Recorded live in Copenhagen in 2010, iconic Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts joins The Danish Radio Big Band for a legendary one-off concert. On this release, Watts revisits his musical past of living in Denmark briefly in the early 1960's sitting in with jazz and blues bands. Original pieces and big band takes on Stones classics fill this title with a dynamic listening experience sure to excite classic rock fans and jazz-heads alike.

Recorded live at the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles, to the Point is a very personal statement by Ernie. Ernie guides his long time quartet through a fire of the moment journey in a set of original music and a cover of Tadd Dameron's classic Hot House. The quartet has been together for over 20 years and this is the first time they have recorded live together on stage. The cohesion and musical empathy is all on display here. Featuring pianist David Witham, bassist Bruce Lett and drummer Bob Leatherbarrow.

Larry Barnes (Larry Poindexter) is on the fast track to a partnership in a prestigious law firm, and his sexy witch wife Erica (Julie Strain, HEAVY METAL 2000) will do anything to keep her husband happy. But Erica makes a fatal mistake when she tries to kill Larry's main competition for the partnership, Howard Reynolds (Edward Albert, GALAXY OF TERROR). With Howard now crippled for life from Erica's dark magic, his wife Amelia (Linda Blair, THE EXORCIST) plots her revenge. Using witchcraft and a mystical medallion, Amelia tries to destroy everyone and everything in Larry's life! 654930318492 SYNV161DVD 30901346 12.55 19.95 .17 SYNAPSE FILMS DIGITAL VIDEO DISC MOVIE ADULT MATERIAL 06/14/2016 https://mediacdn.aent-m.com/prod-img/500/45/3036445-2649407.jpg 4 1 N ROCHA,RAFAEL PIRAMIDE 7898614904295 IMT5073504.2 30903302 19.85 30.99 .21 IMPORTS COMPACT DISCS POP JAZZ 03/18/2016 https://media.aent-m.com/graphics/items/sdimages/a/500/2/4/7/0/3330742.jpg 0 1 N NEW YORK TRIO THOU SWELL 4571292518154 IMT5073430SACD 30902602 29.78 46.99 .16 IMPORTS SUPER-AUDIO CD POP JAZZ 05/27/2016 https://media.aent-m.com/graphics/items/sdimages/a/500/0/2/7/0/3330720.jpg 0 1 N FALABELLA,AMAURI PARCERIA 7898608770387 IMT5073498.2 30903241 18.96 29.99 .21 IMPORTS COMPACT DISCS POP INT'L & WORLD MUSIC 03/18/2016 0 1 N NIGHT MANAGER: SEASON 1 NIGHT MANAGER: SEASON 1 The Night Manager, the thrilling miniseries based on John le Carr�'s best-selling spy novel, follows hotel manager Jonathan Pine (Tom Hiddleston) in his quest to bring down international arms dealer Richard Roper (Hugh Laurie). After being recruited by a British intelligence officer to infiltrate Roper's inner circle, Pine is thrust into a world of international intrigue - but in his quest to do the right thing, Pine must first become a criminal himself. Includes all six unrated episodes, as originally aired on the BBC. 043396477780 CTR47778BR 30904514 27.39 40.99 .19 SONY PICTURES BLU-RAY MOVIE TV SHOWS / TV MOVIE DRAMA 08/30/2016 https://media.aent-m.com/graphics/items/sdimages/b/500/5/4/9/3/3333945.jpg 9 2 N DERI,ROBERTS / STAPLETON,DAVE CONWAY SUITE 5021449059720 EDTR1006.2 30904644 9.66 12.98 .16 EDITION RECORDS COMPACT DISCS POP JAZZ 12/18/2008 https://media.aent-m.com/graphics/items/sdimages/a/500/0/6/9/3/3333960.jpg 0 1 N MARTIN,STEVE / BRICKELL,EDIE BRIGHT STAR - O.B.C.R. Original soundtrack from the Broadway Cast. From Grammy winners Steve Martin and Edie Brickell comes Broadway s new 'shining achievement' Bright Star, a musical about the stories we tell... and the ones we don t. Directed by Tony winner Walter Bobbie and inspired by a real event, this 'unabashedly romantic' (The New York Times) original musical tells a sweeping tale of love and redemption set against the rich backdrop of the American South in the 1920s and 40s. When literary editor Alice Murphy meets a young soldier just home from World War II, he awakens her longing for the child she once lost. Haunted by their unique connection, Alice sets out on a journey to understand her past and what she finds has the power to transform both of their lives. Propelled by an ensemble of onstage musicians and dancers, the story unfolds as a rich tapestry of deep emotion, beautiful melodies and powerfully moving performances. An uplifting theatrical journey that holds you tight in it's grasp, Bright Star is something rare a Broadway musical that's as refreshingly genuine as it is daringly hopeful. 791558450125 GHOL8450102.2 30907041 14.08 18.98 .22 GHOSTLIGHT RECORDS COMPACT DISCS POP SHOWTUNES / B'WAY 05/27/2016 https://media.aent-m.com/graphics/items/sdimages/a/500/0/0/3/5/3335300.jpg 0 1 N CORNBREAD EARL AND ME CORNBREAD EARL AND ME Set against the gritty urban sprawl of Chicago, director Joseph Manduke's (Vengeance) coming-of-age drama Cornbread, Earl and Me stars Laurence Fishburne (Fled), Tierre Turner (The Crow) and Jamaal Wilkes in a story of adolescent friends who are forced to face adulthood when tragedy strikes. Cornbread, Earl and Me features supporting performances from an ensemble that includes Moses Gunn (Ragtime), Rosalind Cash (The Omega Man), Madge Sinclair (Coming to America) and Antonio Fargas (Foxy Brown) in a film written for the screen by Leonard Lamensdorf based on the Ronald L. Fair novel Hog Butcher. 887090122412 OV1224DVD 30912083 12.55 19.95 .18 OLIVE DIGITAL VIDEO DISC MOVIE DRAMA 06/21/2016 https://media.aent-m.com/graphics/items/sdimages/c/500/7/9/7/7/3337797.jpg 17 1 N PRIMER,JOHN / REAL DEAL BLUES BAND THAT WILL NEVER DO This is the first CD after a long time with john primers own band-the Real Deal Blues Band !!! The Band members are all great blues-artists- Melvin Smith on bass played with both Koko Taylor and Lurrie Bell, Bill Lupkin on harmonica played with all great artist in Chicago and Lenny Media on drums who played with the magic man- Magic Slim. There is a mix of traditional blues songs-like Call Me John Primer or How Many More Years and self-penned primer-songs! But every song has he spirit from a blues master-JOHN PRIMER!! He is a great entertainer, singer and guitar-player. The CD is a live recording from May 2015 and a must for every real blues-fan!! 799582083623 WOL120836.2 30912892 9.67 13.99 .11 WOLF RECORDS COMPACT DISCS POP BLUES 06/17/2016 https://mediacdn.aent-m.com/prod-img/500/28/3037528-2678887.jpg 2 1 N LEGEND OF CUSTER LEGEND OF CUSTER In 1868, after the Civil War, Custer takes charge of a mix of ex-Confederates and criminals, the 7th Cavalry Regiment at Fort Hays, Kansas. His boss General Terry doesn't like his methods or his long blond hair, but he manages to keep fighting the Sioux. 024543115533 FXMD4311553DVD 30913066 20.11 21.99 .13 FOX MOD DIGITAL VIDEO DISC MOVIE WESTERNS 03/08/2016 https://mediacdn.aent-m.com/prod-img/500/69/3037569-3635643.jpg 0 1 N UNBREAKABLE: STORY OF HOPE & HEALING IN HAITI UNBREAKABLE: STORY OF HOPE & HEALING IN HAITI On January 12th, 2010, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti, bringing devastation to an already impoverished nation. Hundreds of thousands lost their lives; more than 1 million were displaced, and tens of thousands were injured including countless children and young people who suffered the loss of limbs. Against this backdrop, two American organizations stepped in to provide aid. Facing political corruption and the threat of failure, Project Medishare successfully set up clinics for the victims, and the Knights of Columbus ensured that prosthetics limbs would be made available for every young amputee. But this was only the beginning of the story. Amidst incredible odds, a small group of earthquake victims became emboldened to defy deeply entrenched Haitian stereotypes against people with disabilities. Team Zaryen was formed, an amputee soccer team that transformed victims into beacons of hope, creating real possibilities for those attempting to rebuild their lives -including U.S. soldiers returning from wars overseas. At times a searing analysis of the post-earthquake horrors and Haitis turbulent history, and at times a poignant sports story about overcoming insurmountable odds, Unbreakable: A Story of Hope and Healing in Haiti ultimately a powerful reminder of the triumph of the human spirit, and of how the bonds of hope are oftentimes born out of the shackles of despair. 646032058796 JANM3205879DVD 30913127 20.11 21.99 .27 JANSON MEDIA DIGITAL VIDEO DISC MOVIE DOCUMENTARY 03/31/2016 https://mediacdn.aent-m.com/prod-img/500/96/3037596-3367720.jpg 0 1 N RED PERSIMMONS RED PERSIMMONS 854565001404 ICAF404DVD 30917484 18.30 29.98 .22 ICARUS FILMS DIGITAL VIDEO DISC MOVIE DOCUMENTARY 03/20/2012 https://media.aent-m.com/graphics/items/sdimages/c/500/8/3/9/6/2146938.jpg 0 1 N ZETTERLUND,MONICA IT ONLY HAPPENS EVERY TIME 077712710824 ICJZ1082.2 30918214 10.86 14.99 .14 INNER CITY JAZZ COMPACT DISCS POP JAZZ 04/05/2016 https://media.aent-m.com/graphics/items/sdimages/b/500/4/2/2/0/2370224.jpg 0 1 N JT PROJECT MOMENTS OF CHANGE 020286221296 TRRH83.2 30675346 12.41 16.98 .12 TRIPPIN & RHYTHM COMPACT DISCS POP JAZZ 03/25/2016 https://mediacdn.aent-m.com/prod-img/500/64/3012964-3151534.jpg 0 1 N WATTS,ERNIE WHEEL OF TIME Brand-new original music by saxophonist Ernie Watts, including the title tune, a lyrical piece dedicated to iconic jazz bassist Charlie Haden. Also featured is a jazz classic by saxophonist Joe Henderson, the powerful Inner Urge."Wheel Of Time" features a wide variety of tempos and styles, from blues to calypso to post-bop, and gentle peace. All in one seamless project and all jazz.

Charlie Watts "Anthology" is an affectionate retrospective and a reflection of just how frequently Watts was able to exercise his jazz muscles between Rolling Stones commitments to create a bespoke discography of his own. Including 3 unreleased tracks. The names of Charlie's jazz heroes fell from his lips like a superfan turning the pages of a personal scrapbook. Charlie Parker, Gerry Mulligan, Chico Hamilton, Dave Green, Stan Tracey, Peter King, Courtney Pine, Gail Thompson, Brian Lemon, Gerard Presencer, the Red Rodney group and collaborator Jim Keltner. He knew every player, every session, every album, every outfit they wore on the cover, and he spoke about them with a deep and genuine reverence. He may have been a globally loved hero in the biggest band in the word, but he swatted away any compliment or comparison with his musical favourites. He counted himself their admirer, never their equal. The Anthology includes an extended essay by Paul Sexton which documents Charlie Watt's jazz career and the essential albums covered in the collection.

Charlie Watts "Anthology" is an affectionate retrospective and a reflection of just how frequently Watts was able to exercise his jazz muscles between Rolling Stones commitments to create a bespoke discography of his own. Including 3 unreleased tracks. The names of Charlie's jazz heroes fell from his lips like a superfan turning the pages of a personal scrapbook. Charlie Parker, Gerry Mulligan, Chico Hamilton, Dave Green, Stan Tracey, Peter King, Courtney Pine, Gail Thompson, Brian Lemon, Gerard Presencer, the Red Rodney group and collaborator Jim Keltner. He knew every player, every session, every album, every outfit they wore on the cover, and he spoke about them with a deep and genuine reverence. He may have been a globally loved hero in the biggest band in the word, but he swatted away any compliment or comparison with his musical favourites. He counted himself their admirer, never their equal. The Anthology includes an extended essay by Paul Sexton which documents Charlie Watt's jazz career and the essential albums covered in the collection.

The Charlie Watts Orchestra - "Live At Fulham Town Hall" / Charlie Watts' Live At Fulham Town Hall captures a remarkable moment in the legendary drummer's life, showcasing his long-held dream of leading his own jazz orchestra. The performance was recorded one month after the Charlie Watts Orchestra's 1986 premiere at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in London, a historic event that garnered widespread attention from both the press and fellow musicians. This live album features a big band ensemble made up of some of the finest British jazz talent, performing a blend of swing-era classics and jazz standards. CD Digipak with 12-page booklet included

SCARLATTI, VIVALDI: STABAT MAT

[André Watts] meets [the Liszt Sonata's] super-human demands heroically, and keeps faith with the introspective and contemplative facets of the work. The second version of Liszt’s Paganini Études finds Watts in audacious mood, and his bravura playing is masterful. Reminiscences de Don Juan, Liszt’s Mozartian fantasy, and the Hungarian Rhapsody No. 10 are effectively played by Charles Rosen, and remastered sound is pleasing.

-- Michael Jameson, BBC Music Magazine

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

Also available on standard DVD

Choreographer Mark Morris garnered international fame for "L'Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato", considered a landmark achievement, and set to Handel's Baroque masterpiece, in which a colorful array of dancers embody the ecstasy of art that transforms. "L'Allegro" was Mark Morris's premiere work as Director of Dance at the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels, Belgium in 1988, and in the intervening years, has been performed to critical and audience acclaim all over the world. Winner of numerous awards including a Laurence Olivier Award, "L'Allegro" uses Milton's text and features sets inspired by William Blake's later watercolors. Founded in NYC in 1980, the Mark Morris Dance Group (MMDG) is considered one of the preeminent modern dance companies, its members praised repeatedly for their technique and musicality. Live music and community engagement are vital components of the Dance Group, which has toured with its own musicians, the MMDG Music Ensemble, since 1996. Through Access/MMDG programming, the Dance Group provides educational opportunities in dance and music to people of all ages and abilities while on tour internationally and at home at the Mark Morris Dance Center in Brooklyn, NY. The performance was filmed July 2014 at the Teatro Real in Madrid, Spain.

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

Also available on standard DVD

Don Giovanni, Mozart’s sublime tragic comedy, offers boundless scope for directors. Kasper Holten shifts the emphasis from Don Giovanni’s sex life into a darker place, showing Giovanni’s womanizing as an attempt to stave off his own mortality. Each woman he seduces represents a life he could have had. Though it is a dark piece, Holten handles it all with a light touch. Led by conductor Nicola Luisotti, the superb cast features Mariusz Kwiecien as Don Giovanni, Alex Esposito and French soprano Véronique Gens. ‘‘…a cast that can’t be bettered today…demands to be seen.’’ Seen and Heard Int’l

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
DON GIOVANNI
(Blu-ray Disc Version)

Don Giovanni - Mariusz Kwiecie?
Leporello - Alex Esposito
Donna Anna - Malin Byström
Commendatore - Alexander Tsymbalyuk
Don Ottavio - Antonio Poli
Donna Elvira - Véronique Gens
Zerlina - Elizabeth Watts
Masetto - Dawid Kimberg
Donna Elvira’s Maid - Josephine Arden

Royal Opera Chorus
(chorus master: Renato Balsadonna)
Royal Opera House Orchestra
Nicola Luisotti, conductor

Kasper Holten, stage director
Es Devlin, set designer
Anja Vang Kragh, costume designer
Bruno Poet, lighting designer
Signe Fabricius, choreographer

Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, February 2014

Bonus:
- Introductions: Don Giovanni’s Women
- Director’s Commentary

Picture format: 1080i High Definition
Sound format: LPCM 2. 0 / DTS 5.1
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Subtitles: English, French, German, Japanese, Korean
Running time: 187 mins
No. of Discs: 1 (Blu-ray)

MESSIAH [HIGHLIGHTS]

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

Harrison Birtwistle
THE MINOTAUR
(Blu-ray Disc Version)

The Minotaur – John Tomlinson
Theseus – Johan Reuter
Ariadne – Christine Rice
Snake Priestess – Andrew Watts
Hiereus – Philip Langridge
Ker – Amanda Echalaz

The Royal Opera Chorus
The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Antonio Pappano, conductor

Stephen Langridge, stage director

Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden on 25, 30 April and 3 May 2008.

Bonus:
- Documentary: Myth is Universal
- Illustrated synopsis and cast gallery

Picture format: 1080i High Definition
Sound format: PCM Stereo 2.0 and 5.0
Region code: 0 (All Regions)
Menu languages: English
Subtitles: English, German, French, Spanish, Italian
Running time: 175 mins
No. of Discs: 1 (BD 50)

Classical Music

Also available on Blu-ray

Don Giovanni, Mozart’s sublime tragic comedy, offers boundless scope for directors. Kasper Holten shifts the emphasis from Don Giovanni’s sex life into a darker place, showing Giovanni’s womanizing as an attempt to stave off his own mortality. Each woman he seduces represents a life he could have had. Though it is a dark piece, Holten handles it all with a light touch. Led by conductor Nicola Luisotti, the superb cast features Mariusz Kwiecien as Don Giovanni, Alex Esposito and French soprano Véronique Gens. ‘‘…a cast that can’t be bettered today…demands to be seen.’’ Seen and Heard Int’l

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
DON GIOVANNI

Don Giovanni - Mariusz Kwiecien
Leporello - Alex Esposito
Donna Anna - Malin Byström
Commendatore - Alexander Tsymbalyuk
Don Ottavio - Antonio Poli
Donna Elvira - Véronique Gens
Zerlina - Elizabeth Watts
Masetto - Dawid Kimberg
Donna Elvira’s Maid - Josephine Arden

Royal Opera Chorus
(chorus master: Renato Balsadonna)
Royal Opera House Orchestra
Nicola Luisotti, conductor

Kasper Holten, stage director
Es Devlin, set designer
Anja Vang Kragh, costume designer
Bruno Poet, lighting designer
Signe Fabricius, choreographer

Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, February 2014

Bonus:
- Introductions: Don Giovanni’s Women
- Director’s Commentary

Picture format: NTSC 16:9 anamorphic
Sound format: LPCM 2. 0 / DTS 5.1
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Subtitles: English, French, German, Japanese, Korean
Running time: 187 mins
No. of DVDs: 1

R E V I E W:

There used to be an old line about leaving the theater humming the scenery; often it applied to Franco Zeffirelli-like productions–lavish, flowery, big-boned, visually melodious eye-candy. Well, the same might be said for this recent Covent Garden show designed by Es Devlin and directed by Kasper Holton with video designs by Luke Halls, except that one would have to be able to hum scenery that was atonal and intensely complex, albeit spectacularly interesting.

Riveting to behold and almost constantly changing either subtly or dramatically, it is a two-storey structure that takes up the whole stage and is made up of rooms with doors that appear and disappear, as well as interior and exterior staircases that, Escher-like, seem to end in mid-journey, or in fact never end at all. And it revolves. Onto its vast surfaces video designer Lukas Hall offers projections of everything from the names of Giovanni’s lovers (written in script) to subtle or dramatic changes in color, to a labyrinthine confusion of rooms in which each character seems lost and wandering, to sheer meaningless graffiti and scribbling. Rather than distracting from the drama, it allows it to be fluid: corners can be created instantly, allowing, for instance, Leporello and Giovanni to hide from Elvira and her maid in Act 2. (A brilliant effect has Leporello disappear into the scenery by imposing projections on top of him.) In short, it’s inspired and fascinating, and aside from a few moments that dazzle so thoroughly that they take our mind off the music, I suspect you’ll be riveted.

Anja Vang Kragh’s costumes imply a late-Victorian era; the dress and winged cape for Elvira make her look vaguely like an angel of death. Masetto looks like a prim clerk in a lawyer’s office and Zerlina always wears her wedding dress; Ottavio is a stuffed shirt (which he finally unbuttons at one point). The Don wears a blue fur-collared coat; Leporello is dressed as the perfect sad sack. The dead Commendatore, in white black-smeared sheet and face, is quite scary.

And so, musically and dramatically, there is only one performance that lives up to the scenery, and the direction, which gets clearer as the evening goes on, seems wayward for the first three quarters of the opera. The punchline is that Giovanni’s punishment is madness and loneliness–a type of hell. Throughout, it is difficult to figure out each character’s motivation, or even personality. Anna seems less than bothered by her “rape” by Giovanni in the first scene: there he is, doing up his cuffs, while she is embracing him; later, during Ottavio’s “Dalla sua pace”, she spots the Don up on the set’s second level and goes to him and follows him into a room. Of course, who can blame her for walking out on Ottavio: when she sings “Don Ottavio, son morta!” and goes on to explain that “that man” is the man who attacked her and killed her father, Ottavio giggles! He’s simply a dope.

Donna Elvira seems merely lost, although my instinct about her being an angel of death may not be too far off: she kisses Giovanni tenderly at one point when most Elvira’s are loony. Perhaps she and she alone senses his isolation? Zerlina, by Act 2, is repentant for her bad, flirty behavior in Act 1 (she starts tearing off her clothes in the finale), and she and Masetto–a nerd if ever there were one–stroll off happily. Leporello adores the Don while trying to stop him from being crazy; he weeps uncontrollably in the final scene when it becomes clear that Giovanni is going mad. And the Don, who invariably is somewhere on stage during all of the action, is always seeking and increasingly alone.

Real problems: Kasper Holten eliminates the flames, or any sense of hell; instead of a handshake (from the Commendatore, who is two storeys above the Don), the Don grips his heart and stumbles into a corner. Worse: Holten cuts the first part of the final scene, the sextet in which the others explain what their lives will be like now that the Don is gone. All we get is the opera’s two-minute moral, sung offstage: ”Questo e il fin di chi fa mal.” I know that Mozart himself (may have) cut part or all of the opera’s last moments for Vienna, but with your main character in hell, it almost makes sense. The six characters have a right to express themselves, unless, of course, the director’s entire concept has implied their lack of importance, with the Don the utter center of his own universe and the others just throw-aways who no longer exist. It’s problematic–not foolish or outlandish, but problematic–and goes along with the lack of characterization of these people throughout.

Holten succeeds with his idea, but is it a good idea? You will either buy it or not; I suspect that you’ll wonder where it’s all going until the end, and even then, when you understand (“Ah – he’s alone!”), the musical cut will irritate you. All that being said, anyone who misses Marius Kweicien’s performance here will regret it. In 40 years of opera-going, and having seen 15 different Dons, never have I seen a final scene so aggressively personal, so mad, so viciously without repentance, so insane. It will leave you exhausted (and wishing for the usual sextet!). He’s terrific throughout the opera even if we don’t quite understand his raison d’etre, singing with accuracy, charm, bite when necessary, dead-center pitch, and a smooth, seductive legato. He also moves like a born actor. Malin Byström’s Anna acts demurely but sings with passion–occasionally harridan-like and in strange-sounding Italian–but invariably involved, although apparently not interested in vengeance. Véronique Gens is a glamorous Elvira even if her character is undersized here; she dispatches her second-act aria with aplomb. Elizabeth Watts’ Zerlina is charming and pure-toned.

Alex Esposito offers a star turn as Leporello. Looking downtrodden, somewhat like a silent-movie bum, he is fascinated and infuriated by his boss. He’s funny (he seems to have some of Rolando Villazon’s comic charm, although they look nothing alike) and not a fool, and his singing is rich and nuanced. Antonio Poli is vocally better than good as Ottavio and the same can be said of Dawid Kimberg’s Masetto, but their blandness may have something to do with Holten’s outlook. (Maybe all men are either duds, servants, or dead, except for Don Giovanni?) Alexander Tsymbalyuk makes little impression as the Commendatore until the final scene, where he may be amplified. Nicola Luisotti’s leadership varies–the overture is splendid, but much of Act 1 just passes by without highlights; he certainly pulls out the stops later, however. The Covent Garden forces are downright magnificent.

At the conclusion, what can one say about a Don Giovanni that is neither sexy nor dangerous, but interestingly philosophical? If the answer is that the Hell is, in fact, not other people, but loneliness, then we have a hypothesis, not a great opera. But as I said, Kweicien will knock you out by the end.

A truly great DVD version of this opera? Well, except for the weird constant changes of hairstyles and outfits (yes, we get it–the story is universal), the Riccardo Muti-led performance on TDK is magnificent, while Terfel, Furlanetto, and Fleming lead a terrific cast from the Met on DG on Zeffirelli’s rather ordinary set. Most of the others (more than a dozen) have too many quirks: one takes place in a mattress showroom; in another the Don and Leporello are junkies; in a third, the Don is killed in Act 1 but the opera continues…. It’s up to you.

-- Robert Levine, ClassicsToday.com

Born into a working-class family, George Dyson became one of the most important musicians and composers of his day. The previously unknown Choral Symphony was written as an examination work while Dyson was studying at Oxford, and it was only recently discovered at the Bodleian Library. Dyson relishes his dramatic chosen text from Psalm 107 on the expulsion from and homecoming of the Jews to Israel, a narrative that inspires trademark features that would make his later works so attractive. Its seascape finale links neatly with St. Paul’s Voyage to Melita, another vivid text from which Technicolor musical images are conjured.

CANADIAN BRASS SUPER HITS

ANDRE WATTS LIVE IN TOKYO 1980

Classical Music

Recorded over the course of two and a half years, this four disc set showcases a comprehensive body of esteemed countertenor Valer Sabadus's repertoire. Valer Sabadus, despite his young age, has already joined the ranks of the world's best vocalists. Sabadus's wide-ranging repertoire extends from early Baroque works by the great masters, to contemporary pieces riddled with unique harmonies and vocal techniques. The breadth of his abilities is shown through his versatility and adaptability. This CD set includes works from Johann Adolph Hasse, Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, Henry Purcell, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, among others.

This 3CD collection highlights past releases by the young renowned recorder and blockflöte virtuoso, early music specialist and OehmsClassics artist Stefan Temmingh. CD1, ‘Corelli À la Mode’, features, among other works, the groundbreaking op. 5 sonatas in world premiere recordings of the 18th c. ornamented versions. CD2, ‘The Gentleman’s Flute, follows on with works by Handel and the last disc features select excerpts from the French and English works by J.S. Bach and other Bach miscellany.

The Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra lives up to its reputation for its brilliant Mahler performances and surpasses all expectations under the baton of conductor Marc Albrecht. And Elizabeth Watts’ performance in the final movement is surely one not to be missed. The chemistry between Watts and the orchestra is utterly pervasive. With a voice described by International Record Review as “one of the most beautiful Britain has produced in a generation”, Watts sweeps the listener off their feet with this sunny, accessible symphony from Mahler.

Review:

This is a lovely performance–sensitive, very well played, shapely and effortless. Conductor Marc Albrecht makes his points without exaggeration, revealing personal touches in his care for proper observance of Mahler’s dynamics and his concern for textural clarity. Yet the big climaxes in the first movement and Adagio have plenty of impact, and in soprano Elizabeth Watts we have one of the best singers set loose on the tricky finale in many a moon.

This being Mahler, of course, there will always be a criticism here and there. The trio sections of the scherzo might just be a touch too relaxed, and Albrecht’s fondness for portamento could well strike some listeners as excessive, particularly in the Adagio, but these are quibbles. I am less happy with the sonics, which are quite impressive when the music is loud, but lack body at lower dynamic levels, even with the substantial boost in the volume. Still, this small reservation could very easily be a non-issue on your own sound system.

Holland being “Mahler central” some of the idiomatic response to the music was to be expected, but that doesn’t do anything to diminish Albrecht’s sympathetic handling of the score overall. A winner.

- ClassicsToday

This new release is a live recording from a sold out performance at the Edinburgh International Festival 2015. The Scottish Opera is joined by an outstanding soloist cast, including John Mark Ainsley, Elizabeth Watts and Toby Spence. Comedian Tim Brooke-Taylor serves as narrator. HMS Pinafore is thick with comedy, parodying the Italian operas of its day. This is truly a fun release!

Performers: Laurence Perkins (bassoon), Sarah Watts (clarinet), Martin Roscoe (piano), Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Sian Edwards (conductor) - The Duet-Concertino is one of those lyrical, bittersweet scores from Strauss's Indian summer. Laurence Perkins argues that behind the notes lies a hitherto little-known programme-whence the album's title-and that this misunderstood work has good claims to be regarded as Strauss's final tone poem.

MOIRE MUSIC TRIO

The Alabama born saxophonist/clarinetist had a short lived career as a member of the sixties avant-garde but achieved legendary status for the company he kept in his Cooper Square loft where the likes of Ornette Coleman, Cecil Taylor, Don Cherry, Archie Shepp, and Pharaoh Sanders often congregated. This debut date is best known for the presence of players, who like Watts, were to become renowned for the rareness of their recorded output, including Sonny Sharrock, Byard Lancaster, Clifford Thornton, Karl Berger and Henry Grimes.