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See Terms & Conditions for p&p rates. | |  | Maria Callas, Vol. 1 (1953)
Tito Gobbi (baritone), Valiano Natali (tenor), Gino Sarri (tenor), Raffaele Arie (bass), Giuseppe Di Stefano (tenor), Anna Maria Canali (mezzo-soprano), Maria Callas (soprano), Anonymous (harp) Fiorentino Maggio Musicale Orchestra, Fiorentino Maggio Musicale Chorus, Tullio Serafin | |
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| |  | Maria Callas, Vol. 2 (1953)
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| |  | Rolando Villazon - Tenor
"There are a lot of people who do not go to the opera because they think you need to have special knowledge for that. I believe that you need a heart and sensibility, and everybody has that." Rolando Villazón Villazón has been one of the most in-demand singers on the international opera circuit for almost a decade now, and has firmly established himself in the A-list opera-houses of Paris, Berlin, Los Angeles, Vienna, New York and London. On ‘Tenor', Villazón showcases some of the best-known tenor arias popularised by operatic legends including the 'Three Tenors' Pavarotti, Domingo and Carreras. The greatest tenor arias on this disc vary from sophisticated Handel and emotional operatic greats by Verdi and Puccini through to 20th Century classics from Bernstein’s ‘West Side Story’ and Lloyd Webber’s ‘Phantom of the Opera’. “...the voice sounds as good as ever. 'O sole mio' suggests a complete return to vocal health, 'Maria' from West Side Story is sensitive and relaxed, with a beautiful use of head-voice at the end...the Rigoletto and L'elisir arias go well.” BBC Music Magazine, May 2010 *** “The newly recorded arias by Donizetti, Verdi and Tosti show the extent to which Villazon has vocally and dramatically owned this repertoire in recent years...[The Handel arias] can and should be enjoyed for the way in which he injects these stylised Baroque masterpieces with Romantic warmth and fruitiness of tone, carried out with a thorough mastery of the repertoire’s technical demands.” Charlotte Gardner, bbc.co.uk, 23rd February 2010 | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | Gala Concert: 300 Years of St. PetersburgRecorded live at the St. Petersburg Philharmonia, Grand Hall, 1 June 2003
Anna Netrebko (soprano), Dimitri Hvorostovsky (baritone), Mischa Maisky (cello), Eliso Virsaladze (piano) & Viktor Tretjakov (violin) St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, Yuri Temirkanov & Nikolai Alekseev This festive gala concert was held to mark the city’s 300th anniversary, bringing together some of the greatest Russian artists: young soprano Anna Netrebko, baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky, such great instrumentalists as cellist Mischa Maisky and violinist Viktor Tretyakov. World-famous St. Petersburg Philharmonic under Yuri Temirkanov in a repertoire of fascinating variety. An extraordinary evening with a lot of highlights from the most loved classical masterpieces. Re-release of our very successful DVD and Blu-ray. “Anna Netrebko has become one of the most admired of young lyric sopranos the world over" The Gramophone Magazine Picture format DVD: NTSC 16:9 Sounds formats DVD: PCM Stereo, DD 5.1, DTS 5.1 Region code: 0 Booklet notes: English, German, French Running time: 112 mins Audience: all | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | Great Operatic Arias 22 - Gerald Finley
Adams, J: | Batter My Heart (from Doctor Atomic) | Bizet: | Votre toast je peux vous le rendre 'Toreador Song' (from Carmen) You're Most Kind, and in Return I Toast You Deborah Miles-Johnson (Carmen), Emma Brain-Gabbott (Frasquita), Kathryn Jenkin (Mercedes), Geoffrey Mitchell Choir | Donizetti: | Ambo nati questa valle (from Linda di Chamounix) In This Valley We Shared Our Childhood Anne-Marie Gibbons (Maddalena) | Mozart: | La ci darem la mano (from Don Giovanni) There Will My Arms Enfold You Lucy Crowe (Zerlina) | Puccini: | Tre sbirri...Una carozza...Presto 'Te Deum' (from Tosca) Three Agents, Quick As You Can, Now Matthew Long (Spoletta), Geoffrey Mitchell Choir | Rodgers, R: | Some Enchanted Evening (from South Pacific) | Tchaikovsky: | Kto mozhet sravnitsa s Matildoyu moyei (Robert's aria from Iolanta) My only beloved Mathilde I claim | Turnage: | Oh Bring to Me a Pint of Wine (from The Silver Tassie) | Verdi: | Vanne, la tua meta gia vedo…Credo in un Dio crudel (from Otello) Take it…Yes, I Believe in God | Wagner: | Verachtet mir die Meister nicht (from Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg) Do Not Disdain Our Masters Thus O du, mein holder Abendstern (from Tannhäuser) Look Down, O Gentle Evening Star | Weber: | Wo berg ich mich? (from Euryanthe) What Refuge Here? |
One of the leading baritones and dramatic interpreters of his generation, Gerald Finley is an artist who sets alight the stage and delights the ear in whatever the role he portrays. On this (his first arias disc, and first for Opera in English) he explores a broad range of repertory: old favourites, hidden treasures, and roles which he himself has created, among them J.Robert Oppenheimer in John Adams’s Doctor Atomic and Harry Heegan in Mark-Anthony Turnage’s The Silver Tassie. Gerald has won accolades across the globe including Gramophone Editor’s Choice Award at the 2006 Gramophone Awards for Stanford: Songs of the Sea (CHSA5043). English National Opera director Edward Gardner offers a great understanding of Opera in English, and here conducts the London Philharmonic Orchestra in his debut on Chandos. “All essentials for a recital are present here: the featured artist in good voice, imagination capable of bringing 13 different characters to life..., apt recording decisions and on-the-pace accompaniment...Both Gerald Finley and Edward Gardner are natural time-travellers in lyric theatre” Gramophone Magazine, April 2010 “As this recital of operatic arias in English handsomely demonstrates, Finley has it all: a rich-toned and smoothly produced voice, crisp diction, sterling technique, immaculate legato, a keen sense of musical style and unfailing sensitivity to drama and character.” The Telegraph, 9th April 2010 **** “Opera recital discs too often play safe with repertoire. Not here. This intelligent compilation...satisfyingly mixes popular with unfamiliar. Finley, a versatile stage presence, brings integrity to every dark, burnished note he sings. All these arias come alive, even robbed of their original context.” The Observer, 2nd May 2010 | | | (also available to download from $10.50) | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. (Available now to download.) |
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Serafin revived many bel canto operas, including those by Donizetti, and was a leading interpreter of Italian opera of all periods. Recorded September 1956. | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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Joan Sutherland (Lucia), Luciano Pavarotti (Edgardo), Lorenzo Saccomani (Enrico), Agostino Ferrin (Raimondo), Frank Little (Arturo), Trudy Hines (Alisa), Enoch Sherman (Normanno) Orchestra & Chorus of the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Richard Bonynge Recorded in Chicago in 1975 | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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Dimitra Theodossiou, Roberto De Biasio, Enrico Giuseppe Iori, Nidia Palacios, Luigi Albani, Giuseppe Di Paola & Mauro Corna Orchestra and Chorus of the Bergamo Musica Festival Gaetano Donizetti, Tiziano Severini Based on Victor Hugo’s most sensational play, Lucrèce Borgia, a scandalous tale of murder, torture, incest, homosexuality, drunkenness and orgies, Donizetti’s opera is one of the great masterpieces of Italian bel canto repertoire. While omitting some of its more excessive elements, the libretto by Felice Romani inspired Donizetti to compose superb arias, duets, ensembles and choruses, bringing each act to a stirring conclusion. Brimming with high drama and pathos, this production stars Greek diva Dimitra Theodossiou in the infamous title rôle, praised for her stupendous acting and singing as England’s Queen Elizabeth I in Donizetti’s Roberto Devereux (Naxos CD 8660222-23 / DVD 2110232). | | | (also available to download from $10.75) | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. (Available now to download.) |
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| |  | NBC Symphony Orchestra - Anthology 1
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| |  | Recorded live Nationaltheater, Munich, July 2007
Edita Gruberova (Lucrezia), Pavol Breslik (Gennaro), Franco Vassallo (Don Alfonso), Alice Coote (Maffio Orsini), Bruno Ribeiro (Jeppo Liverotto), Christian Rieger (Don Aposto Gazella), Christopher Magiera (Ascanio Petrucci), Erik Årman (Oloferno Vitellozzo), Steven Humes (Gubetta), Emanuele D'Aguanno (Rustighello), Christian Van Horn (Astolfo) Chor der Bayerischen Staatsoper & Bayerisches Staatsorchester, Bertrand de Billy "The raison d'etre of this new production of Lucrezia Borgia at the Bayerische Staatsoper is undoubtedly the great Edita Gruberova. Sopranos come and go, but there is always Edita, who has been in front of the public for almost forty years and still going strong, thank you very much. At the age of 62, many of her contemporaries would likely have retired to a teaching post somewhere, or at least moved on to the old ladies, the maids, the witches, and other assorted "character roles" in opera, or disappeared from public view altogether. Not Edita Gruberova, who remains the undisputed Queen of Bel Canto. …Her coloratura - and the seemingly infinite variations in dynamics - is as amazing as ever. …Lucrezia is not exactly a charming character, poisoning everyone in sight, but Gruberova managed to make her sympathetic.The final scene was a vocal and dramatic tour de force that one rarely encounters these days. She was well partnered by a fellow Slovak, tenor Pavel Breslik, who was an exceptionally fine Gennaro. Celebrated in Mozart, I wasn't prepared for his idiomatic Italian, his plangent timbre and stylish yet heart-onsleeve singing/acting was an unalloyed pleasure. Looking handsome and youthful, he complemented the soprano perfectly…he is a natural candidate for any director wanting to show some flesh onstage, witness his Idamante last season. Christof Loy had him scraping a knee, taking off his shirt ostensibly to wipe off the blood.Another example - the libretto calls for Gennaro to destroy Lucrezia's coat of arms. In this contemporary production, it was replaced by her name in large illuminated letters attached to the gray background. Gennario rips the B off her name and throws it on the stage floor - rather amusing as "ORGIA" remains on the wall, the implications of which rather unmistakable. The production is extremely pared-down, with really no set to speak of, a bare stage save for a few office chairs.Yet there is something to be said about this approach, as it allows one to focus on the emotional and dramatic core of the work. ...Ultimately this is a vehicle for the prima donna so nothing else really matters, especially when the diva delivered in spades like last evening…The third vocal standout was British mezzo Alice Coote as Maffio Orsini.The Gennaro-Maffio duet was a highlight of the evening…her Act Two extended scena was terrific. BONUS: The Art of Bel Canto - Edita Gruberova A Portrait an empathic portrait of the Queen of coloratura, Edita Gruberova, prima donna assoluta. NTSC 16:9, PCM Stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1 Region Code: 0 Original language: Italian Subtitles: English, German, French, Italian Booklet Notes: English, German, French Running Time: 129 mins + 54 mins Documentary German FSK: 6 “Christof Loy's serious contemporary production has simple modern clothes… and little scenery… Entries, exits and who is onstage are treated in deconstructionist fashion. This is exciting in Act 2 where the constant presence of the Duca (Alfonso) and his oily henchman Rustighello at Princess Negroni's party is not realistic but hugely underlines the threat to Gennaro, Maffio Orsini and their friends visiting Ferrara. The Slovak soprano legend Edita Gruberová... produces a dramatic performance of concentration, at its most convincing in Act 2 where her age meshes well with the character of distraught mother. The handsome Slovakian tenor Pavol Breslik is a star Gennaro of passion and agility, and Alice Coote is a convincingly butch Maffio. The orchestra play richly for de Billy who sounds at home in this repertoire.” Gramophone Magazine, March 2010 “the major vocal honours of the evening belong to Pavol Breslik as Gennaro. He sings with excellent diction, variety of tone and good characterisation whilst acting with conviction...If the production and staging lacks cohesion and conviction, thankfully those convictions are present in the pit under the direction of Bertrand de Billy.” MusicWeb International, June 2012 | | | This item is currently out of stock at the UK distributor. You may order it now but please be aware that it may be six weeks or more before it can be despatched. |
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