A Britten Collection

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Outstanding singers, conductors and directors come together in five diverse but compelling operas by Benjamin Britten. The turbulent, inward fishing community of Peter Grimes is transposed to a merciless 1980s society in Richard Jones' production. An 'outstanding' Sarah Connolly (Guardian) stars in The Rape of Lucretia, navigating the difficult tale with superb poise. Billy Budd is grippingly staged aboard the claustrophobic MS Indomitable, with Jacques Imbrailo portraying the troubled sailor in the 2010 Glyndebourne Festival Opera production by Michael Grandage. More light-hearted is the Royal Opera House staging of Gloriana, penned by Britten to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and featuring Susan Bullock as the monarch. Finally, Edward Gardner conducts the English National Opera in Deborah Warner's highly acclaimed production of Death in Venice, In which John Graham-Hall stars as the ageing Gustav von Aschenbach. These productions from some of the world's best opera houses offer five masterful performances that are an ideal way to experience Benjamin Britten's music. Filmed in High Definition and recorded in true Surround Sound.

A BRITTEN COLLECTION
(7-DVD Box Set)

PETER GRIMES

Peter Grimes - John Graham Hall

Boy - Francesco Malvuccio
Ellen Orford - Susan Gritton
Captain Balstrode - Christopher Purves
Auntie - Felicity Palmer
First Niece - Ida Falk Winland
Second Niece - Simona Mihai
Bob Boles - Peter Hoare
Swallow - Daniel Okulitch
Mrs. Sedley - Catherine Wyn-Rogers
Rev. Horace Adams - Christopher Gillett
Ned Keene - George von Bergen

Milan La Scala Chorus and Orchestra
Robin Ticciati, conductor
Richard Jones, stage director

Recorded live at the Teatro alla Scala, June 2012

THE RAPE OF LUCRETIA

Lucretia - Sarah Connolly
Tarquinius - Christopher Maltman
Bianca - Catherine Wyn-Rogers
Lucia - Mary Nelson
Junius - Leigh Melrose
Collatinus - Clive Bayley
Female Chorus - Orla Boylan
Male Chorus - John Mark Ainsley

English National Opera Orchestra
Paul Daniel, conductor

David McVicar, stage director

Recorded live at the Aldeburgh Festival, The Maltings, Snape, 2001

BILLY BUDD

Captain Vere - John Mark Ainsley
Billy Budd - Jacques Imbrailo
Claggart - Phillip Ens
Mr. Redburn - Iain Paterson
Mr. Flint - Matthew Rose
Lieutenant Ratcliffe - Darren Jeffery
Red Whiskers - Alasdair Elliott
Donald - John Moore
Dansker - Jeremy White
Novice - Ben Johnson
Squeak - Colin Judson
Bosun - Richard Mosley-Evans

Glyndebourne Chorus
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Mark Elder, conductor
Michael Grandage, stage director

Recorded live at the Glyndebourne Opera House, 8 and 11 June 2010

GLORIANA

Queen Elizabeth I - Susan Bullock
Earl of Essex - Toby Spence
Countess of Essex - Patricia Bardon
Lord Mountjoy - Mark Stone
Lady Rich - Kate Royal
Sir Robert Cecil - Jeremy Carpenter
Sir Walter Raleigh - Clive Bayley
Ballad Singer - Brindley Sherratt

Royal Opera Chorus
Royal Opera House Orchestra
Paul Daniel, conductor
Richard Jones, stage director

Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, June 2013

DEATH IN VENICE

Gustav von Aschenbach - John Graham Hall
Traveller / Elderly Fop / Gondolier / Barber / Hotel Manger / Player / Dionysus - Andrew Shore
Apollo - Tim Mead
Tadzio - Sam Zaldivar
The Polish Mother - Laura Caldow
Two Daughters - Mia Angelina Mather / Xhuliana Shehu
The Governess - Joyce Henderson
Jaschiu - Marcio Teixeira

English National Opera Chorus and Orchestra
Edward Gardner, conductor
Deborah Warner, stage director

Recorded live at the London Coliseum, June 2013

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Bonus:
- Cast gallery (all)
- Introduction to the opera (Billy Budd, Gloriana)
- Introduction to the designs (Billy Budd)
- Interviews with the cast and crew (Peter Grimes)
- Comments from the director (The Rape of Lucretia)
- Britten’s Aldeburgh (Gloriana)

Picture format: NTSC 16:9 anamorphic
Sound format: DTS 5.1 (all) / + LPCM 2.0 (The Rape of Lucretia, Billy Budd, Gloriana) / + Dolby Digital 2.0 (Peter Grimes, Death in Venice)
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Audio Language: English
Menu Language: English
Subtitles: English, French, German (all) + Japanese (Peter Grimes, The Rape of Lucretia, Gloriana) + Korean (Death in Venice) / + Spanish (Billy Budd)
Running time: 13 hrs 10 mins (opera) + 27 mins (bonus)
No. of DVDs: 7 (DVD 9)



Product Description:


  • Release Date: October 30, 2015


  • Catalog Number: OA 1198BD


  • UPC: 809478011989


  • Label: Opus Arte


  • Number of Discs: 7


  • Period: 20th Century


  • Composer: Benjamin Britten


  • Conductor: Edward Gardner, Mark Elder, Paul Daniel, Robin Ticciati


  • Orchestra/Ensemble: English National Opera Orchestra, Glyndebourne Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Milan Teatro alla Scala Chorus, Milan Teatro alla Scala Orchestra, Royal Opera House Covent Garden Chorus, Royal Opera House Covent Garden Orchestra


  • Performer: Alasdair Elliott, Andrew Shore, Ben Johnson, Brindley Sherratt, Catherine Wyn-Rogers, Christopher Gillett, Christopher Maltman, Christopher Purves, Clive Bayley, Daniel Okulitch, Darren Jeffery, Felicity Palmer, Francesco Malvuccio, Iain Paterson, Ida Falk Winland, Jacques Imbrailo, Jeremy Carpenter, Jeremy White, John Graham Hall, John Graham-Hall, John Mark Ainsley, Kate Royal, Leigh Melrose, Mark Stone, Mary Nelson, Matthew Rose, Orla Boylan, Patricia Bardon, Peter Hoare, Phillip Ens, Sam Zalvidar, Sarah Connolly, Susan Bullock, Susan Gritton, Tim Mead, Toby Spence



Works:


  1. Peter Grimes, Op. 33

    Composer: Benjamin Britten

    Ensemble: Milan Teatro alla Scala Chorus, Milan Teatro alla Scala Orchestra

    Performer: Christopher Gillett (Tenor), John Graham-Hall (Tenor), Susan Gritton (Soprano), Peter Hoare (Tenor), Francesco Malvuccio (Voice), Daniel Okulitch (Bass Baritone), Felicity Palmer (Soprano), Christopher Purves (Bass), Ida Falk Winland (Voice), Catherine Wyn-Rogers (Mezzo Soprano)

    Conductor: Robin Ticciati


  2. Rape of Lucretia, Op. 37

    Composer: Benjamin Britten

    Ensemble: English National Opera Orchestra

    Performer: John Mark Ainsley (Tenor), Clive Bayley (Bass), Orla Boylan (Soprano), Sarah Connolly (Mezzo Soprano), Christopher Maltman (Baritone), Leigh Melrose (Baritone), Mary Nelson (Soprano), Catherine Wyn-Rogers (Mezzo Soprano)

    Conductor: Paul Daniel


  3. Billy Budd, Op. 50

    Composer: Benjamin Britten

    Ensemble: Glyndebourne Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra

    Performer: John Mark Ainsley (Tenor), Alasdair Elliott (Tenor), Phillip Ens (Bass), Jacques Imbrailo (Baritone), Darren Jeffery (Baritone), Ben Johnson (Tenor), Iain Paterson (Bass), Matthew Rose (Bass), Jeremy White (Bass)

    Conductor: Mark Elder


  4. Gloriana, Op. 53

    Composer: Benjamin Britten

    Ensemble: Royal Opera House Covent Garden Chorus, Royal Opera House Covent Garden Orchestra

    Performer: Patricia Bardon (Mezzo Soprano), Clive Bayley (Bass), Susan Bullock (Soprano), Jeremy Carpenter (Baritone), Kate Royal (Soprano), Brindley Sherratt (Bass), Toby Spence (Tenor), Mark Stone (Baritone)

    Conductor: Paul Daniel


  5. Death in Venice, Op. 88

    Composer: Benjamin Britten

    Ensemble: English National Opera Orchestra

    Performer: John Graham Hall (Tenor), Tim Mead (Countertenor), Andrew Shore (Baritone), Sam Zalvidar

    Conductor: Edward Gardner