis’s period designs set the ballet in the contrasting worlds of Paris Luxury and Louisiana swampland, while the intense emotion of MacMillan’s choreography is complemented by a score drawn from Massenet’s music. The impassioned pas de deux from Manon and Des Grieux drive this tragic story, and make Manon one of MacMillan’s most powerful dramas. “Kenneth MacMillan’s retelling of Abbe Prevost’s cautionary tale of a young man brought low by an amoral young beauty has been a mainstay of the Royal Ballet repertoire since 1974. The current revival is vividly played and danced by some first-rate casts.” (The Financial Times)
This collection brings together three extraordinary ballets by Kenneth MacMillan, one of the 20th century’s most influential choreographers whose work forms a pillar of The Royal Ballet’s repertory. MacMillan pushed the boundaries of dance, and these three signature works exemplify his searching genius: the emotional intensity and rich physicality of his choreography, through vivid crowd scenes and passionate pas de deux; the daring and the darkness of his complex and fascinating characters; and the mesmerizing, sensuous music to which his steps were always created. Filmed in High Definition and recorded in true Surround Sound. "Lovers of classical ballet should, without question, go and see the Royal Ballet’s magnificent production of Manon. Ballet sceptics, meanwhile, should see it at least twice." (The Telegraph - Manon) "Such is the breathtaking impact of this production, with consistent excellence to savour from both principals and the corps, magnificent costumes and stage scenery and spot-on camera direction from Ross MacGibbon that criticism is effectively silenced. If you have been waiting for a truly outstanding Romeo and Juliet to appear on Blu-ray, then look no further." (International Record Review - Romeo & Juliet)
King & Country: Shakespeare's Great Cycle of Kings
Opus Arte
DVD
$71.99Apr 29, 2016
Gregory Doran directs King and Country: Shakespeare's Great Cycle of Kings- the complete cycle of Richard II, Henry IV, Pts. 1 & 2, and Henry V. David Tennant plays the title role in Richard II, with Antony Sher and Jasper Britton as Falstaff and Henry IV respectively in Henry IV, Pts. 1 & 2. Alex Hassell follows his performance as Prince Hal in Henry IV, Pts. 1 & 2 as Henry V in the final play in the tetralogy.
"A definitive production of a great play" - Daily Mail on Richard II
"Gregory Doran's productions are a triumphant achievement." - Times on Henry IV, Pts. 1 & 2
Sound Format: 2.0LPCM, 5.1 DTS Subtitles: EN/FR/GE (Except Henry V with EN only) Region Code: 0 (Worldwide) Running Time: 663 mins
This new Christmas DVD was recorded in the stylishly distinctive setting of Jerwood Hall in LSO St Luke’s, London.
The King’s Singers are world-renowned for their live performances, and this concert captures the charm and skill that you’d expect from a group of this calibre. It is a musical treat as well as a visual one, recorded in both CD quality stereo and in 5.1 surround sound.
The DVD also features a 10-minute bonus documentary feature, titled “Life as a King’s Singer”.
The police action" known as the Korean War was initiated after North Korea invaded South Korea. While it never garnered the same attention as WWI or WWII, nearly 150,000 servicemen were either killed or wounded in it and yet it somehow remains a footnote in the annals of American history. This intriguing documentary series brings the whole bloody story into clear focus, combining interviews with veterans, rare combat footage and much more! 22 episodes on 4 DVDs. 1950-1953/color-B&W/5 hrs., 13 min/NR/full screen.
Erich Wolfgang Korngold regarded Das Wunder der Heliane as his greatest work, but the opera has been neglected since its premiere in 1927. This 2018 production from the Deutsche Oper Berlin features the American soprano Sara Jakubiak as Heliane, and the American tenor Brian Jagde as The Stranger in the award-winning director Christof Loy’s acclaimed staging. The Orchestra and Chorus of the Deutsche Oper Berlin deliver the large forces required for this hyper-Romantic opera, under the baton of Dutch National Opera’s chief conductor Marc Albrecht.
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REVIEWS:
Das Wunder der Heliane is Korngold’s most extravagant stage work and one that he considered to be his greatest score. Written for a huge ensemble, masterfully used, the music possesses voluptuous sweep and hyper-Romanticism. Its intensity is emphasised through an intoxicating array of effects, propulsive rhythms and glorious vocal lyricism, its arc of climaxes building from one act to another. This revelatory new Berlin staging in 2018 enjoyed an unprecedented 20-minute ovation at its premiere.
– Opera Lounge
The performance is conducted with all the necessary full-blooded fervour by Marc Albrecht, and Korngold’s score emerges in all its richly chromatic, glittering tonality and overheated intensity.
Korngold: Die tote Stadt / Kaufmann, Petersen, Petrenko, Bayerisches Staatsorchester
Bayerische Staatsoper Recording
DVD
$39.99Aug 06, 2021
Winner of a 2022 Gramophone Award!
The premiere of Korngold's Die tote Stadt at the Bayerische Staatsoper in 2019 was praised both by press and audiences. Marlis Petersen (Marie/Marietta) and Jonas Kaufmann (Paul) sang the main roles, with the Bayerisches Staatsorchester under Kirill Petrenko's baton, in the intense staging by Simon Stone. After opening night, Joshua Barone wrote in the NY Times: “[The] work's comeback may have reached its peak at the Bavarian State Opera. It’s difficult to imagine a better case for Die tote Stadt than was made in Munich.” The boundary between dream and reality dissolves as Paul, mourning his dead wife Marie, meets the dancer Marietta. With her looks so similar to Marie’s, Marietta becomes the object of the projection of Paul’s erotic desires. Following a nerve-wracking “vision”, Paul is finally reeled back to reality and he can leave Bruges as the place of his death cult.
The original title of the piece, “Triumph des Lebens”, is symbolic of the main character’s personal development. Just a few weeks before the successful world premiere of Die tote Stadt, none other than Puccini himself described Korngold as the “greatest hope of new German music”. Because of their melodic urgency, arias such as “Glück, das mir verblieb (Marietta's Lute Song)” and “Mein Sehnen, mein Wähnen (Pierrot's Song)” have found a home among the concert repertoires of many opera singers and radiate far beyond the fame of Die tote Stadt. This production is the first AV release on our newly launched label.
Erich Wolfgang Korngold was a child prodigy whose early genius was recognized and admired by the likes of Gustav Mahler and Giacomo Puccini. His musical style, deeply affected by music for the theatre, possessed great lyrical breadth; he managed to develop his own voice by blending all the different influences he absorbed in Vienna during his studies. The advent of Nazism in 1934 forced him to seek refuge in the United States, where he became the first composer of film scores, winning two Oscars and marking a milestone in the Hollywood film industry. Teatro Regio di Torino has contributed to the rediscovery of this precious one-act opera by staging its Italian premiere. Violanta is Korngold's second opera, which the composer wrote in 1914 at the age of 17. It was premiered with great success at Munich’s Hoftheater on 28 March 1916, and a few days later in Vienna. The influence of the Austrian capital is key to understanding Korngold’s style. From the late 1800s to the early 1900s Vienna was a place of contrasts: nostalgia for the past and innovative trends; conservatism and creative energy. Korngold grew up in this environment, absorbing various influences which are all present in Violanta, making this opera a sort of 'small-scale Vienna'. Pier Luigi Pizzi, stage director, costume and lighting designer for this production, chose to set the action at the beginning of the 1920s in a decadent Venice, where distant echoes of a melancholic Carnival add a sense of gloom to the whole performance.
Playing on Fritz Kreisler’s own ‘Bergonzi’ violin (c. 1740), Henning Kraggerud presents a program of Kreisler’s compositions for violin. + Filmed in the intimate surroundings of Oslo’s historic ‘Old Lodge’, this is a world premiere recording of many of these arrangements for violin and orchestra. + Mr. Kraggerud introduces the works himself, and leads the Oslo Camerata in a sparkling, thrilling concert. + Fritz Kreisler (1875-1962), one of the greatest violinists of his, or any other, generation, also performed many lovely, little works in the style of past, obscure composers to whom he gave attribution that he slyly kept the public from learning that the pieces had, in fact, been composed by him. + Violinist, violist, composer, and director Henning Kraggerud is a naturally gifted artist who combines an unusually sweet and colorful tone with intelligent expression and impressive virtuosity. + He is Professor at the Barratt Due Institute of Music in Oslo.
Directed by Stefano Mazzonis Di Pralafera. Starring Priscille Laplace, Filippo Adami, Alberto Rinaldi. Actors: Anna Maria Panzarella, Priscille Laplace, Filippo Adami, Alberto Rinaldi, Rinaldo Alessandrini, Directors: Stefano Mazzonis di Pralafera, Fabrice Levillain, Writers: Baldassare Galuppi, Giovanni Bertati. customer review - "I loved every minute of this opera. I don't know what Galuppi had access to in order to write such perfection. For me it was as if the entire opera was a continuous brain orgasm. Better than drugs really. (Speaking metaphorically - of course). Packed with good humor and interest."
La Bête et la Belle is renowned French choreographer Kader Belarbi's compelling reimagining of the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast - a psychological drama that explores the rejection or acceptance of difference, centring around Beauty's discovery of the depth of true love. First performed by the Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal in 2005. Théâtre du Capitole's reprise of Belarbi's acclaimed production has confirmed its status as among the best of modern ballets, combining stunning set and costume designs with striking choreography that reflects the unique soundscapes of the Ligeti-dominant musical score. Takafumi Watanabe and Julie Loria assume the lead roles in a production that instantly transports us into the beautiful dream world of this timeless masterpiece reinterpreted.
Lise is the only daughter of Widow Simone, the owner of a prosperous farm. She is in love with the young farmer Colas, but her mother has higher ambitions for her, hoping to marry her off to Alain, the son of the wealthy proprietor Thomas. Desperate to marry Colas rather than Alain, Lise contrives to outwit her mother's plans. When La Fille mal gardee premiered in Covent Garden on 28 January 1960, it instantly won all hearts. Inspired by Jean Dauberval's French ballet, Ashton's version combines exuberant good humour and an affectionate portrayal of village life. The Royal Ballet's Founder Choreographer, Frederick Ashton, hoped to capture the 'leafy pastoral of perpetual sunshine... The suspended stillness of a Constable landscape of my beloved Suffolk, luminous and calm'. Osbert Lancaster's colourful designs bring the charm of the countryside to life.
Among Teatro alla Scala's most unforgettable productions, this La forza del destino is a performance of striking musical energy, with Riccardo Chailly conducting an exceptional cast of opera stars. Anna Netrebko (Leonora), confirms her absolute dominance of the Verdian repertoire, showcasing 'beautiful floating high notes and enviable fiato' (OperaWire). Brian Jagde (Don Alvaro) and Ludovic Tezier (Don Carlo), give impeccable performances of great emotional depth and timbral richness. Joining forces, Stage Director Leo Muscato and Set Designer Federica Parolini deliver a reinterpretation of Verdi's classic in a modern key. On a set that impresses for both beauty and functionality, the scenes are set across different eras, reminding us that war is always part of humans' fate. 'The undisputed star of the evening is Anna Netrebko. She elevates Donna Leonora with her distinctive, dark, velvety timbre, impeccable high notes, and acting presence.' (Orpheus Magazine)
Tancredi and L’Italiana in Algeri, Rossini’s tenth and eleventh operas, both premiered in Venice, launched the composer on an unstoppable career. They saw him become the most prestigious opera composer of his time. The formidable impresario Domenico Barbaja summoned Rossini to Naples and offered him the position of musical director of the city’s two Royal Theatres, the San Carlo and Fondo. Barbaja’s proposals appealed to Rossini for several reasons. Not only was his annual fee generous and guaranteed, but also the San Carlo had a professional orchestra, unlike the theatres of Venice and Rome. The composer also saw this as a considerable advantage as he aspired to push the boundaries of his opera composition in more adventurous directions. Under the terms of the contract, Rossini was to provide two operas each year for Naples whilst being permitted to compose occasional works for other cities. The composer tended to test the limits of this contract and in the first two years composed no fewer than five operas for other venues, including four for Rome.
Fromental Halévy's five-act grand opera La Juive ('The Jewess') is one of the most popular operas of the 19th century, captivating audiences ever since it's debut at the Opéra de Paris in 1835. Set in the 15th century and full of pageantry, the subject is the forbidden love between a Christian man and a Jewish woman, and the tragedy that ensues. Oper Frankfurt's contemporary staging won great acclaim, with Ambur Braid being lauded for her 'luminous soprano' as the heroine Rachel, and 'vocal phenomenon' John Osborn heralded in the role of her father Éléazar as 'immensely moving'.
