DVD Videos

The Moscow Chamber Opera Theatre made operatic history in 1974 with their definitive production of The Nose by Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975). It marked the first time this modern masterpiece had been performed in Russia since its 1930 premiere; rehearsals were supervised by the composer himself. In the words of Boris Pokrovsky, who founded the Moscow Chamber Opera Theatre in 1972, “Shostakovich loved us. He loved this production. He loved our young theatre as one loves children for whom one has high hopes. For our theatre, the association with such a great artist and human being became the inspiration for the future life of our company.”

In this 1979 taping of the production, the esteemed conductor Gennady Rozhdestvensky leads soloists, Chorus, and Orchestra of the Moscow Chamber Opera Theater. DVD bonus: Footage of Shostakovich at one of the rehearsals (1975), and Boris Pokrovsky speaking about the genesis and importance of the production. In Russian; subtitles in English, French, Italian, Russian, and Spanish. 111 minutes, Color, stereo, 4:3, All regions

The ballet Masquerade is a rarity. The Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian (1903-1978) originally conceived the evocative score as incidental music for a 1941 production of Mikhail Lermontov’s play of the same name. The ballet, following Lermontov’s drama, tells the tragic tale of a bracelet lost at a masked ball which leads Arbenin to wrongly accuse his wife Nina of infidelity. Despite her protestations of innocence, Arbenin poisons her, only to learn that she was guiltless.

The 1985 filmed production presented here makes full use of cinematic techniques to convey the ambiguity of sinister stratagems lurking at the fringes of a swirling masquerade ball, while Khachaturian’s music – in particular the famous Waltz and the wistful Nocturne – provides the perfect accompaniment to the inventive choreography.

63 minutes, colour, mono, 4:3.

Maestro Lorin Maazel leads the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and an all-star cast in this celebrated 1963 Salzburg production. The production is directed by Gustav Rudolf Sellner and designed by Michael Raffenelli. 180 minutes, black & white, mono, subtitles in English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish.

Zubin Mehta leads the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in this historic live 1967 Salzburg Festival performance of Giorgio Strehler’s legendary production. Cast features Ingeborg Hallstein, Reri Grist. Luigi Alva, Fernando Corena, Gerhard Unger, and actor Michael Heltau in the speaking role of Pasha Selim. Sung in German; subtitles in English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish. 134 minutes, Black & white, mono, 4:3, All regions.

The legendary bass Evgeny Nesterenko sings the title role in this thrilling 1981 Bolshoi Opera production. Though performances outside of Russia are rare, the arias for Vladimir and Igor are beloved staples of the tenor and bass repertoire, and the sequence of the Polovtsian Dances contains some of the most famous and beloved music in the entire classical music repertory. With the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Mark Ermler. 169 minutes, Color, 4:3, mono, subtitles in English, French, Italian, Spanish, and Russian (cyrillic), All regions.

Produced by Music Department of Soviet TV

Stage Director: Oleg Moralev

Production Design: Fedor Fedorovsky

Video Director: Alexander Barannikov

Two twentieth-century ballet masterpieces performed by major Russian ballet troupes. Petrushka is a live 1992 performance by the Bolshoi Ballet, with choreography based on the original Fokine. The Rite of Spring is a filmed 1990 studio production by the Moscow Classical Ballet starring Ilgiz Galimullin and Valeria Tsoi. 76 minutes, Color, Mono, 4:3, All regions.

A spectacular television production of the 1774 French version of the opera, with a tenor Orpheus. As produced by the Montreal studios of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the cast stars Léopold Simoneau (Orphée), Pierrette Alarie (Eurydice), and Claire Gagnier (Amour). Designed, staged, and choreographed by Ludmilla Chiriaeff in the style of the French 18th century, and featuring dancers of the Les Grands Ballets Canadiens. The Chorus and Orchestre de Radio-Canada is under the direction of Otto-Werner Mueller. 88 minutes, Black & White, optional subtitles in English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish. All Regions.