LEONARD BERNSTEIN
Bernstein: Wonderful Town (complete musical) L'Opera de Toulon / Jasmine Roy, Rafaëlle Cohen, Dalia Constantin, Lauren Van Kempen / Larry Blank [ BelAir Clasiques Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 30/Jan/2019 ] For the first time on DVD & Blu-ray in scenic version, and to celebrate Leonard Bernstein's centennial, the delightful Wonderful Town filmed during its French premiere at the Opéra de Toulon!With a keen sensitivity to the demands and specificities of... |
NICOLAI RIMSKY-KORSAKOV
Rimsky-Korsakov: The Golden Cockerel (complete opera recorded in 2021) Blu-ray l'Opéra National de Lyon / Nina Minasyan, Margarita Neksarova, Andrey Popov, Dmitry Ulyanov / Daniele Rustioni (cond) [ Naxos Blu-ray / Blu-ray - released 12/Aug/2022 ] In the autumn of 1906, at a time when he was saying he didn't want to write anything further, Rimsky-Korsakov had the idea of starting an opera based on The Tale of the Golden Cockerel, the last of Pushkin's folk tales in verse, written in 1834.... |
GIACOMO PUCCINI
Puccini: Gianni Schicchi (complete opera recorded in 2015. Directed by Woody Allen) BLU-RAY Los Angeles Opera / Plácido Domingo, Arturo Chacón-Cruz, Andriana Chuchman, Greg Fedderly / Grant Gershon (cond) [ Sony Classical Blu-ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 15/Jun/2016 ] Puccini's Gianni Schicchi is the only opera Woody Allen has ever staged. The 2015 version on this release is a revival of Woody Allen's 2008 production for L.A. Opera, a hilarious parody of classical Italian cinema stereotypes. |
GIUSEPPE VERDI
Verdi: Macbeth ( complete opera recorded in 2016) BLU-RAY Los Angeles Opera / Plácido Domingo, Ekaterina Semenchuk, Ildebrando D'Arcangelo, Joshua Guerrero / James Conlon (cond) [ Sony Blu-ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 1/Jul/2017 ] 'LA Opera's latest production of Verdi s Macbeth (2016) features Plácido Domingo in the title role and Russian mezzo-soprano Ekaterina Semenchuk as Lady Macbeth. The opera is staged by Darko Tresnjak, who won a Tony Award for his direction of the... |
RICHARD WAGNER
Wagner: Lohengrin (complete opera recorded at the Baden-Baden Festspielhaus 2006) BLU-RAY Lyon National Opera / Klaus Florian Vogt, Solveig Kringelborn, Hans-Peter König, Waltraud Meier / Kent Nagano (cond) [ Opus Arte Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 1/Jun/2009 ] Blu-Ray - "Elsa remains constantly onstage to narrate and to dream. The cast includes the sexy, brainy Ortrud of Waltraud Meier and the controversially light-toned Klaus Florian Vogt in the title-role." (Gramophone) |
JACQUES OFFENBACH
Offenbach: Barbe-Bleue [Blue-beard] (complete operetta recorded in 2019) BLU-RAY Lyon National Opera / Yann Beuron, Heloise Mas, Christophe Gay, Christophe Mortagne, Jennifer Courcier / Michele Spotti [ Opus Arte Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 23/Jul/2021 ] Offenbach composed a hilarious version of the gruesome story of Barbe-Bleue, made famous by Charles Perrault. As an adept of the comically and visually offbeat, the artist Laurent Pelly brings out its impertinent, fantastical universe. After... |
GIACOMO PUCCINI
Puccini: Gianni Schicchi (complete opera recorded in 2019) BLU-RAY Maggio Musicale Fiorentino / Bruno de Simone, Francesca Longari, Anna Maria Chiuri, Dave Monaco / Valerio Galli (cond) [ Dynamic Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 21/Aug/2021 ] "Bruno de Simone is an amiable, bespectacled Schicchi who could win anyone around with his mellow voice and floral shirt. He sparks off nicely against Anna Maria Chiuri, an unusually young 'vecchia' Zita, who brings a welcome vocal freshness" BBC Mus |
FERRUCCIO BUSONI
Busoni: Doktor Faust (Complete Opera recorded in 2023) Blu-ray Maggio Musicale Fiorentino / Dietrich Henschel, Daniel Brenna, Wilhelm Schwinghammer, Joseph Dahdah, Olga Bezsmertna, Florian Stern / Cornelius Meiste [ Naxos / Dynamic Blu-ray / Blu-ray - released 15/Mar/2024 ] "Meister [acquits himself well], conducting by turns with sensitivity and vigour, and capturing effectively the haunting, mysterious sound world of the piece. The orchestral playing could be more refined but doesn't lack for commitment." Gramophone |
GAETANO DONIZETTI
Donizetti: Linda Di Chamounix (complete opera recorded in 2021) BLU-RAY Maggio Musicale Fiorentino / Jessica Pratt, Teresa Iervolin, Francesco Demuro, Marina de Liso / Michele Gamba (cond) [ Dynamic Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 3/Dec/2021 ] "Deploying her voluminously secure soprano with artistry, [Pratt] gives us a sweetly innocent 'O luce di quest'anima' and skilfully navigates the once-famous Mad Scene. Her romantic partner is attractively voiced by Francesco Demuro." Opera |
FRANCESCO CILEA
Cilea: Adriana Lecouvreur (Complete Opera recorded in 2021) Blu-ray Maggio Musicale Fiorentino / Maria José Siri, Ksenia Dudnikova, Martin Muehle, Paolo Antognetti / Daniel Harding (cond) [ Naxos / Dynamic Blu-ray / Blu-ray - released 9/Sep/2022 ] Francesco Cilea's Adriana Lecouvreur was inspired by the real-life story of a celebrated actress at the Comédie-Française who was much admired by Voltaire. Hailed as a masterpiece, the opera was triumphantly staged in cities around the world. |
GEORG FRIDERIC HANDEL
Handel: Rinaldo (complete opera recorded in 2020) BLU-RAY Maggio Musicale Fiorentino / Raffaele Pe, Carmela Remigio, Leonardo Cortellazzi, Francesca Aspromonte / Federico Maria Sardelli (cond) [ Dynamic Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 28/May/2021 ] "Sardelli directs a stylish performance, drawing some fine playing from the modern instruments of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino orchestra...It is only right that this famous staging should have been preserved on film" Opera |
W. A. MOZART
Mozart: Cosi fan Tutte (complete opera recorded in 2021) BLU-RAY Maggio Musicale Fiorentino / Valentina Nafornita, Benedetta Torre, Vasilisa Berzhanskaya, Matthew Swensen, Thomas Hampson / Zubin Mehta (cond) [ Naxos Blu-ray / Blu-ray - released 8/Apr/2022 ] The production of Mozart's classic comic opera from 2021 is directed by the acclaimed German director Sven-Eric Bechtolf. Conducted by Zubin Mehta, the cast includes Thomas Hampson as Don Alfonso, and the Moldovan soprano Valentina NaforniĊ£a. |
GIUSEPPE VERDI
Verdi: La forza del destino(complete opera recorded in 2021) BLU-RAY Maggio Musicale Fiorentino / Saioa Hernandez, Roberto Aronica, Amartuvshin Enkhbat / Zubin Mehta (cond) [ Dynamic Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 18/Feb/2022 ] 'Three hours of a convincing performance, which managed to ignite reflections and questions about multiple aspects of human destiny, enriched by some brilliant artists and an open musicality.' - Lyric Opera Journal |
W. A. MOZART
Mozart: Così fan tutte (complete opera recorded in 1983) BLU-RAY Salzburg Feastival / Margaret Marshall, Ann Murray, Francisco Araiza, James Morris, Sesto Bruscantini / Riccardo Muti (conductor) [ Arthaus Legendary Performances Blu-ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 1/Jul/2015 ] Riccardo Muti had made a sensational Salzburg debut in 1971, and this Cosi fan tutte was his first Mozart opera at the festival. It was acclaimed by both the general public and international critics |
GIUSEPPE VERDI
VerdI Aida (complete opera recorded in 1986) BLU-RAY Teatro alla Scala / Maria Chiara, Luciano Pavarotti, Ghena Dimitrova, Leo Nucci / Lorin Maazel (conductor) [ Arthaus Legendary Performances BLU-RAY / Blu-ray Disc - released 12/Jul/2015 ] "An opera for Cairo!", Verdi is said to have exclaimed. He would certainly have been delighted with this magnificent production. It was a triumphant success when it opened at la Scala in December 1985 |
RICHARD STRAUSS
Die Frau Ohne Schatten (Complete opera recorded in 2011) Mariinsky Theatre / Avgust Amonov, Mlada Khudoley, Olga Savova, Edem Umerov / Valery Gergiev (cond) [ Mariinsky DVD / Blu-ray Disc - released 10/Nov/2013 ] In October 2013, the Mariinsky label releases a DVD & Blu-ray of Strauss' most Wagnerian of operas, Die Frau ohne Schatten. Filmed in the historic Mariinsky Theatre in 2011, it stars Russian tenor Avgust Amonov as The Emperor, Mlada Khudoley as The... |
RICHARD STRAUSS
Die Frau Ohne Schatten (Complete opera recorded in 2011) BLU-RAY Mariinsky Theatre / Avgust Amonov, Mlada Khudoley, Olga Savova, Edem Umerov / Valery Gergiev (cond) [ Mariinsky Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 10/Nov/2013 ] In October 2013, the Mariinsky label releases a DVD & Blu-ray of Strauss' most Wagnerian of operas, Die Frau ohne Schatten. Filmed in the historic Mariinsky Theatre in 2011, it stars Russian tenor Avgust Amonov as The Emperor, Mlada Khudoley as The... |
SERGEI PROKOFIEV
Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64 (Complete ballet recorded in 2013) BLU-RAY/DVD Mariinsky Theatre / Diana Vishneva, Vladimir Shklyarov, Alexander Sergeyev, Ilya Kuznetsov / Valery Gergiev (cond) [ Mariinsky DVD + Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc/DVD - released 10/Sep/2014 ] "Balanchine's 1967 creation is a dazzling stylistic potpourri of pure dance ... a spectacular sight and a fitting climax to a great evening" The Times |
IGOR STRAVINSKY
Stravinsky and the Ballets Russes [The Firebird & The Rite of Spring] (recorded in 2009) BLU-RAY Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra & Ballet / Ekaterina Kondaurova, Ilya Kuznetsov, Alexandra Iosifidi / Valery Gergiev (conductor) [ Bel Air Classiques Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 20/Dec/2009 ] "For those who only know the black-and-white pictures of the original production of The Rite of Spring, the colours of Roerich's designs are a revelation, while the vision of Nijinksy's revolutionary choreography can be experienced in its full... |
NIKOLAY RIMSKY-KORSAKOV
Rimsky-Korsakov: Le Coq d'Or (Complete opera filmed at Mariinsky II, St Petersburg 2014) BLU-RAY/DVD Mariinsky Theatre / Vladimir Feliauer, Andrei Popov & Aida Garifullina / Valery Gergiev (cond) [ Mariinsky DVD + Blu-Ray / 2 Blu-ray Disc/DVD - released 1/Jul/2017 ] "There are some good individual performances, especially from Aida Garifullina as the seductive Queen of Shemakha, and Andrei Popov in the high tenor role of the Astrologer." The Guardian |