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Peter Seiffert (Tannhäuser), Petra Maria Schnitzer (Elisabeth), Béatrice Uria-Monzon (Venus), Günther Groissböck (Hermann), Markus Eiche (Wolfram) Orquestra Simfònica del Gran Teatre del Liceu & Cor del Gran Teatre del Liceu, Sebastian Weigle Staged by Robert Carsen This exciting modern-day adaptation of Tannhäuser, Richard Wagner’s fable of love and redemption, features one of the great Wagner singers of our time in the lead role, Peter Seiffert. Using the magnificent space of Barcelona’s Gran Teatre del Liceu in its entirety, renowned Canadian director Robert Carsen has transformed this mythic narration of medieval troubadours into a compelling and at times very amusing tale that plays out in a world of contemporary painters and art dealers. Features a fantastic cast, conducted by the Liceu’s principal conductor Sebastian Weigle, a Wagner specialist. As a nimble, youthful-voiced Tannhäuser, Seiffert plays alongside Petra Maria Schnitzer as Elisabeth. As the goddess of love, Elisabeth’s counterpart Venus is portrayed by the stunning Béatrice Uria-Monzon. Recorded at the Gran Teatre del Liceu, 2008. Running Time Total: 203 minutes DVD: DTS 5.1, PCM Stereo Picture 16:9, HD Subtitles English, German, French, Spanish, Chinese, Korean “Peter Seiffert sings powerfully and expressively as Tannhauser, and Petra Maria a bit too powerfully as Elisabeth. The orchestra, under Sebastian Weigle, gives a strong account of the score” BBC Music Magazine, July 2012 *** “The central dilemma...is obliquely translated into the modern art world...Yes it's Sunday in the Park with Tannhauser...Musically, the primary drawing card is Peter Seiffert, not the most camera-friendly Tannhauser but among the most vocally compelling...there are so many moments where he not only triumphs over the vocal difficulties but does so with gratifying richness of tone and meaningful text projection.” Gramophone Magazine, June 2012 “Seiffert probably cannot be bettered in the title role today; he's tireless, thoroughly involved and maintains a voice with a bronze ring to it...Beatrice Uria-Monzon is attractive enough to stand up to her body double in Act 1 and the voice is rich and appealing, save for some hard work at the very top...Seiffert is the best of all the recorded heroes [on DVD] and despite a few directorial backfires, this will certainly keep you interested.” International Record Review, July/August 2012 | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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Diana Damrau (Konstanze), Olga Peretyatko (Blonde), Christoph Strehl (Belmonte), Norbert Ernst (Pedrillo), Franz-Josef Selig/Christoph Quest (Bassa Selim) Orquestra Simfònica del Gran Teatre del Liceu, Ivor Bolton Staged by Christof Loy at Gran Teatre de Liceu, 2011 Barcelona’s prestigious Gran Teatre del Liceu presents Mozart’s beloved singspiel in an elegant, dramaturgically twisted production with a sparkling cast of top-rank international stars headed by coloratura soprano Diana Damrau as Konstanze and rising opera star Olga Peretyatko as Blonde. German soprano Diana Damrau achieved a huge success and was hailed by critics as a thrilling Konstanze. Christoph Strehl, a tall and aristocratic tenor of important means and burnished technique, made Belmonte’s difficult music sound easy. Franz Josef Selig was celebrated by critics as one the best Osmins that had ever performed in that role. Christoph Loy has conjured up a thought-provoking and strikingly original scenario in which both Konstanze and Blonde are feeling respect, admiration and even profound love for their captors. The result is a tantalising approach that overturns the traditional patterns of good and evil. Running Time Total: 188 minutes DVD: DTS 5.1, PCM 2.0 Subtitles English, German, French, Spanish, Catalan, Chinese, Korean “in this Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail everything is germane to the text that Mozart set, and Loy makes work of depth and strong emotion from what can seem like an overlong comedy...every singer acts with the intensity and conviction of a 'straight' actor. Ivor Bolton's conducting is relaxed and affectionate, and really there is no respect in which this performance falls short of being a triumph.” BBC Music Magazine, June 2012 ***** “Christof Loy's minimalist staging works well, and an impressive cast creates a great deal of intensity nicely caught by the cameras...Damrau is a superb Konstanze, secure and consistently beautiful.” Classical Music, 24th March 2012 **** “This is to be a serious psychological drama and the pace is punishingly slow...Damrau scored a notable success as Konstanze and her accomplished singing of a difficult role (she sings the extended version of 'Marten aller Arten') is the main highlight of the performance. Christoph Strehl's Belmonte is stylish and sensitive...Ivor Bolton gets lively playing at uncontroversial speeds” Gramophone Magazine, May 2012 | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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After decades of work on Beethoven’s original scores, the Austrian pianist Rudolf Buchbinder offers a definitive interpretation of all Beethoven’s piano concertos in this series of live recordings of his ecstatically acclaimed performances in the Musikverein Vienna from May 2011. Buchbinder conducts the Vienna Philharmonic from the keyboard and achieves a rare degree of tension and chamber-like concentration. Rudolf Buchbinder is firmly established as one of the most important pianists on the international scene, he is a regular guest of renowned orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, Orchestre National de France, London Philharmonic, National Symphony, and the Philadelphia Orchestra. He also has over 100 recordings to his credit. In December 2011 Rudolf Buchbinder celebrated his 65th birthday. Bonus: 30 minutes Documentary about Rudolf Buchbinder, plus interview with Joachim Kaiser. Running Time Total: 216 minutes Piano Concertos: 186 min. Bonus: 30 min. DVD: DTS 5.0, PCM Stereo “Meticulously poised in Concertos Nos. 1 & 2, fleet-fingered in No. 3 and refreshingly unhurried in Nos. 4 and 5, Buchbinder proves an unfailingly reliable guide.” BBC Music Magazine, April 2012 *** | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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Staged by David Poutney “The cast is a dream team” wrote the Financial Times after the premiere of this production of Verdi’s La forza del destino at the Wiener Staatsoper. Topping the list is Nina Stemme, who gives a full-blooded portrayal of Leonora. Passionate forceful readings are also provided by Salvatore Licitra as Alvaro and Carlos Álvarez as Don Carlo. Zubin Mehta leads Staatsoper Orchestra with agility, subtleness and relaxed mastery, and right from the start David Poutney establishes an atmosphere of entrapment by fate. With the aid of a bizarre, unforgettable stage construction, the acclaimed director finds an ideal setting to illustrate the merciless powers of chance and destiny. Running Time Total: 161 minutes DVD: DTS 5.1, PCM Stereo “Pountney's unfussily direct handling of the tragic side of the drama plays to his cast's strengths. Compared to his colleagues here, the late Salvatore Licitra may not have been the stage's most natural actor but...a terrific passion carries all before it....And Nina Stemme's Leonora? A hugely well-acted assumption of the role, with (in the 'Pace! Pace, mio dio' scena) the uncanny presence and vocal fury offered by Price, Barstow or Freni.” Gramophone Magazine, March 2012 “Dramatically convincing, [Alvarez] broods darkly and his burnished baritone, although not ringing out as freely as one would wish, is powerful...Stemme is an involving Leonore, with a lovely rich lower and mid-register tone, but she is strained and variable above the stave...Krasteva throws herself into cowgirl Preziosilla with gusto, although her fruity mezzo noticeably lacks a trill...Mehta conducts effectively.” International Record Review, February 2012 | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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In the Little Mermaid, Hamburg Ballet director and Chief Choreographer John Neumeier blends dance, dramatic storytelling and spectacle into a stunning interpretation of Hans Christian Anderson’s fable. San Francisco Ballet is America’s oldest professional ballet company and one of the three largest ballet companies in the United States. John Neumeier is an icon of the ballet world, one of the most important and best known choreographers, internationally successful and winner of many prestigious prizes in many countries. It was a triumph at its premiere, following sold out shows. This fantastic ballet is released for the first time on DVD and Blu-ray! Lera Auerbach is one of the most exciting new voices among today’s young composers. Yuan Yuan Tan received a gold medal and the Nijinsky Award at the 1st Japan International Ballet and Modern Dance Competition (1993) and in the 5th International Ballet Competition in Paris (1992). Bonus Making of Little Mermaid Running Time Total: 153 minutes Ballet: 119 minutes DVD: DTS 5.1, PCM Stereo Bonus: 34 minutes | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | Kinshasa SymphonyThe awarded film about a symphony orchestra in the Congo
Orchestre Symphonique Kimbanguiste, Armand Diangienda The film: Two hundred orchestral musicians are playing Beethoven’s Ninth – “Freude schoener Goetterfunken”. A power cut strikes just a few bars before the last movement. Problems like this are the least of the worries facing the only symphony orchestra in the Congo. In the 15 years of its existence, the musicians have survived two putsches, various crises and a war. But concentration on the music and hopes for a better future keeps them going. Kinshasa Symphony is a study of people in one of the world’s most chaotic cities doing their best to maintain one of the most complex systems of joint human endeavour: a symphony orchestra. The film is about the Congo, the people in Kinshasa and the power of music. Running Time Total: 95 minutes 16:9, HD DD Stereo English, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Korean “it's the 'Ode to Joy' that drives the film forward as singers and musicians sweat to master Beethoven's great clamour. Beyond that, we see the people's lives, their city and their country - a complex social tapestry of poverty, crime, portable TVs, hair extensions, and hope for better times. It's impossible not to be moved...As for the level of music-making, it's the uplifting spirit not the fine detail that matters.” BBC Music Magazine, March 2012 **** “Claus Wischmann's leisurely documentary follows the progress of the choir and orchestra as they prepare for a huge open air concert...But the film is also about the inhabitants of Kinshasa. Martin Baer's photography, Peter Klum's skilful editing and Pascal Capitolin's soundscape capture the chaos, overcrowding, mud roads, ancient vehicles and pitiful living condictions all too vividly. Required viewing for all in the affluent West” Gramophone Magazine, March 2012 | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | Thielemann conducts Faust
Memorial concert on the 200th birthday of Franz Liszt (22. October 2011). Under the direction of romantic-music specialist Christian Thielemann, the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden performs a special Franz Liszt memorial concert at the Semperoper in Dresden to commemorate the bicentenary of one the 19th century’s greatest composers. Christian Thielemann is a maestro internationally known and admired above all as a specialist of Romantic music and a highly acclaimed Bayreuth Wagner Ring conductor. Running Time Total: 85 minutes DVD: DTS 5.1, PCM Stereo | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | including nine documentaries in a hardcover box
After the very successful release of the single DVDs we now release Christian Thielemann and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra performing Beethoven Symphonies Nos. 1 – 9 including nine one hour documentaries, one for each film. Maestro Thielemann and Joachim Kaiser (the most famous German music critic) discuss and analyze in an entertaining conversational exchange Thielemann’s interpretation, complemented by excerpts from rehearsals as well as by comparisons of Beethoven cycles with Karajan, Bernstein, Böhm, Järvi etc. This is the Beethoven cycle of the 21st century! 9 DVDs or 3 Blu-rays in a valuable hardcover box with 16 hours of concerts and documentaries. “Thielemann´s reading of the Beethoven symphonies stands heads and shoulders above the countless and mostly undistinguishable versions on offer.” Die Presse “The performances, the Vienna Philharmonic on top form, can't help sounding wonderful...oddly, it is the discussions that are the most enjoyable elements in this ambitious set.” BBC Music Magazine * * */ * “This is growling, mane-shaking Beethoven: a traditional approach to the music with full sound and large forces. Thielemann takes a precise yet lyrical approach to the music, as he discusses and demonstrates in the three hour-long accompanying musicological discussions.” Classic FM Magazine * * * * Total: 956 minutes Symphonies: 446 minutes Documentaries: 510 minutes DVD: DTS 5.0, PCM Stereo Subtitles E, F, Sp, I, Kor., Chin. NTSC: 3 DVD Amaray boxes in a harcover box (containing 9 DVDs) “the hour-long film that accompanies each of the nine masterpieces here...is chock-full of revealing information...the radiant sanity of [Thielemann's] approach shines through every bar...for a set in which the Austro-German invincibility of this extraordinary music is felt gradually mounting through the cycle as a whole, as if in one magnificent sweep, we haven't had a set to compare seriously with this since Karajan's final cycle of the 1980s.” International Record Review, January 2012 | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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Béatrice Uria-Monzon (Carmen), Roberto Alagna (Don José), Erwin Schrott (Escamillo), Marina Poplavskaya (Micaëla), Eliana Bayón (Frasquita), Itxaro Mentxaka (Mercédès), Marc Canturri (Le Dancaïre), Francisco Vas (Le Remendado), Àlex Sanmartí (Moralès), Josep Ribot (Zuniga) Orquestra Simfònica del Gran Teatre del Liceu & Cor del Gran Teatre del Liceu, Marc Piollet Staged by Calixto Bieito. Fantastic cast with Roberto Alagna, Erwin Schrott, Marina Poplavskaya, Béatrice Uria-Monzon. This prestigious 2011 production from the Gran Teatre del Liceu was staged by the world famous and highly controversial stage director Calixto Bieito, admired for his raw and evocative stagings. Running Time Total: 155 minutes DVD: DTS 5.1, PCM Stereo “If a Barcelona Carmen suggests authentic atmosphere, forget it. It's staged by Calixto Bieito, notorious for shock-effect productions...On home ground, though, he's comparatively restrained, although he does update the opera to the 1970s...Beatrice Uria-Monzon's veteran Carmen is compelling. Roberto Alagna equals his Met video, fluently lyrical while indicating the hair-trigger violence beneath.” BBC Music Magazine, December 2011 ** “Updating rarely makes such a seamless case for itself as in this modern production of Carmen...Alagna has always had a certain Mad Max side to his temperament that, combined with his Italianate lyric tenor, has made him one of the best Don Joses in the business.” Gramophone Magazine, January 2012 “Piollet launches the opera thrillingly; however exhilarating the energy, the playing remains disciplined, with mingled grace and fire. Conductor and orchestra sustain that level throughout, with well-judged rubato and frequently an unerring light touch.” International Record Review, December 2011 | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | from Bregenz Festival 2011
Staged by Keith Warner. After the huge success of Aida, here is the spectacular new production from the Bregenz Festival 2011. Girodano Umberto’s Andrea Chénier is set against the backdrop of the horrors of the French Revolution and tells the tragic tale of a doomed love affair involving the historical figure of the poet Andrea Chénier, who initially champions the Revolution but later turns against its leaders, before ending up on the scaffold. Staged by Keith Warner who has worked at major opera houses including Bayreuth, Covent Garden, Vienna etc. Stage designer David Fielding has worked at important opera houses and with bands including the Pet Shop Boys “Giordano’s music is verismo of the very highest caliber and drives the high voltage plot forward with breathtaking speed.” Artistic director David Pountney Total: 120 minutes DVD: DTS 5.1, PCM Stereo “The picture's watery location both suits Bregenz's lake stage and gives Warner space to layer Illica's actions...hugely recommended - a fine mix of spectacle of spectacle and intelligent interpretation.” Gramophone Magazine, January 2012 “this unusual production’s pluses outweigh the minuses... the three principals have powerful and skilled voices. I was especially impressed by Hector Sandoval in the title role. He looks the part, acts naturally and sounds suitably heroic, especially in the showpiece final lovers’ duet” MusicWeb International, January 2012 | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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