DVD Videos

Boris Kuschnir was born in Kiev in 1948 and studied the violin at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatoire with Boris Belenky and chamber music with Valentin Berlinsky of the Borodin Quartet. His many encounters with Dmitri Shostakovich and David Oistrakh (with whom he also studied), had a lasting influence on his artistic development. Both as soloist and chamber musician he has made numerous recordings, notably the complete Mozart piano trios for EMI.

Boris Kuschnir also has a world-wide reputation as great violin teacher. Being Professor at both the Konservatorium Wien University and at the University of Music in Graz, his reputation as a teacher has won international recognition.

‘Georg Solti is the hero of the British archive releases produced by ICA Classics.’ (Diapason)

In October 2012 music-lovers celebrated the centenary year of ‘one of the world’s greatest conductors’ (The Independent). This concert – a rare gem from the BBC archives – shows

Sir Georg Solti at the height of his powers with his favourite orchestra, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, of which he was music director from 1969 to 1991, in an alliance that was revered among audiences and critics alike.

Released for the first time on DVD, this concert is the last in Sir Georg Solti and his beloved CSO’s European tour in 1985. The Chicago Tribune wrote in January of that year, ‘He (Solti) and the CSO are firmly established as the most leonine team in symphonic music today, and that team has had everyone roaring from Stockholm to Zurich.’ Solti himself wrote: ‘My term as musical director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra was the happiest time in my professional life.’ The programme on this DVD features Mozart’s Symphony No.39, Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No.4, and an encore of Fêtes from Debussy’s Nocturnes – all performed with the flair, passion and majestic artistry for which Solti was famed.

His interpretation of Mozart has been hailed as arguably one of the greatest in history. ‘There are certain composers on whose work Solti has stamped his mark with a distinction that has never been equalled, nor probably ever will be, so that his conduit of their intentions has become integral to the experience of listening to them.’ (The Observer)

The booklet note for this release is written by Humphrey Burton, who directed the cameras for the BBC at London’s Royal Festival Hall on the 2 February 1985 – the concert from which this DVD is taken. His first-hand, unique insight and behind-the-scenes information provide a fascinating glimpse into the inner workings of the concert, the CSO and the maestro.

Sound format: Enhanced Mono

DVD format: NTSC

Picture format: 4:3

Running time: 83’

Subtitles: n/a

Menu languages: English

Booklet languages: E/F/G

Region code: 0

Territory Restrictions: None

Perhaps no opera is closely and affectionately associated with a single house as Le nozze di Figaro is with Glyndebourne. Effortlessly witty yet shot through with pain and sadness, this deeply ambivalent life in the day of masters and servants as they scheme and outwit one another was Glyndebourne’s opening production in 1934. Michael Grandage’s staging is the seventh, set in a louche Sixties ambience. Marshalled by the ‘ideal pacing’ of Robin Ticciati, a youthful cast of principals has ‘no weak link’ and ‘looks gorgeous’ (The Sunday Times) in a production that continues Glyndebourne’s rewarding history of engagement with Mozart’s and da Ponte’s ‘day of madness’.

Glyndebourne's "signature" work, Le nozze di Figaro was the opening production when the theatre re-opened in 1994.

The production is set the 1960s/70s.

Extra features include: ‘The Greatest Opera Ever Written’ and ‘From page to stage’.

Running time: 180 minutes

Subtitles: EN/FR/DE/JP/KR

Sound format: 2.0LPCM + 5.1(5.0) DTS

Stage Designer DAVID HOCKNEY

Glyndebourne’s 1978 production of Mozart’s Zauberflöte received as much critical acclaim for the imaginative David Hockney sets as for the operatic performance. Hockney, known internationally for his pop art, emphasised the magical and mystical qualities of one of Mozart’s best known operas – and the spirit was wonderfully refl ected in John Cox’s production.

The London Philharmonic Orchestra is conducted by Bernard Haitink.

Mozart’s tale of Papageno and Pince Tamino’s quest to rescue Pamina and overthrow the Queen of the Night is one of his best loved operas and here receives an impressive treatment with Leo Goeke, Felicity Lott and Benjamin Luxon in the leading roles. Essential for such an opera, there is a great happy end: Tamino and Pamina overcome their trials and become a loving couple, the malicious Queen of the Night is humbled and even Papageno finds his Papagena.

Sound Format: PCM Stereo

Picture Format: 4:3

DVD Format: DVD 9 / NTSC

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

Running Time: 163 mins

FSK: 0

The Places

The places visited include Hohenwerfen Castle, the Weissensee, Styria, Linz, Aggstein, Hallein and Baden.

The Music

The music chosen for this tour of Austria consists of Mozart’s Violin Concertos Nos. 3 and 5, written during his early adulthood in Salzburg.

Video Format • NTSC / Colour / 4:3

Audio Format • PCM Stereo 2.0

Region Coding • No Region Coding

Hosted by Valerie Solti

The Solti Centenary Concert in Chicago celebrated Sir Georg Solti’s 100th birthday on October 21, 2012, featuring the World Orchestra for Peace. This unique ensemble owes its existence to the vision of its founder, Sir Georg Solti, who believed passionately in peace and the power of music and musicians to be ambassadors for peace.

Charmingly hosted by Solti’s widow, Lady Valerie Solti, and featuring soloists such as Angela Gheorghiu and René Pape as well as members of the Georg Solti Accademia, this memorable evening presents musical highlights, all of which played a significant role in Solti’s life and career.

Besides excerpts from Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, Die Zauberflöte and Don Giovanni or Verdi’s La Traviata and Rigoletto, this concert finds lovely musical moments in the 'Adagietto' from Mahler’s Fifth Symphony, Strauss’ Don Juan and Bartók’s masterful Concerto for Orchestra. Sousa’s Stars and Stripes Forever as the encore closes the performance with a smash.

Conductor Valery Gergiev was a good friend of his advisor Georg Solti. Together with Lady Valerie Solti and the World Orchestra for Peace he carries on Solti’s vision and maintains his memory.

Special Bonus Feature: “Solti’s Vision”, a film about the World Orchestra for Peace

Sound Format: PCM Stereo, DD 5.1, dts-HD Master Audio 5.1

Format: DVD 9 / NTSC

Subtitle Languages: DE, FR / DE (Bonus)

Running Time: 112 mins + 21 mins (Bonus)

FSK: 0

Worldwide available

Since its debut in 1934 the Glyndebourne Festival has put a focus on Mozart operas and developed a great competence in staging them. Mozart’s operas seem to be made for the small but fine opera house in Glyndebourne and it’s not surprising that the 1977 Don Giovanni, one of Mozart’s great masterpieces, was a huge success.

This production is conducted by Bernard Haitink who holds the opinion, that no other composer had more opera in his blood than Mozart. It has been proven, for example, that Mozart had no overture for Don Giovanni until the evening before the premiere in Prague and wrote it down in just one night.

Like the premiere’s success of the opera in Prague in 1787 the Glyndebourne’s version staged by Peter Hall was praised by audience and critics alike: “We witness a lively and wide-awake ensemble piece that has easily survived all these decades, and still manages to teach many directors the art of playing theatre.” (WDR) With outstanding performances by Horiana Branisteanu, Benjamin Luxon, Stafford Dean and Leo Goeke this production is a real highlight.

Sound Format: PCM Stereo

Picture Format: 4:3

DVD Format: DVD 9 / NTSC

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

Running Time: 174 mins

FSK: 0

Oscar-winning biopic, based on the play by Peter Shaffer, which tells the story of the composer Antonio Salieri (F. Murray Abraham) and his relationship to the man he later claims to have murdered, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Tom Hulce). Having already gained the confidence of the Emperor, Salieri is frustrated by the arrival of the genius Mozart, a man who quickly usurps his position in the court. His frustration is magnified by both his disapproval of Mozart's vulgar behaviour and by the fact that it is he, more so than anyone else, who can appreciate the true beauty of the young composer's work. When Mozart dies under mysterious circumstances, can it really be Salieri who is to blame?

Subtitles in English and Arabic

Le nozze di Figaro, Mozart’s timeless opera buffa, is one of the greatest of all operatic masterpieces. It is based on Beaumarchais’ comedy Le Mariage de Figaro and tells the tale of the servant Figaro, who is about to marry the maid Susanna. Count Almaviva, keeping an eye on Susanna himself, tries to prevent this marriage with the help of Bartolo, the doctor, but is continually thwarted.

This classic 1973 production by legendary director Peter Hall features a cast of renowned opera singers lead by Kiri Te Kanawa as the Countess, arguably her finest role and certainly the role that made her an international superstar. Knut

Skram’s charming and charismatic take on the character of Figaro complements Ileana Cotrubas’ gentle Susanna, and also noteworthy is the outstanding performance by Frederica von Stade as Cherubino.

It is doubtless thanks to the supreme conductorship of John Pritchard that excellent singers, who perform even in supporting roles, provide a well-rounded ensemble performance. Pritchard had been associated to the Glyndebourne theatre since 1947, and he gradually took over to continue Fritz Busch’s initial work as a Choirmaster and Assistant.

Sound Format: PCM Stereo

Picture Format: 4:3

DVD Format: DVD 9 / NTSC

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

Running Time: 185 mins

FSK: 0