DVD Videos

This DVD, centered on the dazzling German soprano Diana Damrau, complements a ravishing recital with a fascinating documentary.

In March 2013, Damrau achieved “a daring victory” (in the words of the New York Times) when the Metropolitan Opera witnessed her first-ever performances of Verdi’s La traviata. In recent years she has made the transition from glittering, stratospheric roles such as Mozart’s Queen of the Night and Strauss’ Zerbinetta to lyrical heroines of greater emotional complexity, such as Gilda in Rigoletto, Adina in L’elisir d’amore and Lucia di Lammermoor. A series of triumphs at the Met have made her a favourite singer in New York – as she is in other leading opera houses around the world.

In the documentary, Diana Damrau – Diva Divina, the soprano explains that, when she was just 12 years old, it was La traviata (in Franco Zeffirelli’s lavish 1982 cinematic version) that inspired her to make a career in opera. The documentary, directed by Beatrix Conrad, follows Damrau over the course of nine months, covering operatic performances and rehearsals in Geneva, New York, Paris and Munich, recitals, recordings and the arrival of her first child, Alexander.

The recital, filmed at the impressive Festspielhaus in Baden-Baden, pairs Damrau with the French harpist Xavier de Maistre in an exquisite selection of songs by Schumann, Fauré, Debussy and Strauss. Among the best-loved items in the programme are: Schumann’s ‘Widmung’; both Fauré’s and Debussy’s settings of Verlaine’s poem ‘Clair de lune’; Fauré’s ‘Après un rêve’; a harp arrangement of Debussy’s piano Arabesque No 1; Strauss’ ‘Morgen‘ and ‘Ständchen’ and, among the encores, the famed Bach-Gounod ‘Ave Maria’.

In the course of 2013, Damrau and de Maistre will also perform together in concert seasons in Washington D.C., Paris, Geneva, Lyon, Reykjavik, Hamburg, Munich and London and at festivals in Menton, Gstaad, Schwarzenberg and Grafenegg.

Reviewing the performance in Baden-Baden – for which the audience joined Damrau and de Maistre on the stage, rather than being distanced from them in the expansive auditorium – the Badische Neueste Nachrichten wrote of Damrau as a recitalist “whose vocal material and abilities as a storyteller approach perfection”, while the Badisches Tagblatt said:” Damrau’s diction is a pleasure, her vocal flexibility amazing. She sings phrases with ample breath, while her nuanced shadings create subtle changes of mood from song to song.” Die Rheinpfalz described the “gentle, sometimes ethereal tones of the harp” as being in perfect harmony with the “exceptionally subtle and detailed vocal art of the soprano … particularly exceptional are the delicate tracery and colours of Diana Damrau’s singing. Her shaping and accenting of the text is meticulous, her phrasing is of great sensitivity and her dynamics are richly nuanced, yet her song performances are never mannered, rather always full of lyrical feeling.”

This DVD release celebrates the life of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, German lyric baritone and one of the most acclaimed Lieder performers of the late 20th century. Elisabeth Schwarzkopf called him ‘a born god who has it all’. He performed and recorded a great many operatic roles and dominated both the opera and concert platform for over thirty years, being regarded as one of the finest lyrical vocalists of his generation.

In these two concerts from the Opera Theatre of Nuremberg, recorded in 1991 and 1992, Fischer-Dieskau performs beautiful and dramatic Lieder by Franz Schubert and Robert Schumann.

157 MINS • ALL REGIONS • NTSC 4:3 • COLOUR • L-PCM STEREO

Released on DVD for the first time – and the first release from ICA of this astounding artist – this is a rare glimpse into Ashkenazy as a pianist, in the intimate surroundings of a studio.

Captured at the BBC’s Glasgow Studios in 1987 for their Music in Camera series, Ashkenazy demonstrates his talent and artistry as a pianist through this solo performance.

Born in Gorky (now Nizhny Novgorod), in Russia in 1937, Ashkenazy started playing piano at the age of six, showing prodigious talent. He defected from the Soviet Union to London in 1963, becoming an Icelandic citizen in 1972, and later taking up his current residence of Switzerland – all the while maintaining his artistic integrity. As his career as a pianist blossomed, he took up the baton, becoming principal conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the conductor laureate of the Czech Philharmonic.

A multifaceted performer, his talents as a pianist helped him to mould a career that has been recognised with many rewards, including second prize at the 1955 International Chopin Competition in Warsaw, first prize at the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition in Brussels a year later and joint first, together with John Ogdon, at the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow in 1962. He is a multiple Grammy Award winner and is widely considered to be ‘one of the great virtuoso pianists of our era’ (The Guardian).

This DVD showcases Ashkenazy at the peak of his powers as a pianist, performing Schubert’s Impromptus D946 Nos. 1 & 2 and the Wanderer Fantasy, alongside Schumann’s widely-loved Arabeske and Piano Sonata No.1 – a piece that is certainly an unusual and interesting choice for such a recital. His calm exterior means that all of his energy is projected into infusing this performance with the variety each piece affords.

The recital demonstrates Ashkenazy’s versatility and musical skill through the extreme contrasts of the Impromptus, the lyrical, song-like grace and virtuosic flair of the Wanderer Fantasy, and the elegant yet exciting rendition of Schumann’s innovative Piano Sonata No.1.

Sound format: Enhanced Mono

DVD format: NTSC

Picture format: 4:3

Running time: 82’

Subtitles: n/a

Menu languages: English

Booklet languages: E/F/G

Region code: 0

Territory Restrictions: None

Directed by Gérald Caillat and Pierre-Martin Juban

Spira Mirabilis is an extraordinary new project drawing together some of Europe’s finest young players.

It offers a radical new approach to classical music. Mostly in their 20s and 30s they study, practice and perform together symphonic repertoire without the guide of a conductor.

This double DVD includes the documentary “La Spira” which portraits the musicians and their intense work sessions and scenes from collective life and documents their way of creating a special attitude and breaking down the traditional barriers between performer and audience.

Schumann’s Symphony No. 1 Spring performed by the musicians of Spira Mirabilis, filmed by Pierre-Martin Juban and Gérald Caillat at the Teatro Luciano Pavarotti in Modena on December 7, 2010

Picture format DVD: NTSC 16:9

Sound formats DVD: PCM Stereo

Region code: 0

Subtitles: English, French, German, Italian

Booklet notes: English, French, German, Italian

Runnning time: 88 mins documentary, 43 mins concert

The Places

The tour takes us first to the carnival celebrations in Basel, with its elaborate displays. There follows a visit to Vigeland Park in Oslo, with its characteristic figures, the work of Gustav Vigeland.

The Music

The music chosen for this tour is by Schumann. His Carnaval accompanies the carnival in Basel, flowers in the countryside are depicted in Blumenstück and the granite figures in Vigeland Park, in Oslo, are matched with Scenes of Childhood.

Video Format • NTSC / Colour / 4:3

Audio Format • PCM Stereo 2.0

Region Coding • No Region Coding

Schumann at Pier2 is not a usual documentary; it explains the whole idea behind the project and contains footage from rehearsals, comments from Paavo Järvi about the symphonies and the interpretation, biographical information about Robert Schumann as well as musicians demonstrating salient passages and explaining their interpretation.

According to the press and audience their aim was impressively achieved: “Järvi is always animated and alert to the music’s expressive potential: he achieves the best of both worlds.” - Gramophone

Stars of the film are the conductor Paavo Järvi and the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen and they aim to present these works to a young audience.

Picture Format: 16:9, HD

Sound Format: DVD: DTS 5.1, PCM Stereo

Running Time: 116 mins (Documentary: 98 mins, Making of 18 mins)

Subtitles: German, English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Korean

The Places

The Canton of Ticino (German Tessin) is the only Swiss canton to have Italian as its official

language. It is bounded on three sides by Italy and boasts spectacular mountain scenery, with waterfalls, rivers and lakes. The capital of the canton is now Bellinzona, but was earlier shared with Locarno and Lugano. A feature of the landscape lies in the great lakes that are within its territory, including part of Lago Maggiore, into which the Ticino and Maggia flow.

The Music

Robert Schumann was born in 1810 in Saxony, studied in Leipzig, lived in Dresden and, in 1850 moved to Düsseldorf as director of music to the city. He died in 1856, after a severe mental breakdown, from which he never recovered. In 1840, in spite of the objections of her father, he had married the young pianist Clara Wieck, daughter of his former teacher. It was particularly after his marriage that he turned his attention to larger scale compositions, of which his Piano Concerto is an example, inspired by his wife. The other work heard here, the Intermezzi, Op. 4, dates from an earlier period, devoted in particular to the composition of shorter piano pieces, when a career as a pianist still seemed possible for him.

Video Format • NTSC / Colour / 4:3

Audio Format • DTS 5.1 / Dolby Digital 5.1 / PCM Stereo 2.0

Region Coding • No Region Coding

A new release from the series of Metropolitan Munich programs.

Classified as EuroArts "Recorded Excellence", with high historical value and special pricing.

These magnificent Schumann performances, by some of the finest Hungarian musicians to emerge during the 1970s, illustrate to perfection why the music of this German composer continues to fascinate audiences as much today as it did when it first appeared about 175 years ago.

Schumann's passionate and ambiguous nature is encapsulated in works that range across the entire garnut of human emotions.

They are complemented by some of the most popular and delightful works by Debussy and Bartók.

Picture format DVD: NTSC 4:3

Sound format DVD: PCM Stereo

Region code: 0

Booklet notes: English, German, French

Running time: 207 mins

A new release of the series of Metropolitan Munich programs.

Today Daniel Barenboim is internationally recognized and revered as an orchestral and operatic conductor, pianist, and a musical ambassador and also as a humanitarian. Partnering him is the remarkable conductor Sergiu Celibidache. “He was one of the greatest musicians I ever encountered”, says Barenboim. Sergiu Celibidache has been called a musical giant, a magician, a brilliant lion-tamer and an enfant terrible of classical music. He was a legend in his own lifetime, mesmerizing orchestras audiences and critics with his intensity and brilliance.

Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No.1 is one of the most popular of his compositions and among the best known of all piano concerti. The Schumann concerto is no less influential with its influence heard in Grieg’s Piano Concerto. Both works show Barenboim at his consummate best.

Picture format DVD: NTSC 4:3

Sounds formats DVD: PCM Stereo

Region code: 0

Booklet notes: English, German, French

Runnning time: 81 mins

Access to the publicly broadcast BSO concerts from this era has been extremely difficult even for researchers. This series of DVDs will make these performances available for the first time since they were broadcast.

Munch launched the BSO into television in 1955. He was an immensely popular conductor and well suited to being filmed.

This material represents some of the earliest televised concerts with the Boston Symphony and Charles Munch, and has been restored using the greatest care and state-of-the-art techniques. It is of exceptional musical interest and rare historic value.

Munch demonstrates a clear enjoyment of the works and combines discipline with freedom, guiding the orchestra to a thrilling performance.

Genoveva is dramatic, whilst he gives a ‘sunny’ rendition of Schubert’s Fifth Symphony. David Hurwitz wrote on classicstoday.com regarding a Schubert recording with Charles Munch and the BSO: “It is unbelievably exciting, with the orchestra playing as if its collective life depended on it”.

Munch had a great affection for and appreciation of Schumann’s Second Symphony, programming it in four different Boston Symphony Orchestra seasons, taking it on tour on each occasion. Munch never recorded Schumann's Symphony No.2 or Schubert's 5th Symphony, so these recordings are completely new to his discography.

This DVD also represents the first release of the works by the BSO.

Two of ICA’s BSO DVDs featuring Charles Munch as conductor, have been awarded the Diapason d’Or in France’s Diapason magazine.

1DVD

Sound format: LPCM Mono

Picture format: 4:3

Running time: 75’

Subtitles: n/a

Menu languages: English

Booklet languages: E/F/G

Region code: 0

Territory Restrictions: None