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See Terms & Conditions for p&p rates. | |  | Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, Nov 2009
Larissa Diadkova (Solokha), Maxim Mikhailov (The Devil), Vladimir Matorin (Chub), John Upperton (Panas), Olga Guryakova (Oxana), Vsevolod Grivnov (Vakula), Alexander Vassiliev (Pan Golova),Viacheslav Voynarovskiy (The Schoolmaster), Olga Sabadoch (Odark), Changhan Lim (Wood Goblin), Andrew Macnair (Echo), Sergei Leiferkus (His Highness), Jeremy White (Master of Ceremonies) & Mara Galeazzi & Gary Avis (Principal Dancers) Dancers of The Royal Ballet & Orchestra of The Royal Opera House, Alexander Polianichko (conductor) & Francesca Zambello (stage director) Choreography: Alastair Marriott. Based on Gogol’s fantastical and comic story of the Devil’s antics on Christmas Eve, this magical blend of opera and ballet is brought to vivid life in Francesca Zambello’s colourful production. Magnificent set designs (Mikhail Mokrov) and costumes (Tatiana Noginova), and an excellent, largely Russian cast provide authenticity. Splendid dancing by The Royal Ballet and Cossack dancers completes the spectacle. Filmed in High Definition and recorded in true surround sound. “It’s pretty as a picture, no question – an animated pop-up book of naïve and colourful charm.” Independent “…this expensive-looking production that combines the forces of the Royal Opera and the Royal Ballet…” The Guardian Extra features: Introducing Cherevichki by Francesca Zambello Cast & Characters Staging Gogol's world Running time 154 mins Region code All regions Video codec: AVC/MPEG-4 Disc size: BD50 Picture format 1080i High Definition / 16:9 Sound format 2.0LPCM + 5.1(5.0) DTS - MA Menu language EN Subtitles EN/FR/DE/ES “[Mokrov's designs] positively glow with snowy Russian colour and charm, especially on Blu-ray...Polianichko makes an affectionate case for the score” BBC Music Magazine, Christmas 2010 **** | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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Set & Costume Design - Michael Levine Lighting - Jean Kalman Choreographer - Serge Bennatham This is a star-led performance of one of the most popular romantic operas with the unrivalled pairing of Fleming and Hvorostovsky as the doomed lovers. Their onstage chemistry, emotional singing and outstanding acting make this a truly special and unique production. Thousands of movie-goers watched this production live in cinemas across Europe and the US in February 2007, when the production and the singing of the central characters met with great critical acclaim. Valery Gergiev, Russia's greatest living conductor, leads Russia's classic opera, with a thrilling account of Tchaikovsky's most intense and passionate score. Robert Carsen, described in the International Herald Tribune as 'one of the most sought-after stage directors on the operatic scene' creates an evocative and striking staging. Anne Midgette, reviewing this production in the New York Times, wrote, 'this remains one of the most extraordinarily beautiful stagings I've seen.' “Luxuriously cast but staged with restraint, Robert Carsen's production as revived by Peter McLintock has already reached wide audiences through the Met's live screenings. For one, Onegin really is central to the drama… Hvorostovsky's hero, always elegant in his long phrases, shows a human face to the rejection of the young and impressionable Tatyana and sensitively underlines the notion, heightened by Tchaikovsky's short duet of asides, that the senseless duel with his best friend Lensky might be stopped at any moment. ...Fleming comes into her own in the final blaze of passion, a truly cinematic scene between two charismatic stars. ...Gergiev conjures limpid but always well projected woodwind solos in the first act and powerful bass lines to emphasise lurking tragedy. He's also an inspiring presence in the short behind-the-scenes documentary.” BBC Music Magazine, April 2008 **** | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Recorded live at De Nederlandse Opera, June & July, 2011
Olga Savova (Madame Larina), Krassimira Stoyanova (Tatjana), Elena Maximova (Olga), Nina Romanova (Filipjevna), Bo Skovhus (Jevgeni Onjegin), Andrej Dunaev (Vladimir Ljenski), Mikhail Petrenko (Vorst Gremin), Peter Arink (Petrovitsj), Roger Smeets (Zaretski), Guy de Mey (Monsieur Triquet) & Richard Prada (Zapevalo) The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Mariss Jansons (conductor) & Stefan Herheim (stage director) Described by Tchaikovsky as ‘lyric scenes’, Eugene Onegin receives a spectacular reinterpretation from the Norwegian director Stefan Herheim. His productions create controversy and excitement around Europe, and here he takes Pushkin’s story of illusion, disaffection and frustrated love, and places the protagonists – world-weary Onegin and naïve, passionate Tatyana – in a triple temporal perspective, referencing the theatrical present, the period of the work’s composition, and the pageant of Russia’s history. Mariss Jansons, renowned for his mastery of Tchaikovsky’s symphonies, conducts this performance from Amsterdam’s Muziektheater. ‘Put too much steam into Tchaikovsky’s score and it wilts. Be too shy and retiring, on the other hand, and the tragic momentum evaporates. Jansons sets us on a simmer and gradually turns the heat to boiling. It is magisterially paced, stunningly played and, seemingly effortlessly, Jansons captures every aching nuance. […] Herheim’s innovations are often throbbingly acute (and sometimes wickedly funny).’ The Times Extra features: Cast gallery 30-Minute Documentary Film Running time 151mins Region Code All regions Picture format 16:9 Anamorphic Sound format 2.0LPCM + 5.1(5.0) DTS Menu languages EN Subtitles EN/FR/DE/IT/ES “Forget any sense of intimacy in Tchaikovsky's lyrical scenes in this Eugene Onegin; director Stefan Herheim's approach is one of kaleidoscopic excess...No doubt about it, though, this is musically world-class. Mariss Janson's conducting, very imposing in the big moments...accords with the broad brushstrokes of Herheim's production. But the singers are vocally near ideal. Krassimira Stoyanova's Tatyana is thrillingly secure as well as vulnerable” BBC Music Magazine, May 2012 *** “Characters not only invade each other's memories but appear in fantasy form...Still, this isn't a Regie-Theater free for all...Herheim directs so many keen moments of character interactions that there's no danger of the opera lapsing into simplistic cliches...what a treat to hear an appealing, soft-grained version of [Skovhus's] voice in the title-role...what linguistic authority and depth of soul [Stoyanova] brings to the character!” Gramophone Magazine, July 2012 “Herheim sees the opera as a representation of memories...I suspect that this would be impossible to follow if you didn't know the opera beforehand...it's hard not to get caught up in the sheer chutzpah of the production...[Stoyanova] sails through the Letter Scene with plenty of fire...Star of the evening is the conductor Mariss Jansons. It's clear from the documentary that he loves the work..and he plays it with a rhythmic vitality” International Record Review, May 2012 | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Paleau De Les Arts Valencia, 2011
Kristine Opolais (Tatyana), Lena Belkina (Olga), Artur Rucinski (Onegin), Dmitri Korchak (Lensky), Günther Groissböck (Gremin),Margarita Nekrasova (Filipyevna), Helene Schneiderman (Larina), Emilio Sanchez (Triquet), Toni Navarrate (Guillot), Aldo Heo (Captain), Simon Lim (Zaretsky) Orquestra De La Comunitat Valenciana & Cor De La Generalitat Valenciana, Omer Meir Wellber In his first year as Music Director of Valencia’s Palau de les Arts, the exciting young conductor Omer Meir Wellber has scored a triumph with Tchaikovsky’s beloved opera Eugene Onegin. Film maker Mariusz Trelinski’s timeless production consists of a series of surrealist tableaux of great suggestive beauty. Omer Meir Wellber leads a superb young cast headed by Artur Rukiński as Onegin and Kristīne Opolais as Tatyana. Picture: 16:9, HD BD: DTS-HD MA 5.1, PCM 2.0 Running Time: 155 minutes Subtitles: English, German, French, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Japanese Available worldwide excl. USA and POLAND “The stand-out onstage, Dmitry Korchak...sing with impeccable style, looks handsome and can fill an empty stage with personality...Rucinski is velvet-voiced...but until Act 3 the singing is frustratingly uninflected...Opolais is exceptionally committed dramatically, not quite compensating for singing that, although pristine in tone, remains oddly anonymous” International Record Review, May 2013 | 
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| |  | Tchaikovsky Gala
This Tchaikovsky Gala is a must for ballet fans, showcasing Roberto Bolle, resident star of La Scala, and Polina Semionova, Nadja Saidakova and Ronald Savkovic, all Berlin State Ballet principals, in their very first appearances on the Scala stage. Some of the most exacting and demanding moments from Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker are presented, showing to great effect the prowess of the corps de ballet and stars alike. David Coleman conducts musical highlights from the three ballets all set in the Act III décor of Swan Lake: Prince Siegfried's birthday festivities are being held in the castle hall, a veritable tourbillon of dances, from Czardas to Spanish, Neapolitan to Mazurka all of which leads into the celebrated 'Black Swan' pas de deux, starring Roberto Bolle and Polina Semionova. As if by magic, another homage to Tchaikovsky appears:Aurora and her four princes in the immortal 'Rose Adagio', encompassing both dreamy sweetness and technical strength, being one of the most difficult choreographic passages of Sleeping Beauty alongside the 'Blue Bird' pas de deux and the Act II pas de deux from The Nutcracker performed here by Nadja Saidakova and Ronald Savkovic.This perfect gift for any ballet lover is also available in Blu-Ray HD format for the best quality video and audio available. Bonus: " Etoiles et petits pas" by Liliane de Kermadec. Backstage at La Scala with the artists in rehearsals (31 minutes) | | | Usually despatched in 3 - 4 working days. |
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| |  | Tchaikovsky Iolanta & Stravinsky Persephone2012 Teatro Real, Madrid
Amrita, Pequeños Cantores & Chorus and Orchestra of the Teatro Real, Teodor Currentzis (Musical Director) & Peter Sellars (Stage Director) Set Designer George Tsypin Costume Designers Martin Pakledinaz & Helen Siebrits Lighting Designer James F. Ingalls Iolanta is a one act lyric opera, sung in Russian, by Tchaikovsky. Performed in the style of a nineteenth-century Italian melodrama, the scenes have a recitative introduction followed by a single arioso, aria, duet or chorus. Persephone is a three act melodrama, sung in French, by Stravinsky. It is a story of regeneration, symbolised in Sellars use of dancers from the Cambodian dance company, Amrita Performing Arts. Peter Sellars, one of the most innovative creators on today's stage, has linked these two productions by using the same stage setting, instantly archaic yet modern, and lit by rich colours to define the journey from darkness to light. “It would be hard to find a more committed, vocally assured pair than Ekaterina Scherbachenko and Pavel Cernoch” BBC Music Magazine, March 2013 **** “There are fine performances from Dominique Blanc in the title role and Paul Groves as Eumolpe. The real touch of genius, though, is Sellars' decision to reimagine the piece in terms of eastern dance rather than ballet, and the choreography, by Cambodia's Amrita Performing Arts, is exquisite.” The Guardian, 13th December 2012 **** | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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Misha Didyk (Hermann), Emily Magee (Lisa), Lado Ataneli (Count Tomsky), Ludovic Tézier (Prince Yeletsky), Elena Zaremba (Polina), Ewa Podles (Countess), Mikhaïl Vekua (Chaplitsky), Francisco Vas (Chekalinsky) & Claudia Schneider (Masha) Symphony Orchestra and chorus of the Gran Teatre del Liceu, Michael Boder (conductor) & Gilbert Deflo (director) Obsessive in gambling and in love, the soldier Hermann is the protagonist of Tchaikovsky’s Pique Dame, based on a story by Pushkin. He is smitten with the aristocratic Lisa and fixated on learning the winning secret of ‘the three cards’ from her grandmother, the Countess, played by iconic contralto Ewa Podles. This opulent production from Barcelona’s Liceu captures St Petersburg in the era of Catherine the Great, while the house’s Music Director Michael Boden conducts a large and impressive cast. Extra features: Cast Gallery Running time 183 mins Region Code All regions Picture format 1080i High Definition Sound format 2.0LPCM + 5.1(5.0) DTS Menu languages EN Subtitles EN/FR/DE/ES/CA “[Didyk] cuts a fine figure on stage: tall, blond, physically agile, he sings the role of the poor lunatic gambler well. His voice is laser-like in focus and has the familiar Slavic edge...Ataneli's Tomsky is a fine interpretation, his bright voice standing up well...[Podles] is in full control of her considerable resources, the voice booming when it must and scaled back for her lovely ballad” International Record Review, September 2011 “Misha Didyk is both vocally strong and physically striking; his acting is suitably neurotic and ‘on the edge’...[Podles] just about steals every scene she’s in. The part is often sung by veteran mezzos somewhat past their prime, so it’s refreshing to hear it so well sung by a rich contralto and so well acted.” Opera Britannia, 30th October 2011 **** | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London on 5th December 2006.
Note: This Blu-ray Disc (BD) is not compatible with standard DVD players. Choreographer: Marius Petipa Additional choreography: Ashton / Dowell / Wheeldon Tchaikovsky’s The Sleeping Beauty is one of the best loved of classical ballets, combining in a single work all the enchantment and virtuosity that ballet has to offer. The royal court, the panoramic journey of the Prince to the overgrown castle, and the great celebratory dances of the happy ending (in which other famous fairytale figures appear) are all brought to life by the luscious designs of this celebrated production, created in 1946 for The Royal Ballet. The inspired performances of its revival for the 75th anniversary of the Company in 2006, together with a magnificent High Definition recording, make this a superb tribute to The Royal Ballet’s unique style and visual splendour. Bonus material: Illustrated synopsis & cast gallery. ‘Alina Cojocaru’s Aurora was the ballet’s radiant centrepiece, charming, in control and filled with a palpable delight in every pretty step.’ Times Online PICTURE FORMAT: 1080i
LENGTH: 135 Mins
SOUND: 2.0 & 5.1 PCM
SUBTITLES: FR/DE/ES/IT (extra features only)
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Choreography by Yuri Grigorovich, Nov 2011 Sets Designed by Ezio Frigerio Costumes Designed by Franca Squarciapino Classical ballet release event for this year! Tchaikovsky’s ballet in a new production for the reopening of the historic Bolshoi Ballet stage. It also celebrates superstar David Hallberg's Bolshoi debut, the first American principal soloist ever to be hired by the Bolshoi Ballet. The choreographer, Yuri Grigorovich presents a new version of his most famous choreography for a breath taking experience in splendid sets designed by Ezio Frigerio and more than 400 new costumes designed by Franca Squarciapino. The American superstar dancer David Hallberg is Prince Désiré. Hallberg is the first main american soloist ever to be hired by the Bolshoi Ballet. Princess Aurora is danced by the principal Svetlana Zakharova, well known to Parisian audiences thanks to her many performances at the Palais Garnier. She is also the soloist on the best seller 'Pharaoh's daughter' DVD released by Bel Air Classiques in 2004. They are joined by a great cast : Maria Allash (Lilac Fairy) , Artem Ovcharenko (Bluebird) and Nina Kaptsova (Princess Florine). The Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra is conducted by Vassily Sinaisky. “Grand-scale performance of the Petipa masterpiece, with Zakharova miraculous in the lead” BBC Music Magazine, January 2013 “Unashamedly traditional, gloriously staged, with a tremendous cast … pin-sharp clarity and fine sound … essential viewing. It is no exaggeration to say that even without Tchaikovsky’s music, the sumptuousness and elegance of the screen images are such that one could enjoy it as a purely visual experience. Add to that one of the most radiantly inspired orchestral scores of the nineteenth century and the results are quite simply irresistible.” International Record Review, March 2013 | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Choreographer: Rudolf Nureyev Note: This Blu-ray Disc (BD) is not compatible with standard DVD players
Agnès Letestu, a feminine and warm Odette, and José Martinez, a convincing, pale, vulnerable prince Siegfried, are the stars of this deeply passionate, 'dream’ version of Swan Lake. Rudolf Nureyev’s interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s lyrical ballet, far from being a clichéd stereotype, is an exposé of astonishingly powerful and recognisable human emotions. Under the inspired and clear-cut musical direction of Vello Pähn, this production is one of the jewels of the Paris Opera Ballet’s repertoire. It brilliantly displays the meticulous precision, technical prowess and pure, unmannered style of the company’s unrivalled female corps de ballet. PICTURE FORMAT: 16:9
LENGTH: 146 Mins
SOUND: DOLBY SURROUND / LPCM STEREO
SUBTITLES: EN/FR/DE/ES/IT
“…their [Agnès Letestu & José Martinez] dancing was sensational, and Letestu in particular was magnificent.
She was soft, lyrical yet aristocratic as Odette, as befits her slender, long-limbed body and her mime scene was
of intense beauty. …Letestu is outstanding as Odile, both in her technical prowess and artistic interpretation.” Culturekiosque | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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