DVD Videos

Black & White, 4:3, 76 min. All regions.

The fourth release in ‘L’Opéra Français Collection’ series of DVDs, covering the diverse repertoire of French Opera. This DVD, with a duration of 197 mins, comes in glowing 5.1 surround sound plus English subtitles.

The fifth release in ‘L’Opéra Français Collection’ series of DVDs, covering the diverse repertoire of French Opera. This DVD, with a duration of 140 mins, comes in glowing 5.1 surround sound plus English subtitles.

The third release in ‘L’Opéra Français Collection’ series of DVDs, covering the diverse repertoire of French Opera. This DVD, with a duration of 112 mins plus a bonus DVD exploring the Theatre Imperial, duration 187 mins, comes in glowing 5.1 surround sound for the main DVD plus English subtitles.

Recorded live, June 2009

In this high-definition film of Bellini’s historical bel-canto drama, “I Puritani”, tenor superstar Juan Diego Flórez is partnered by new young Georgian soprano Nino Machaidze, in her first appearance on Decca DVD. Joining them in a striking new staging by Pier’Alli at the Teatro Comunale di Bologna is celebrated bass baritone, Ildebrando D’Arcangelo. The context is England’s Civil War between the Roundheads (the Parliamentarians, or Puritans of the title) and the Cavaliers (Royalists). A love triangle between Arturo (a Puritan), Riccardo (a Royalist) and the beautiful Elvira results in a drama of escapes, disguises and captures, during which Elvira loses her reason, before a final pardon restores her senses and unites her with her beloved Arturo. This new production benefits from the use of a new critical addition, with significant added material.

Critical edition by Sir Charles Mackerras

Production: Robert Carsen

Costumes and sets: Patrick Kinmonth

Lighting: Robert Carsen & Peter Van Praet

Production shared with Vlaamse Opera d’Anvers

At last, this magical production of Katia, by Robert Carsen, recorded at the Teatro Real de Madrid, in December 2008, and which was hailed unanimously by the critics as ‘almost perfect’. The Teatro Real Orchestra gives one of its best performances under maestro Jiří Bělohlávek, whose conducting emphasises the passion with delicacy and drama.

All the action takes place on a huge body of water which reflects images of extraordinary grace, sculpted by sublime light. The stage is dominated by the extraordinary Karita Mattila in a performance of incredible intensity: the best Katia imaginable for this Janacek masterpiece.

Running time: 1.48’ and extras: interviews with Robert Carsen and Jiri Belohlavek 23’30

Tosca, in Luc Bondy’s headline-making production, opened the New York Metropolitan’s 2009-10 season. The charismatic Karita Mattila takes the title role with Marcelo Álvarez, a classic Latin tenor, as her lover, Cavaradossi.

This production of Tosca opened the Metropolitan Opera’s 2009-10 season, the first to be programmed entirely by the house’s General Manager Peter Gelb, who, as the New York Times explains “has been on a campaign to make the house a place for theatrically daring productions with dramatically compelling casts”.

The work of Swiss-born Luc Bondy, named by Opera News as “one of the opera world's most respected stage directors”, this production – igniting Tosca‘s potent mix of sex, politics, music and religion – contrasts starkly with its predecessor at the Met, a traditional spectacular first staged by Franco Zeffirelli in 1985. According to the Los Angeles Times: “Bondy updated the story of a diva, her lover and the lecherous chief of the secret police from 1800 to a decadent Rome in the early 20th century. Cavaradossi paints a topless, fetching Mary Magdalene, which Tosca in a fit of jealousy slashes with a knife, in a cathedral that looks more like a grand Fascist assembly room.”

The title role is taken by Karita Mattila, “an artist defined by her ability to take risks – emotionally, vocally, temperamentally” (Opera News). The striking blue-eyed blonde from Finland became a sultry dark-eyed Roman brunette and brought “shimmering power, incisive attack, pliant lyricism and emotional honesty to her performance. … In Act III, when she tells Cavaradossi of having stabbed Scarpia to death, she leapt to a high C of ferocious intensity, then plunged down two octaves, mimicking the thrust of the knife into the villain’s gut.” The New York Times went on to praise her Cavaradossi, Marcelo Álvarez as “a true Puccini tenor, with warm, throbbing, supple phrasing and some triumphant top notes, including a defiant high A sharp when he sang “Vittoria” at the news of Napoleon’s victory at the Battle of Marengo”. “A very accomplished and dark Scarpia” (The Guardian), Georgian baritone George Gagnidze completed a cast which, as the New York Times reported, “received enormous ovations”.

Conducting this performance, and replacing an indisposed James Levine, was American maestro Joseph Colaneri, who has regularly taken charge of Italian repertoire at the Met since 2000. As Opera News said: “The combined effect of the Met chorus and orchestra remains a thing of wonder.”

The Met’s high-definition video broadcasts of opera now regularly draw audiences to more than 1000 cinemas in over 40 countries, and – beyond their compelling technical quality – capture the full drama of the performance with sophisticated shooting techniques inspired by Hollywood.

Maria Malibran, like Pauline Viardot, was a daughter of the influential vocal pedagogue, Manuel García. In Halévy’s obscure Clari, composed for Malibran in 1828, Cecilia Bartoli, in whose vocal “footprint” she follows like a third Garcia sister born into another time, revives a work that dazzles like she does

This first recording may resurrect Clari onto the stages of the world, since this captivating tragicomedy’s beauties are floral, but unfading, in their allure. The story – an innocent suspected of infidelity by her fiancé – is familiar, but the score is wondrous treasure.

Bartoli’s Zürich Clari won unanimous hosannas. “We must bow down to la Ceci for locating this morsel . . . it requires a mezzo of superhuman abilities and three good octaves.” (Intermezzo).

Zürich Opera’s period instrument band La Scintilla contributes stylish support under Adam Fischer.

Classification: Exempt

Region: 0