GIACOMO PUCCINI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Puccini: Manon Lescaut (Complete opera recorded in 1990) Metropolitan Opera / Renata Scotto, Placido Domingo, Pablo Elvira, Renata Capecchi / James Levine (cond) [ Deutsche Grammophon DVD / DVD - released 1/Aug/2006 ] "What makes this performance rather special is the acted and sung interplay between Scotto and Domingo. The way she jumps up into his arms and he carries her to the coach is an effective and touching moment." MusicWeb |
GIUSEPPE VERDI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Verdi: Otello (complete opera recorded in 2012) Metropolitan Opera / Renee Fleming, Johan Botha, Falk Struckmann / Semyon Bychkov (cond) [ Decca DVD / DVD - released 15/May/2015 ] Renée Fleming's Desdemona enshrines one of her signature roles in a definitive performance: "she knows exactly how to spin the gentle lines of the 'Willow Song' and 'Ave Maria' so that they softly fill the hall" (New York Times). This 2012... |
GIOACHINO ROSSINI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Rossini: Armida (complete opera recorded in 2010) Metropolitan Opera / Renee Fleming, Lawrence Brownlee, John Osborn / Riccardo Frizza (cond) [ Decca DVD / 2 DVD - released 10/Mar/2011 ] Renée Fleming continues her reign as 'Queen of the MET', starring in a bel canto rarity specially staged for her - a showcase for her extraordinary vocal virtuosity. This bel canto extravaganza is presented here on 2 DVDs. |
ANTONIN DVORAK
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Dvorak: Rusalka (complete opera recorded in 2014) Metropolitan Opera / Renee Fleming, Piotr Beczala, Dolora Zajick, John Relyea, Emily Magee / Yannick Nezet-Seguin (Cond) [ Decca DVD / DVD - released 11/Sep/2015 ] Dvorak's enchanting fairytale of the water-nymph Rusalka has been a signature role for Renée Fleming for the past 25 years. Here at last - in sumptuous HD - is that MET production by the late Günther Schneider-Siemssen and directed by Otto Schenk. |
RICHARD WAGNER
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Wagner: Tannhauser (Complete Opera recorded in 1983) Metropolitan Opera / Richard Cassilly, Eva Marton, Tatiana Troyanos / James Levine [ Deutsche Grammophon DVD / 2 DVD - released 13/Oct/2002 ] The Metropolitan Opera sings deeply passionate Wagner in this 1991 production on a spare but darkly atmospheric stage. |
HECTOR BERLIOZ
MARBECK COLLECTABLE: Berlioz: Les Troyens (complete opera recorded in 1983) The Metropolitan Opera / Tatiana Troyanos, Jessye Norman, Placido Domingo / James Levine (cond) [ Deutsche Grammophon DVD / 2 DVD - released 28/Jun/2007 ] "Domingo's clarion (though stretched) Aeneas and Norman's passionate Cassandra are most memorable. Troyanos does not match Gardiner's Susan Graham, but Levine is admirably epic and provides the traditional finale." BBC Music |
PYOTR TCHAIKOVSKY
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Tchaikovsky: Mazeppa (complete opera) Nikolai Putilin / Sergei Aleksashkin / Larissa Diadkova / Irina Loskutova / Viktor Lutsiuk / Viacheslav Luhanin / Vladimir Zhivopistsev / Nikolai Gass [ Philips / EuroArts / DVD - released 8/Jun/2005 ] Tchaikovsky's Mazeppa . Now available on Philips DVD, in anamorphic widescreen and DTS 5.1 digital surround sound. |
GIOACCHINO ROSSINI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Rossini: Il barbiere di Siviglia [The Barber of Seville] (complete opera recorded in 2009) Royal Opera House / Joyce DiDonato, Juan Diego Florez, Pietro Spagnoli / Antonio Pappano (cond) [ Erato / Warner Classics DVD / 2 DVD - released 10/May/2010 ] G - "This very likely is the strongest Barber cast I've ever seen. DiDonato, wheelchair or not, is a dream Rosina, vocally flawless and always in good taste." (10/10 ClassicsToday.com) |
W. A. MOZART
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Mozart: La Clemenza di Tito (complete opera recorded in 2005) Paris National Opera / Susan Graham, Hannah Esther Minutillo, Catherine Naglestad, Ekaterina Siurina, Christoph Pregardien / Sylvain Cambreling (cond) [ Opus Arte DVD / 2 DVD - released 2/Feb/2009 ] "Mortier has done everything in his power to present the opera in this long-lasting form. However, the only justification for adding this to you collection is the outstanding singing of Susan Graham" (MusicWeb March 2006) |
MOZART / DONIZETTI / LEHAR / DVORAK & OTHERS
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Renee and Bryn - Under the Stars Renee Fleming, Bryn Terfel / The Orchestra of Welsh National Opera / Gareth Jones / Paul Gemignani [ Decca DVD / DVD - released 24/Mar/2003 ] Filmed 'live' in the magical mountains of Wales at Bryn Terfel's Faenol Festival, this exclusive 'Under The Stars' DVD is released to co-incide with the CD of the same title. |
W. A. MOZART
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Mozart: Cosi Fan Tutte (complete opera recorded in 2002 at the Deutschen Staatsoper Berlin) Dorothea Roschmann, Katharina Kammerloher, Hanno Muller-Brachmann, Werner Gura / Daniel Barenboim (cond) [ TDK/Euroarts DVD / 2 DVD - released 1/Nov/2008 ] "It is very well performed. All the singers are on good form, and work well together in this most ensemble-based of Mozart operas. The picture quality and sound quality are both excellent, and there are loads of index points." (MusicWeb) |
W. A. MOZART
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Mozart: Die Zauberflote [The Magic Flute] (complete opera recorded the Salzburg Festival in 2006) Salzburg Festival / Rene Pape, Genia Kuhmeier, Paul Groves, Diana Damrau / Vienna Philharmonic / Riccardo Muti (cond) [ Decca Classics / Mozart 22 DVD / 2 DVD - released 9/Nov/2006 ] Unsurpassed Mozartian Riccardo Muti conducts the Vienna Philharmonic and a superb cast in an outstanding performance of Pierre Audi's fantastic, colourful production of Mozart's sublime 'singspiel'. |
JULES MASSENET
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Massenet: Thais (complete opera recorded in 2004) Teatri La Fenice / Eva Mei (soprano), Michele Perusi (bass-baritone), William Joyner (tenor) & Christophe Fel (bass) / Marcello Viotti (cond) [ Dynamic DVD / DVD - released 28/Oct/2004 ] Venice's prestigious Teatro La Fenice's production of this enthralling opera, full of captivating music and dramatic development. The title role, in this excellent production, is sung by an Eva Mei in great vocal form, who gives an interpretation... |
GIOACHINO ROSSINI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Rossini: La Cenerentola (complete opera.recorded in 1981) Teatro alla Scala / Frederica von Stade, Margherita Guglielmi, Laura Zannini, Francisco Araiza, Claudio Desderi, Paolo Montarsolo / Claudio Abbado [ Deutsche Grammophon / Unitel DVD / DVD - released 8/Nov/2005 ] Jean-Pierre Ponnelle's staging of this classic fairy tale, originally created for the San Francisco Opera in 1969, has been one of the most successful opera stagings of the 20th century |
GIOACHINO ROSSINI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Rossini: Guillaume Tell [William Tell] (complete opera recorded in 2013) Teatro Comunale di Bologna / Nicola Alaima, Marina Rebeka, Juan Diego Flórez, Amanda Forsythe / Michele Mariotti (cond) [ Decca Music Group DVD / 2 DVD - released 15/Apr/2015 ] At last the undisputed Rossini tenor par excellence, Juan Diego Florez makes his debut in the hugely demanding role of Arnold in 'Guillaume Tell' and "masters his part with seemingly effortless perfection" (Die Presse). |
GIOACHINO ROSSINI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Rossini: Matilde di Shabran (complete opera recorded in 2012) Teatro Comunale di Bologno / Juan Diego Florez, Anna Goryachova, Olga Peretyatko / Michele Mariotti (cond) [ Decca DVD / 2 DVD - released 1/Sep/2013 ] The opera that few tenors dare sing and which Flórez has made his own throughout his career. |
GIOACCHINO ROSSINI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Rossini: Il barbiere di Siviglia [The Barber of Seville] complete studio recording of the opera recorded in 1972 Teresa Berganza, Luigi Alva, Hermann Prey, Enzo Dara / Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala, Claudio Abbado [ Deutsche Grammophon 2 CD + Blu-ray Audio + DVD / 4 CD/DVD Box Set - released 17/Mar/2023 ] The hardcover edition of Claudio Abbado's legendary recording of Rossini's opera The Barber of Seville is out of print and now available in a new packaged set: 2 CD + BD audio (24bit/96kHz) + DVD video box set. |
W. A. MOZART
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Mozart: Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) (complete opera recorded in 1993) Theatre du Chatelet, Paris / Bryn Terfel / Rodney Gilfry / Alison Hagley / Monteverdi Choir / The English Baroque Soloists / John Elliot Gardiner (con [ Deutsche Grammophon / DVD - released 20/Sep/2003 ] Live recording at the Theatre du Chatelet, Paris, 1993 |
GIUSEPPE VERDI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Verdi: Don Carlos (complete unabridged version 1867, recorded in 2004) Vienna State Opera / Alastair Miles, Ramon Vargas, Bo Skovhus, Iano Tamar / Bertrand de Billy [ ArtHaus Musik DVD / 2 DVD - released 1/Aug/2010 ] "A provocative, rewarding production." (beckmessersquill.com) |
BEDRICH SMETANA
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Die Verkraufte Braut [The Bartered Bride] (complete opera recorded in 1982) Vienna State Opera / Lucia Popp / Siegfried Jerusalem / Karl Ridderbusch / Adam Fischer (cond) [ Deutsche Grammophon / DVD - released 7/Aug/2007 ] Every bar bubbles with the spirit of the Bohemian countryside in Otto Schenk's picturesque 1982 production from Vienna, where Smetana's comic masterpiece, The Bartered Bride, first conquered the hearts of opera lovers with its lilting melodies,... |