GAETANO DONIZETTI
Donizetti: Don Pasquale (complete opera recorded in 2006) Zurich Opera / Juan Diego Florez / Isabel Rey / Ruggero Raimondi / Nello Santi (cond) [ Decca DVD / DVD - released 12/Sep/2007 ] Following DVD releases of Il barbiere di Siviglia from Madrid and La Fille du regiment from Genoa, Decca continues the DVD series presenting Florez in his great stage roles with this performance of Donizetti's irresistible comedy from Zurich Opera House. |
FRANZ LEHAR
Lehár: Das Land des Lächelns [The Land Of Smiles] (complete operetta recorded in 2017) Zurich Opera / Piotr Beczala, Julia Kleiter, Rebeca Olvera, Spencer Lang / Fabio Luisi (conductor) [ Accentus DVD / DVD - released 20/Nov/2018 ] "Fabio Luisi conducts with a subtle consciousness of the requisite style and the orchestra sounds marvellous" Opera |
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... |
GIACOMO PUCCINI
Puccini: La Rondine (Complete opera recorded in 2009) Metropolitan Opera / Angela Gheorghiu, Roberto Alagna, Lisette Oropesa / Marco Armiliato (cond) [ Warner Classics DVD / DVD - released 4/Oct/2010 ] "I have never heard Alagna sing better, and Gheorghiu is at her sumptuous best. There are comparably beautiful performances by the younger couple, Marius Brenciu and Lisette Oropesa" New York Daily News |
GAETANO DONIZETTI
Donizetti: Anna Bolena [complete opera recorded in 2011] Vienna State Opera / Anna Netrebko, Elina Garanca, Ildebrando D'Arcangelo / Evelino Pido (cond) [ Deutsche Grammophon DVD / 2 DVD - released 16/Feb/2012 ] With her sensational role debut at the Vienna State Opera, superstar diva Anna Netrebko displays a performance of rare vocal and dramatic power. The Russian soprano sings the role of the unjustly accused second wife of British King Henry VIII,... |
RICHARD STRAUSS
Strauss, (R.): Der Rosenkavalier (the complete opera recorded in 1988) Bayerischen Staatsoper / Gwyneth Jones, Manfred Jungwirth, Brigitte Fassbaender, Lucia Popp / Carlos Kleiber (cond) [ Deutsche Grammophon DVD / 2 DVD - released 16/Aug/2004 ] "Kleiber's conducting is spacious, transparent and warm. Brigitte Fassbaender is ideal as Octavian, Gwyneth Jones a moving Marschallin, Lucia Popp a sweet-voiced if mature Sophie, and Manfred Jungwirth a dignified but funny Ochs." (BBC music) |
RICHARD WAGNER
Wagner: Tannhauser (complete opera recorded live in 2019) Bayreuth Festival / Stephen Gould, Lise Davidsen, Elena Zhidkova, Markus Eiche / Valery Gergiev (cond) [ Deutsche Grammophon DVD / 2 DVD - released 15/May/2020 ] "In his Bayreuth debut, Valery Gergiev conducts with such verve that at multiple turns it was like hearing the score anew." Limelight |
ROGER WATERS
Ca Ira 'There is Hope' (an opera in three acts) - Special SACD / DVD Edition Roger Waters / Bryn Terfel (baritone) / Ying Huang (soprano) / Paul Groves (tenor) [ Sony Music / 3 SACD/DVD - released 27/Sep/2005 ] The lavish first edition of "Ça Ira," an opera in three acts for full orchestra, soloists and choirs, will include a double SACD DigiPack and a deluxe 60 page four-color booklet. |
GIACOMO PUCCINI
Puccini: Tosca (complete opera filmed In The Settings And At The Times Of Tosca) Catherine Malfitano (soprano), Placido Domingo (tenor), Ruggero Raimondi (bass) / Symphony Orchestra & Chorus of Rai, Zubin Mehta [ Warner Classics DVD / DVD - released 3/Jun/2013 ] Contemporary Rome is the setting for this unique and highly innovative version of Puccini's Tosca, performed in the Roman locations - and at the same times of day - as Puccini had written into his score. |
CLAUDIO MONTEVERDI
Monteverdi: L'Incoronazione di Poppea (complete opera recorded in 2012) Le Concert d'Astrée / Sonya Yoncheva (Poppée), Max Emanuel Cencic (Néron), Ann Hallenberg (Octavie), Tim Mead (Othon), Paul Whelan / Emmanuelle Haim [ Erato / Warner Classics DVD / 2 DVD - released 14/Jun/2013 ] "[Haim leads with] a fine sensitivity towards the urgent, tensile springiness of the melodic lines; and a superb handling of the instrumental forces" (BBC Music) |
JACK HEGGIE
Heggie: Great Scott (complete opera recorded in 2015) Dallas Opera / Joyce DiDonato, Ailyn Perez, Frederica von Stade, Anthony Roth Costanzo / Patrick Summers (cond) [ Erato / Warner Classics DVD / DVD - released 12/Mar/2021 ] WQXR, the USA's leading classical music radio station, welcomed as a "deeply moving and musically brilliant work" that "should enter the standard repertory just as Heggie's two previous masterpieces - Dead Man Walking and Moby-Dick - already have". |
RICHARD WAGNER
Wagner: Lohengrin (complete opera recorded in 2016) Dresden Opera / Anna Netrebko, Piotr Beczala, Tomasz Konieczny, Georg Zeppenfeld / Christian Thielemann (cond) [ Deutsche Grammophon DVD / 2 DVD - released 15/Sep/2017 ] ".Netrebko brings a sensuality and an outraged awareness of how this woman is exploited not that common in Elsas, and the role lies well for her vocally at the moment" Gramophone |
GIUSEPPE VERDI
Verdi: Rigoletto (complete opera recorded in 2008) Dresden Opera / Zeljko Lucic, Diana Damrau, Juan Diego Florez, Georg Zeppenfeld / Sachsische Staatskapelle Dresden, Fabio Luisi [ Virgin Classics DVD / DVD - released 10/Apr/2012 ] "Musically, the show is spectacular...Juan Diego Flórez is wonderfully sure of himself in every way...[Damrau] is no soubrette; the voice has body and power, her breath control is superb" (International record Review) |
GEORG FRIDERIC HANDEL
Handel: Alcina (complete opera recorded in 2015) Festival Aix-en-Provence / Patricia Petibon, Philippe Jaroussky, Anna Prohaska, Katarina Bradic / Andrea Marcon (cond) [ Erato / Warner Classics DVD / 2 DVD - released 10/Jun/2016 ] "Petibon is sensational throughout: supremely confident in the pathos and neurotic pyrotechnics of Alcina's music and character. In the pit, Andrea Marcon directs the Freiburger Barockorchester smartly, with a shiver of sul ponticello bowing" (BBC) |
ENGLEBERT HUMPERDINCK
Hansel Und Gretel (complete opera recorded in 2008) Glyndebourne Opera / jennifer Holloway, Adriana Kucerova, Wolfgang Ablinger-Sperrhacke / Kazushi Ono (cond) [ Decca DVD / DVD - released 22/Apr/2012 ] "…the masterstroke which wins this show the memorable quality lacking in the indeterminate Royal Opera production… is the witch's supermarket house, brilliantly designed by Barbara de Limburg Stirum and brilliantly abetted by Wolfgang... |
ROSSINI
Il Barbiere di Siviglia / Le Comte Ory / La Cenerentola (complete operas recorded 1982-1997) Glyndebourne Opera / Robert Dean / Kathleen Kuhlmann / Ludovic Tezier / Maria Ewing / Stella Woodman / Marc Laho / Various conductors [ Warner Classics / NVC Arts DVD / 3 DVD - released 20/Sep/2008 ] "The London Philharmonic are in crack form and they have a conductor to take full advantage of their fizzing expertise" The Times on La Cenerentola |
GIOACCHINO ROSSINI
Rossini: La Cenerentola (complete opera recorded in 2009) Gran Teatre del Liceu / Joyce DiDonato, Juan Diego Florez, Bruno De Simone / Patrick Summers (cond) [ Decca Music Group DVD / 2 DVD - released 10/Oct/2012 ] Tenor superstar, Juan Diego Flórez, adds the role of Prince Ramiro in Rossini's sparkling comedy 'La Cenerentola', to his rapidly growing catalogue of performances on Decca DVD. Taking the title role in one of Rossini's most popular operas is one... |
RICHARD WAGNER
Wagner: Der Fliegende Hollander [The Flying Dutchman] (complete opera recorded in 1985) Bayreuther Festspiele / Lisbeth Balslev, Simon Estes, Matti Salminen / Woldemar Nelsson (cond) [ Deutsche Grammophon DVD / DVD - released 28/Jun/2005 ] One of the most acclaimed Wagner productions of the postwar period, Kupfer's staging was premiered in 1978 and was performed 36 times until 1985. |
JULES MASSENET
Massenet: Cendrillon [Cinderella] (the complete opera, recorded in 2011) Royal Opera House / Joyce DiDonato, Alice Coote, Eglise Gutierrez, Ewa Podles / Bertrand de Billy (conductor) [ Virgin Classics DVD / 2 DVD - released 11/May/2012 ] "Bertrand de Billy leads a highly sympathetic reading of the score...revelling in the pomposity of the court dances while conjuring magic in the duets." (International Record Review) |
GAETANO DONIZETTI
Donizetti: Maria Stuarda (complete opera recorded in 2013) Metropolitan Opera / Joyce DiDonato, Elza van den Heever, Matthew Polenzani / Maurizio Benini (cond) [ Erato DVD / 2 DVD - released 7/Apr/2014 ] "The two main protagonists brilliantly capture all the opera's drama and passion; DiDonato is magnificent and moving." Gramophone Magazine Editor's Choice August 2014 |