This 18-opera collection displays the scope of The Royal Opera's work. From the sumptuous beauty of Richard Eyre's La traviata and the picturesque realism of John Copley's La bohème to the psychological intensity of David McVicar's Salome and Kasper Holten's Król Roger, the impressive collection spans more than two hundred years of great operatic works from the classical period to the present day. Featuring some of the company's most popular guest artists, including Renée Fleming, Jonas Kaufmann, Joseph Calleja and Diana Damrau, and conductors including The Royal Opera's Music Director Antonio Pappano, The Royal Opera Collection is a dazzling tour of operatic treasures by Mozart, Verdi, Bizet, Wagner, Mascagni, Leoncavallo, Puccini, Richard Strauss, Szymanowski, Britten and George Benjamin. This title is a re-packaging of The Royal Opera Collection (OA1244BD) at budget price, including the same content and booklet as the original release (which will be discontinued).

This 18-opera collection displays the scope of The Royal Opera's work. From the sumptuous beauty of Richard Eyre's La traviata and the picturesque realism of John Copley's La bohème to the psychological intensity of David McVicar's Salome and Kasper Holten's Król Roger, the impressive collection spans more than two hundred years of great operatic works from the classical period to the present day. Featuring some of the company's most popular guest artists, including Renée Fleming, Jonas Kaufmann, Joseph Calleja and Diana Damrau, and conductors including The Royal Opera's Music Director Antonio Pappano, The Royal Opera Collection is a dazzling tour of operatic treasures by Mozart, Verdi, Bizet, Wagner, Mascagni, Leoncavallo, Puccini, Richard Strauss, Szymanowski, Britten and George Benjamin. This title is a re-packaging of The Royal Opera Collection (OA1244BD) at budget price, including the same content and booklet as the original release (which will be discontinued).

R E V I E W:



VERDI La Traviata • Antonio Pappano, cond; Renée Fleming ( Violetta ); Joseph Calleja ( Alfredo ); Thomas Hampson ( Germont ); Royal Op House Ch & O • OPUS ARTE OA 1040 D (DVD); OA BD7076 D (Blu-ray: 154:00) Live: Covent Garden 6/27 & 30/2009


Back in Fanfare 34:1 I reviewed the recent DVD of La traviata with Angela Gheorghiu, Ramón Vargas, Roberto Frontali, and Lorin Maazel at La Scala. To summarize that briefly, my verdict was: excellent staging, superlative Gheorghiu, good Vargas and Maazel, hapless Frontali and comprimario singers. I also provided an extensive overview of other versions of the opera on DVD; all are flawed, but the best alternatives are the 1968 film version on VAI with Anna Moffo, Franco Bonisolli, Gino Bechi, and Giuseppe Patané; a 1972 Tokyo staging starring Renata Scotto, José Carreras, Sesto Bruscantini, and Nino Verchi, also on VAI; and the 2006 Los Angeles Opera production on Decca with Renée Fleming, Rolando Villazón, Renato Bruson, and James Conlon. Opus Arte now brings us a new version with Renée Fleming, and while it too is not without its flaws, it joins the aforementioned entries in the top rank of La traviata performances on video.


At the risk of seeming like a gaggle of geese nibbling this DVD to death, I will state up front that this version of the opera is carried by a few great strengths over multiple secondary weaknesses. The strengths are easy to state: All the principal roles are securely sung, a top-notch conductor is on the podium, and the staging is sensible. In particular, Joseph Calleja is one of the greatest Alfredos ever to record the role. While not ideally handsome and dashing in physical appearance, he has the ringing tenor voice, secure technique, heartbreaking plangency of timbre, and interpretive imagination for the ideal Alfredo. Every time he opens his mouth, you simply don’t want him to close it again. He is also an effective actor whose facial expressions, postures, and gestures harmonize with his singing.


After Calleja, however, the “yes, but” element of this review enters in for everyone and everything else, beginning with the Violetta of Renée Fleming. Doubtless she is a very good Violetta, and superior to many rivals, but I do not think she is a truly great one. Compared to her Los Angeles performance from three years earlier, her interpretation is considerably deeper but her vocal technique (particularly in “Sempre libera”) is more labored and the sound less creamy. Thankfully, she does far less of the distracting grimacing and bizarre grinning than before, though sometimes it still intrudes (someone needs to tell her to rehearse in front of a mirror). However, my greater concern is that her acting is too calculated and external to the character rather than indwelling it; she expends too much energy portraying, rather than being, Violetta. The gestures and movements all seem too self-conscious; instead of just picking up a champagne bottle, or flitting a handkerchief, or sitting down in a chair, one can almost see her thinking, “Now I’m supposed to pick up the champagne bottle,” “Now I should flit my handkerchief,” “Now I should sit down in this chair.” Again, I would prefer to emphasize the real improvement in her characterization in just three years, but this dimension is present and it does matter.


Next there is the Germont of Thomas Hampson. The good news is that he is in steady and secure voice here—not always the case recently—which is more than can be said for much of his painfully superannuated competition. The less than ideal news is that, in order to keep the voice steady, he constantly forces it so that every syllable is pushed out at a forte with a hard, unyielding tone that limits him to a single mode of expression, one of preemptive sternness. His acting and facial gestures are similarly limited and wooden; when Violetta pleads for his fatherly embrace he remains stock-still and ignores her, and displays equal unconcern for his son at “Di Provenza il mar.” In an unintentionally comic sartorial aspect, the light green piping on his brown suit unavoidably conjures up a chocolate sundae with mint drizzle icing, while his stiff posture and lumbering gait in an over-padded full-length fur coat keep bringing to mind actor Fred Gwynne (aka Herman Munster). Again, I don’t want these smaller details to override the fact that Hampson’s Germont trumps that of many lesser singers, but again they are present and do matter.


The rest can be summarized more briefly. One always expects fine Verdi conducting when Antonio Pappano is in the pit, and so it proves here; but this time he seems a bit too deferential to his singers and the performance lacks the extra frisson found in his very best interpretations, and I actually find myself preferring Maazel overall despite his occasional eccentricities. The comprimario singers are uniformly excellent to a rare degree—every one of them could easily be singing a principal role in a major opera instead—and the deft stage direction makes their momentary interactions contribute far more to the cogency of the plot that I have ever experienced before. The recorded sound and film quality are quite good, with the quality of the Blu-ray disc only marginally superior to that of the regular DVD; the camerawork is sensible if not exceptional; the costumes are of the period and (Hampson’s suit and coat excepted) attractive and elegant; the ballet sequence at Flora’s party is nicely staged.


My one other major reservation concerns the production’s sets, which are quite pedestrian. Act I is set in a round room with brown wood paneling and a single large window with blinds in the back, with a small round settee and semicircular padded backless benches around it—no banquet table, chandelier, or anything else to indicate either elegance or the intended significance of Violetta in the round. While not the awful Willy Decker sofa and clock, it’s a major disappointment. The villa interior for act II, scene 1 is painted a drab eggshell blue and has no furniture other than a long work table and a few chairs. Several paintings—whether waiting to be hung or sold is not clear—are stacked on the floor to one side, and several little squares painted with stripes—color swatches, perhaps?—rest in a row on the wall molding halfway off the floor. It’s not very attractive, and simply leaves one baffled regarding the desired effect. By contrast, Flora’s party in act II scene 2 is appropriately elegant, marred only by garish red stage lighting, a huge modern dome light fixture hanging from the ceiling like an oversized cafeteria heat lamp hovering over sandwiches. Act III has an appropriately simple setting of a bare room outfitted with a bed, a dresser, and a couple of chairs, but again is marred by two enormous windows with blinds, against which inexplicably tall shadows (up to 30 feet) of carnival revelers are cast after Violetta finishes “Addio del passato.” Compared to the high-class La Scala staging for Gheorghiu, this is an impoverished country cousin.


So, once again, we still await the ideal La traviata . In the best of all possible worlds, I would be able to take the La Scala production, replace its wretched comprimario singers with their Covent Garden counterparts, swap out Vargas for Calleja, and replace Frontali with almost any other baritone from another DVD. (Leonard Warren, where are you when we need you?) Barring such a pleasing impossibility, however, this production is as good as any other and better than most, and is recommended accordingly.


FANFARE: James A. Altena

Also available on Blu-ray

Gloriously affirming the Salzburg Festival’s long-standing reputation as a supreme musical event, this concert honours one of its founding fathers, Richard Strauss. Renée Fleming, Christian Thielemann and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra unite for a programme of song, opera and tone poem, genres central to the composer’s extraordinarily fruitful career. Fleming interprets four of his songs with orchestra, including the deeply moving Befreit, and provides a substantial taste of perhaps her finest operatic role, Arabella. New vistas then open as Thielemann and the Vienna Philharmonic take the spectacular mountain journey mapped by the composer in his titanic Alpine Symphony.

Richard Strauss:
Befreit, Op. 39, No. 4
Winterliebe, Op. 48, No. 5
Traum durch die Dämmerung, Op. 29, No. 1
Gesang der Apollopriesterin, Op. 33, No. 2
Arabella: Mein Elemer!
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64

Renée Fleming, soprano
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Christian Thielemann, conductor

Recorded live at the Salzburg Festival, August 2011

Picture format: NTSC 16:9
Sound format; LPCM 2.0 / DTS 5.0
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Subtitles: English, French, German, Spanish
Running time: 84 mins
No. of DVDs: 1

R E V I E W:

R. STRAUSS An Alpine Symphony. Befreit. Winterliebe. Traum durch die Dämmerung. Gesang der Apollopriesterin. Arabella: act I concluding scene • Christian Thielemann, cond; Renée Fleming (sop); Vienna PO • OPUS ARTE 7101 (Blu-ray: 84:00) Live: Salzburg 8/2011


Renée Fleming, Christian Thielemann, and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra giving a Richard Straus concert at Salzburg would seem to be a no-brainer for Richard Strauss fans. Put it on your Blu-ray machine, turn off the lights, and surrender to Strauss’s beloved soprano voice and luscious orchestration. Fleming has stated that his music is ideal for her voice. And so it is. Strauss was seemingly addicted to the soprano voice, but you have to wonder if he ever heard an instrument like Fleming’s singing his music. Her rich, creamy tone blends so perfectly with Strauss’s lush orchestration that you have to forgive her when she sometimes tends to over-interpret these songs. Her lovely tone and wistful mood are perfect for the concluding scene from Arabella. Yes, she owns the part with a voice that is even more innately suited to this music than Kiri Te Kanawa’s. Gesang der Apollopriesterin is overwhelming in the hands of Fleming, Thielemann, and the Vienna Philharmonic. Despite sometimes seemingly getting lost in the sheer beauty of the sound of her voice as it relates to this music (who can blame her?), Befreit also shows why Fleming is a great Straussian. The magnificent Vienna Philharmonic plays an equal role in the songs, as it should.


For some, An Alpine Symphony will never be more than a monstrous exercise in musical megalomania (sometimes I wonder whether those critics are afraid to allow themselves to actually enjoy music, rather than view it as a painful academic exercise). After all, orchestration and melody are in many cases just as important as counterpoint and structure (which is not to say that Strauss could not write structurally sound music, even if he was not a symphonist). Anyway, Thielemann seems content to let the orchestra do its thing with just the right amount of control, and the video director discreetly gives us a helpful view of all the soloists within Strauss’s gigantic orchestra, especially the woodwinds. What a pleasure it is to hear the trumpets playing effortlessly without sounding annoying or inappropriately piercing through the instrumental fabric. And those trombone fanfares are stunning. Thielemann’s tempos are generally slow, but he presses forward in the climactic “At the Summit,” thus assuring that his interpretation does not bog down or sound over-indulgent. On the other hand, he slows too much to the point of micro-managing without enhancing the music’s atmosphere for the “Vision,” “Elegy,” and “Calm Before the Storm.” For Thielemann, the true climax appears to be “Sunset,” where he broadens the tempo and unleashes a torrent of luxurious sound. The organ is too subdued in the “Storm,” but blends nicely with the orchestra elsewhere.


The DTS surround sound is ideal for the Alpine Symphony, and the video direction shows plenty of detail without being choppy. My one quibble would be that you never get a complete view of the important percussion section. There are extreme close-ups of drum sticks (but not the timpanist) and the wind and thunder machines, but not the rest of the players. Subtitles are available in English, French, German, and Spanish. What more can I say? It is hard to imagine a better audio-visual feast for Straussians.


FANFARE: Arthur Lintgen

This opulent production by Oscar-winning film director John Schlesinger, filmed in 1985, marked the 25th anniversary of Sir Georg Solti's spectacular debut at Covent garden, conducting this very opera. It also features Kiri Te Kanawa as the Marschallin, performance of which The Financial Times said, "This deserves to be ranked...among her finest achievements." Anne Howells gives a sensitive performance as the 'Knight of the Rose'; Aage Haugland is the roguish Baron Ochs, and the International Herald Tribune described American soprano Barbara Bonney as "...an enchantingly vulnerable Sophie, as lovely to hear...as she is to behold".

Also available on Blu-ray

Following his delightful full-length ballet Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Christopher Wheeldon continues his highly successful collaboration with designer Bob Crowley and composer Joby Talbot to create his first ballet based on a Shakespeare play, the late romance The Winter’s Tale. The story follows the destruction of marriage through consuming jealousy, the abandonment of a child, and a seemingly hopeless love. Yet through remorse and regret–and after a statue comes miraculously to life–the ending is one of forgiveness and reconciliation. It is powerful material for ballet, with a story that allows for the portrayal of intense emotions between and within the characters, and the opportunity for the Company to create not just new central characters, but the whole world around them.

ACCLAIM
“Steven McRae and Sarah Lamb lead the company in flurries of joyful movement in a buoyant Act II, as the plot turns into a hugely enjoyable caper. By the time they’re in a chase across the high seas, you’ll be hooked.” - Evening Standard

“‘A game-changer for Wheeldon’ – Christopher Wheeldon rises to the challenge of translating Shakespeare into dance, creating one of most fully achieved story ballets to be staged at Covent Garden in years. Yet Christopher Wheeldon has turned these challenges into inspiration. Together with composer Joby Talbot and designer Bob Crowley (whose mix of video, light and set design vividly illuminates the story), Wheeldon has used this play to develop the most expressive and inventive dance language we’ve yet seen from him.” - The Guardian

Also available on Blu-ray

Royal Ballet Artistic Associate Christopher Wheeldon magically captured the twists and turns of Lewis Carroll’s classic story, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, in his 2011 ballet. Bob Crowley’s vivid sets and costumes take us down the rabbit hole into a colorful world full of curious creatures and captivating characters. Joby Talbot’s original score is full of sweeping melodies and contemporary sounds. Lauren Cuthbertson stars as the inquisitive Alice, with Federico Bonelli as the charming Knave of Hearts, Steven McRae as the tap-dancing Mad Hatter and Laura Morera as the formidable Queen of Hearts. This exuberant and engaging ballet is spectacular entertainment for the whole family. Extra features on this release include Bob Crowley speaking about the costumes, and an insider’s view of Wheeldon’s tap-dancing Hatter. ‘‘Cinematic but also unmistakably balletic, Joby Talbot’s complex, theme-driven score’’ (The Daily Telegraph) ‘‘It’s a joy to look at and packed with featured roles that show off the Royal Ballet’s strength in depth’’ (The Observer)

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

Also available on standard DVD

Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky

Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky
THE NUTCRACKER


The Sugar Plum Fairy – Miyako Yoshida
Nephew / Nutcracker – Ricardo Cervera / Steven McRae
The Prince – Steven McRae
Drosselmeyer – Gary Avis

The Royal Ballet
The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Koen Kessels, conductor

Peter Wright, choreographer and director
(after Lev Ivanov)

Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, November and December 2009.

Bonus:
- Cast gallery
- Rehearsing at White Lodge
- Peter Wright tells the story of The Nutcracker

Picture format: 1080i High Definition
Sound format: LPCM Stereo 2.0 / DTS 5.0
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Menu language: English
Subtitles: English, French, German, Spanish
Running time: 127 mins
No. of Discs: 1 (BD 50)

R E V I E W:



TCHAIKOVSKY The Nutcracker • Koen Kessels, cond; Iohna Loots ( Clara ); Ricardo Cervera ( Nutcracker ); Gary Avis ( Drosselmeyer ); Genesia Rosato ( Dancing Mistress ); David Pickering ( Mouse King ); Miyako Yoshida ( Sugar Plum Fairy ); Steven McRae ( Prince ); Royal Op O • OPUS ARTE 1036 (DVD); OA BD7072D (Blu-ray) (127:00 Text and Translation) Live: Covent Garden 11/26 and 12/2/2009


& Rehearsing at White Lodge (10:12); Peter Wright tells the Nutcracker story (8:56)


If you are one of those who think there’s nothing new under the sun, particularly so far as The Nutcracker goes, this production will turn your world on its ear. Moreover, it is the very best Nutcracker production, and performance, I’ve ever seen in my life, and I’ve seen some good ones (Cincinnati Ballet’s classic 1970s production, elements of which were “borrowed” by ballet companies around the country; Balanchine’s not-so-classic New York production of the same decade; and Baryshnikov’s unusual but ultimately failed attempt at it in the 1980s).


Choreographer Peter Wright, now 81, has first and foremost revamped the narrative of the plot to make it more sensible and, in both plot restructuring and staging, managed to make the usually fragmented and boring act II more continuous with act I. Second, it is, in costuming and set design, both lavish and traditional, yet with numerous little touches that clearly point to an updating. And third, it is so well cast, from the principal roles down to the very last flower, mirliton, mouse, and child dancer, that it is almost mind-boggling. In short, this is as close to a perfect Nutcracker as you are likely to see in your lifetime.


It’s so good, in fact, that I must say this, it was not merely a pleasure but a privilege for me to review it. If it weren’t so obvious that every single cast member is really enjoying himself or herself in addition to being brilliant onstage, it might have been one of those cold-but-perfect experiences that continue to crop up on video, but everyone certainly looks as if they enjoy giving this performance as much as the audience enjoys watching it.


Pride of place goes to Miyako Yoshida as the Sugar Plum Fairy rather than Iohna Loots as Clara, but only because Yoshida is jaw-droppingly stunning whereas Loots is “merely” fabulous. Principal ballerina of the Royal Ballet for at least a decade, Yoshida gives here a performance on par with late-period Margot Fonteyn. There are a few very tiny breaks in form, but otherwise, she is perfect. And I mean PERFECT. I even get the impression that Loots herself enjoys watching this performance—how could she not? Yet Loots is an exceptional dancer, with outstanding entrechats and excellent form. It also helps, from the believability standpoint, that she is a very small woman with a youthful face, so it is quite easy for her to play a 14-years-old without the audience thinking, “14, my eye.” Ricardo Cervera, as her nutcracker and, later, prince, is equally outstanding. He’s the best I’ve seen in many a year, capable of extraordinary leaps, fancy footwork, and spins that put me in mind of Roman Jasinski. In the second act, he even joins the Russian dancers and takes center stage during the kazatsky!


Wright’s genius is in rethinking the entire Nutcracker plot, divorcing the first act from the shattered remnants of E. T. A. Hoffmann’s story (which had been thoroughly diluted by Marius Petipa in the first place) and creating a new narrative structure into which everything fits. In Wright’s Nutcracker, Drosselmeyer had previously invented a trap for a royal household that killed off half the mouse population. In revenge, the wicked Mouse Queen cast a spell over his nephew, Hans-Peter, turning him into an ugly nutcracker doll. The only way to break the spell is for a young girl to love and care for him despite his awful appearance, and have him slay the Mouse King. In this context, Wright creates a prelude scene played out during the overture, showing Drosselmeyer in his study, looking longingly at a portrait of his cursed nephew and wrapping up the “nutcracker” as a Christmas gift for his favorite niece, Clara. In this production, Drosselmeyer forsakes the usual grotesque makeup and costuming borrowed from Hoffmann; he is older but distinguished-looking, wearing a flowing cape (which Gary Avis really knows how to throw around the stage!), performing numerous magic tricks for his family at the Christmas party (and which he pulls off splendidly), and continuing his appearance after most Drosselmeyers have disappeared for the duration. He comes out of the standing “owl clock” to direct the scene during the growing of the tree, sprinkles glitter across the stage to presage the appearance of angels (who really do appear to be floating across the stage … watch their controlled positions in these and other scenes!), and brings in the magic carriage that takes Clara and the now-transformed Hans-Peter to the second act, where Drosselmeyer puts on an entertainment to salute both of them for their bravery.


This new scenario works brilliantly and, as I said, it establishes continuity in the second act by having Cervera and Loots participate in some of the dances. Costuming and lighting are flawless, and the entire production has the quality of a dream. Not just the angels, but everyone else as well, appears to be literally floating across the stage as they move with the gossamer lighting effects and their controlled body positioning. Mother Goose is dispensed with (thank goodness). At the end, Hans-Peter puts his cloak over Clara’s bare shoulders as a keepsake, then returns to his uncle’s study—the very scene of the opening—to be embraced by the older man and bring closure to the entire production.


If you are a Nutcracker fan, or know someone who is, you MUST buy this DVD. If you are a choreographer or set designer, you must see how Wright and set designer Julia Oman work hand-in-glove to produce a masterpiece. And if you’re a dancer, you need to have this disc in your collection to watch, over and over and over again. You won’t believe your eyes at the sheer perfection of it all. Your jaw will drop, too, and you’ll understand how the usually staid Covent Garden audience goes absolutely berserk, screaming and applauding this Nutcracker —and particularly Yoshida—in a way British audiences rarely do. The bonus rehearsal sequence shows, as usual, some of the hard work behind the perfection, but also shows how Wright prods, cajoles, and encourages the children into giving their best—and, as he puts it, “for heaven’s sake, enjoy yourself!”


FANFARE: Lynn René Bayley

Explore the dreamlike world of Rudolf Nureyev’s interpretation of The Nutcracker. In his imaginative retelling of a 19th-century classic, the young Clara is propelled by dark forces from the realm of childhood into a radiant kingdom where she takes center stage. With a striking psychoanalytic dimension to the traditional festive favorite, Clara’s surreal journey becomes an allegory for the hopes and dreams of a young girl on the cusp of adulthood, her transformation evoked by the whirling snowflakes and glittering sugar of Tchaikovsky’s famous score. This 1968 recording is a golden opportunity to watch a great historical performance from The Royal Ballet featuring the illustrious pairing of Rudolf Nureyev and Merle Park in a scintillating display of virtuosity.

Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky
CLASSIC BALLETS
(3-DVD Box Set)

Swan Lake

Odette / Odille – Marianela Nuñez
Prince Siegfried – Thiago Soares
The Princess, Siegfried’s mother – Elizabeth McGorian
An Evil Spirit / Von Rothbart – Christopher Saunders
The Tutor – Alastair Marriott
Benno – David Pickering

Royal Ballet
Royal Opera House Orchestra
Valeriy Ovsyanikov, conductor

Anthony Dowell, stage director
Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, choreographers

Recorded at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, on 16 and 24 March 2009

Bonus:
- Illustrated synopsis
- Cast gallery
- Interview with Anthony Dowell
- Four Swan Queens - Exclusive 30-minute conversation on the demands of dancing the role of the Swan Queen with former Prima Ballerinas
- Dame Beryl Grey, Dame Monica Mason, Lesley Collier and current principal Marianela Nuñez

The Nutcracker

The Sugar Plum Fairy – Miyako Yoshida
Nephew / Nutcracker – Ricardo Cervera / Steven McRae
The Prince – Steven McRae
Drosselmeyer – Gary Avis

Royal Ballet
Royal Opera House Orchestra
Koen Kessels, conductor

Peter Wright, choreographer and director (after Lev Ivanov)

Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, November and December 2009

Bonus:
- Cast gallery
- Rehearsing at White Lodge
- Peter Wright tells the story of The Nutcracker

The Sleeping Beauty

Princess Aurora – Alina Cojocaru
Prince Florimund – Federico Bonelli
King Florestan XXIV – Christopher Saunders
His Queen – Elizabeth McGorian
Cattalabutte – Alastair Marriott
Carabosse – Genesia Rosato
Lilac Fairy – Marianela Nuñez

Royal Ballet
Royal Opera House Orchestra
Valeriy Ovsyanikov, conductor

Marius Petipa, choreographer

Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London on 5 December 2006

Bonus:
- Cast gallery
- Illustrated synopsis

---

Picture format: NTSC 16:9
Sound format: LPCM 2.0 / DTS 5.1
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Subtitles (bonus): French, German, Spanish (Nutcracker) + Italian (Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty)
Running time: 7 hours 37 mins
No. of DVDs: 3

There’s more than a hint of reality TV to this modern production of Shakespeare’s hilarious comedy of suburbia, wives and over-inflated egos directed by Fiona Laird. John Falstaff plans to hustle his way to a comfortable retirement by seducing the wives of two wealthy men. Unknown to him, it’s the women of Windsor who really pull the strings, orchestrating Falstaff’s comeuppance amidst a theatrical smorgasbord of petty rivalries, jealousies and overinflated egos. For a fat Englishman, a Welshman and a Frenchman, the only way is Windsor. “Fiona Laird’s production introduces new elements that chime deliciously with the spirit of Shakespeare’s play… risky, but it all pays off.” (The Financial Times)

In William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, twins are separated in a shipwreck and forced to fend for themselves in a strange land. The first twin, Viola, falls in love with Orsino, who dotes on Olivia, who falls for Viola but is idolized by Malvolio. Enter Sebastian, who is the spitting image of his twin sister... 'Twelfth Night' is a tale of unrequited love - hilarious and heartbreaking. Extra features on this release include an interview with Dinita Gohil, a cast gallery and a director's commentary. ‘‘Sumptuous romp is a festive season treat. Heavens, this does look lovely.’’ (Evening Standard) ‘‘Christopher Luscombe’s deliciously louche production…it’s a visual feast…sumptuous nostalgia’’ (Daily Mail) ‘‘The most heartwarming production of Shakespeare at the RSC since director Christopher Luscombe’s last, three years ago.’’ (Sunday Mirror)

A parable for our times. -- Daily Telegraph

A searing central performance. -- The Guardian

In a world driven by greed, what do we truly value? Timon has it all – money, influence, friends. Surely it can’t last? When the money runs out, Timon soon finds her influence and friends have also gone. Left alone, she flees Athens to take refuge in the woods, cursing the city she once loved. Simon Godwin directs Kathryn Hunter as Timon in this dark satire, which forces us to question: where does happiness really lie?

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

Also available on standard DVD

Montano - David Ajao
Duke of Venice - Nadia Albina
Bianca - Scarlett Brookes
Roderigo - James Corrigan
Emilia - Ayesha Dharker
Citizen of Venice - Eva Feiler
Gentleman of Cyprus - Owen Findlay
Cassio - Jacob Fortune-Lloyd
Soldier - Guy Hughes
Gratiano - Gwilym Lloyd
Citizen of Venice/Messenger - Rina Mahoney
Iago - Lucian Msamati
Gentleman of Cyprus - Ken Nwosu
Brabantio - Brian Protheroe
Othello - Hugh Quarshie
Gentleman of Cyprus/Herald - Jay Saighal
Lodovico - Tim Samuels
Desdemona - Joanna Vanderham

Iqbal Khan, stage director
Ciaran Bagnall, set and lighting designer
Fotini Dimou, costume designer
Diane Alison-Mitchell (movement) and Kevin McCurdy (fights), choreographers
Music composed by Akintayo Akinbode

Recorded live at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, June 2015

Bonus:
- The Story of Othello
- Who Is Othello?
- Director’s Commentary
- Cast gallery

Picture format: NTSC 16:9
Sound format: Dolby Digital 2.0 / 5.1
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Subtitles: English
Running time: 180 mins (play) + 13 mins (bonus)
No. of DVDs: 1 (DVD 9)

Also available on Blu-ray

Montano - David Ajao
Duke of Venice - Nadia Albina
Bianca - Scarlett Brookes
Roderigo - James Corrigan
Emilia - Ayesha Dharker
Citizen of Venice - Eva Feiler
Gentleman of Cyprus - Owen Findlay
Cassio - Jacob Fortune-Lloyd
Soldier - Guy Hughes
Gratiano - Gwilym Lloyd
Citizen of Venice/Messenger - Rina Mahoney
Iago - Lucian Msamati
Gentleman of Cyprus - Ken Nwosu
Brabantio - Brian Protheroe
Othello - Hugh Quarshie
Gentleman of Cyprus/Herald - Jay Saighal
Lodovico - Tim Samuels
Desdemona - Joanna Vanderham

Iqbal Khan, stage director
Ciaran Bagnall, set and lighting designer
Fotini Dimou, costume designer
Diane Alison-Mitchell (movement) and Kevin McCurdy (fights), choreographers
Music composed by Akintayo Akinbode

Recorded live at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, June 2015

Bonus:
- The Story of Othello
- Who Is Othello?
- Director’s Commentary
- Cast gallery

Picture format: NTSC 16:9
Sound format: Dolby Digital 2.0 / 5.1
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Subtitles: English
Running time: 180 mins (play) + 13 mins (bonus)
No. of DVDs: 1 (DVD 9)