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JULES MASSENET
Massenet: Thais (complete opera recorded in 2009) BLU-RAY Teatro Regio Torino / Barbara Frittoli, Lado Ateneli, Alessandro Liberatore / Gianandrea Noseda (cond) [ Arthaus Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 10/Oct/2012 ] "Ataneli gives a strong performance but the highly stylised nature of the staging doesn't allow for much subtlety of expression. Gianandrea Noseda conducts with... sensitivity for Massenet's style" (Gramophone) |
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GAETANO DONIZETTI
Donizetti: Il Borgomastro di Saardam (complete opera recorded in 2017) BLU-RAY Teatro Sociale di Bergamo / Giorgio Caoduro, Juan Francisco Gatell, Andrea Concetti, Irina Dubrovskaya / Roberto Rizzi Brignoli (conductor) [ Dynamic Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 1/Jul/2015 ] Having fallen into oblivion following performances in 1839, this attractive, rare opera buffa was revived in 1973 in the Dutch city of Zaanstad (the Saardam of the libretto). It's staged on this recording at Bergamo's Teatro Sociale. |
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GIOACCHINO ROSSINI
Rossini: Il barbiere di Siviglia [The Barber of Seville] (complete opera recorded in 2017) BLU-RAY Theatre Des Champs-Elys / Florian Sempey, Catherine Trottmann, Michele Angelini, Péter Kálmán [ Naxos Unitel Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 7/Jul/2020 ] "The period orchestra is technically impressive and admirable in its range of colour. Jérémie Rhorer is a spirited conductor, conveying the score's sophistication in lithe, witty fashion." Opera |
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PHILIP GLASS
Glass: Einstein on the Beach (recorded in 2012-13) BLU-RAY Theâtre du Châtelet / Helga Davis, Kate Moran, Antoine Silverman / The Philip Glass Ensemble, Michael Riesman [ Opus Arte Blu-Ray / 2 Blu-ray Disc - released 10/Nov/2016 ] "This is close to a definitive version of the opera as you're likely to get." Gramophone |
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LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: Fidelio (complete opera recorded at the Salzburg Festival in 2015) BLU-RAY Vienna Opera / Jonas Kaufmann, Adrianne Pieczonka, Tomasz Konieczny, Hans-Peter König, Olga Bezsmertna / Franz Welser-Möst (cond) [ Sony Classical Blu-ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 1/Jul/2016 ] "Jonas Kaufmann's gorgeously sung Florestan"(Financial Times) and Leonora - "triumphantly sung by Adrianne Pieczonka" (The Guardian/Observer) |
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GAETANO DONIZETTI
Donizetti: L'elisir d'amore (complete opera recorded in 2005) BLU-RAY Vienna State Opera / Anna Netrebko, Rolando Villazón, Leo Nucci, Ildebrando D´Arcangelo / Alfred Eschwé (cond) [ Erato / Warner Classics Blu-ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 1/Nov/2015 ] Theatrical magic between Rolando Villazón and Anna Netrebko in Donizetti's delightful and ever-popular comedy L'elisir d'amore |
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RICHARD STRAUSS
Strauss, (R.): Capriccio (complete opera recorded in 2013) BLU-RAY Vienna State Opera / Renee Fleming, Bo Skovhus, Michael Schade, Angelika Kirchschlager / Christoph Eschenbach (cond) [ C Major Blu-ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 28/Apr/2014 ] "Kurt Rydl crowns a fine stage career with a gloriously eccentric impersonation of La Roche...The singing honours belong entirely to Angelika Kirchschlager as Clairon." BBC Music |
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GLUCK
Gluck: Iphigénie en Aulide & Iphigénie en Tauride (complete operas recorded in 2011) BLU-RAY Véronique Gens / Mireille Delunsch / Les Musiciens du Louvre Grenoble & Chorus of De Nederlandse Opera, Marc Minkowski & Pierre Audi [ Opus Arte Blu-ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 20/Feb/2013 ] "[von Otter] presents a deeply sympathetic character...[Gens's] Iphigenia is equally touching and just as beautifully sung...one or two [production] oddities are far outweighed by the intensity that Pierre Audi secures from his team" (Gramophone) |
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ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK
Humperdinck: Konigskinder (complete opera recorded in 2010) BLU-RAY Zurich Opera / Jonas Kaufmann, Isabel Rey, Oliver Widmer / Jens-Daniel Herzog (cond) [ Decca Blu-ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 20/Apr/2014 ] Tenor superstar Jonas Kaufmann leads the cast in the first-ever Blu-ray release of the beautiful fairytale opera from the composer of Hänsel und Gretel. |
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LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: Fidelio (complete opera recorded in 2008) BLU-RAY Zurich Opera / Krešimir Stražanac, Lucio Gallo, Roberto Sacca, Melanie Diener, Alfred Muff / Bernard Haitink, conductor [ Opus Arte Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 10/Apr/2010 ] Translucence, transparency - warmth' are the qualities identified by Bernard Haitink as necessary for an ideal sound performance of Beethoven's only opera, and all are present in this fantastic recording of Katharina Thalbach's new production. |
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W. A. MOZART
Mozart: Cosi fan Tutte (complete opera recorded in 2009) BLU-RAY Zurich Opera / Malin Hartelius, Anna Bonitatibus, Martina Janková, Javier Camarena / Franz Welser-Most (conductor) [ Arthaus Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 10/May/2010 ] "The singing is uniformly excellent. Malin Hartelius is a terrific Fiordiligi, her vibrato prominent but never bothersome, her inflections ideal, her sense of silliness sublime." 10/10 highest rating Classicstoday.com |
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Joe Bonamassa
An Acoustic Evening at the Vienna Opera House [ J&R Adventures / Blu-ray Disc - released 5/Apr/2013 ] Hailed worldwide as one of the greatest guitar players of his generation, Joe Bonamassa has almost single-handedly redefined the blues-rock genre and brought it into the mainstream. He continues this role with his first-ever entirely acoustic... |
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SAVERIO MERCADANTE
Mercadante: Francesca da Rimini (complete opera recorded in 2016) BLU-RAY Festival della Valle d'Itria, Martina Franca / Leonor Bonilla, Aya Wakizono, Merto Süngü, Antonio Di Matteo / Fabio Luisi (cond) [ Dynamic Blu-Ray / Blu-ray - released 1/Feb/2020 ] Written almost two centuries ago by Saverio Mercadante, coveted by many theatres of the day, Francesca da Rimini was, in fact, never staged. Every time it was scheduled for performance, something happened and it got canceled. |
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ALBAN BERG
Berg: Lulu (complete opera recorded in 2009) BLU-RAY Royal Opera House / Agneta Eichenholz / Michael Volle / Klaus Florian Vogt / Jennifer Larmore / Antonio Pappano (cond) [ Opus Arte Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 1/Aug/2010 ] "Antonio Pappano's electrifying conducting is razor-sharp in the manner of Pierre Boulez, and the orchestral playing is magnificent." (The Telegraph) |
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BENJAMIN BRITTEN
Britten: Peter Grimes (complete opera filmed on Aldeburgh beach in 2013) BLU-RAY Alan Oke, Giselle Allen, David Kempster / Guildhall School of Music & Drama & Britten-Pears Orchestra, Steuart Bedford [ Arthaus Blu-ray / Blu-ray - released 10/Feb/2019 ] GRAMOPHONE MAGAZINE AWARD NOMINATION 2014 |
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VARIOUS COMPOSERS
Alonzo King Lines Ballet (Studio performance recorded in 2011) BLU-RAY Alonzo King Lines Ballet [ Arthaus Blu-ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 1/Aug/2010 ] The choreographer Alonzo King, acclaimed as "one of the few, true Ballet Masters of our times" by world-famous William Forsythe, works with his company The Alonzo King LINES Ballet in San Francisco. |
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W. A. MOZART
Mozart: Don Giovanni (Complete opera recorded in 2021) (Blu-ray) Wiener Staatsoper / Kyle Ketelsen, Ain Anger, Hanna-Elisabeth Muller, Stanislas de Barbeyrac, Kate Lindsey, Philippe Sly / Philippe Jordan (cond) [ C Major Blu-ray / Blu-ray - released 20/Mar/2026 ] "Kosky and Jordan met congenially in the direction of the singers." - ORF |
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HUMPERDINCK
Hansel und Gretel (complete opera recorded in 2007) BLU-RAY Anhaltisches Theater Dessau / Ludmil Kuntschew, Alexandra Petersamer, Sabine Noack / Markus L. Frank (cond) [ Arthaus Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 10/Oct/2012 ] "..a strong and capable performance, very well conducted and with a cast of good if not outstanding singers." (Gramophone) |
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GIACOMO PUCCINI
Puccini: Tosca (complete opera recorded in 2001) BLU-RAY Royal Opera House / Angela Gheorghiu, Roberto Alagna, Ruggero Raimondi / Antonio Pappano (cond) [ BBC / Opus Arte Blu-ray 4K Ultra HD / Blu-ray UHD - released 10/Oct/2017 ] "brings this opera vividly to life ... this is a classic of the future" The Guardian |
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GIUSEPPE VERDI
Verdi: La Traviata (complete opera Live from the Arena di Verona, 2011] BLU-RAY Arena Di Verona / Ermonela Jaho, Francesco Demuro & Vladimir Stoyanov / Julian Kovatchev (conductor) [ Arthaus Musik BLU-RAY / Blu-ray Disc - released 20/Mar/2017 ] La Traviata is not only one of Giuseppe Verdi's best known works but ranks among the most popular operas of all times. Based on the novel and play La Dame aux camélias by Alexander Dumas (fi ls), the tragic story of the terminally ill courtesan... |