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HENRY PURCELL
Purcell: King Arthur (complete opera recorded in 2017, Sung in English with German dialogue) BLU-RAY Staatsoper unter den Linden / Anett Fritsch, Robin Johannsen, Benno Schachtner / Berlin Akademie für Alte Musik, René Jacobs [ Naxos Blu-ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 20/May/2020 ] The collaboration of the poet John Dryden and Henry Purcell marked a conspicuous leap forward for English opera. Their greatest project, King Arthur, is a five-act dramatick opera, the text of which had its origins in a patriotic musical play Dryden... |
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RICHARD STRAUSS
Strauss, R: Der Rosenkavalier (complete opera recorded in Tokyo in 2007) BLU-RAY Staatsopernchor Dresden / Kurt Rydl, Anke Vondung, Anne Schwanewilms, Elisabeth Wilke/ Fabio Luisi (cond) [ EuroArts Medici Arts Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 20/Sep/2011 ] "This Dresden Rosenkavalier captured on tour in Japan has to be seen for Anne Schwanewilms's Marschallin, one of the most consummate operatic performances I've ever seen" (BBC Music) |
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JACQUES OFFENBACH
Offenbach: La Pericole (Complete Operetta recorded in 2022) {Blu-ray) Stephanie D'Oustrac, Philippe Talbot, Tassis Christoyannis, Eric Huchet / Orchestre de chambre de Paris, Julien Leroy [ Naxos BLU-RAY / Blu-ray - released 10/Feb/2023 ] La Perricholi - in reality, Micaela Villegas - was Lima's leading theatrical l lady in the 1770s when Peru was a Spanish colony. Her life was fictionalised in a one-act play by Prosper Mérimée and a libretto was fashioned on which Offenbach created... |
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BELLINI
La Sonnambula (complete opera recorded in June 2013) BLU-RAY Stuttgart Opera / Ana Durlovski, Luciano Botelho, Catriona Smith, Enzo Capuano / Gabriele Ferro (cond) [ EuroArts Blu-ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 28/Feb/2014 ] Ana Durlovski won the German Theatre Prize "DER FAUST" for her breathtaking portrayal of Amina. The production La Sonnambula of the Oper Stuttgart was voted Opera of the Year in 2012 by the international renowned magazine Opernwelt. In this... |
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VINCENZO BELLINI
Bellini: I Puritani (complete opera recorded in 2018) BLU-RAY Stuttgart Opera / Ana Durlovski, René Barbera, Roland Bracht, Diana Haller / Manlio Benzi, conductor [ Naxos Blu-ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 20/Oct/2019 ] "Barbera sings Arturo with a mellow beauty of tone that has surely never been matched in the 21st century, enhanced by expressive diction, the smoothest of legatos and a rare ease in the vocal stratosphere." Opera |
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VERDI
Verdi: Aida (complete opera recorded in 2009) BLU-RAY Tatiana Serjan / Iano Tamar / Rubens Pelizzari / Iain Paterson / Vienna Symphonic Orchestra / Carlo Rizzi [ C Major Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 12/Oct/2010 ] In this production from 2009 stage director Graham Vick and set designer Paul Brown conjure up an "open-air spectacle of superlatives" (Die Zeit). Photos of the stage went to all over the world. |
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GIUSEPPE VERDI / W. A. MOZART
Operas - Aida / I Due Foscari / Die Zauberflote / Le Nozze di Figaro / Die Entfuhrung] (complete operas recorded 2015 - 2019) Teatro alla Scala / Anita Rachvelishvili, George Gagnidze, Placido Domingo, Anna Pirozzi, Martin Summer, Yasmin Ozkan, Carlos Alvarez, Diana Damaru [ C Major DVD / 8 Blu-ray Box Set - released 20/Aug/2021 ] FIVE OUTSTANDING OPERAS FROM THE LEGENDARY TEATRO ALLA SCALA: ON BLU-RAY |
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GIUSEPPE VERDI
Verdi: Aida (complete opera recorded in 2015) BLU-RAY Teatro alla Scala / Kristin Lewis, Fabio Sartori, Anita Rachvelishvili, George Gagnidze / Zubin Mehta (cond) [ C Major Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 22/Aug/2016 ] STAGED BY: Peter Stein Giuseppe Verdi's masterpiece Aida at La Scala in Milan is an experience in itself. Consequently, this new production is an event barely to be surpassed, especially when played before La Scala's notoriously critical audience.... |
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RICHARD WAGNER
Wagner: Siegfried (complete opera recorded in 2012) BLU-RAY Teatro alla Scala / Lance Ryan, Peter Bronder, Terje Stensvold, Johannes Martin Kränzle / Daniel Barenboim [ Arthaus Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 1/Jan/2017 ] "Stensvold (Wanderer) sings with perfectly centred tone, terrific staying power and command of broad legato phrases...Surprisingly, though, it's Alberich here who possesses the more beautiful voice: baritone Johannes Martin Kranzle." (IRR) |
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W. A. MOZART
Mozart: Die Zauberflöte, K620 [The Magic Flute] (complete opera recorded in 2016) BLU-RAY Teatro alla Scala / Martin Summer, Yasmin Özkan, Martin Piskorski, Fatma Said, Till von Orlowski / Ádám Fischer (cond) [ C Major Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 20/May/2017 ] Accompanied by a luxurious team of professionals, consisting of the renowned stage director Peter Stein, stage designer Ferdinand Wöger and conductor Ádám Fischer, Teatro alla Scala presents Mozart's Zauberflöte. In this production, orchestra,... |
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RICHARD WAGNER
Wagner: Die Walkure (complete opera recorded in 2010) BLU-RAY Teatro alla Scala / Simon O'Neill, John Tomlinson, Vitalij Kowaljow, Waltraud Meier / Daniel Barenboim (cond) [ Arthaus Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 1/Jan/2017 ] "Gubanova is a steely, imperious Fricka. Best of all, though, is Nina Stemme's Brunnhilde. It's a radiant performance, occasionally effortful, but Stemme's golden tone stands the pressure." (BBC Music) |
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UMBERTO GIORDANO
Giordano: Fedora (Complete opera recorded in 2015) BLU-RAY Teatro Carlo Felice / Daniela Dessì, Fabio Armiliato, Alfonso Antoniozzi, Daria Kovalenko / Valerio Galli (cond) [ Dynamic Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 20/Feb/2018 ] The soprano Daniela Dessì died suddenly on 20th August 2016, aged 59. She was hailed by critics and colleagues as one of the finest voices the world of opera has ever known. Dynamic pays tribute to the great soprano with this recording, filmed just... |
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GIACOMO PUCCINI
Puccini: Turandot (complete opera recorded in 2012) BLU-RAY Teatro Carlo Felice / Daniela Dessi, Massimo La Guardia, Mario Malagnini, Ramaz Chikviladze / Donato Renzetti (cond) [ Dynamic Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 1/Jan/2017 ] Turandot, one of Puccini's most powerful and original operas, is a favourite with audiences. Musically, it is one of the composer's most modern and innovative scores, and also a work that calls for sumptuous sets and dramatic costumes. |
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GAETANO DONIZETTI
Donizetti: Roberto Devereux (complete opera recorded March 2016) BLU-RAY Teatro Carlo Felice / Mariella Devia, Sonia Ganassi, Stefan Pop, Mansoo Kim / Francesco Lanzillotta (conductor) [ Dynamic Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 18/Nov/2016 ] Recorded from the Teatro Carlo Felice, Genoa,20 and 24 March 2016 |
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ROSSINI
L'Italiana in Algeri [An Italian in Algeries] (complete opera recorded in 2013) BLU-RAY Teatro Comunale di Bologna / Anna Goryachova, Alex Esposito, Yijie Shi & Mario Cassi / José Ramón Encinar [ Opus Arte Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 20/Aug/2014 ] Pesaro's new offering in 2013 was an off-the-wall production of Rossini's popular comedy, 'The Italian Girl in Algiers', presented as a Swinging Sixties, James Bond adventure, set in the desert oil fields of the North African coast. Davide... |
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ROSSINI
Sigismondo (complete opera recorded in 2011) BLU-RAY Teatro Comunale di Bologna / Daniela Barcellona, Olga Peretyatko, Antonio Siragusa / Michele Mariotti (cond) / Jonathan Webb, conductor [ Arthaus Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 10/Oct/2012 ] Early Rossini has something buoyant, vibrant, youthful about it - even when it is a "dramma per musica" such as Sigismondo, a dark swirl of an opera revolving around a mad king and his delusions. |
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VINCENZO BELLINI
Bellini: I Puritani (complete opera recorded in 2009) BLU-RAY Teatro Comunale di Bologna / Jnino Machaidze, Juan Diego Florez, Ildebrando d'Arcangelo / Michele Mariotti(cond) [ Decca Music Group Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 1/Aug/2014 ] In this high-definition film of Bellini's historical bel-canto drama, "I Puritani", tenor superstar Juan Diego Flórez is partnered by new young Georgian soprano Nino Machaidze, in her first appearance on Decca DVD. Joining them in a striking new... |
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GIUSEPPE VERDI
Verdi: Stiffelio (complete opera recorded in 2017) BLU-RAY Teatro Comunale di Bologna / Luciano Ganci, Maria Katzarava, Francesco Landolfi, Giovanni Sala / Guillermo Garcia Calvo (cond) [ Naxos Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 1/Jul/2019 ] "Graham Vick's production of Stiffelio is a triumph. This is music-drama with an equal stress on both words." BBC Music |
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GLUCK
Orphee et Eurydice (complete opera recorded in 2009) BLU-RAY Teatro Comunale di Bologna / Roberto Alagna / Serena Gamberoni / Marc Barrard / Giampaolo Bisanti (cond) [ bel Air Classiques Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 12/Dec/2009 ] Blu-Ray: Roberto Alagna as Orpheus in his brother David's new version of Gluck's masterpiece. A major event recorded in Bologna. |
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GIOACHINO ROSSINI
Rossini: Matilde di Shabran (complete opera recorded in 2012) BLU-RAY Teatro Comunale di Bologno / Juan Diego Florez, Anna Goryachova, Olga Peretyatko / Michele Mariotti (cond) [ Decca Blu-ray / Blu-ray - released 12/Dec/2019 ] The opera that few tenors dare sing and which Flórez has made his own throughout his career. Recorded at the 2012 Pesaro Festival, Flórez reprises the role that shot him to stardom in 1996 aged twenty-three. Conducting is the up-and-coming... |