DVD Videos

Leading Chopin interpreter Nelson Freire is the soloist in Chopin’s lyrical and brilliant Second Piano Concerto. On the podium the young French conductor Lionel Bringuier makes his Proms debut conducting the BBC Symphony Orchestra and gives a sizzling performance of Roussel’s Symphony No.3 and of Ravel’s score for the ballet 'Daphnis et Chloé' - Suite No 2.

Chopin wrote his concerto at the age of 19 while crazily in love with an opera singer, but it's the work itself which is the object of adoration for soloist Nelson Freire who describes himself as having something of a 'crush' on the piece after first hearing it as a teenager.

The three other works on the programme chart French music over a century of changing musical tastes, beginning in 1844 with Berlioz's vivid evocation of a swashbuckling pirate adventure in his overture 'Le corsaire'. By 1912 the tides of modernism influenced Ravel's lavishly scored, pastoral ballet Daphnis and Chloë, with its famous opening soundscape of dawn breaking over the forest canopy, and by the 1930s Roussel's Third Symphony reflected the trends of neo-classicism.

"It was around the beginning of the second movement of Albert Roussel's Third Symphony that the playing of the BBC Symphony Orchestra – under the outstanding 23-year-old French conductor Lionel Bringuier, making his Prom debut – moved into top gear. From that point on, the orchestra's awareness of its own sound, collectively and individually, became heightened to an unusually compelling degree. The playing stayed on this exalted level until the end of the concert, which closed with Ravel's second Daphnis and Chloé suite...shaped with a certainty of direction that never compromised the music's inherent sensuousness. It provided a sensational climax to the evening."

George Hall, The Guardian 13/8/2010

Recorded live at the Royal Albert Hall, 08/2010,

Running time 95 min.

Booklet: French, German, English

Image 1DVD9, Colour 16/9, NTSC

Sound: PCM Stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1

Representing the first visit to the Proms by the St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, this exhilarating and refreshing concert from 1992 sees the orchestra on top form under Yevgeny Mravinsky’s esteemed successor, Yuri Temirkanov.

Temirkanov was appointed Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the orchestra four years prior to this recording, having made his debut with them several decades earlier, which lead to his appointment as Mravinsky’s assistant conductor in the sixties.

Temirkanov is not averse to making changes to musical scores, and the Manfred Symphony featured on this DVD is subject to a convincing set of alterations, closing with a reprise of the first movement’s dark coda, a compelling and appropriate substitute for the customary happy ending.

Temirkanov’s profound love of Tchaikovsky’s music is evident in this passionate interpretation from an orchestra that was established nearly 130 years ago, and according to Gramophone is one of the top 20 orchestras in the world.

A frequent guest conductor of major orchestras in Europe, Temirkanov and ‘his orchestra’, were described in the Corriere della Sera (Milan) as ‘something unique in world music panorama… Amazing musicians, everyone is a soloist, but in perfect ensemble and confluence with others.’

Temirkanov has received many distinguished awards in Russia, such as the President’s Medal from Vladimir Putin, the Abbiati Prize for Best Conductor, and Conductor of the Year in Italy in 2003. Recently, he was made an Honorary Academician of Santa Cecilia.

This is the first DVD release of this material.

Picture format: 4:3

Running time: 72’

Subtitles: n/a

Menu languages: English

Booklet languages: E/F/G

Region code: 0

Territory Restrictions: None

After the very successful Ring from Valencia, here is another spectacular staging by La Fura dels Baus, this time conducted by Valery Gergiev.

This monumental opera complete with ballets, large choruses and orchestral set pieces was recorded at Valencia’s Palau de les Arts in 2009.

Great singers: Daniela Barcellona as “breathtaking Dido” (Opernglas), Lance Ryan, Elisabete Matos.

Staged by La Fura dels Baus

Bonus Making of (21 minutes)

Total: 261 minutes (Opera ´240 + ´21 Bonus ´)

English, German, French, Spanish, Chinese, Korean

DVD: DTS 5.1, PCM Stereo

"Ancient myth meets Star Wars, and the eye is constantly engaged with images ranging from space-age technology to details of soccer uniforms." The New York Times

"This is a worthy and compelling, glittering version of a sublime work." International Herald Tribune

Experience is all, but, Janowski advises Olivier Dejours, firstly be a good musician, be an excellent player, good coach and reach out to others.

Host: Wulf Konold

A new way of experiencing and enjoying the great works of music from the Baroque to the Modern Period – thanks to a new educational series of audio-visual concert guides, Introducing Masterpieces of Classical Music. Each release includes extensive documentation and a complete performance of the work or works in question.

Famous masterpieces from the standard repertoire of the greatest international orchestras are brought closer to the viewer through first class concert broadcasts (Berliner Philharmoniker, Wiener Philharmoniker, Gewandhaus Orchester…) in a timely visual style.

Includes 29 mins introductory feature + full concert performance of the masterpiece!

Berlioz’ “Fantastic Symphony” is widely regarded as one of the most important and representative pieces of the early Romantic period. Leonard Bernstein once called it “the first musical expedition into psychedelia” because of its hallucinatory and dream-like nature. The German musicologist Wulf Konold describes the idea behind and the realization of this fascinating work.

Picture format DVD: NTSC 16:9

Sounds formats DVD: PCM Stereo, DD 5.1, DTS 5.1

Region code: 0

Subtitles: English, German, French, Spanish

Booklet notes: English, German, French

Running time: 29 mins (documentary) + 53 mins (performance)

FSK: 0

The 2010 New Year’s Eve concert, from Berlin, frames two of the most prominent stars on DG’s roster, Elina Garanca and Gustavo Dudamel.

Recorded live, this gala performance sparkles with a selection of arias and orchestral works that include excerpts from one of Garanca’s most celebrated roles, Bizet’s Carmen, and Marguerite in Berlioz’s Damnation of Faust.

As well as providing world class accompaniment, the Berlin Philharmonic makes a stirring contribution to the program with the overture to Berlioz’s thrilling Roman Carnival and excerpts from Manuel de Falla’s ballet, The Three-Cornered Hat.

Filmed in HD, the gala will be released in 16:9 widescreen with audio in PCM and DTS surround sound .

The Europa concerts are the Berliner Philharmoniker´s way of remembering the anniversary of their founding. Performing in a different European city each year, the orchestra wishes to make its contribution to European unity. 2001 the concert was performed at the historic St. Irene Church in Istanbul under the direction of Mariss Jansons. St. Irene (Hagia Eirene) is the oldest church in Istanbul originating from the 4th Century. Today it is mainly used for festivals and concerts.

Featuring Mariss Jansons, one of today's most sought-after conductors and Music Director of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam

Flutist Emanuel Pahud is the top dog of his generation, praised for his ravishing sound and his effortless phrasing

Haydn's symphony and Mozart's flute concerto are counted among the most enchanting and popular orchestral pieces of the Classical period.

Berlioz's Symphony fantastique with its amazing orchestral impact displays impressively the unequalled qualities of the Berlin Philharmonic.

Concert took place in the vast, breathtaking St. Irene Church in Istanbul.

DVD is enhanced by an enticing 20-minute travelogue of Istanbul, in addition, there are eight minutes of "behind the scenes" footage.

Picture format BD: NTSC - 16:9

Sounds formats BD: PCM Stereo, DD 5.1, DTS 5.1

Region code: All

Booklet notes: English, German, French

Bonus-Subtitles: English, German, French, Spanish, Italian

Running time: 133 mins (105 mins-Performance; 27 mins-Bonus)

FSK: 0

We are in an historical place: the monastery El Escorial, north-west of Madrid, which King Philip II had built between 1563 and 1584 in honour of St. Lawrence, on whose saint day the battle of San Quintin had been won.

This European Concert, which annually celebrates the founding of the Berlin Philharmonic on 1st May 1882, was performed in this venue on the World Heritage List of the UNESCO. After the premiere in Prague in 1991, it was the second concert of its kind.

The orchestra was conducted by Daniel Barenboim. The soloist on this evening was the star tenor Plácido Domingo.

Sound Format: PCM STEREO, DD 5.1, DTS 5.1

Picture Format: 4:3

DVD Format: DVD 9, PAL

Running Time: 104 mins

FSK: 0

Being the typically “Berliner” events they are, the annual summer concerts of the Berliner Philharmoniker at the Berlin Waldbühne far surpass the usual in open-air shows and are generally sold out months in advance. A traditional part of these concerts involves the early arrival of the guests who, laden with the requisite picnic paraphernalia, take their seats with a view to enjoying the hours until “their” Philharmonic gala is ready to begin. While there is little likelihood of fi nding the majority of these concert-goers at a “regular” performance of the Berliner Philharmoniker, the unique atmosphere of the Waldbühne – one of the most attractive amphitheatres in Europe – is irresistibly appealing and has long been the Mecca of many classical music fans.

French Night is subtitled this exceptional concert delivering a program of French favorites under the baton of Georges Prêtre. The concert begins with Berlioz‘ Roman Carnival Overture, Ravel‘s Concerto for the Left Hand with soloist Leon Fleisher follows by Debussy‘s L‘Après-Midi d‘un Faune, Bizet’s Carmen-Suite and finally Ravel’s famous Bolero.

Sound Format: PCM Stereo, DD 5.1 , DTS 5.1

Picture Format: 4:3

DVD Format: DVD 9, PAL

Running Time: 99 mins

FSK: 0

Love is the motto of the 1998 New Year‘s Eve Concert. And who wrote better music about love than Mozart and Verdi? Maestro Claudio Abbado has chosen two of the best Mozart interpreters of our day, Christine Schäfer and Simon Keenlyside, for this traditionally meaningful event. Marcelo Álvarez from Argentina, compared by some to a young Domingo, sings highlights of the tenor repertoire, and Italian Primadonna Mirella Freni tops the occasion with a breathtaking performance of the Letter scene of Tchaikovsky‘s Eugene Onegin.

Sound Format: PCM STEREO, DD 5.1

Picture Format: 16:9

DVD Format: DVD 9, PAL

Running Time: 90 mins

FSK: 0