Also available on Blu-ray

Grandmother Buryja – Mette Ejsing
Laca Kleme? – Miroslav Dvorský
Števa Buryja – Nikolai Schukoff
Kostelni?ka Buryja – Deborah Polaski
Jen?fa – Amanda Roocroft
Foreman – Károly Szemerédy
Mayor – Miguel Sola
Mayor’s wife – Marta Mathéu
Karolka – Marta Ubieta
Shepherdess – María José Suárez
Barena – Sandra Ferrández
Jano – Elena Poesina
Aunt – Marina Makhmoutova

Teatro Real Chorus and Orchestra
Ivor Bolton, conductor

Stéphane Braunschweig, stage director

Recorded live at the Teatro Real, October 2009.

Bonus:
- Cast gallery
- Illustrated synopsis

Picture format: NTSC 16:9 anamorphic
Sound format: LPCM 2.0 / DTS 5.1
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Subtitles: English, French, German, Spanish
Running time: 136 mins
No. of DVDs: 1

The vulnerable young woman at the heart of Janacek's breakthrough opera is a signature role for the English soprano Amanda Roocroft. Here, in Stéphane Braunschweig's clear but deeply affecting production, she is partnered by the Slovak tenor Miroslav Dvorsky, as the man through whom she finds redemption, love and hope. The complex figure of the Kostelnicka becomes both tormentor and tormented in this fearless interpretation by the great dramatic soprano Deborah Polaski.

Review:

“Braunschweig’s directing is very good indeed. A minimalist production needs a lot of intervention by the director as well as outstanding lighting, particularly in the interior scenes. Both were very well achieved here. The sets consist of simple movable walls, opening and closing for different scenes and creating an appropriately oppressive atmosphere throughout. Apart from that, a few very significant props; a rosemary plant, a cradle in Act II, some benches that represent a church in the last Act and a windmill sail (almost another of the protagonists for this opera) are the only representations of different settings. The costumes move simply between white and black and are invariably appropriate. There is excellent lighting too. But the stage direction is remarkable, helped along by singer/actors who are genuine specialists in their roles, and more than decent management of the crowd scenes. And what is even more important is that Braunschweig's work is always at the service of music and libretto with the result that real emotion is transmitted to the public.”

- MusicWeb International

Audience Prize-winner at BBC Cardiff Singer of the World (2013), accomplished young English tenor Ben Johnson lends his dulcet tones to a programme featuring a bouquet of ballads from the British Isles. This song form enjoyed extraordinary popularity in private homes throughout the Victorian, Edwardian and Modern eras, inspiring generations of talented composers – men and women – to marry words and music in a delightful variety of styles.

Presenting the major singers of today and the stars of tomorrow, the Rosenblatt Recitals are London's only world-class season of opera recitals.

Diana Damrau and Angelika Kirchschlager star in the acclaimed 2008 production of Humperdinck’s famous fairytale opera, in the company of two of Britain’s most revered musical figures: Thomas Allen, playing the role of the Father, and the legendary conductor Colin Davis. Directors Patrice Caurier and Moshe Leiser combine their characteristic wit and a dash of deliciously dark comedy with the opera’s fairytale charm. Humperdinck’s music mixes catchy folk-like songs with sumptuous instrumental colour, making the result as tunefully approachable, musically memorable and visually delightful as opera gets. Filmed in High Definition and recorded in full Surround Sound.

Hansel: Angelika Kirchschlager
Gretel: Diana Damrau
Gertrud: Elizabeth Connell
Peter: Thomas Allen
Witch: Anja Silja
Sand man: Pumeza Matshikiza
Dew Fairy: Anita Watson

Tiffin Boys’ Choir and Children’s Chorus
The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Conductor: Colin Davis
Stage Directors: Moshe Leiser & Patrice Caurier

Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, on 12th and 16th December 2008.

Plus
Illustrated synopsis & animated cast gallery.
Interview with Colin Davis.
Fairytales feature.
Cinema trailer.

Reviews
‘Angelika Kirchschlager’s tousled, boyish Hänsel and Diana Damrau’s Gretel are dramatically convincing and vocally superb, while their parents, excellently sung and played by Elizabeth Connell and Thomas Allen, earn our sympathy as well as our censure. Pumeza Matshikiza’s goblin-like Sandman is truly magical and Anita Watson’s feather-dusting Dew Fairy another amusing creation. Colin Davis, unafraid to relish the icing on the cake, draws a warm, effulgent sound from the orchestra.’ Evening Standard

REGIONS: All Regions
LENGTH: 138 Minutes
FORMAT: PCM 2.0 PCM 5.1
LANGUAGE: German
SUBTITLES: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian

Diana Damrau and Angelika Kirchschlager star in the acclaimed 2008 production of Humperdinck’s famous fairytale opera, in the company of two of Britain’s most revered musical figures: Thomas Allen, playing the role of the Father, and the legendary conductor Colin Davis. Directors Patrice Caurier and Moshe Leiser combine their characteristic wit and a dash of deliciously dark comedy with the opera’s fairytale charm. Humperdinck’s music mixes catchy folk-like songs with sumptuous instrumental colour, making the result as tunefully approachable, musically memorable and visually delightful as opera gets. Filmed in High Definition and recorded in full Surround Sound.

Hansel: Angelika Kirchschlager
Gretel: Diana Damrau
Gertrud: Elizabeth Connell
Peter: Thomas Allen
Witch: Anja Silja
Sand man: Pumeza Matshikiza
Dew Fairy: Anita Watson

Tiffin Boys’ Choir and Children’s Chorus
The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Conductor: Colin Davis
Stage Directors: Moshe Leiser & Patrice Caurier

Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, on 12th and 16th December 2008.

Plus
Illustrated synopsis & animated cast gallery.
Interview with Colin Davis.
Fairytales feature.
Cinema trailer.

Reviews
‘Angelika Kirchschlager’s tousled, boyish Hänsel and Diana Damrau’s Gretel are dramatically convincing and vocally superb, while their parents, excellently sung and played by Elizabeth Connell and Thomas Allen, earn our sympathy as well as our censure. Pumeza Matshikiza’s goblin-like Sandman is truly magical and Anita Watson’s feather-dusting Dew Fairy another amusing creation. Colin Davis, unafraid to relish the icing on the cake, draws a warm, effulgent sound from the orchestra.’ Evening Standard

REGIONS: All Regions
PICTURE FORMAT: 16:9
LENGTH: 138 Mins
SOUND: 5.1 DTS SURROUND / PCM STEREO
SUBTITLES: ENGLISH/FRENCH/GERMAN/SPANIS/ITALIAN
LANGUAGE: German
NO OF DISCS: 2

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



HÉROLD-LANCHBERY La fille mal gardée • Anthony Twiner, cond; Marianela Nuñez ( Lise ); Carlos Acosta ( Colas ); William Tuckett ( Widow Simone ); Jonathan Howells ( Alain ); Royal Op House O • BBC/OPUS ARTE 7021 (Blu-ray Disc: 112:00)


La fille mal gardée has a long and convoluted history dating back to its first production in 1789 at the Grand Théâtre, Bordeaux, where it was staged by Jean Dauberval to a largely anonymous score utilizing various contemporary popular tunes. It then entered the repertoire of the Paris Opéra in 1828 with new music composed and arranged by Ferdinand Hérold. He retained a few melodies from the original score, composed a substantial amount of his own music, and added some popular operatic excerpts by Rossini, Donizetti, and others. Peter Ludwig Hertel composed a new and much more heavily textured score for the Berlin Court Opera in 1864. This was more in tune with the tastes of the time. Hertel’s version was subsequently produced at the Bolshoi Ballet in 1885 and survived in various forms until Frederick Ashton decided to revive it with a new score freely adapted and arranged by John Lanchberry for the Royal Ballet in 1960. It was clear to Lanchberry that in order to achieve the delightful pastoral tone envisioned by Ashton that it would be necessary to base his arrangement on Hérold’s superior version, interspersed with passages actually composed by Lanchberry himself. The 1960 Covent Garden production was a spectacular success and has become a ballet classic revived repeatedly throughout the world. This lengthy history of La fille mal gardée is important because every version contributed in some way to the triumph of the Ashton-Lanchberry masterpiece. The Clog Dance is apparently the only surviving section based on elements of Hertel’s score.


Music-lovers and audiophiles were introduced to the seductive, melodic charms of La fille mal gardée by the sensational sounding 1962 Decca recording of extended excerpts played by the very same Covent Garden Orchestra conducted by Lanchberry. That performance and the ongoing success of the ballet led to a complete Decca recording by the same artists in 1984. This Blu-ray disc is stunning. The brilliantly colorful sets and costumes perfectly project Ashton’s delightful vision originally inspired by Beethoven’s “Pastoral” Symphony. Marianela Nuñez (Lise) and Carlos Acosta (Colas) generate remarkable chemistry as the young lovers. Nuñez accomplishes the near impossible: she not only holds her own, but is clearly the star of the show opposite the charismatic Acosta. Her dancing has a soft, lyrical elegance that fits the bucolic atmosphere of La fille mal gardée ideally without slighting her technically dazzling footwork. She connects directly with Acosta and the audience. If you think that this is a long way from Acosta’s macho turn in Khachaturian’s Spartacus ( Fanfare 32:5), you are correct, but Acosta pulls it off convincingly. He projects an appropriately boyish charm, and his natural charisma prevents him from being a mere prop for Nuñez. This is great stuff! William Tuckett is also delightful in the comedic role of the Widow Simone. Despite the personal virtuosity of the principals, they blend remarkably with the production overall. Conductor Anthony Twiner doesn’t match the incisive, rhythmic snap of Lanchberry’s speedier interpretation, but his emphasis on the lyrical aspects of the charming music works well.


This is probably the most technically gorgeous Blu-ray disc I have seen so far. As such, it is required viewing and listening for ballet-lovers. La fille mal gardée is also an ideal vehicle to introduce reluctant new viewers to the world of ballet. Clearly Want List material.


FANFARE: Arthur Lintgen
Picture format: 1080i High Definition, NTSC 16:9 Sound format: PCM 2.0 and 5.1
Region code: 0 (All regions)
Menu language: English
Subtitles: French, German, Spanish, Italian
Running time: 108 mins
No. of Discs: 1 (BD50 disc)

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

Also available on standard DVD

Henry IV is dead and Hal is king. With England in a state of unrest, he must leave his rebellious youth behind, striving to gain the respect of his nobility and people. Laying claim to parts of France and following an insult from the French Dauphin, Henry gathers his troops and prepares for a war that he hopes will unite his country.

Sound Format: 2.0LPCM, 5.1 DTS
Subtitles: English
Region Code: 0 (Worldwide)

Part II
King Henry’s health is failing but he is uncertain Hal is a worthy heir. Meanwhile, Falstaff is sent to the countryside to recruit fresh troops, where he gleefully indulges in the business of lining his own pockets. As the King’s health continues to worsen, Hal must choose between duty and loyalty to an old friend in Shakespeare’s heartbreaking conclusion to this pair of plays.

George Frideric Handel
TAMERLANO

Bajazet – Plácido Domingo
Tamerlano – Monica Bacelli
Asteria – Ingela Bohlin
Andronico – Sara Mingardo
Irene – Jennifer Holloway

Teatro Real Chorus and Orchestra, Madrid
Paul McCreesh, conductor

Graham Vick, stage director

Recorded live at Teatro Real, Madrid on 29 March, 1 and 4 April 2008.

Bonus:
- Illustrated synopsis and cast gallery
- Interview with Paul McCreesh

Picture format: NTSC 16:9 anamorphic
Sound format: PCM Stereo / DTS 5.0
Region code: 0 (all regions)
Menu Language: English
Subtitles: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian
Running time: 241 mins
No. of DVDs: 3

Teatro Real's majestic production of Handel's vivid tragedy, Tamerlano, stars a Lear-like Plácido Domingo as the Turkish Sultan Bajazet, caught between pride, love and loyalty. Displaying the uniquely heroic quality of his voice, Domingo heads a superb cast, including Sara Mingardo, Monica Bacelli and Ingela Bohlin, all magnificently responsive to Paul McCreesh's authentic and luminous interpretation of the score. The stunning theatrical staging by Graham Vick provides a splendid setting for the characters and for designer Richard Hudson's extravagant Baroque-Islamic costumes, emphasising the brilliance of one of Handel's finest dramatic achievements.

FULL REVIEW

Probably one of the best Handel operatic productions presently available...

If Handel’s two other great operas, Giulio Cesare and Rodelinda, are well known then this third of the trio of ‘greats’ should certainly join them. This production will do much to underline that.

For some years now the phrase ‘director’s opera’ has had a pejorative ring – sometimes with justification. This production has Graham Vick written all over it. Further, the music director James McCreesh concedes that that extends to choice of versions of scenes. “What do you mean, ‘choice of versions of scenes’? An opera is an opera is an opera.” Sorry but it is not: that is what we have come to expect today but Handel and very many composers re-wrote scenes or omitted, added or replaced arias according to the ability of the available singers. And Tamerlano is no exception. No, I do not intend to bore you with a detailed analysis. One example will suffice: death or coronation in the last scene? Well, here you get both.

What of the plot? The psychopathic Tamerlano has captured Ottoman leader Badajet and daughter Asteria. Tamerlano’s Greek buddy Andronico falls for Asteria. Meanwhile, Irene, princess of Trebizond, is on her way for her nuptials with Tamerlano. Tamerlano then decides that he will marry Asteria and palms Irene off on Andronico. Asteria’s two failed attempts on Tamerlano’s life and then Bajazet’s suicide persuade Tamerlano to revert to the original marital arrangement. Thus, theoretically, all ends happily but the music suggests otherwise, as it has throughout. This is ‘dark’ opera: Handel at his compelling best with some remarkable conventional da capo arias. There are three sections ABA where the singer is allowed free rein in the third which was much to the point of Handel’s operas when first produced: an opportunity for florid vocal display. And if you ever thought that da capo arias are repetitiously dull and boring then watch and listen. Further watch and listen carefully to the last scene where Handel almost ignored the musical conventions.

In Handel’s day productions were virtually static: singers stood and delivered and then frequently left the stage to applause hence, called, the exit aria. Curiously McCreesh describes this production as “quite still”. Maybe: in comparison with other operatic productions. However, for me, Vick instils this one with wholly appropriate body and facial movement. I cannot pretend that I understand all of the symbolism, particularly of the silent ‘groupies’ who accompany some of the singing: and just occasionally distract attention from it – an example is during the only aria given to Leone - Tamerlano’s henchman. That aside, the acting here is first class, capturing Tamerlano’s almost demonic personality, Badajet’s decline and his reciprocated love for Asteria and also Andronico’s constancy.

We expect no less. This is Monica Bacelli, the proven exciting Handelian in the title trouser role and the ‘imported’ Plácido Domingo as Badajet; ‘imported’ because this is his first Handel part in over a hundred roles and it is perfectly suited for him: a truly dramatic tenor.

Bacelli is in excellent form displaying a neurotic vibrancy through very expressive movements. This is not ‘stand and deliver’ and nor is it a general-distraction cavort about the stage: but it is movement to encompass the stage and engage the audience in her characterful playing. Yes, and she sings too. Whilst her smaller voice contrasts with Domingo’s power she never loses her strong focus or line and elegant phrasing. Not a pitch out of place, not a run slurred; most arias at a faster pace with opportunity for colouring and strong tones that she never misses.

Domingo is equally splendid portraying the beaten leader. Dramatic singing throughout. If I have a slight hesitation it would be about vocal flexibility in the quicker aria Ciel e terra (disc 1 track 15) – hardly surprising in a singer of his years which generally show no sign of catching up with him. But here I am being ‘nit-picky’. His is vocal drama which makes us empathize with a fallen leader of the Ottoman Empire and renders understandable the taking of his own life. That is no mean feat when his beloved daughter Asteria still lives. Domingo gives a master class in diction, dynamics and phrasing. His final aria is magnificently delivered as he leaves the stage backwards into the darkness.

The Swedish soprano Ingela Bohlin effortlessly despatches the role of Asteria, or so she makes it appear. This high-lying soprano role does not trouble her. In her splendid aria Cor di padre (disc 2 track 24) at the end of Act 2 she vocally wanders about at the top of and above the stave, occasionally leaping there with total accuracy. In her aria Se non mi vuol amor (disc 1 track 13) she leaves high notes just hanging exquisitely in the air. She has a very secure vibrato - and that is not an oxymoron - and a gentle trill which adds much to aria meaning and audience enjoyment.

Sara Mingardo is a true contralto but noticeably of smaller voice. Bearing in mind how responsive McCreesh is with the orchestra for the forte and piano of the roles for Bacelli and Domingo, it is disappointing that he does not at all times afford Mingardo that same facility/kindness/support. Mingardo has wonderful vocal flexibility with quite remarkable beauty of tone. No applause for her act 1 aria Bella Asteria (disc 1 track9) which I would have expected to lead to sustained applause. Her timbre balances extremely well with both Bacelli and Bohlin to produce some delightful sounds.

Jennifer Holloway, as Irene arrives on stage aloft by some three metres on a gorgeous blue elephant on wheels. Could it be that the slightly irregular jumbo traverse of the stage contributes to her occasional lack of smoothness and steadiness of note in her opening aria? Certainly when back on stage terra firma her smooth clarity of note returns and when singing piano there is great beauty of tone.

De Donato, as Leone, is afforded one aria. Here it is the act 2 Amor dà guerra (disc 2 track 10) as opposed to the act 3 option of Nel mondo e nell’ abisso. Apart from a slight hint of effort when on serious high he sings clearly with a firm line. His problem, or rather our problem, is to concentrate on him while three pairs of ‘supporters’ perform a variety of symbolic mimes. Despite watching it several times I remain convinced that I do not fully understand all the symbolism.

That applies also to movements that take place on the balcony which goes around the semi-circular stage where the ‘groupies’ perform various mimes in slow motion around it or small blue elephants move equally slowly. That leaves a bare stage over which hangs the celebrated foot on the globe (no prizes for guessing that piece of symbolism) variously pushed up by Badajet or crushing him or Asteria. It also ascends and descends almost imperceptibly as appropriate to the stage action. In act 2 in what is almost a coup de théâtre it revolves through 180° to reveal its hollow back with gold lining and a seat that becomes Tamerlano’s throne.

The only stage prop which doesn’t seem to me to be particularly effective is the long bench protruding from the back stage in the first part of act 3 which serves at Tamerlano’s throne. Otherwise, the stage effects together with the matching half moons near stage front that move together to form another circle and become a prop in their own right, are spectacularly effective.

Colours are also fundamental. The stage is white, the costumes black and/or white except for the splendid Act 2 vivid lime green for Tamerlano and later a brilliant cerise. Irene has similarly strongly coloured costume when on her elephant. As you can see above Badajet and daughter are in white and remain so throughout. Symbolism in colours? I think so.

All that said there is a fault: but not with the production. It is the subtitles: too frequently the translation leaves a great deal to be desired. It is not idiomatic; indeed occasionally it is archaic if not arcane. Rely on them and from time to time you might struggle to follow the plot. Any such problem is overcome by the synopsis - one of the extra features. There is also a helpful commentary in the accompanying booklet.

-- Robert McKechnie, MusicWeb International

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

Handel’s oratorio Saul is taken from the First Book of Samuel, and focuses on the first king of Israel’s relationship with David, his eventual successor, which eventually leads to his demise. The three act work with libretto by Charles Jennens premiered in January 1739, and was an immediate success. This production directed by Barrie Kosky was recorded live at Glyndebourne Opera House, Lewes, October 2015. It was ranked by The Independent amongst five top opera and classical performances of 2015. “Musically this evening is well-nigh flawless.” (The Independent) “A theatrical and musical feast of energetic choruses, surreal choreography and gorgeous singing.” (The Guardian)

Subtitles: English, French, German, Korean
Sound Formats: 2.0 LPCM, 5.1 (5.0) DTS
Running Time 185 mins
Region Code: 0 (All)

Handel’s oratorio Saul is taken from the First Book of Samuel, and focuses on the first king of Israel’s relationship with David, his eventual successor, which eventually leads to his demise. The three act work with libretto by Charles Jennens premiered in January 1739, and was an immediate success. This production directed by Barrie Kosky was recorded live at Glyndebourne Opera House, Lewes, October 2015. It was ranked by The Independent amongst five top opera and classical performances of 2015. “Musically this evening is well-nigh flawless.” (The Independent) “A theatrical and musical feast of energetic choruses, surreal choreography and gorgeous singing.” (The Guardian)

Subtitles: English, French, German, Korean
Sound Formats: 2.0LPCM, 5.1(5.0) DTS
Running Time: 185 mins
Region Code: 0 (All)

Also available on Blu-ray

George Frideric Handel
RINALDO

Skin-tight rubber and lacrosse sticks bring contemporary chic to this timeless fantasy of warriors and witches in Robert Carsen’s fun-filled transformation of Handel’s first London triumph. Conducting from the keyboard just as Handel himself did, Ottavio Dantone leads a youthful cast of today’s luminaries in the dramatic art of Baroque opera, the ‘affecting’ Sonia Prina, the ‘unadorned intensity’ of Anett Fritsch and ‘fire-breathing flair’ (The Observer) of Brenda Rae.

Rinaldo – Sonia Prina
Goffredo – Varduhi Abrahamyan
Eustazio – Tim Mead
Almirena – Anett Fritsch
Armida – Brenda Rae
Argante – Luca Pisaroni
A Christian Magician – William Towers

Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Ottavio Dantone, conductor

Robert Carsen, stage director

R E V I E W:



HANDEL Rinaldo • Ottavio Dantone, cond; Sonia Prina ( Rinaldo ); Anett Fritsch ( Almirena ); Luca Pisaroni ( Argante ); Brenda Rae ( Armida ); Varduhi Abrahamyan ( Goffredo ); Tim Mead ( Eustazio ); William Towers ( Christian Magus ); O of the Age of Enlightenment • OPUS ARTE OA 1081 D (1 DVD: 190:00 opera, 24:00 bonus; Blu-ray OA BD7107 D) Live: Glyndebourne 2011


When we think of the Crusades, our romantic imaginations go to mounted knights in armor with white crosses on their breastplates on mighty chargers doing battle with mounted and turbaned Saracens on sleek Arabian steeds with flowing robes and scimitars flashing in the sun. In point of fact, most of the battles during the First Crusade were sieges, with one side hunkered down inside a fortress or walled city, which was certainly the case during the battle for Jerusalem, as depicted in George Frideric Handel’s Rinaldo . Handel’s librettist, Giacomo Rossi, ignores all of that, his stage instructions call for the Saracens to file out of the town like chickens to be plucked and form up across from the waiting Crusaders (who would have combatants on foot and a contingent of archers as well as the mounted knights). Then the two sides are to engage in actual battle with first one side surging to the fore and then the other. The difficulty of staging such a military spectacle, along with some of the magic effects of sorceress Armida, are often cited as reasons to either change the story or not give the opera at all.


In this Glyndebourne production from 2011 the epic battle takes place on a soccer pitch at a British boys’ school between boys in school uniforms and breastplates and some rather sluttily dressed schoolgirls. Many of the magic effects occur in the school chemistry lab, with the fizzes and bangs and colorful explosions of a lab assignment gone very bad. Other scenes take place in a classroom, a hallway with school lockers and the bicycle barn. Armida’s torture chamber is the school gymnasium. The whole story of Rinaldo here becomes a young bullied schoolboy’s romantic fantasy of gaining revenge on the school bullies and the mean teachers who punish him. Of course the schoolboy is Rinaldo, mighty Christian warrior, his young girlfriend Almirena, Rinaldo’s intended, and his classmates the knights of the Crusader army, with Goffredo, their leader and his brother Eustazio two of the principals. The mean teachers become the Saracen leader Argante and his girlfriend, the sorceress Armida who wears a kinky rubber outfit. The sluttily dressed schoolgirls double as Armida’s Furies. The story is played in earnest, not tongue-in-cheek and manages to hang together and be quite entertaining. There are a few whimsical bits that draw audience laughter; at the end of act I Rinaldo goes airborne and flies across the face of the full moon on his bicycle. (I think I was on that ride in Orlando once.) I am informed the slutty schoolgirls are actually modeled on the students of St. Trinian’s in popular movies from the ’60s I must have missed. Thankfully, Stage Director Robert Carsen gives us no trace of Harry Potter.


As might be expected from Glyndebourne, the musical side of things is first-rate. The classy period ensemble, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, is led here impeccably by the up and coming young Italian maestro Ottavio Dantone. All of the singers are very good, starting with contralto Sonia Prina as Rinaldo. Prina is a bit small and short to look like a heroic warrior but she fits a British schoolboy much better and sings the music very well. Handel wrote three roles for castrato, Rinaldo, Goffredo, and his brother Eustazio. Here, Goffredo is sung by mezzo Varduhi Abrahamyan and Eustazio by countertenor Tim Mead, both in fine voice, though Goffredo must sing a lot of music and Abrahamyan seems to tire a bit in the last act. The enemy forces provide some of the best music in Rinaldo and here coloratura soprano Brenda Rae as Armida scores a triumph in some of Handel’s most difficult and spectacular music. Rae is able to portray both the alluring seductress of Rinaldo and the angry twice-rejected sorceress with equal skill and believability. Luca Pisaroni brings his fine bass-baritone voice to bear on the role of the Saracen leader, Argante, and produces some highlights of his own. Soprano Anett Fritsch gives us a very well sung “Lascia ch’io pianga” as Almirena, but I can never get Cecilia Bartoli’s version on Decca out of my head. Five arias are cut from the 1711 score to allow the Glyndebourne patrons time to catch the last train back to London.


There is another production of Rinaldo on DVD, from Munich, with Harry Bicket conducting the Bavarian State forces and featuring countertenor David Daniels in the title role, with two other countertenors, David Walker and Axel Kohler in Handel’s two other castrato roles. The Munich version is played more as Euro farce with many directorial oddities prevailing. The setting is modernized to the present with much of the first act taking place in a seedy hotel lobby with cheap orange furniture. Goffredo is apparently a sleazy evangelist preacher trying to enlist heroic Rinaldo to do God’s work, his brother Eustazio the PR man and business manager who counts the take from the collection plates. During one aria a giant bobble-head doll wanders out, drops his pants, then turns around and moons the audience, which sets the prevailing tone of this production. It certainly distracts our attention from the implied inanity of the original story. This set is also very well sung.


The theory that the story of Rinaldo cannot be successfully produced in its original guise to the satisfaction of modern viewers has been lately disproved by the Metropolitan Opera’s tasteful and very enjoyable staging of the Rossini version of the same story ( Armida ). Neither the Glyndebourne nor the Munich sets are completely satisfactory in that regard, some of the grand glory and romance of Handel’s heroic melodrama leaks out like a flat tire when the work is updated and farcical elements inserted. You are left with several good tunes and in this Opus Arte set, a rather cute story. I like this one the better of the two, and it comes in razor sharp Blu-ray video and hi-def surround sound. Recommended.


FANFARE: Bill White    

Recorded live at Glyndebourne Opera House, Lewes, August 2011

Picture format: NTSC 16:9
Sound format: LPCM 2.0 / DTS 5.1
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Subtitles: English, French, German
Running time: 190 mins
No. of DVDs: 1

DNO presents a new production of Händel's last Italian opera, Deidamia, staged by the American David Alden. No known literary source has been linked directly to this opera, which is set at the time of the Trojan War. After an oracle has predicted the death of Achilles at Troy, Achilles disguises himself as a woman and takes refuge at the court of Lycomedes, whose daughter Deidamia falls in love with the young Greek. Amorous developments and tricks of disguise expose the truth and Achilles is forced to take his place at the side of his countrymen in the battle against the Trojans. Comedy and tragedy are bedfellows in this opera, and the title role in particular covers the entire expressive spectrum, from flirtatious love song to heartfelt lament.

George Frideric Handel DEIDAMIA

Deidamia – Sally Matthews
Nerea – Veronica Cangemi
Achille – Olga Pasichnyk
Ulisse – Silvia Tro Santafé
Fenice – Andrew Foster-Williams
Licomede – Umberto Chiummo
Nestore – Jan-Willem Schaafsma

Concerto Köln
Ivor Bolton, conductor

David Alden, stage director

Recorded live at the De Nederlandse Opera, March and April 2012

Picture format: NTSC 16:9
Sound format: LPCM 2.0 / DTS 5.1
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Subtitles: English, French, German
Running time: 208 mins
No. of DVDs: 1


R E V I E W:

HANDEL Deidamia • Ivor Bolton, cond; Sally Matthews (Deidamia); Veronica Cangemi (Nerea); Olga Pasichnyk (Achille); Silvia Tro Santafé (Ulisse); Andrew Foster-Williams (Fenice); Umberto Chiummo (Licomede); Jan-Willem Schaafsma (Nestore); Concerto Köln (period instruments) • OPUS ARTE 1088 (DVD: 228:00)

By the time that Deidamia was composed in 1740, George Frederick Handel had already suffered the misfortune of having his entire Italian opera enterprise, for which he had been famed and which had earned him a fair amount of money, collapse in the wake of The Beggars Opera and its successors. The first performance on January 10, 1741, at the Lincoln’s Inn Fields Theatre in London was, to put it mildly, received poorly, and it was withdrawn after only three performances. The English audiences no longer wanted to hear about the opera seria gods and heroes, and there is nothing more entertaining than a simple plot with obvious situations and simple characters, none of which this piece has. In short, perhaps he wanted just one more stab at his former glory, or maybe librettist Paolo Antonio Polli convinced him that this would be work to revive the fortunes of opera seria in Italian. Whatever the case, the lack of success convinced the composer that the genre was dead as a doornail, and he then moved on to the less expensive (and English) oratorio.

Reviewing the plot, it is not really difficult to see why no one really cared back then. The situation, known from Homer’s Iliad, is that Achilles is hiding out in Scyros among the maidens, a plot by his mother to avoid an oracle (and we all know how this sort of thing turns out). Under the name of Pirra, she, er, he continually goes against the stereotype by preferring hunting to maidenly games, much to the chagrin of Deidamia, the daughter of King Lycomedes of Scyros, who has fallen in love with him and fears for his discovery. Meanwhile, her confident Nerea warns of the approach of several Greeks, including Odysseus, who is also in disguise. Lycomedes invites all and sundry to a hunt, perhaps not realizing in his senility that Achilles’s true self will be revealed. In the meantime, the Amazon Phoenix has fallen in love with Nerea, and during the hunt all are amazed that Pirra, now portrayed as an Amazon, has killed the quarry. Odysseus, under the name of Antilochus, pays court to her, ahem, him, and Deidamia feels she has been betrayed, while Phoenix is now convinced that Pirra is none other than the disguised Achilles (and one wonders what gave her that idea). Well, to make a long story short, the Homeric ruse of Odysseus hauling in a pile of weapons and some girlish things reveals the disguise. At the end, Deidamia turns to Antilochus, only to find that her Plan B is none other than a Greek hero, so her best choice is to marry Achilles quickly and for him to leave her forever to die at Troy.

As opera seria plots go, it is not as hoary as some, in that the characters are more or less drawn from the epic. The twists and turns, however, are typical and who is getting angry at whom is never easy to follow. In this DVD, taken from a Netherlands Opera production from March 2012, the modern setting makes the thing seem even more odd. It opens with Lycomedes sitting on a lighthouse shaped like a column, and the Greeks arrive in a submarine (probably a Kursk class, but I digress). The remainder is set amid seaside beach boulders and resorts replete with stainless railings, chilled champagne buckets, and comfy chairs. The hunting scene has a variety of odd weapons, including an oversized slingshot, and the costumes are an eccentric mix of modern dress, ball gowns, togas, and red and black “camouflage” uniforms with crested helmets. All of this is played against a single cumulus cloud in a blue sky, presumably the Aegean location. I suppose it is no better or worse than most “updates,” but for a baroque opera it lacks a certain class or gravitas.

The music is wonderfully composed, with the requisite da capo arias, which Handel orchestrated with considerable sensitivity. The playing by the Concerto Köln is accurate and finely drawn, and both Sally Matthews and Olga Pasichnyk, the latter who has a nice rich voice, complement each other, as does the rather powerful soprano of Silvia Santafé’s Ulisse/Odysseus. Umberto Chiummo is far more of a bass presence, more Polyphemus than the hapless Licomede. In short, the musical portions are just fine, which should make enduring the odd sets possible. For those wanting a libretto, however, none is provided, but of course there are subtitles in four languages. So, the bottom line is this: There probably won’t be another DVD of Deidamia in the future, so for the visual portions one must put up with the dramaturgical mishmash. The musical background, however, is good enough so that one can (and maybe should) close one’s eyes to savor the final effort by an iconic composer in a genre in which he excelled.

FANFARE: Bertil van Boer

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

George Frideric Handel
ACIS AND GALATEA
(Blu-ray Disc Version)

Galatea – Danielle de Niese (soprano) / Lauren Cuthbertson (dancer)
Acis – Charles Workman (tenor) / Edward Watson (dancer)
Damon – Paul Agnew (tenor) / Steven McRae (dancer)
Polyphemus – Matthew Rose (bass) / Eric Underwood (dancer)
Coridon – Ji-Min Park (soprano) / Paul Kay (dancer)

Royal Opera House Chorus
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Christopher Hogwood, conductor

Wayne McGregor, stage director

Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, on 8 April, 2009.

Bonus:
- Illustrated synopsis
- Cast gallery
- Documentary – Staging Acis and Galatea

Picture format: 1080i High Definition
Sound format: PCM 2.0 / DTS-HD Master Audio 5.0
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Menu language: English
Subtitles: English (bonus features only) / French, German, Spanish
Running time: 110 mins
No. of Discs: 1 (BD 50)

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HANDEL Acis and Galatea • Christopher Hogwood, cond; Danielle de Niese/Lauren Cuthbertson ( Galatea ); Charles Workman/Edward Watson ( Acis ); Paul Agnew/Steven McRae/Mellissa Hamilton ( Damon ); Ji-Min Park/Paul Kay ( Coridon ); Matthew Rose/Eric Underwood ( Polyphemus ); Royal Op Extra Cho & Ballet; O of the Age of Enlightenment (period instruments) • OPUSARTE BD7056 D (Blu-ray: 110:00) Live: Covent Garden 4/8/2009


As you can tell from the headnote, this production is double-cast (in one case, triple-cast), but not in the usual way; the first name listed for each character is that of the singer, and after that comes the name of the dancer(s) assigned to shadow or echo the actions and emotions of the character. It may sound contrived, but this actually is a marvelous way to amplify the text, and frankly to relieve the score of its sometimes static nature. Handel wrote Acis and Galatea as a masque, which for practical purposes today means a secular cantata stringing together da capo arias and a few choruses, and so he had no reason to fill in several important gaps in the action that would help explain character motivation or simply specify between numbers how we got from there to here. Acis doesn’t quite work as an opera, but this version directed and choreographed by Wayne McGregor makes the best case for its stageworthiness without resorting to musical interpolations.


Not much happens in the pastoral prologue, in which the river nymph Galatea and the shepherd Acis make goo-goo eyes at each other, to the occasinal commentary of onlookers. Things go bad in the second half, where the jeaolous and volcanic Polyphemus eventually kills Acis; in best Ovidian fashion, the young man’s gushing blood is transformed into a river.


McGregor’s choreography fuses elements of ballet with hep Audrey Hepburn-style 1950s modern dance; the dancers, all of them excellent, do not so much act out what the singers are going on about as echo their emotions, although a few gestures do sometimes conform to specific words in the text. The cast is headed by Danielle de Niese, a fine Handel singer who also happens to look the part of a delectable nymph. In the role of Acis, however, Charles Workman’s singing is little better than, well, workmanlike—competent, but little more. Bass Matthew Rose is a rich-voiced Polyphemus, whose only fault is that he tends to miss the humor in his music (perhaps director McGregor wanted him to seem more threatening, which he certainly does). In their smaller roles, Paul Agnew and Ji-Min Park are very good, and it’s too bad Handel doesn’t give us a chance to hear more of them.


Hildegard Bechtler’s set starts off in traditional pastoral mode, but through the course of the performance gradually decays into dark abstraction as the lovers’ lives fall apart; her costumes for the singers are drawn more or less from the mid 20th-century English countryside, while the dancers wear slightly gussied-up bodysuits.


Christopher Hogwood leads typically crisp playing by the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, although there’s more emotional nuance to be found in the audio-only performances under King (Hyperion), Gardiner (Archiv), and Christie (Erato, if you can find it). This version may not displace your CD favorite, but as an audio-visual presentation it’s perfectly good, and often better than that (especially when de Niese has the stage). There’s nothing out-of-the-ordinary to report about the high-definition video and audio quality; the total time in the headnote includes a bit more than 10 minutes of special features—a little documentary and the usual illustrated synopsis.


FANFARE: James Reel

George Frideric Handel
ACIS AND GALATEA

Christopher Hogwood conducts the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and a distinguished cast including Danielle de Niese and Charles Workman in Wayne McGregor's new production of Handel's opera in which The Royal Opera and The Royal Ballet appear in a rare and beautifully crafted collaboration. Filmed with High Definition cameras and recorded in true surround sound.

"Charles Workman and Danielle de Niese had bags of vocal and personal charm in the title roles, with strong contributions from Matthew Rose as Polyphemus and Paul Agnew and Ji-Min Park as attendant shepherds; among the dancers, special praise to Lauren Cuthbertson as Galatea's frolicking nymph. …An evening of exquisite sensual pleasure." -- The Telegraph

Galatea – Danielle de Niese (soprano) / Lauren Cuthbertson (dancer)
Acis – Charles Workman (tenor) / Edward Watson (dancer)
Damon – Paul Agnew (tenor) / Steven McRae (dancer)
Polyphemus – Matthew Rose (bass) / Eric Underwood (dancer)
Coridon – Ji-Min Park (soprano) / Paul Kay (dancer)

Royal Opera House Chorus
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Christopher Hogwood, conductor

Wayne McGregor, stage director

Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, on 8 April, 2009.

Bonus:
- Illustrated synopsis
- Cast gallery
- Documentary – Staging Acis and Galatea

Picture format: NTSC 16:9 anamorphic
Sound format: PCM 2.0 / DTS 5.0
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Menu language: English
Subtitles: English (bonus features only) / French, German, Spanish
Running time: 110 mins
No. of DVDs: 1

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Acis and Galatea is an absolutely delightful work, one of Handel’s great masterpieces, but what on earth is it? Is it an oratorio, a masque, an opera or something else altogether? For its Handel anniversary production in 2009 Covent Garden decided that it was a mix of all these and its triumphant staging gives us a rare opportunity to see the combined talents of both the Royal Opera and the Royal Ballet on the same stage. By the way, if you’re more interested in the debate over Acis’ form then this is dealt with in a most informative way by Andrew V Jones’ scholarly booklet note for this release.

Wayne McGregor’s main idea for this production is to have each singer shadowed by a dancer – as listed above – and for the dancer to mirror, shadow or suggest the emotions they are expressing. It works remarkably well. While there are no official dances per se in Handel’s score the lithe, flexible rhythms that abound in the music seem to cry out for a physical interpretation. It’s a neat idea that, crucially, informs our understanding of the music and the characters rather than getting in the way. The most effective moments are towards the end of Act 1 when we see the dancers approach one another and then gradually intertwine as Acis and Galatea give in to their mutual love. Polyphemus’ dancer is particularly interesting: when the singer is at his most active the dancer is almost entirely still and the situation is reversed for when the singer is at peace, an interesting comment on the psychology of the “monster”.

Dancers aside, the star of the show is undoubtedly the delectable, delightful de Niese by whom, I admit, I was entirely smitten. She is strikingly beautiful to look at on stage but this would count for little were it not for her remarkably lovely voice. Her light soprano is bright and blithe throughout Act 1 and full of pathos for Act 2 – Heart, the seat of soft delight is meltingly lovely, perhaps the highlight of the set. Added to this is her visible sense of wide-eyed wonder at the events unfolding around her, the very type of pastoral innocence. The climax of the evening comes at the end when, having transformed Acis into the fountain, she dances with his spirit/dancer showing physical awareness and adaptability quite remarkable for a singer. Next to her Charles Workman, dressed in a shepherd’s tatty jumper and trousers, is disappointingly workaday. His voice, while not unpleasant, sounds hollow and pale and he cannot do justice to Handel’s lovely melodies. Love in her eyes lacks the beguiling wonder it should carry and Love sounds th’alarm is weak rather than heroic. Paul Agnew is an effective Damon and Ji-Min Park’s Coridon has accented English but a fine tenor voice. Matthew Rose is a very fine Polyphemus, threatening yet humorous at the same time, singing with a rich, full bass that is exciting and vibrant without being over-dominant. The trio, The flocks shall leave the mountains, is very effective, bringing out the best in all three protagonists.

McGregor creates an idyllic pastoral setting which slowly decays. The opening scene is straight out of Cranach but as the opera progresses it is stained and tainted by what he calls, in a short extra film, “the bodily fluids of the opera” so that by the time of Acis’ murder the action plays out in an almost apocalyptic staging. A few subtle ruins and stuffed animals suggest ancient Greek pastoral without ramming it down our throats. There is plenty of room for the dancers to move without distracting from or being distracted by the setting.

Orchestral duties are done by the OAE in the pit, an ensemble who know this music inside out and it shows with delectable string sound and some beautiful wind solos. Hogwood loves the bouncy rhythms of Handel’s textures. Don’t be put off by an excessively slow opening chorus: it soon gives way to much more energetic pacing. The reduced chorus sing most effectively, Handel’s counterpoint shining through in their transparent textures, particularly towards the end.

All told, then, this production looks great and, Workman aside, sounds fantastic too. I found it very convincing and if you’re going to stage Acis then this is as effective a way of doing it as any I can think of.

-- Simon Thompson, MusicWeb International

Also available on Blu-ray

Rebellious servants, capricious lovers, cross-dressing farce, and a happy ending: the fast-paced action of this comic Baroque opera had all the ingredients to please the self-confessed "low-brow taste" of an Austro-German prince, who commissioned Giuseppe Scarlatti for a piece to celebrate his son’s wedding. This is the opera’s first revival in modern times, and it takes place in the very same Baroque theatre, impeccably restored to its original glory, which hosted the first performance. With a cast of young singers drawn from Prague’s National Theatre and a stylish period-instrument ensemble, this vivid reconstruction will delight audiences as much today as it did the aristocratic guests at Ceský Krumlov in 1768.

SCARLATTI, G.: Dove e amore e gelosia (National Theatre Prague, 2011)

Giuseppe Scarlatti
DOVE È AMORE È GELOSIA

Marquise Clarice – Lenka Máciková
Count Orazio – Aleš Briscein
Vespetta – Katerina Knežíková
Patrizio – Jaroslav Brezina
Servant – Bohumil Klepl
Marquise – Tat'ána Kupcová
Schwarzenberg Court Orchestra
Vojtech Spurný, conductor

Ondrej Havelka, stage director

Recorded live at The National Theatre, Prague, Summer 2011

Picture format: NTSC 16:9
Sound format: LPCM 2.0 / DTS 5.1
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Subtitles: English, French, German, Japanese, Korean
Running time: 138 mins
No. of DVDs: 1

R E V I E W:

G. SCARLATTI Dove è amore è gelosia & • Vojtech Spurný, cond; Lenka Máciková ( Marquise Clarice ); Ales Briscein ( Count Orazio ); Katerina Knežíková ( Vespetta ); Jaroslav Brezina ( Patrizio ); Schwarzenberg Court O • OPUS ARTE 1104 (DVD: 88:00 + 55:00) Live: Ceský Krunlov Baroque Theater, Czech Republic 2011


& Documentary


Although he’s credited as being the nephew of the far better known Domenico, it’s possible Giuseppe Scarlatti was his cousin instead. (The Scarlattis, like the Bachs, Couperins, Rameaus, and Hotteterres, were an extensive musical clan spanning several generations.) Regardless, he was a successful and well-considered operatic composer in the mid-18th century, best known for a host of opere serie setting texts by Metastasio. Here we’re given a two-act opera buffa that was originally commissioned for performance by Prince Joseph Adam zu Schwarzenberg, at his castle’s private theater in what is now Ceský Krumlov in the Czech Republic. Better still: it’s performed for us at the same castle theater, fully restored since 1989.


The title tells all. The work is about love and jealousy, constituted on two entirely separate social plains of nobility and servants. The book is nothing to write home about, but its situations are amusing, and its characters relatively consistent in behavior. The music is another matter. There’s no reference made anywhere in this package to the opera’s edition; and that raises a couple of flags, because it appears that Dove è amore has been heavily edited. For one thing, it almost entirely lacks recitative and is without spoken passages. Second, several of the arias and scenes display a musical complexity and fluidity of structure that would have been astonishing at its 1768 debut. I don’t object to the form this opera has been given, since it was clearly edited not out of wanton disregard for historical practices, but the desire to secure modern performance. I would just like to know who did it, how they proceeded, and what was left out or changed.


The performances themselves are an almost unalloyed pleasure. Both Lenka Máciková and Katerína Knežíková are gifted actresses, and each is a fine lyric soprano. (Interestingly, they’ve also both made a considerable impression as Zerlina in Don Giovanni .) Scarlatti utilizes two tenors, rather than a tenor and bass. Jaroslav Brezina’s face lacks sufficient mobility to make the most of his sly-but-stupid servant, but he acts with great energy and self-control. He possesses as well a refined vocal technique that is hardly tested in this role. Ales Briscein is slightly overparted, however. At least on the two nights used to record this, he displays a tendency to short phrase endings at times with his otherwise attractive voice, sings without much variety, and acts well but without the specificity of the others. Vojtech Spurný leads a sprightly, disciplined performance. His orchestra displays enough technique and silky phrasing to make it clear they don’t just hang around Schwarzenberg when the opera’s not in season.


Ondrej Havelka does an excellent job of blocking his actors, both in the opera, and in its modern Prolog that features the cast supposedly getting ready to perform. We also get in the latter an actor performing the mute role of stage director. As he makes certain that the extensive, many-tiered scenery and set changes are accomplished on time throughout the performance, we get a chance to witness behind-the-scenes the elaborate wooden apparatus created in the original theater to quickly achieve these results: very cleverly done.


There’s also a documentary about the castle theater included with the opera. It’s sumptuously photographed and insightful in its further display of the architecture and stage machinery. But apart from its visuals of the theater, the information provided is at times problematic. We are told the 18th-century castle theater with its stage mechanisms is the only one left standing of its kind, yet publicity information on the city’s own website indicates it’s one of several. We are informed that the castle’s castellan has hired a bee farm to make candles according to a very old recipe that meant they wouldn’t flicker and could last three to four hours for performances, but the website states that simulated candlelight is used.


We’re also informed that 18th-century movement and acting were studied for this production, while we’re shown images from a page from a book of unknown provenance on hand gestures, written in Latin. Yet the acting we see in this production is strictly 20th-century fourth-wall-removed (and the makeup style is modern, too), unlike that utilized in Lully’s Cadmus et Hermione (Alpha 701) and his Le bourgeois gentlhomme (Alpha 700). And again, there’s a brief downward-moving musical motto that forms the basis of one of Patrizio’s arias, and turns up as well in a very different fashion as part of the main theme to Cherubino’s “Non so più cosa son” in Le nozze di Figaro . We’re told Mozart copied it from Scarlatti 18 years later, yet the motto itself is a galant commonplace that turns up in the work of many composers in the latter half of the 18th century. It was simply Mozart alone who made something truly distinctive of it. There’s much more that’s said or implied which is equally questionable.


Documentary aside, the production itself shines. It’s solidly performed and directed in a way that emphasizes the behind-the-scenes mechanical contrivances of its risen-from-its-ashes 18th-century theater. This is an excellent halfway house to period productions, and just plain fun.


FANFARE: Barry Brenesal