Prices shown exclude VAT. (UK tax is not payable for deliveries to United States.) See Terms & Conditions for p&p rates. | |  | Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, December 2012
Bryan Hymel (Robert), Patrizia Ciofi (Isabelle), John Relyea (Bertram), Marina Poplavskaya (Alice), Nicolas Courjal (Alberti), David Butt Philip (Master of Ceremonies), Pablo Bemsch (Second Chevalier/Herald), Ashley Riches (Prince of Granada), Jihoon Kim (Fourth Chevalier/Priest), Jean-Francois Borras (Raimbaut) & Dušica Bijelic (Lady-in-waiting to Isabelle) Royal Opera Chorus & Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Daniel Oren (conductor) & Laurent Pelly (director) A grand opera that dominated the stages of Europe for most of the 19th century, Robert le diable is a masterpiece. Director Laurent Pelly breathes new life into Giacomo Meyerbeer’s great spectacle and audaciously entertaining moral fable, in this colourful new staging for The Royal Opera. The wonderful score includes brilliant arias, dramatic ensembles, rousing choruses and a ballet of ghostly nuns, and with the wavering hero of the title sung by Bryan Hymel, acclaimed for his role as Énée in Les Troyens for The Royal Opera and the Metropolitan Opera, this is an unmissable experience. Premiered in 1831, it was one of the first grand operas staged at the Paris Opéra. Meyerbeer’s European fame was initiated with “Robert” – performed 470 times in Paris alone by the time of the composer’s death in 1864. “It is a masterpiece...Meyerbeer has made himself immortal” (Frédéric Chopin) Extra features: ‘The legacy of Robert le diable, and a cast gallery. Running time: 122 minutes Subtitles EN/FR/DE/JP/KR Sound format: 2.0LPCM + 5.1(5.0) DTS | 
| | | 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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| |  | Bruckner: Symphony No. 7 & Wolf: LiederRecorded live at Semperoper Dresden, September 2012
Staatskapelle Dresden, Christian Thielemann The Dresden Staatskapelle has a living Bruckner tradition, stretching back a century and more, which is lovingly curated by its new music director, Christian Thielemann, who is himself a powerful advocate for the composer’s symphonies as the pinnacle of the Austro-German tradition; and in particular for the Wagnerian resonances of the Seventh, whose Adagio was shaped by news of Wagner’s death in Venice. Hugo Wolf was also deeply affected by that news; his songs, like Bruckner’s symphonies, can be seen as oblique reflections on the influence of Wagner, especially when sung, as they are here by Renée Fleming, with the utmost delicacy and intimacy. Christian Thielemann’s first concert as Principal Conductor of the Staatskapelle Dresden. Both Thielemann and Fleming are renowned interpreters of Romantic repertoire. Bruckner’s 7th Symphony premiered in 1884 to universal acclaim & established him as a serious composer of symphonic music, Wolf’s Songs were composed four years later. Wolf was a great admirer of Bruckner and both idolized Wagner, whose influence is felt in the 7th Symphony. Running time: 106 minutes Subtitles N/A Sound format: 2.0LPCM + 5.1(5.0) DTS | 
| | | 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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| |  | Recorded live at Glyndebourne Festival, June 2012
Sally Matthews (Countess Almaviva), Vito Priante (Figaro), Audun Iversen (Count Almaviva), Lydia Teuscher (Susanna), Isabel Leonard (Cherubino), Andrew Shore (Bartolo), Ann Murray (Marcellina), Alan Oke (Don Basilio), Nicholas Folwell (Antonio), Colin Judson (Don Curzio), Sarah Shafer (Barbarina), Ellie Laugharne (First Bridesmaid) & Katie Bray (Second Bridesmaid) The Glyndebourne Chorus & Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Robin Ticciati (conductor) & Michael Grandage (director) Perhaps no opera is closely and affectionately associated with a single house as Le nozze di Figaro is with Glyndebourne. Effortlessly witty yet shot through with pain and sadness, this deeply ambivalent life in the day of masters and servants as they scheme and outwit one another was Glyndebourne’s opening production in 1934. Michael Grandage’s staging is the seventh, set in a louche Sixties ambience. Marshalled by the ‘ideal pacing’ of Robin Ticciati, a youthful cast of principals has ‘no weak link’ and ‘looks gorgeous’ (The Sunday Times) in a production that continues Glyndebourne’s rewarding history of engagement with Mozart’s and da Ponte’s ‘day of madness’. Glyndebourne's "signature" work, Le nozze di Figaro was the opening production when the theatre re-opened in 1994. The production is set the 1960s/70s. Extra features include: ‘The Greatest Opera Ever Written’ and ‘From page to stage’. Running time: 180 minutes Subtitles: EN/FR/DE/JP/KR Sound format: 2.0LPCM + 5.1(5.0) DTS | 
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| |  | Recorded live at The National Theatre, Prague Summer 2011
Lenka Máciková (Marquise Clarice, widow), Aleš Briscein (Count Orazio), Katerina Knežíková (Vespetta), Jaroslav Brezina (Patrizio), Bohumil Klepl (Servant) & Tatána Kupcová (Marquise) Schwarzenberg Court Orchestra, Vojtech Spurný (conductor) & Ondrej Havelka (director) Rebellious servants, capricious lovers, cross-dressing farce and a happy ending: the fast paced action of this comic Baroque opera had all the ingredients to please the self-confessed ‘low-brow taste’ of an Austro-German prince, who commissioned Giuseppe Scarlatti for a piece to celebrate his son’s wedding. This is the opera’s first revival in modern times, and it takes place in the very same Baroque theatre, impeccably restored to its original glory, which hosted the first performance. With a cast of young singers drawn from Prague’s National Theatre and a stylish period-instrument ensemble, this vivid reconstruction will delight audiences as much today as it did the aristocratic guests at Ceský Krumlov in 1768. Composer Giuseppe Scarlatti (1723-1777), was related to Alessandro and Domenico Scarlatti. Comic opera performed in the Cesky Krumlov Theatre, where it was premiered in 1768. Theatre is a fully restored Baroque theatre, complete with authentic stage machinery, props and scenery. Performed by candlelight. ‘WINNER OF THE HAVEL FOUNDATION AWARD 2012’ – the top artistic prize in the Czech Republic. Extra feautures include: A Jewel of the Baroque - The story of the Castle Theatre in Ceský Krumlov. Running time: 138 minutes Subtitles: EN/FR/DE/JP/KR Sound format: 2.0LPCM + 5.1(5.0) DTS | 
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| |  | Recorded live at Glyndebourne Festival Opera, June 2012
Lucy Crowe (Vixen), Emma Bell (Fox), Sergei Leiferkus (Forester), William Dazeley (Harasta), Mischa Schelomianski (Badger/Parson), Jean Rigby (Forester's Wife/Owl), Adrian Thompson (Schoolmaster/Mosquito), Colin Judson (Pásek, Innkeeper), Sarah Pring (Innkeeper’s Wife) London Philharmonic Orchestra, Glyndebourne Chorus, Vladimir Jurowski (conductor) & Melly Still (director) Sung in Czech with subtitles in English, French, German and Korean. The tale of a quick witted fox and her escape from confinement for a life in the forest that is by turns joyful and violent, The Cunning Little Vixen is an unsentimental parable of death and rebirth that lives through the instinctive and immediate world of nature, animal and human, which Janacek loved so much. Melly Still's production for Glyndebourne finds the 'delicate balance between whimsy and mysticism' (Daily Telegraph) at the heart of the opera, which Vladimir Jurowski conducts 'with lustrous style: you can hear the birds in the score, feel the sunshine and thrill to the starlit night sky in the final scene' (Opera Today). Running Time: 119 minutes Subtitles EN/FR/DE/KR Sound format: 2.0LPCD plus 5.1(5.0) DTS | 
| | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Recorded live at the Teatro all Scala, June 2012
John Graham-Hall (Peter Grimes), Susan Gritton (Ellen Orford), Christopher Purves (Balstrode), Felicity Palmer (Auntie), Ida Falk Winland (First Niece), Simona Mihai (Second Niece), Peter Hoare (Bob Boles), Daniel Okulitch (Swallow), Catherine Wyn-Rogers (Mrs. Sedley), Christopher Gillett (Rev. Horace Adams), George Von Bergen (Ned Keene) Orchestra e Coro del Teatro alla Scala, Robin Ticciati (conductor) & Richard Jones (director) The Italian and international press were unanimous in their praise for Peter Grimes at La Scala, which revived the tradition of Britten's operas on the lyric stages of Italy. A strong British cast was marshalled by the baton of Robin Ticciati, who has already won golden opinions for his opera conducting. Richard Jones's production focuses on the fisherman as the outsider in a brutal society, cut off by mutual suspicion and misunderstanding: an unforgettable production of an opera that never loses its power. Extra feature: Interviews with cast and crew. Running time: 168 minutes Subtitles: EN/FR/DE/JP/KR Sound format: 2.0LPCM + 5.1(5.0) DTS | 
| | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, March 2012
Choreography Kenneth MacMillan. Given its premiere by The Royal Ballet in 1965 with Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn dancing the title roles, Kenneth MacMillan’s first full-evening ballet has become a signature work for the Company, enjoying great popularity around the world. From the outset, the production teems with life and colour as the townspeople, market traders and servants of the rival Montagues and Capulets go about their daily business in vibrant crowd scenes. But Romeo and Juliet take centre stage for those great pas de deux: the meeting in the ballroom, the balcony scene, the morning after the wedding and the final devastating tomb scene. Although The Royal Ballet has performed Romeo and Juliet over 400 times, each performance and pairing is subtly different, and Lauren Cuthbertson and Federico Bonelli are utterly captivating in the title roles. This performance was broadcast live from Covent Garden to cinemas worldwide. Kenneth MacMillan's first full-evening ballet has become one of The Royal Ballet's signature works. This production was one of the big successes of last season’s Royal Opera House Live Cinema Season. Acclaimed performances by star principals, Lauren Cuthbertson and Federico Bonelli. Extra features: Documentaries on Kenneth MacMillan's production, and "Sharps, Points and Pirouettes" the famous sword fight scene. Includes deluxe slipcase. Running time: 158 minutes Subtitles (extra features only): EN/FR/DE/IT/ES/PT/JP Sound format: 2.0LPCM + 5.1(5.0) DTS | 
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| |  | Gluck: Iphigénie en Aulide & Iphigénie en TaurideRecorded live at De Nederlandse Opera, September 2011
Two late and baleful tragedies by Euripides focus on the ill-starred daughter of the Greek King, Agamemnon. Will he sacrifice Iphigenia in order to secure fair winds for his voyage to Troy? In Aulis, the drama rages until she is spared. Having escaped to Tauris, Iphigenia finds herself compelled to kill her own brother before, once more, the fickle gods intervene. Gluck's operatic settings are very rarely staged together, but Pierre Audi's production makes a darkly compelling case for their dramatic unity. All the lead performers here are experienced exponents of Gluck, and together they present a powerfully idiomatic experience. First ever release together on DVD/Blu-ray. Iphigénie en Aulide has never been issued before on DVD/Blu-ray. Top international cast includes Véronique Gens as Iphigénie and Anne Sofie von Otter as Clytemnestre. Marc Minkowski & Les Musiciens du Louvre Grenoble have been widely acclaimed for their Gluck performances. Running time: 267 minutes Subtitles: EN/FR/DE/DU/KO Sound format: 2.0LPCM + 5.1(5.0) DTS “in this performance every cross-hatched, baleful figure is crisp and clear...Veronique Gens's submissive, poised Iphigénie [en Aulide] becomes Mireille Delunsch's red-eyed, hysterical Iphigénie en Tauride...Both sopranos sing magnificently despite Audi's over-stylised movement direction” BBC Music Magazine, May 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. Minkowski conducts superbly.” Gramophone Magazine, May 2013 | 
| | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Recorded live at Gran Teatre del Liceu, June & July 2011
Ariane et Barbe-bleue makes its premiere on Blu-ray. Stéphane Denève is universally acclaimed for his interpretation of French repertoire. This is the twelfth release from the Liceu-Opus Arte partnership. Dukas's opera Ariane et Barbe-bleue, based on Maeterlinck's symbolist version of the classic tale, sees free spirit Ariane become the sixth wife of the infamous Barbe-bleue, who gives his new bride seven keys to seven doors, but prohibits the use of the last. Ariane discovers an array of glittering jewels behind the first six doors, but a terrifying reality awaits her as she unlocks the seventh. José van Dam is cast as the villainous Barbe-bleue, while taking on the immensely demanding role of Ariane - who does not leave the stage throughout the entire opera - is American soprano Jeanne-Michèle Charbonnet. Running time: 120 minutes Subtitles: EN/FR/DE/ES/IT/CA/JP Sound format: 2.0LPCM + 5.1(5.0) DTS | 
| | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Recorded live at the De Nederlandse Opera, March & April 2012
DNO presents a new production of Händel's last Italian opera, Deidamia, staged by the American David Alden. No known literary source has been linked directly to this opera, which is set at the time of the Trojan War. After an oracle has predicted the death of Achilles at Troy, Achilles disguises himself as a woman and takes refuge at the court of Lycomedes, whose daughter Deidamia falls in love with the young Greek. Amorous developments and tricks of disguise expose the truth and Achilles is forced to take his place at the side of his countrymen in the battle against the Trojans. Comedy and tragedy are bedfellows in this opera, and the title role in particular covers the entire expressive spectrum, from flirtatious love song to heartfelt lament. Premiere of this opera on DVD & Blu-ray. Performed by Concerto Köln, a period instrument orchestra. This latest release demonstrates the breadth of productions performed by De Nederlandse Opera. Running time: 208 minutes Subtitles: EN/FR/DE/NE Sound format: 2.0LPCM + 5.1(5.0) DTS “Alden's approach is lightly ironic, matching well with a piece that treats its material with a knowing air...Ivor Bolton and Concerto Koln provide the expert musical underpinning. Sally Matthews shines as a vocally and physically poised Deidamia, Olga Pasichnyk emphasises the lusty young man hiding beneath Achille's skirts, and Silvia Tro Santafe's Ulisse presents him with a credible rival.” BBC Music Magazine, March 2013 **** “David Alden's jokey, modern-dress production is entertaining without quite persuading one that the opera's neglect is undeserved...Sally Matthews is perfect as Deidamia: saucy in 'Nasconde l'usignol', heartfelt in 'M'hai resa infelice'...Ivor Bolton conducts with passion: splendid sforzandos in another intense aria, 'Se il timore'.” Gramophone Magazine, February 2013 | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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