Kit Armstrong Performs Bach's Goldberg Variations and Its Pr
C Major Entertainment
DVD · Blu-Ray
$16.49$32.99Save 50%Jul 28, 2017
When Kit Armstrong was only 14 , he overcame his mentor Alfred Brendel's reluctance to take on pupils. Brendel said ''He played so beautifully that I thought to myself, 'I have to make tiem for him.' It was a performance that really led you from the first to the last note.'' Soon Armstrong was winning international prizes both as pianists and as composer and was appearing as soloist at some of the world's foremost venues. At the Concertgebouw, Armstrong mesmerized his audience with Bach's monumental Goldberg Variations - preceded by earlier polyphonic variation masterpieces by William Byrd, Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck and John Bull. ''Enlightening and exhilarating'' (Revierpassagen). ''Armstrong's phenomenal recital was so exceptional that every attempt to describe it falls short'' (NRC).
Verdi: Il Trovatore / Netrebko, Morandi, Arena Di Verona Opera [Blu-Ray]
C Major Entertainment
Blu-Ray
$45.99Nov 20, 2020
It's an event that draws many thousands of music lovers to one of the most beautiful cities in the world every summer: the opera season at the ancient Arena di Verona. The 2,000-year-old roman amphitheater with its gigantic stage dimensions is one of the largest and best preserved Roman construction of its kind, and with over 22,000 seats it is undoubtedly one of the most spectacular open-air venues of the world! The revered master of opera Franco Zeffirelli, who died shortly before the premiere of Il Trovatore, created a legendary scenery with groups of giant sized armored knights, a fortress turning into a luminous cathedral, an enormous choir, horses, breathtaking fights: “his perhaps best arena production” (Opernglas). It brings Anna Netrebko to the Arena of Verona where she is giving her much-anticipated debut in one of Giuseppe Verdi’s most popular operas. Next to Anna Netrebko as Leonora perform Verdi accomplished baritone Luca Salsi as Count di Luna and Yusif Eyvazov returns to the Arena as his powerful-voiced opponent Manrico. MET star Dolora Zajick as Azucena and young rising Italian bass Riccardo Fassi as Ferrando join the prestigious ensemble. “Zeffirelli gives to the arena what it merits: a colourful, multifaceted staging in which impressive mass scenes alternate with intimate moments [...]“ (Der Neue Merker) “Unforgettable” (Verona Settegiorni)
On March 3, 1978, Buddy Rich took one of the best bands he ever had (he called them the Killer Force) to a gig at a Sacramento high school. What was captured will make jazz fans flip: no producers, no set lists just electrifying jazz the way Buddy felt like playing it that night: Grand Concourse; Slow Funk; West Side Story Suite; Someday My Prince Will Come, and more!
The Teatro La Fenice opened in 1792 and is one of the most renowned and most beautiful theaters in the world. "Amid mirrors, flowers and confetti, New Year's Eve at La Fenice is a ritual" (MusicPaper). The Teatro Fenice's Concerto di Capodanno - one of the world's most celebrated New Year's concerts - welcomes Daniel Harding back to the podium. After the monumental opening with Beethoven's Fifth, soloists Mariangela Sicilia and Francesco Demuro perform beloved arias by Rossini, Leoncavallo, Puccini, Wolf-Ferrari, Bizet, Gounod and Verdi. Interwoven with the concert are scenes of Aterballetto dancers, choreographed by Marcos Morau, performing in Venice's most iconic locations. The soloists' "perfect vocal blend" in Libiamo ne' lieti calici truly stands out (MusicPaper).
The opening concert of the Salzburg Festival, for many regarded as the world's most renowned music festival, is by tradition a high-profile event and the 2011 gala presented here was one of the best in memory. Pierre Boulez, the "grand seigneur of subtle minimalism and exquisitely beguiling sounds" (Der Standard), assembled a cast of tremendous distinction to join the Vienna Philharmonic for this prestigious concert, conceived as a tribute to Gustav Mahler: Dorothea Roschmann, Anna Larsson, Johan Botha and rising star Anna Prohaska. After two works by Mahler's pupil Alban Berg, featuring Roschmann and Prohaska, the main event of the concert if Mahler's large-scale cantata Das klagende Lied - a "great spectral opera for the mind's eye" (Vienna Zeitung).
With an outstanding cast and Jan Philipp Gloger's innovative staging, Bregenzer Festspiele's Tancredi becomes a fresh reimagining of Rossini's opera, set in the world of organized crime and reframing the traditionally heterosexual love story as a queer romance. This bold reinterpretation is brought to life by Anna Goryachova and Melissa Petit, whose performances capture the emotional depth and tragedy of their love. "The two women are sensational... both vocally and dramatically" (Augsburger Allgemeine). Under the baton of Yi-Chen Lin, the Wiener Symphoniker "throw themselves diligently into the opera's multifaceted details" (SWR). "Modern opera at it's absolute finest!" (Kronenzeitung)
The composer's great-granddaughter was keen to stage Cord Garben's abridged version of the cycle at the Teatro Colin in Buenos Aires, but in the event things turned out rather differently. The present documentary provides a thrilling and visually memorable account of the long journey taken by this version from it's inception to the first night.
Ataulfo Argenta and Enrique Jorda - two Spanish maestri in a single Decca collection, newly remastered, with 'original jackets', and several recordings receiving their CD premieres. LIMITED EDITION. When Decca developed it's revolutionary new 'ffrr' technology in the postwar 1940s, the label promoted it with a list of new recordings made by their most distinguished artists: Kathleen Ferrier, Victor de Sabata... and Enrique Jorda. Likewise, when Decca embraced the step-change of LP a few years later, they advertised it's high fidelity and convenience with recordings made in Geneva by Ernest Ansermet and the young conductor he had determined upon as his successor in charge of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande: Ataulfo Argenta. This set includes, for the first time, all the recordings made by Jorda in the 78 era and receiving their first official digital remastering; his LP discography is also included. Jorda (born in 1911) and Argenta (born in 1913) were the first Spanish conductors to win an international reputation. They did so with the unmannered, dynamically vital interpretations of Romantic and 20th-century repertoire which Decca preserved in these recordings. Both Argenta and Jorda were valued by orchestras and record labels as guarantors of authenticity in the Spanish orchestral repertoire by Falla, Albeniz, Turina, Rodrigo and others. But both conductors yearned to be recognized for their equal mastery of French and German repertoire. Listening now to Argenta conduct the Faust Symphony of Liszt and Schubert's 'Great' C major, and Jorda in Haydn No. 88 and Mozart's 'Linz' Symphony, we can hear the insights they bring to the Austro-German symphonic repertoire from a Hispanic angle. Both conductors made early and near-definitive recordings of Nights in the Gardens of Spain, by Falla, and this set presents a fascinating opportunity to compare their approaches. Argenta's career tragically ended with his death in 1958, aged just 44, while Jorda made a series of erratic career moves which culminated in an ill-starred tenure as music director in San Francisco. Under other circumstances, both conductors could have established a 'Spanish school' of conducting in the stereo age of the 1960s. This set illuminates the virtues of their common approaches to music, which through their Franco-German training in both cases brought together a sure grasp of form and rigor with a sensitivity to orchestral color. The nature of that formation is explored in a new booklet essay written by Peter Quantrill, and the recordings are reissued in Eloquence's 'Original Jackets' format.
There is no better repertoire with which to display a leider singer than the Schubert Song Cycles. For this release, baritone Hermann Prey tackles Schubert’s Die Schone Mullerin, Schwanengesang accompanied by Leonard Hokanson and Winterreise accompanied by Helmut Deutsch. As a bonus, this release includes an interview with Prey on these song cycles and a documentary on the artist. “In his finest interpretations Hermann Prey sang “Winterreise” and “Die schone Mullerin” with a captivatingly natural phrasing that flowed organically like a river and as such was the very opposite of the more intellectual approach of his rival, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau.” (Die Zeit online) “The velvety, silky timbre of his soft-grained and yet distinctively striking baritone voice, his charm, his excellent diction and the naturalness of his delivery spiced with a hint of emotion- it is all this that distinguishes the truly outstanding lieder singer.” (Opernglas)
Best-known today as the librettist of Verdi’s final Shakespearean masterpieces, Otello and Falstaff, the multitalented Arrigo Boito was also a fine composer in his own right. Hugely ambitious in scope, and some 20 years in the making, his first (and only completed) opera, Mefistofele, sets out to encompass nothing less than the whole of Goethe’s vast poetic drama Faust (parts I and II), and is considered the very central work of his phase between Verdi and Puccini. Making his debut at the Bayerische Staatsoper, director Roland Schwab (a protégé of the legendary Ruth Berghaus) plays devil’s advocate by setting the opera in a nightmarish atmosphere. The exceptional cast features Rene Pape, Joseph Calleja, Kristine Opolais, and Karine Babajanyan. “[Latvian soprano Kristine Opolais’s Margherita] shines with understated Grace Kelly elegance” (Opera Today). “[Conductor Omer Meir Wellber “holds all the musical textures together with admirable control” (BR Klassik).
Turandot / Tosca / Love Duets - Sonya Yoncheva & Vittorio Grigolo Turandot: 'Netrebko does not merely sing it: she interprets it. What emerges is a character much more human and ultimately truer than usual' (La Stampa) Tosca: 'spectacle of monumental opulence' (Online Merker). 'A Tosca to relish!' (Artesnews. It) "standing ovation Tosca at the Arena di Verona" (Operalife). Love Duets - Sonya Yoncheva & Vittorio Grigolo: 'A concert evening about love, lust and passion. Sonya Yoncheva has the full and vibrant timbre of a true lyrical soprano' (L'Arena) 'Vittorio Grigolo is undoubtedly a charismatic artist and always attentive to the interpretation of the characters' (operclick)
In his 'new life' as a baritone, Plácido Domingo has triumphed in the role of Francesco Foscari in Los Angeles, London and Vienna. Now he takes to the role to La Scala, Milan, the theatre that is the symbol of Italian opera. I due Foscari, premiered in 1844, famously one of Verdi's darkest operas, is staged by Alvis Hermanis, who made such an impact at the Salzburg Festival with "Die Soldaten" and "Il trovatore". Domingo is joined by two of Italy's most exciting singers, the soprano Anna Pirozzi and the tenor Francesco Meli, and the acclaimed Italian conductor Michele Mariotti. The Financial Times was deeply moved by Domingo's performance, calling his interpretation of the role "sublime".
A Pianist Explores Her Jewish Heritage / Baytelman
Centaur Records
CD
$17.99Mar 03, 2023
With sparkling articulation reminiscent of the remarkable Alicia de Larrocha, pianist Pola Baytelman probes deeply to the heart of whatever music she plays. Keeping the composer’s intent foremost, she plays with effortless technique, listening always. The press has called her playing “formidable” and having “a diaphanous touch.” Baytelman is an active recitalist with a broad repertory that covers from the 18th to the 21st century. She has toured extensively in China, Europe, Hong Kong, South America, and across the United States.
Pola Baytelman is Distinguished Artist-in-Residence at Skidmore College, in Saratoga Springs,N.Y. where she was chosen to present the Moseley Lecture-Recital in 2006, the highest honor Skidmore faculty confers on a colleague. Her latest compact disc, “From Chile to Cuba,” was released by Albany Records in 2009. Baytelman’s recording of Robert Schumann’s Humoreske (2002 Centaur) was listed by American Record Guide as one of the top three performances of the classic work.
Axel Köhler's production of Der Freischütz at the Dresden State Opera was described by Die Presse as "a minor miracle in Dresden". In the words of the Salzburger Nachrichten, Köhler "scored a bulleye" with his sombre and satanic interpretation of Weber's Romantic opera about love, temptation, souls sold to the Devil, obsession and faith. According to the Financial Times, Christian Thielemann and the Dresden Staatskapelle conjured up a sense of "mortal terror from the orchestra pit. [...] Thielemann is in command of every detail. That makes for utterly gripping listening."
Czerny: Grand Concerto in E-Flat Major & Other Works / Tuck, Bonynge, English Chamber Orchestra
Naxos
CD
$19.99Oct 11, 2019
Carl Czerny penned an astonishing amount of music, including the numerous potpourris, fantasies, teaching pieces and studies for which he became known. This recording features the delightfully entertaining Concertino in C major, Op. 210/213, as well as the highly enjoyable Rondino, a work based on an enchanting theme taken from Daniel Auber’s opera comique Le Macon. A pupil and lifelong friend of Beethoven, Czerny was just 21 when he wrote the pastoral Second Grand Concerto in E flat major. Begun only twelve days after he had given the Viennese premiere of his mentor’s Emperor Concerto, the same choice of key seems a fitting homage to the grand master he so revered.
Schubert's late string quartets are important for their unprecedented emotional depth, formal expansion, and daring harmonic language. They transform classical quartet traditions by infusing them with romantic intensity, confronting themes of mortality, inner conflict, and lyric beauty. Through large-scale structures, stark contrasts, and expressive unity, these works reshaped the expressive possibilities of chamber music and influenced the development of the Romantic quartet tradition.
A rising star and beloved worldwide, Chloe Chua presents with PENTATONE the vinyl edition of Mozart's complete violin concertos, Rondo in B-Flat Major, K. 269 and Rondo in C Major, K. 373 as well as the Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola & Orchestra in E-Flat Major, K. 364. The latter also features the outstanding young Chinese violist Ziyu He, winner of the 2016 Yehudi Menuhin Competition at just 16. In this performance, he showcases his remarkable artistry alongside Chloe, herself a former winner of the same prestigious competition. The soloists are joined by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Hans Graf, whose connection with the violin virtuoso holds special significance. This project began when Chloe was just 15 years old, when she embraced the challenge of following in the footsteps of the many legendary violinists who have recorded this repertoire. In these refined and fresh interpretations, her deep connection to the music - written by Mozart when he was around her age - is unmistakable. Even without a trained ear, one can appreciate her extraordinary technique, elegance, and effort to capture the vitality of these beloved works. This special vinyl edition complements Chloe's already released and acclaimed Butterfly Lovers & Paganini (2025) and Vivaldi: Four Seasons & Locatelli Harmonic Labyrinth (2024). This release is also available as a physical 3CD album.
Sony Masterworks Broadway is proud to announce the release of the Funny Girl New Broadway Cast Recording. Starring Emmy Award Nominee Lea Michele as Fanny Brice, Tony and Olivier Award nominee Ramin Karimloo as Nick Arnstein, the cast also features Tony & Drama Desk Award Nominee Jared Grimes and four-time Tony Award nominee Tovah Feldshuh. (Sony)
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