JACQUES OFFENBACH
Offenbach: Orphee aux Enfers / La Belle Helene (complete operettas recorded in 1998 & 2000) Natalie Dessay / Felicity Lott / Yann Beuron / Laurent Naouri / Opéra National de Lyon / Les Musiciens du Louvre / Marc Minkowski [ ArtHaus Musik DVD / 2 DVD Box Set - released 10/Oct/2012 ] Arthaus presents an Offenbach Box Set (Orphée aux Enfers & La belle Hélène) featuring Marc Minkowski - the preeminent Offenbach conductor of our day but also a team of wonderful singer-actors (Natalie Dessay & Felicity Lott). |
TCHAIKOVSKY
Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake, Op. 20 (The Royal Swedish Ballet) Nathalie Nordquist, Anders Nordström, Marketta Kaila, Christian Rambe Royal Swedish Ballet, Royal Swedish Opera Orchestra, Michel Quéval [ Opus Arte DVD / DVD - released 8/Nov/2002 ] This stunning production by The Royal Swedish Ballet, produced by Ross MacGibbon, stars Nathalie Nordquist as Odette/Odile and Anders Nordström as Prince Siegfried. Choreographer Peter Wright stages Swan Lake as a romantic Gothic tragedy. This... |
VERDI
Les Vespres Siciliennes (complete opera recorded in 2010) Netherlands Opera / Barbara Haveman, Burkhard Fritz, Alejandro Marco-Buhrmester / Paolo Carignani (cond) [ Opus Arte DVD / 2 DVD - released 1/Aug/2012 ] The Netherlands Opera Chorus...remains one of the most musically and dramatically responsive among major companies." (International Record Review) |
W. A. MOZART
Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail (complete opera recorded in 2008) Netherlands Opera / Laura Aikin / Edgaras Montvidas / Kurt Rydl / Mojca Erdmann / Constantinos Carydis (cond) [ Opus Arte DVD / DVD - released 2/Feb/2009 ] "Constantinos Carydis conducts the excellent Netherlands CO with zest and a fair sense of period style." Gramophone Magazine, May 2009 |
W. A. MOZART
Da Ponte Operas: Cosi fan Tutte / Le Nozze di Figaro / Don Giovanni (recorded 2006 & 2007) Netherlands Opera / Sally Matthews / Luca Pisaroni / Danielle de Niese / Garry Magee / Ingo Metzmacher(cond) [ Opus Arte DVD / 4 DVD Box Set - released 1/Aug/2011 ] Wit and astute theatrical awareness are the hallmarks of this exceptional vision of Mozart's and Da Ponte's famous masterpieces, directed by the duo Jossi Wieler and Sergio Morabito. Set in a 1960s youth hostel, Così fan tutte is a charmingly... |
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV
The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevronia (complete opera recorded in 2012) Netherlands Opera / Svetlana Ignatovich, John Daszak, Vladimir Vaneev. / Marc Albrecht (conductor) [ Opus Arte DVD / 2 DVD - released 20/Feb/2014 ] "This deeply felt production...is a significant step further in the internationalisation of the opera...The committed theatricality of the cast...goes far to making the production convincing on its own terms...[Ignatovich] sings without strain or fat |
PROKOFIEV
Ivan The Terrible (complete ballet recorded in 2003) Nicolas Le Riche / Eleonora Abbagnato / Karl Paquette / Le Corps de Ballet and Opéra National de Paris / Vello Pähn [ Arthaus Musik DVD / DVD - released 1/Jul/2011 ] Arthaus presents one of the most fascinating choreographies to have emerged from Russia during the last decades: Yuri Grigorovich's original ballet dramatizing Ivan the Terrible's reign as Czar of Russia. |
CLAUDIO MONTEVERDI
Monteverdi: L'Incoronazione di Poppea (complete opera recorded in 2010) Norwegian National Opera / Birgitte Christensen, Jacek Laszczkowski, Tim Mead, Marita Sølberg / Alessandro de Marchi [ EuroArts DVD / DVD Box Set - released 20/Jun/2017 ] "There is, though, some truly terrific singing here. Birgitte Christiansen (Poppea) is an amazingly assured musical presence, who can colour her voice to fit every occasion. Jacek Laszczkowski (Nero) is expressively menacing and lascivious by turn" |
GIACOMO PUCCINI
Puccini: La Boheme (complete opera recorded in 2012) Norwegian National Opera / Diego Torre, Marita Salberg, Vasily Ladyuk, Jennifer Rowley / The Norwegian National Opera Orchestra, Eivind Gullberg [ Naxos DVD / DVD - released 10/Jun/2022 ] Who among us doesn't already have a personal relationship to La Bohème? Probably a deep and intimate one: this opera, perhaps more than any other, strikes a chord that resonates in us where we are most sensitive. Puccini, one could say, was the... |
CLAUDIO MONTEVERDI
Monteverdi: 3 x Poppea - L'Incoronazione di Poppea (complete operas recorded in 1993, 2010 & 2013) Norwegian National Opera with Birgitte Christensen, Jacek Laszczkowski / Concerto Koln, Rene Jacobs / Theaterhaus Stuttgart, Eric Gauthier, Anneleen R [ EuroArts DVD / 3 DVD Box Set - released 2/Feb/2018 ] Three different approaches to the enigmatic mistress of Roman Emperor Nero - in one box: watch Poppea in two contrasting opera productions plus as a futuristic ballet performance. Monteverdi: L'incoronazione di Poppea Orchestra of the Norwegian... |
GILBERT & SULLIVAN
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Gilbert & Sullivan: The Pirates of Penzance (complete operetta recorded in 2006) Opera Australia / Anthony Warlow, David Hobson, John Bolton Wood, Taryn Fiebig, Suzanne Johnston / Andrew Greene (cond) [ ABC DVD / DVD - released 3/May/2007 ] "If G&S is your thing, you'll love every moment of this joyful production" - The Australian |
GILBERT & SULLIVAN
Patience / Mikado / HMS Pinafore / Trial By Jury / Gondoliers [4 DVD set] Opera Australia / Christine Douglas, Anthony Warlow, Heather Begg, Dennis Olsen & many others [ Opus Arte DVD / 4 DVD Box Set - released 22/Apr/2012 ] During their long and successful partnership, William Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan collaborated on fourteen operas, many of which are still regularly performed throughout the English speaking world today. Running time 8 hours 56 mins... |
GILBERT and SULLIVAN
The Mikado (complete operetta recorded in 2011) Opera Australia / Mitchell Butel, Kanen Breen, Taryn Fiebig, Warwick Fyfe, Stuart Maunder (conductor) [ Opus Arte Opera Australia DVD / DVD - released 10/Feb/2012 ] Perhaps the most widely-loved and hilarious of Gilbert and Sullivan's Savoy Operas, this classic production by Opera Australia creates a fantastical, imaginary Japan. |
LEO DELIBES
Delibes: Lakme (complete opera recorded in 2022) Opera Comique, Paris / Sabine Devieilhe, Grederic Antouni, Stephane Degout, Ambroisine Bre / Pygmalion, Raphael Pichon [ Naxos DVD / DVD - released 20/Oct/2023 ] "Laurent Pelly transforms Delibes's opera into an exploration of colonialism and cultural appropriation...Raphaël Pichon, conducting Pygmalion on original instruments, relishes Delibes's lush orchestration." BBC Music DVD of the Month Jan 2024 |
VERDI
Oberto (complete opera recorded in 2007) Opera de Bilbao / Ildar Abdrazakov, Evelyn Herlitzius, Carlo Ventre / Yves Abel (cond) [ Opus Arte DVD / DVD - released 25/Mar/2008 ] G - "This new DVD of the opera from Opus Arte captures a performance that brings out the best from the opera and suggests conviction in its quality." (MusicalCriticism.com) |
GIACOMO PUCCINI
Puccini: La Rondine (complete opera recorded in 2007) Opera de Nice / Svetla Vassileva / Maya Dashuk / Fabio Sartori / Alberto Veronesi [ Naxos DVD / DVD - released 1/Jul/2009 ] "Svetla Vassileva gives a totally committed acted performance..She puts her whole body and face into her acting whilst her phrasing, legato and vocal expression are first rate." (MusicWeb June 2009) |
HENRY PURCELL
Dido and Aeneas (complete opera recorded in 2014) Opera de Rouen / Vivica Genaux, Henk Neven, Ana Quintans, Marc Mauillon / Vincent Dumestre (cond) [ Alpha DVD / DVD - released 20/Feb/2015 ] CHOEUR ACCENTUS Vivica GENAUX Dido Henk NEVEN Æneas Ana QUINTANS Belinda Marc MAUILLON Sorceress, Marin Vincent DUMESTRE Musical direction Cécile ROUSSAT & Julien LUBEK Staging, Choregraphy, Set, Costumes Laurent CASTAINGT Lights Stéphane... |
JONATHAN DOVE
Dove: The Adventures of Pinocchio (Complete opera recorded in 2008) BLU-RAY Opera North / Victoria Simmonds, Jonathan Summers, Mary Plazas, Rebecca Bottone / David Parry, conductor [ Opus Arte Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 1/Apr/2009 ] "Plaudits should also go to the chorus, whose scenes are always visually and sonically spectacular, while the stunning surround sound of the DVD capturing every detail of Opera North's bold undertaking." (BBC Music Five Stars) |
ALMA DEUTSCHER
Deutscher: Cinderella (complete recorded in 2017) Opera San Jose / Vanessa Becerra, Jonas Hacker, Nathan Stark, Karin Mushegain / Jane Glover (cond) [ Sony Classical DVD / DVD - released 18/Dec/2018 ] "As a dramatic construct, the opera's a marvel for one so young...Deutscher starts with two gifts on her side: natural talent (I'll avoid the word genius) and sincerity. Cinderella may be pastiche, but at the same time nothing is fake." BBC Music |
JANACEK
The Cunning Little Vixen (Complete opera sung in Czech recorded in 2008) Opéra Bastille / Elena Tsallagova, Jukka Rasilainen, Michèle Lagrange / Dennis Russell Davies (conductor) [ EuroArts / Medici Arts DVD / DVD - released 20/Sep/2011 ] "Elena Tsallagova made an irresistible vixen with her lovingly observed paw-work and pretty soprano…Some of the best singing of the evening came from Jukka Rasilainen as the all-important gamekeeper." Opera News |