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See Terms & Conditions for p&p rates. | |  | Live Recording from The Zurich Opera House 2007
“Orlando teaches all of us that love is often responsible for our loss of reason,” runs a line from Act 3 of the opera. It is a modest moral, and perhaps one not demanding of the dramatic finesse and musical diversity that Handel serves up in Orlando – for the opera’s complex of problems is rather more complicated than that. Yet despite such promising omens, Orlando was adjudged to be little more than a moderate success. There were no subsequent productions after the first performance 1733 in London, the work rapidly disappeared into obscurity and did not find its way back to opera house repertoire until the Handel renaissance of the 1920s. Nevertheless, these centuries of neglect are entirely at odds with the universally undisputed quality of the opera. Beneath the fabric of this masterfully woven constellation of characters and values is a score of such independence and vivacity as to give Orlando a special position among Handel’s works – indeed among opera literature in general. William Christie has staged various productions of Orlando, as well as making what is widely regarded as a standard CD-recording of the work. And yet he never ceases to find something new in this opera, which along with Alcina and Giulio Cesare he considers to be Handel’s finest. “Jens-Daniel Herzog has produced a sophisticated version of George Frideric Handel’s Orlando. William Christie is a fascinating conductor who manages a superb ensemble. Opera that is both cool and cultivated – fantastic!” Aargauer Zeitung Recording Date: 2008
Place of recording: Live Recording from the Opera Zurich House
Running Time: 155 min
Sound Format: PCM Stereo, dts-HD Master Audio 7.1
Blue Ray Disc, 50 GB (Dual Layer)
Subtitle Languages: IT, GB, D, F, E
Menu Language: GB
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| |  | Recorded live at Glyndebourne Opera House, Lewes August 2011
Skin-tight rubber and lacrosse sticks bring contemporary chic to this timeless fantasy of warriors and witches in Robert Carsen's fun-filled transformation of Handel's first London triumph. Conducting from the keyboard just as Handel himself did, Ottavio Dantone leads a youthful cast of today's luminaries in the dramatic art of Baroque opera, the 'affecting' Sonia Prina, the 'unadorned intensity' of Anett Fritsch and 'fire-breathing flair' (The Observer) of Brenda Rae. Glyndebourne continues to celebrate the genius of Handel with its first staging of Rinaldo, the work with which he made his sensational London debut – and the first Italian opera specifically created for the British stage. Rinaldo is given a contemporary new twist through the eyes of Director Robert Carsen, who made his Festival debut with L’incoronazione di Poppea in 2008. Early music specialist Ottavio Dantone, Music Director of the acclaimed Italian period ensemble Accademia Bizantina conducts the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. The cast is headed by Sonia Prina in the title-role of the heroic crusader, with Anett Fritsch as his beloved Almirena, Brenda Rae as the seductive Saracen sorceress Armida, and Luca Pisaroni (last summer’s Leporello) as her duplicitous ally Argante, the King of Jerusalem. Running time: 190 minutes Subtitles: EN/FR/DE Sound format: 2.0LPCM + 5.1(5.0) DTS “none can top the presence and authority of Luca Pisaroni’s Saracan [sic] king Argante. Directing from his tinkling harpsichord, Ottavio Dantone encourages the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment to be light, bright and Italian. Listen wholeheartedly; watch with caution.” The Times, 3rd August 2012 *** “Despite major reservations about the concept, it's impossible to deny the effectiveness of the staging...All the individual performances are well-acted; the Blu-ray edition providing added detail. Vocally, too, there are some impressive offerings...Dantone conducts a strongly characterised performance founded on the alert playing of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.” BBC Music Magazine, November 2012 *** | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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Renée Fleming and Andreas Scholl lead a superb cast in Stephen Wadsworth’s celebrated production of Handel’s Rodelinda from the Metropolitan Opera – based on the "Live in HD" transmission to cinemas worldwide. The title role is unique in featuring no less than eight magnificent arias. Renée Fleming’s triumph in the first run of the production was hailed by The New York Times, "Ms Fleming draws on every resource of her artistry in this portrayal: luminous sound, exquisite ornamentation, floating high notes, emotional volatility." Playing opposite her is Decca Classics countertenor star, Andreas Scholl, as King Bertarido, assumed dead, but returning to reclaim his throne and his queen. The handsome period production sets the drama of public and private passion in the Milan of Handel’s own time – majestically presented in the set designs of Thomas Lynch and the lavish costumes of Martin Pakledinaz. “Bicket coaxes the Met into a credible Baroque style...Iestyn Davies's intelligent singing and acting make Unulfo an especially likeable confidant to the heroic couple. Joseph Kaiser's acting of the sorrowful tyrant Grimoaldo undergoing a crisis of confidence ('Pastorello') is first-class...Wadsworth's amiable production comes to the boil nicely in acts 2 & 3.” Gramophone Magazine, February 2013 “In this packaging of [Handel's] Rodelinda, the unfriendly size of the Met auditorium is neutralized...we can better appreciate the period theorbo and recorders that conductor Harry Bicket adds for flavoring in the pit. Via this medium, characters give every sign of communicating with one another, while the producer's agile camera focuses tightly on individual expressions...[Fleming] invests her high-speed passagework with convincing venom” Opera News, April 2013 “the orchestra delivers a nimble performance...Scholl's cool Bertarido and Iestyn Davies's mellifluous Unulfo make a pleasing contrast to Joseph Kaiser's splenetic Grimoaldo...Blythe displays handsome tones, while Shenyang sings the brutish role of Garibaldo with elan. Fleming, without whom none of this would be happening, is perplexing: an exquisite voice untroubled by consonants, mermaid-like in its dolorous beauty” BBC Music Magazine, January 2013 **** | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Zurich Opera House, January 2007
Cecilia Bartoli (Semele), Liliana Nikiteanu (Ino), Birgit Remmert (Juno), Isabel Rey (Iris), Charles Workman (Jupiter/Apollo), Anton Scharinger (Cadmus/Somnus) & Thomas Michael Allen (Athamas) Orchestra ‘La Scintilla’, William Christie “Sung dazzlingly, “Myself I shall adore” was one of many high points in Bartoli's stunning performance, her first operatic role in a language other than Italian…The wonderfully intimate Zurich Opera House allows every detail of her performance to be savoured.” International Herald Tribune Cecilia Bartoli’s first operatic Decca DVD release for over 10 years sees her triumphing in the title role of Handel’s late drama, ‘Semele’. This will undoubtedly be the most prestigious start possible to ‘Handel Year’ (marking the 250th anniversary of his death). Not only is this Cecilia Bartoli’s first DVD opera for Decca in 12 years (since Rossini’s ‘La Cenerentola’), it is also her first opera singing in English. ‘Semele’ is presented in Robert Carsen’s stylish modern dress production, originally seen in London, and most recently staged at the Zurich Opera in 2007 (where it will be revived in January 2009). The drama tells of the ambition of the beautiful mortal, Semele, who, not satisfied with being Jupiter’s mistress, strives with fatal results to supplant Jupiter’s wife, Juno. Conceived as an oratorio but nowadays presented as a stage drama, it is a superb vehicle for all the principals, not least the substantial title role, which includes such popular arias as ‘Endless pleasure’ and ‘Myself I shall adore’. Robert Carsen’s acclaimed staging hints at parallels with the problematic relationship between the late Princess Diana and the British Royal Family.Outstanding orchestral accompaniment comes from the renowned combination of William Christie and La Scintilla Filmed in High Definition Widescreen. Stage Director: Robert Carsen TV Director: Felix Breisach | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | Recorded live at Teatro Real, Madrid on 29th March, 1st & 4th April 2008.
Note: This Blu-ray Disc (BD) is not compatible with standard DVD players Teatro Real's majestic production of Handel's vivid tragedy, Tamerlano, stars a Lear-like Plácido Domingo as the Turkish Sultan Bajazet, caught between pride, love and loyalty. Displaying the uniquely heroic quality of his voice, Domingo heads a superb cast, including Sara Mingardo, Monica Bacelli and Ingela Bohlin, all magnificently responsive to Paul McCreesh's authentic and luminous interpretation of the score. The stunning theatrical staging by Graham Vick provides a splendid setting for the characters and for designer Richard Hudson's extravagant Baroque-Islamic costumes, emphasising the brilliance of one of Handel's finest dramatic achievements. ‘Here Domingo, with his superb diction, his great declamatory power and eloquent phrasing…brings a towering presence and bags of vocal charisma to Bajazet. …This is surely one of Vick’s finest achievements in the opera house.’ The Sunday Times Bonus material: Illustrated synopsis & cast gallery. Interview with Paul McCreesh. PICTURE FORMAT: 1080i
LENGTH: TBC
SOUND: 2.0 & 5.0 PCM
SUBTITLES: EN/FR/DE/ES/IT
“The grandly tragic figure of the enslaved Turkish sultan Bajazet… is a recent departure for Plácido Domingo, and one that could be supposed to lie outside his comfort zone. So it says much for his artistry and intelligence that he makes such a significant success of it in this filming of Graham Vick's 2008 Madrid production. ...the opera is one of Handel's greatest, reaching a powerful climax in Bajazet's suicide scene. Here Domingo, even with his now diminished vocal resources, puts some of his Baroque specialist colleagues to shame with the psychological penetration of his performance. In Richard Hudson's generally handsome and relatively spare semi-abstract designs the show looks good... Paul McCreesh gets decent playing from the non-period Madrid musicians.” BBC Music Magazine, May 2009 **** “At 68, the great singer/actor’s voice still juts above the crowd — burnished, velvety and hugely expressive, if less so than in previous years. His heroic, flawed Bajazet dominates, although his Baroque style is idiosyncratic to say the least, and his first aria, Forte e lieto, somewhat wayward. If his technique doesn’t always match the cast’s Baroque specialists, his dramatic weight is ideal for Handel’s wonderfully dramatic, unusually dark masterpiece. Tamerlano’s four-hour length is buoyed by the vigour with which Paul McCreesh conducts the meaty, non-Baroque house orchestra of the Teatro Real...and the fluid, informally stylised dramatic treatment of the director Graham Vick. There’s not a duff voice on stage, with Monica Bacelli notable as a rather eccentric Tamerlano sparring with Sara Mingardo’s excellent Andronico. Richard Hudson’s stunning Baroque-Islamic set, dominated by a large foot planted on a suspended globe — less Monty Python than it might appear — dazzles with restrained splashes of colour, crowned by the entry of Tamerlano’s betrothed, Irene, on a huge blue elephant.”” The Times, 27th February 2009 **** | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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Handel’s oratorio Theodora, in its first-ever staging at the Salzburg Festival ,was among the highlights of the Handel year in 2009. First Theodora on Blu-ray. Great cast that features Christine Schäfer and Bejun Mehta, conducted by Ivor Bolton. Acclaimed stage director Christof Loy presented Theodora as the profoundly moving tale of a woman who prefers death to denying her own faith. Video director Hannes Rossacher, known both in the pop (Rolling Stones) and classical world (Mozart's "Lucio Silla" for UNITEL), captures the essence of this rarely recorded work. Running Time Opera: 189 minutes “The performances are generally dramatically real...Outstanding is Bejun Mehta's sweet-toned yet dynamic Didymus. Ivor Bolton secures an efficient musical performance.” BBC Music Magazine, September 2011 *** “Ivor Bolton conducts with a freshness, a liveliness, even in sad, inward-looking solos and choruses, which does not mean a lack of sensitivity but rather an avoidance of dullness...Among the six singers in the cas there is not one weakness.” International Record Review, July/August 2011 “Joseph Kaiser gives an outstanding vocal and dramatic performance as the beleaguered Roman guard Septimius...The Salzburg Bach Choir manages the impressive feat of moving around a lot while remaining vocally balanced and blended (and their English is flawless)...The music provision from the classy team of the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra and Ivor Bolton is exemplary at letting Handel do the talking” Gramophone Magazine, October 2011 | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | Recorded live at Glyndebourne Festival Opera in June 1996
For his 1996 Glyndebourne staging, radical American director Peter Sellars takes George Frideric Handel’s penultimate English oratorio – a tale of self-sacrificial love between a Christian virgin and a Roman imperial bodyguard in fourth-century, enemy-occupied Antioch – and, by resetting it in modern-day America, transforms it into a timeless parable of spiritual resistance to tyranny and persecution. SUBTITLED IN ENGLISH, FRENCH, GERMAN 207 MINS • ALL REGIONS • NTSC 4:3 • COLOUR • L-PCM STEREO | 
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First Haydn Il Mondo della Luna (which has blissful Mozartian spirit) available on DVD and Blu-ray! Live recording from Theatre an der Wien, 2009. Nikolaus Harnoncourt created an interpretation in which Haydn’s work can become a veritable gem of opera literature. Renowned actor and director Tobias Moretti relates the story as a light-footed, magical fairy tale infused with slapstick, witty details and fantasy costumes. Bonus Interview with Harnoncourt (26 min.) “Harnoncourt on top form” 4 star rating Financial Times Running Time Total: 193 minutes (Opera ´167 + ´26 Bonus ´) Picture 16:9, HD Sound DVD/BD: DTS 5.1, PCM Stereo Subtitles Italian, English, German, French Booklet English, German, French “With the ever-responsive Concentus Musicus, [Harnoncourt] duly mines the comically disruptive potential of Haydn's music with unabashed glee... The comic leads are ideally cast...an inventive, thoroughly entertaining performance of a zany, sometimes touching comedy. If you're still sceptical about Haydn's operas, this may convert you.” Gramophone Magazine, January 2010 “[Genaux] sings with easy flexibility and sophisticated style...The rich-voiced mezzo Maite Beaumont's Lisetta does well with the patter...Bahrmann sings strongly, with fine coloratura...[Harnoncourt] is at the helm of his ensemble, the Concentus Musicus Wien, which responds to his every intention with spirited accomplishment.” International Record Review, January 2011 | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | Recorded live at the Etaatsoper unter den Linten, Berlin, 8th May 2009
Nigel Lowery / Amir Hosseinpour, staging Nigel Lowery, set & costume design Re-Release of the successful DVD on Blu-ray Disc. For more than 25 years René Jacobs has dedicated his life to baroque operas and works with the best ensembles for early music. On the occasion of the Haydn Year the renowned Freiburger Barockorchester and outstanding baroque opera singers such as Marlis Petersen, Alexandrina Pendatchanska, Pietro Spagnoli and Tom Randle presented Haydn’s most successful opera from the Berliner Staatsoper. "Orlando Paladino", written in 1782, was Haydn's most famous opera during his lifetime, with thirty performances in Esterháza in the first two years after its composition. The libretto, a "drama eroicomico", gives scope to Haydn's frequently puckish sense of humour, as well as his inventive melodic expression. Most semi-serious operas of the period typically inserted comic characters into an essentially serious story but Haydn expanded the comic elements even into the more serious scenes. Another very colourful and vivid staging by the successful team Nigel Lowery and Amir Hosseinpour. Picture format Blu-ray: 1080i Full HD, 16:9 Sound formats Blu-ray: PCM Stereo, DTS-HD Master Audio Region code: All (worldwide) Booklet notes: English, German, French Subtitles: English, German, French, Italian Running time: 168 mins |
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| |  | Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, on 12th and 16th December 2008.
Note: This Blu-ray Disc (BD) is not compatible with standard DVD players Diana Damrau and Angelika Kirchschlager star in the acclaimed 2008 production of Humperdinck’s famous fairytale opera, in the company of two of Britain’s most revered musical figures: Thomas Allen, playing the role of the Father, and the legendary conductor Colin Davis. Directors Patrice Caurier and Moshe Leiser combine their characteristic wit and a dash of deliciously dark comedy with the opera’s fairytale charm. Humperdinck’s music mixes catchy folk-like songs with sumptuous instrumental colour, making the result as tunefully approachable, musically memorable and visually delightful as opera gets. Filmed in High Definition and recorded in full Surround Sound. ‘Angelika Kirchschlager’s tousled, boyish Hänsel and Diana Damrau’s Gretel are dramatically convincing and vocally superb, while their parents, excellently sung and played by Elizabeth Connell and Thomas Allen, earn our sympathy as well as our censure. Pumeza Matshikiza’s goblin-like Sandman is truly magical and Anita Watson’s feather-dusting Dew Fairy another amusing creation. Colin Davis, unafraid to relish the icing on the cake, draws a warm, effulgent sound from the orchestra.’ Evening Standard Bonus material: Illustrated synopsis & animated cast gallery. Interview with Colin Davis. Fairytales feature. Cinema trailer. PICTURE FORMAT: 1080i
LENGTH: 138 Mins
SOUND: 2.0 & 5.1 PCM
SUBTITLES: EN/FR/DE/ES/IT
“Humperdinck's adorable opera here receives treatment so affectionate that the two children are more likely to be killed with kindness than by the Witch. The cast is strong, with Angelika Kirchschlager a much more credible boy than Diana Damrau is a girl... Thomas Allen is a superb Father, and Elizabeth Connell equally good as Mother.” BBC Music Magazine, August 2009 *** | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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