GIOACHINO ROSSINI
Rossini: Le Comte Ory (complete opera recorded in 2011) Metropolitan Opera / Juan Diego Flórez, Diana Damrau, Joyce DiDonato / Maurizio Benini (cond) [ Virgin Classics DVD / 2 DVD - released 12/Mar/2012 ] "The terrific cast was headed by the tenor Juan Diego Flórez as Ory..The soprano Diana Damrau brought her lustrous, agile coloratura soprano voice, and charisma galore, to Adèle." (NY Times) |
VINCENZO BELLINI
Bellini: I Puritani (complete opera recorded in 2007) Metropolitan Opera / Anna Netrebko, Eric Cutler, Franco Vassallo / Patrick Summers (cond) [ Deutsche Grammophon DVD / 2 DVD - released 28/Feb/2008 ] "Netrebko has perhaps the most appealing stage presence among contemporary sopranos. She is a natural stage animal who can sing as she moves around the stage and interacts with her colleagues. Her sheer physicality on stage is awesome." (MusicWeb) |
GIUSEPPE VERDI
Verdi: Macbeth (complete opera recorded in 2008) Metropolitan Opera / Zeljko Lucic, Maria Guleghina, John Relyea, Dimitri Pittas / James Levine (Cond) [ Warner Classics DVD / 2 DVD - released 29/Sep/2008 ] "An auspicious issue in first rate sound and vision further enhanced by an excellent "behind the scenes" documentary featuring the mainstays of this memorable January 2008 night at the MET." (ClassicalNet) |
GIUSEPPE VERDI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Verdi: Il Trovatore (complete opera recorded in 1988) Metropolitan Opera / Luciano Pavarotti, Éva Marton, Dolora Zajick, Sherrill Milnes / James Levine (cond) [ Deutsche Grammophon DVD / DVD - released 30/May/2008 ] "The best justification for buying this issue is to see and hear Pavarotti nearer to his vocal peak in a role which his strong lyric voice and clear diction is ideally suited" (MusicWeb) |
GIUSEPPE VERDI
Verdi: Rigoletto (Complete opera recorded in 1977) The Metropolitan Opera / Placido Domingo, Ileana Cotrubas, Cornell MacNeil / James Levine (cond) [ Deutsche Grammophon DVD / DVD - released 27/May/2004 ] "Yes, Rigoletto is a singer's opera, but Verdi also poured into it some of his most dramatic as well as melodic music. That said, the vivid colours of the production have come up amazingly well and the sound is clear." (MusicWeb Dec 2006) |
PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOSVKY
Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegin (complete opera recorded in 2007) Metropolitan Opera / Renee Fleming, Elena Zaremba, Ramon Vargas, Dmitri Hvorostovsky / Valery Gergiev (cond) [ Decca DVD / 2 DVD - released 28/Feb/2008 ] 'Miss Fleming's sympathetic, exquisitely sung Tatiana was a major achievement.' The New York Times |
GAETANO DONIZETTI
DonizettI: Lucia di Lammermoor (complete opera recorded in 2009) Metropolitan Opera / Anna Netrebko, Piotr Beczala, Mariusz Kwiecien / Marco Armiliato (conductor) [ Deutsche Grammophon DVD / 2 DVD - released 16/Nov/2009 ] "Director Mary Zimmerman's…offers a Victorian gloss on the drama… which adds a fresh and fascinating resonance. This is reinforced by the filming, often steeply angled from front stage, and enjoys uncommonly strong choral and orchestral support." BBC |
THOMAS ADES
Ades: The Exterminating Angel (complete opera recorded in 2017) Metropolitan Opera / Audrey Luna, Amanda Echalaz, Sally Matthews, Sophie Bevan, Alice Coote, Christine Rice, Iestyn Davies / Thomas Ades (cond) [ Erato DVD / DVD - released 20/Feb/2019 ] GRAMOPHONE AWARD NOMINATION 2019 TOP THREE - Contemporary |
GEORGES BIZET
Bizet: Carmen (complete opera recorded in 2010) Metropolitan Opera / Elina Garanca, Roberto Alagna, Barbara Frittoli, Teddy Tahu Rhodes / Yannick Nezet-Seguin (cond) [ Deutsche Grammophon DVD / 2 DVD - released 3/Jun/2010 ] "[Tahu Rhodes] prov[es] himself to be an ideal toreador, virile of voice, and very tall. All in all, a Carmen well worth seeing and hearing." The Times, 28th August 2010 |
RICHARD STRAUSS
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Strauss, (R.): Ariadne auf Naxos (Complete opera recorded in 1988) Metropolitan Opera / Jessye Norman, Kathleen Battle, Tatiana Troyanos / James Levine (cond) [ Deutsche Grammophon / DVD - released 29/Aug/2002 ] "This performance represents an above-average night at the Metropolitan in the late 1980s: three of its most popular stars, a generally distinguished cast, the house's musical director conducting its great orchestra in one of the works he does best." |