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“Gergiev highlights the way the ideas flow thick and fast, but… he never forgets to let the music breath when the grander manner takes over.” BBC Music Magazine, February 2008 | | | (Sorry, download not available in your country) | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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Robert Lloyd (Boris), Olga Borodina (Marina), Alexei Steblianko (Girgory/False Dmitry), Sergei Leiferkus (Rangoni), Larissa Diadkova (Fyodor), Evgeni Boitsov (Shuisky), Alexander Morozov (Pimen), Vladimir Ognovienko (Varlaam), Olga Kondina (Xenia), Ludmila Filatova (Hostess), Vladimir Solodovnikov (Simpleton), Mikail Kit (Tchelkalov), Evgenia Perlasova (Nurse), Evgeny Fedotov (Nikitich), Grigory Karasev (Mityukha) Kirov Opera, Valery Gergiev “Film director Andrei Tarkovsky, famous for science- fiction classics Solaris and Stalker and the historical epic Andrei Rublev, was a master of symbolic effect – the gigantic pendulum, the grotesquely faceless Idiot, living statuary, the angelic murdered child amid falling snow. But against such stylisation the action, vividly captured by video director Humphrey Burton, comes correspondingly alive, no stiff Bolshoi pageant; chorus and soloists act their hearts out.
Borodina is an ideal Marina, beautiful and burnished of tone but chillingly self-absorbed; perhaps rightly, she strikes more sparks with Leiferkus's vampiric, honey-toned Rangoni than with Steblianko's stolid but lyrical Pretender. Ognovenko's Varlaam is somewhat young and baritonal, but foreshadows stardom, as does Dyadkova's superbly touching, plangent Feodor. Boitsov's Shuisky, Morosov's noble Pimen and Solodovnikov's Idiot are less outstanding but still excellent. The only outsider is at the centre. Robert Lloyd's Boris first appears (reflecting contemporary portraits) moustached but beardless; the customary hedge appears in later acts, neatly marking the passing years. His finely shaded bassocantante has been criticised for being too light, but such doubts fade before his idiomatic-sounding Russian and magnificent characterisation, culminating in a truly harrowing death scene.
Gergiev's reading is less brilliant than his dual recording, often rather soft-centred; but he still brings out the sheer anguished beauty of the score.
The excellent stereo soundtrack has also been remastered into DTS surround-sound, and very airy and ambient this sounds, from the opening wave of applause sweeping across the auditorium.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 “an outstanding film...admirably conducted by Valery Gergiev, joined by Robert Lloyd as Boris, one of his greatest performances, and a superb supporting cast.” Penguin Guide, 2011 edition | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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“This great ballet score has been very lucky on records. Both Previn's EMI set and the Decca Maazel recording, are very distinguished and make a powerful impression on the listener. This Russian recording could not be more different. It was made in the Kirov Theatre in Leningrad and has the fullness and amplitude characteristic of the finest western recordings, not surprising, as the recording team was from Philips. The orchestral playing, too, is superb by any international standard and has none of the sharp edges or raucousness we used to associate with Soviet fortissimos.
If there were a criticism of the playing it would be to suggest that at times it's almost overcultivated.
The Introduction has a striking grace and flexibility, a sophistication of light and shade that some listeners mightn't expect. The action of the opening street scene and the sequence of events which follows is delineated with much delicacy of effect, crisp clear rhythms, great energy when called for, in the 'Morning dance', for instance and the most stylish instrumental response from all departments of the orchestra.
Perhaps it's all a shade mellow (Maazel demonstrated how pungent Prokofiev's scoring could sound) and the mood of the 'Balcony scene' is pure romanticism, relaxed and without sexual ardour: the strings float ethereally, there's a beautifully played violin solo, and at the climax the listener is quite carried away. The great climax of 'Juliet's funeral' generates richly intense string playing and resoundingly powerful brass.
But there's no sense of utter despair. So this is a performance to enjoy for the lyric feeling of Prokofiev's score and for the marvellous orchestral playing, but the starkness of the tragedy is more heartrendingly conveyed elsewhere.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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Sergei Aleksashkin (The General), Tatiana Pavlovskaya (Pauline), Vladimir Galuzin (Alexei), Larissa Dyadkova (Babulenka), Nikolai Gassiev (Marquis), Alexander Gergalov (Mr Astley), Mlle Blanche (Nadezhda Serdyuk), Andrei Popov (Prince Nilsky), Oleg Sychev (Baron Wurmerhelm) & Andrei Spekhov (Potapych) Mariinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev (conductor) & Laurent Gentot (director) The Mariinsky label releases its second opera DVD & Blu-ray, Prokofiev’s 'The Gambler'. Filmed in the historic Mariinsky Theatre in 2010, it stars celebrated Russian tenor Vladimir Galuzin and bass Sergei Aleksashkin, and is conducted by Valery Gergiev. It is of fundamental significance that under Gergiev’s baton the Mariinsky Orchestra and opera company have performed all of Prokofiev’s symphonies, concerti and operas on numerous occasions. Georgian director Temur Chkheidze, who also presented the Mariinsky’s last production in 1996 and directed the opera with critical success at the Metropolitan Opera in 2001, gives a fresh look to Prokofiev’s first opera. Set in the fictional town of Roulettenburg in the mid-19th Century, 'The Gambler' is a four-act opera that displays the dramatic highs and lows involved in the game of chance. At the centre of the story is Alexei, who is in love with The General’s step-daughter, Pauline. All of the characters fall victim to the temptation of gambling, each one consumed by the obsession and greed that drives them. Vladimir Galuzin, who plays the role of Alexei, is indisputably one of the world’s leading dramatic tenors, known for his unrivaled stentorious voice and extremely vivid characterisations of some of the most demanding roles. A Mariinsky soloist since 1990, he is much in demand internationally, performing regularly during the last two decades as a guest of most of the world’s most prominent opera houses, concert halls and festivals. The role of The General is played by Russian bass Sergei Aleksashkin. Three-time recipient of the Golden Sofit, St Petersburg’s most prestigious theatre prize, Sergei has been a Mariinsky Theatre soloist since 1989, singing title roles in Mussorgsky’s 'Boris Godunov' and Glinka’s 'Ruslan and Lyudmila'. DURATION 2 hours 35' Recorded at the Mariinsky Theatre, June 2010 Performed in Italian: subtitles in Russian, English, Japanese, German and French | 
| | | Scheduled for release on 3 June 2013. Order it now and we will deliver it as soon as it is available. |
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Sergei Aleksashkin (The General), Tatiana Pavlovskaya (Pauline), Vladimir Galuzin (Alexei), Larissa Dyadkova (Babulenka), Nikolai Gassiev (Marquis), Alexander Gergalov (Mr Astley), Mlle Blanche (Nadezhda Serdyuk), Andrei Popov (Prince Nilsky), Oleg Sychev (Baron Wurmerhelm) & Andrei Spekhov (Potapych) Mariinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev (conductor) & Laurent Gentot (director) The Mariinsky label releases its second opera DVD & Blu-ray, Prokofiev’s 'The Gambler'. Filmed in the historic Mariinsky Theatre in 2010, it stars celebrated Russian tenor Vladimir Galuzin and bass Sergei Aleksashkin, and is conducted by Valery Gergiev. It is of fundamental significance that under Gergiev’s baton the Mariinsky Orchestra and opera company have performed all of Prokofiev’s symphonies, concerti and operas on numerous occasions. Georgian director Temur Chkheidze, who also presented the Mariinsky’s last production in 1996 and directed the opera with critical success at the Metropolitan Opera in 2001, gives a fresh look to Prokofiev’s first opera. Set in the fictional town of Roulettenburg in the mid-19th Century, 'The Gambler' is a four-act opera that displays the dramatic highs and lows involved in the game of chance. At the centre of the story is Alexei, who is in love with The General’s step-daughter, Pauline. All of the characters fall victim to the temptation of gambling, each one consumed by the obsession and greed that drives them. Vladimir Galuzin, who plays the role of Alexei, is indisputably one of the world’s leading dramatic tenors, known for his unrivaled stentorious voice and extremely vivid characterisations of some of the most demanding roles. A Mariinsky soloist since 1990, he is much in demand internationally, performing regularly during the last two decades as a guest of most of the world’s most prominent opera houses, concert halls and festivals. The role of The General is played by Russian bass Sergei Aleksashkin. Three-time recipient of the Golden Sofit, St Petersburg’s most prestigious theatre prize, Sergei has been a Mariinsky Theatre soloist since 1989, singing title roles in Mussorgsky’s 'Boris Godunov' and Glinka’s 'Ruslan and Lyudmila'. DURATION 2 hours 35' Recorded at the Mariinsky Theatre, June 2010 Performed in Italian: subtitles in Russian, English, Japanese, German and French |
| | | Scheduled for release on 3 June 2013. Order it now and we will deliver it as soon as it is available. |
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| |  | Szymanowski: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2
Valery Gergiev explores the intense expression, fervour and spirituality of Polish composer Karol Szymanowski (1882–1937) with his first recording of the early symphonies on LSO Live. For decades Szymanowski’s music was rarely heard outside Poland. Today, he is recognised as one of Poland’s greatest musical figures. His desire to embody the music of his native land and his incorporation of the folkloric sounds of the Polish mountains make his orchestral works a must for anyone with an interest in Polish culture and music. During Szymanowski’s early career, he wrote works of a grandiose, densely chromatic nature in the Germanic style of Strauss and Wagner. His first symphony is drenched in evocative Romanticism and is an extremely powerful and emotionally intense composition. His second, chamber-like Symphony artfully interweaves layer upon layer of seemingly disparate musical ideas to form a complex tapestry that became one of the composer’s favourite of his own works. These first two symphonies, both unconventional in style and format, make for an enthralling listening experience and provide insight into Szymanowski’s ecstatic musical character. |
| | | Scheduled for release on 3 June 2013. Order it now and we will deliver it as soon as it is available. |
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| |  | Stravinsky: Rite of Spring, FirebirdStravinsky & the Ballets Russes, 100th anniversary collector's edition
Stravinsky: | The Firebird Ekaterina Kondaurova (Firebird), Ilya Kuznetsov (Ivan Tsarevich), Marianna Pavlova (The Princess) & Vladimir Ponomarev (Kachtcheï the Immortal) The Rite of Spring
and staged by Millicent Hodson, Kenneth Archer, lighting: Vladimir Lukin Alexandra Iosifidi (The Chosen One), Elena Bazhenova (300-Year-Old Woman) & Vladimir Ponomarev (Shaman) |
The Firebird: Choreography & libretto: Michel Fokine (1910) reconstruction Isabelle Fokine, Andris Liepa; Set & costume design:Anna & Anatoly Nezhny after original sketches by Alexander Golovin, Léon Bakst & Michel Fokine The Rite of Spring Choreography after Vaslav Nijinsky (1913) Scene plan: Igor Stravinsky & Nicholas Roerich, reconstructed and staged by Millicent Hodson; Set and costume design: Nicholas Roerich, reconstructed and supervised by Kenneth Archer; Lighting: Vladimir Lukin
In celebration of the creation of 'Le Sacre du printemps' in Paris in 1913, Bel Air present a new edition in a DVD-book of a wonderful Stravinsky night at the Mariinsky with the original Nijinsky version of the 'Rite of Spring' and 'The Firebird' both conducted by Valery Gergiev. The premiere of 'The Rite of Spring' at the Théâtre des Champs Élysées, Paris, on May 1913 caused a veritable scandal. The audience was shocked by the primitive violence of the ballet. It was so radically rejected that the ballet was taken off after eight performances. Although long forgotten, thanks to the relentless work of Millicent Hodson, Nijinsky’s original choreography was recreated. 'The Firebird' is a Russian folk tale in two scenes commissioned from the young Stravinsky by Diaghilev and premiered at the Paris Opera House in 1910. The ballet was an immediate success. The Ballets Russes enabled the choreographer Fokine to bring to this enterprise the right amount of novelty needed to captivate but not alienate the audience. It was a total success. CONTENTS: DVD BOOK, 2 ballets 85 min. Bonus: Documentary on the Ballets Russes (8 min), interviews with Millicent Hodson & Kenneth Archer (30 min), 36pp illustrated in 3 languages Format: Colour, 16/9, NTSC, Sound: PCM Stereo - Dolby Digital 5.1. |
| | | Scheduled for release on 3 June 2013. Order it now and we will deliver it as soon as it is available. |
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| |  | Solti Centenary ConcertLive recording from Symphony Center, Chicago, 2012
Hosted by Valerie Solti The Solti Centenary Concert in Chicago celebrated Sir Georg Solti’s 100th birthday on October 21, 2012, featuring the World Orchestra for Peace. This unique ensemble owes its existence to the vision of its founder, Sir Georg Solti, who believed passionately in peace and the power of music and musicians to be ambassadors for peace. Charmingly hosted by Solti’s widow, Lady Valerie Solti, and featuring soloists such as Angela Gheorghiu and René Pape as well as members of the Georg Solti Accademia, this memorable evening presents musical highlights, all of which played a significant role in Solti’s life and career. Besides excerpts from Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, Die Zauberflöte and Don Giovanni or Verdi’s La Traviata and Rigoletto, this concert finds lovely musical moments in the 'Adagietto' from Mahler’s Fifth Symphony, Strauss’ Don Juan and Bartók’s masterful Concerto for Orchestra. Sousa’s Stars and Stripes Forever as the encore closes the performance with a smash. Conductor Valery Gergiev was a good friend of his advisor Georg Solti. Together with Lady Valerie Solti and the World Orchestra for Peace he carries on Solti’s vision and maintains his memory. Special Bonus Feature: “Solti’s Vision”, a film about the World Orchestra for Peace Sound Format: PCM Stereo, DD 5.1, dts-HD Master Audio 5.1 Picture Format: 16:9, 1080i FULL HD Subtitle Languages: DE, FR / DE (Bonus) Running Time: 112 mins + 21 mins (Bonus) FSK: 0 Worldwide available |
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Alina Somova (Masha the Princess), Vladimir Shklyarov (The Nutcracker Prince), Alexandra Korshunova (Masha) & Fyodor Lopukhov (Drosselmeyer) Mariinsky Ballet & Orchestra, Valery Gergiev Libretto by MARIUS PETIPA after the story by ETA Hoffmann Choreography by VASILY VAINONEN Production design by SIMON VIRSALADZE Mariinsky Theatre Musical Director, Valery Gergiev, conducts Tchaikovsky’s glorious score in this enchanting, traditional, Russian production of The Nutcracker. Vainonen’s stunning choreography is complemented by Simon Virsaladze’s wonderfully colourful designs, and the roles of Masha and her Nutcracker Prince are danced by two of the Mariinsky’s award-winning, international soloists, all of which make this as magical and memorable a Christmas treat as ever. |
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