DVD Videos

World Premiere Recording.

Ballet-Opera in five scenes by Heinz von Cramer.

On the surface it is a comic version of the “Hauptmann von Köpenick” story in which it is not the petty thief Wilhelm Voigt who carries off the prank but a respected member of society, the clerk Wilhelm Fadenkreutz.

He is not a factory owner like Diederich Heßling, but definitely has many of the characteristics of the hero of „Der Untertan”. Boris Blacher and Heinz von Cramer Cramer quickly realised that such a devastating critique of Germany’s past would not be easy to stage, and they toned down the satirical text before presenting it to the intendant of the Städtische Oper, Heinz Tietjen.

Blacher also shortened the caricature of the German national anthem played on the tuba at the start of the piece to make it less recognisable. The authors cast about for a long time for a title for their work that would not confl ict with Carl Zuckmayer’s „Der Hauptmann von Köpenick”. After considering “Herrliche Zeiten” (Happy Times), they fi nally hit on the idea of combining the local and the fantastical by calling the work “Preußisches Märchen” (A Prussian Fairytale). The premiere on 23 September 1952 in the Theater des Westens, where the Deutsche Oper Berlin ensemble appeared under the title of “Städtische Oper” between 1945 and 1961, was acclaimed by audiences and critics alike.

Sound Format: PCM Stereo

Picture Format: 4:3

DVD Format: DVD 9, NTSC

Subtitle Languages: DE (Original Language), GB, FR, ES, IT

Running Time: 103 mins

FSK: 0

For its 100th anniversary the Deutsche Oper Berlin is featured in a special edition of live recordings that were produced since the beginnings of television broadcasts from the opera house. Following the fi rst DVD collection with recordings from the 1960s, this special edition box contains operas from the 1970s and 1980s – treasures in colour featuring great opera singers, stage directors and contemporary composers.

Sound Format: PCM Mono (Preußisches Märchen, Montezuma)

PCM Stereo (Die tote Stadt, Die Gespenstersonate, Oedipus)

Picture Format: 4:3

DVD Format: 5 x DVD 9 / NTSC

Original Language: DE

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

Running Time: 558 mins + 8 mins (Bonus)

FSK: 6

Raymond Briggs' children's story is adapted for the stage, with music composed and conducted by Howard Blake. After building a snowman in his garden, a young boy is taken on a series of magical adventures.

The HD film of the most popular Christmas show of all time, newly narrated by Joanna Lumley. 10th anniversary edition.

Nelsova was extolled for her passion, flair, and perfect intonation. These television recitals from the archives of Radio-Canada (1955-1962) feature performances of works by Boccherini, Beethoven, Martinu, and Kabalevsky. Ms. Nelsova is accompanied by pianist John Newmark and the Orchestra of Radio-Canada under the direction of Alexander Brott. Includes bonus performance with pianist Grant Johannesen. 70 minutes, black&white/color.

The moving text of the “Stabat Mater” has been an inspiration to many composers from the Renaissance onwards. Luigi Boccherini, a virtuoso cellist and master of chamber music, composed this religious work with profound respect for the text and it’s identity.

The quintet Ensemble Aurora that accompanies the solo soprano possesses all the qualities of balance and homogeneity common to the best chamber music works at the end of the Classical period – with an astonishing blend between voice and instruments.

Featuring internationally renowned soprano and baroque music specialist Gemma Bertagnolli.

This DVD is the first part of a series of sacred music from Italian Basilicas – with attractive pricing.

3xDVD; 2xCD

Aristide Cavaillé-Coll (1811 – 1899) built five-hundred revolutionary organs in France in the Nineteenth Century that inspired composers such as Franck and Widor to write the most famous and popular organ music ever composed. Filmed throughout France over nine months between 2011 and 2012, this magnificent boxed-set sums up Cavaillé-Coll’s extraordinary life and career. It contains:

- A brilliant 156-minute 3-part documentary about Cavaillé-Coll and his life and times. This set of films is made on a lavish scale and includes commentary by the best scholars.

- Superb recordings from his fifteen most important organs, featuring the best and most famous French organists.

- More than five hours of DVD extras including performances, improvisations and demonstrations of organs all recorded in full surround-sound.

- A full-colour 80-page booklet

This is the biggest ever crowd-funded classical music documentary, made with £80,000 raised by 1000 contributions ranging in size from £20 to £10,000. This stands poised to become one of the most important and popular releases about organ music ever made.

DVD1 The Genius of Cavaillé-Coll (Three-Part Documentary – 156 minutes)

DVD2 The Organs of Cavaillé-Coll (Demonstrations and Music – 202 minutes)

DVD3 Après Cavaillé-Coll (Demonstrations and Music – 139 minutes)

CD 1 and 2 The Sounds of Cavaillé-Coll (Music – 142 minutes)

Picture Format DVD: NTSC DVD-9

Sound Format DVD: 5.2 Dolby Surround

Region Code: 0 Region-free

Booklet Notes: English, French, German; Original Language: English, French; Subtitles: English, French, German

Running Time CDs: 143mins; Running Time DVDs: 500mins

Boesmans and his librettist Luc Bondy have based their intimate chamber opera on Miss Julie, Strindberg's classic 1888 drama of destructive passion between mistress and servant. Julie is a complex interplay of sex and class, with the haunting power of the past a catalyst to tragedy. On Midsummer's Night, a time for wild celebration, Julie works on Jean to draw him away from his fiancée Christine. But the events on shortest night of the year throw into relief the destructive ambitions of them both: 'It is dangerous to play with fire…'.

Although Boesmans is a major figure in mainland Europe, his four operas have an impressively successful track record across the Channel, he is virtually unknown on the British operatic stage. His music is highly individual: dense and precise, rich and colourful, elegant, and in this piece, he makes a chamber ensemble of eighteen players sound positively symphonic.

Recorded at Palermo, Teatro Massimo, January 2008

Boito’s Mefistofele is an opera that focuses on the eternal struggle between Good and Evil, in a path made of temptation, lust and redemption that director Giancarlo Del Monaco sets in contemporary society. At the beginning the location and the costumes recall the German expressionism of the 1930s that are soon abandoned to become a glittering Vegas-like location.

The once popular opera is nowadays rarely performed. It was thus unusual that this opera was chosen to be broadcast as part of the DDCinema project in cinemas throughout Europe. Dynamic are now proud to present this acclaimed production on DVD which includes special features including interviews with the cast (Furlanetto, Theodossiou, Filianoti and Del Monaco).

This production which was performed at the Teatro Massimo features artists of the highest standing: the bass Ferruccio Furlanetto is one of the most celebrated and critically acclaimed singers of the last thirty years and appears in the greatest theatres and festivals all over the world. Alongside him we find a young but already well-known tenor Giuseppe Filianoti, and the Greek soprano Dimitra Theodossiou an artist of international calibre with great vocal and performance talents.

The performance was well received. Italian critics gave only the highest praise to the cast: “[Furlanetto] brought real conviction to Boito's occasionally surreal libretto, and his oaken voice truly filled the theatre (which has ideal acoustics).” “Giuseppe Filianoti sang with ideal smoothness of line and ingratiating tone.” “All the singers were well supported by conductor Stefano Ranzani, who paced the work well… [and the choral singers and dancers] conveyed genuine relish in bringing life to what on this occasion proved to be a totally absorbing theatrical experience.”