DVD Videos

Directed by Gilbert Deflo

Set Design and Costumes by William Orlandi

Arthaus presents an exceptional Manon from the Opera Paris on DVD. With American star soprano Renée Fleming in the manyfaceted title role, Argentinean tenor Marcelo Álvarez opposite her and Spanish opera conductor Jesús López-Cobos, this production provides first-rate listening and viewing of one of the masterpieces of French opéra lyrique.

The musical excellence of the performers in this production is outstanding. Renée Fleming’s Manon is womanly and seductive, her voice perfectly cultivated in this enormously demanding role, that requires change of register, sentiment and expression more often than almost any other operatic role. The combination of vocal beauty, stylistic versatility and commitment to dramatic portrayal made her Paris Manon an enormous success, in an interview she comments, “I think Manon is my favourite role. I love French music, it is so elegant and delicate stylistically. It has both dramatic and lyrical elements”.

Renée Fleming is partnered by the brilliant Marcelo Álvarez, who is hailed as „one of the hottest tenors on the international scene“ (Opera News), in the role of the Chevalier des Grieux. Together they present an absolutely moving final scene, when Manon dies in her lover’s arms, proving them one of the dream teams of the international opera scene.

The staging by Gilbert Deflo had its first performance at the Bastille opera in Paris in June 1997 and proved to be an unforgettable experience complete with splendid historical costumes by William Orlandi, sophisticated lighting, opulent ballet dancing and colourful mass scenes. The minimal décor of darkly shaded abstract backdrops further accentuates the magnificent, colourful costumes – thus shifting the focus onto the interaction between the characters of the drama. This is supported by the close-up filming, so that the viewer can actually experience an intimate filmed drama.

Directed, Set Design and Costumes by Stefano Poda.

Thaïs, a mature work by the composer Jules Massenet on the libretto by Louis Gallet, it is based on the novel of the same name by Anatole France. The new production of this rarely performed work is the result of more than a year of close collaboration between the forces of the Theatre and Stefano Poda, responsible, for the first time in Italy, for the direction, choreography, sets, lighting and costumes. On the podium, Gianandrea Noseda, who, seduced by the dramatic force and modernity of the orchestral writing, conducts Thaïs for the first time; a debut also for the protagonist Barbara Frittoli, who has chosen the Regio to make her debut in this difficult role. Georgian baritone Lado Ataneli gives an impressive study of the monk Athanaël. Purified of the anticlerical excesses of Anatole France’s original novel, the libretto by Louis Gallet retains the sensual charge, and above all, the irony which, though remaining underplayed, contributes to keeping alive a subject that has possible references to the contemporary world. The taste for the orient that characterised French culture during the nineteenth century had become, by the end on the century, a truly dominant theme in literature, painting and theatre. In Thaïs, which had its debut in 1894, exoticism becomes the vehicle of a trend which is explicitly decadent, containing themes typical of fin-de-siècle art, i.e. the contrast between sacred and profane, transgression and the figure of the femme fatale. The story, which stands out against the background of Alessandria in Egypt in all its opulence and refinement, culture and indolence, presents us with the crossed destinies of Athanaël, a Cenobite monk whose missionary zeal borders on fanaticism, and Thaïs, a famous courtesan who, worried about the transience of her beauty, lets herself be convinced to search immortality in the love of God.

Sound Format: PCM Stereo, DD 5.1, DTS 5.1

Picture Format: 16:9

DVD Format: DVD 9, NTSC

Menu Language: GB

Subtitle Languages: IT, GB, DE, FR, ES, JP

Running Time: 139 mins

FSK: 0

Region Code: 0

Choreography: Kenneth MacMillan

TV Director: Ross MacGibbon

This new high-definition film of MacMillan’s hugely-popular ballet ‘Manon’ is the perfect twin to his classic ‘Romeo & Juliet’ (August 2009 release). Once again, the romantic male lead is taken by the charismatic Carlos Acosta, and once again his beautiful partner is Tamara Rojo. Prévost’s famous tale is set to the sensual music of Massenet and the Royal Ballet’s staging is played out against the sumptuous set and costume designs of Nicholas Georgiadis.

‘Manon’ is the third DVD release from Decca’s new exclusive artist, Carlo Acosta. The Cuban superstar builds on his stunning ‘Spartacus’ (October 2008) and romantic ‘Romeo & Juliet’ (August 2009) with an elegant and moving performance as the ardent young lover, Des Grieux, in MacMillan’s classic version of the tragedy.

This new high-definition film of ‘Manon’ is the perfect twin to the Royal Ballet’s staging of MacMillan’s other great classic – ‘Romeo & Juliet’. It is one of the most popular ballets in the Royal Ballet’s repertory, having received over 200 performances since its premiere in 1974.

This High Definition Widescreen recording was screened in cinemas throughout the UK in early 2009, and broadcast later in the year by the BBC.

‘Manon’ and ‘Romeo & Juliet’ signal the beginning of a major collaboration with Carlos Acosta and The Royal Ballet, which continued in early 2009 with the filming of ‘La Bayadère’.

The DVD also includes an extensive (40 min) and fascinating documentary film, 'Dancing Manon', featuring interviews with Carlos Acosta, Tamara Rojo, Monica Mason (Director of the Royal Ballet) and Ross MacGibbon (TV Director).

BONUS FEATURES:

Extended 'Dancing Manon' film, featuring interviews and rehearsal footage

Set Design by Peter Pabst.

Arthaus presents the Vienna State Opera’s outstandingly cast new production of Werther on DVD. The production was the Vienna State Opera debut for the young Swiss conductor Philippe Jordan - the Argentinian tenor Marcelo Álvarez, took the title role. Although he had already secured an international reputation through his performances in leading opera houses all over the world, this was his first appearance in the premiere of a production in Vienna. His Charlotte, on this occasion the young Latvian mezzo-soprano Elina Garanca, joined the Vienna State Opera in 2003. Her performances have been enthusiastically received and she has already been labelled as the new mezzo wonder alongside Vesselina Kasarova and Magdalena Kožená. Staged by internationally sought-after Rumanian director, Andrei Serban, the apparently sentimental love story – normally presented in 18th century period costumes - reveals a study of personal relationships and a close observation of a woman, who comes of age too late. Serban’s aim was to rid the opera of the unjustifi ed reputation of banality that clings to it despite its underlying tragic mood. By setting the production in the stiff, claustrophobic atmosphere of a small town in the 1950s, he aimed to make the audience more aware of its deeper levels of self-denial.

BONUS: Prior to the opening night - Marcelo Álvarez and Elina Garanca at the Vienna Opera Ball

Sound Format: PCM Stereo, DD 5.0, DTS 5.0

Picture Format: 16:9

DVD Format: DVD 9, NTSC

Subtitle Languages: DE, GB, FR, ES, IT

Running Time: 132 mins + 12 mins bonus

FSK: 0

Sound Format: PCM Stereo, DD 5.1 (Manon) / PCM Stereo,

DD 5.0, DTS 5.0 (Rusalka, Capriccio)

Picture Format: 16:9

DVD Format: 3 x DVD 9 & 3 x DVD 5 / NTSC

Subtitle Languages: GB, DE, FR, ES, IT (Capriccio) + CN (Manon, Rusalka)

Running Time: 164 mins (Manon), 155 mins (Rusalka), 148 mins (Capriccio)

FSK: 0

In 2002, Nicholas Maw’s opera Sophie’s Choice, based on the novel by William Styron, was given its premiere at the Royal Opera House. The subject had struck Maw when he had first watched the film several years previously, and he immediately felt it would be ‘the most extraordinary basis for an opera’. Commissioned by the Royal Opera House and BBC Radio 3, Maw embarked on an adaptation of Styron’s book, which took six years to complete. Conducted by Simon Rattle, a long-term enthusiast of Nicholas Maw’s music, and with a wonderful cast led by Angelika Kirchschlager, Rod Gilfry, Dale Duesing and Gordon Gietz, the work won international acclaim and was later restaged in Washington, Berlin and Vienna. The Royal Opera House celebrates the work of this British composer, who died in 2009, with the release on DVD of the BBC transmission, as broadcast live in December 2002.

“…the central performances of Angelika Kirschlager and Rodney Gilfry as doomed lovers Sophie and Nathan were deemed to be among the most committed and convincing ever seen at the Royal Opera House.” The Independent

Extra features:

Illustrated synopsis.

Cast gallery.

Interview with Simon Rattle.

Running time 223 mins

Region code All regions

Picture format 16:9 Anamorphic

Sound format 2.0 & 5.0 PCM

Menu language EN

Subtitles EN/FR/DE/ES/IT/NL