DVD Videos

Described as “the great Verdian bass” (Le Figaro) and a “Mefistofele who stood out over all the others” (Der Neue Merker), Carlo Colombara brings some of the most famous bass rôles to life in this wide-ranging programme. Emotions range from the pride of Escamillo in Bizet’s Carmen, through the terrors of Verdi’s Attila, to the tender recollections of Rachmaninov’s Aleko. Mephistopheles strides powerfully through both Gounod and Boito’s operas, and Rossini’s comic wit contrasts with the darkness of Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov.

In 1986 he won the prize for the best Italian singer in the G. B. Viotti Competition and the following year he won the As.Li.Co competition before making his début at the Teatro dell’Opera in Rome in Ernani. His subsequent career has brought appearances in the most important theatres of the world, in Tokyo, London, Berlin, Vienna, Milan, New York, Zurich, Barcelona, where he now lives, Verona and elsewhere.

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.”

The only known DVD program of opera arias sung by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, in her most radiant and graceful form: the camera and microphone vividly capturing her special affinity with this repertoire

60 minutes, color.

Recorded in 1985

This 4-DVD set includes top opera stars performing great works live in concert in Lugano with the Orchestra della Radio Televisione della Svizzera Italiana. DVD #1 Carlo Bergonzi performs in 1985 with conductor Bruno Amaducci in works by Rossini, Verdi, Puccini, & Mascagni. DVD #2: Raina Kabaivanska performs in 1987 with conductor Nino Bonavolonta in works by Rossini, Verdi, Puccini, and Cilia. DVD #3: Mirella Freni & Cesare Siepi perform in 1985 with conductor Bruno Amaducci in works by Nicolai, Gounod, Boito, Verdi, Puccini, and Mozart. DVD #4: Teresa Berganza performs in 1990 with conductor Nino Bonavonta in works by Rossini, Bizet, and De Falla.