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See Terms & Conditions for p&p rates. | |  | Live Recording from The Felsenreitschule, Salzburg Festival, 2003
Set Design by Jens Kilian Arthaus presents a truly new way of looking at La clemenza di Tito with this famous and star-studded production from the Salzburg Festival 2003. Here Nikolaus Harnoncourt, renowned for his analytical approach to the search for the core of the music, interprets Mozart’s last opera. Martin Kušej, who is acclaimed for his theatre productions directs the production. Nikolaus Harnoncourt identifies with Mozart’s score as both an extremely knowledgeable musician and a conductor who invariably plays an active part in helping to shape the drama. Together with the Vienna Philharmonic, he savours the miracles of Mozart’s late work, bringing out its instrumental colours and effects and at the same time stimulating his singers while proving a solicitous accompanist. Martin Kušej’s production emphasizes the darker sides of the piece, exploring the opera’s basic archetypal patterns while at the same time interpreting it as a highly topical and – in the truest sense of the term – timeless political and human power game. His ability to bring this concept across by focussing on every last detail of the characterization reflects the demand to provide new insights into Mozart’s works that, in Salzburg more than anywhere else, is incumbent upon interpreters. The suggestive power of this performance however, is also due to an ensemble that was truly worthy of a festival appearance. As one critic wrote, six handpicked artists “brought to their parts both plenty of character and a flawless technique”. Sound Format: LPCM Stereo, DD 5.1, DTS 5.1 Picture Format: 16:9 DVD Format: 1 x DVD 5, 1 x DVD 9 / NTSC Subtitle Languages: DE, GB, FR, ES, IT Running Time: 160 mins FSK: 0 “The strongest point in its favour is its communication of the work's austere power: a music-drama that both sums up the past and looks far into the future...The characters, whether or not one accepts Kusej's view of them, are all delineated with extraordinary vividness; in purely vocal terms likewise this is a Tito cast of considerable all-round distinction.” BBC Music Magazine, July 2011 ** | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Rameau: Operas
Rameau: | Les Boréades Barbara Bonney (Alphise), Paul Agnew, Laurent Naouri Les Arts Florissants, La La La Human Steps, William Christie, Robert Carsen (stage director) Castor et Pollux Anna Maria Panzarella (Télaïre), Véronique Gens (Phébé), Finnur Bjarnason (Castor), Henk Neven (Pollux), Judith van Wanroij (Cléone/Une suivante d’Hébé/Une ombre heureuse), Nicolas Testé (Jupiter), Thomas Oliemans (Le Grand-Prêtre/Une autre voix), Anders J. Dahlin (Un Spartiate/Un athlète/
Mercure/Une voix) Chorus of De Nederlandse Opera
Les Talens Lyriques, Christophe Rousset, Pierre Audi (stage director) In Convertendo, grand motet Les Indes Galantes Valérie Gabail (L'Amour), Danielle de Niese (Hébé), Paul Agnew (Valère), Patricia Petibon, Nicolas Cavallier (Osman), Jaël Azzaretti (Phani), Anna Maria Panzarella (Emillie), Nathan Berg (Huascar), Patricia Petibon (Zima), Nicolas Rivenq (Adario), Christoph Strehl (Damon), Christophe Fel (Don Alvar) Les Arts Florissants, William Christie, Andrie Serban (stage director) Les Paladins (contains nudity) Topi Lehtipuu (Atis), Stephanie d'Oustrac (Argie), Laurent Naouri (Orcan), Sandrine Piau (Nerine), René Schirrer (Anselme), François Piolino (Manto) Les Arts Florissants, William Christie, José Montalvo (stage director) Zoroastre Anders J Dahlin (Zoroastre), Evgueniy Alexiev (Abramane), Sine Bundgaard (Amélite), Anna Maria Panzarella (Erinice), Lars Arvidson (Zopire/La Vengeance), Marcus Schwartz (Narbanor), Gerard Théruel (Oromasès/Ariman), Ditte Andersen (Céphie) The Drottningholm Theatre Orchestra and Chorus & Les Talens Lyriques, Christophe Rousset (musical director), Pierre Audi (stage director) |
This collection of five operas, and a rarely performed grand motet, offers a glimpse into the magnificent output of one of the leading French composers of the Baroque era. Jean-Philippe Rameau is renowned for his use of melody, particularly in the operatic field and this 11-DVD set brings together some of the most lavish and splendid productions of his work, with some of the leading exponents of early music performance. Running time 19 hours 5 mins Region Code All regions Picture format 16:9 Anamorphic Sound format 2.0LPCM + 5.1(5.0) DTS except Les Boréades which is 5.1 Dolby Digital Menu languages EN Subtitles: Les Boréades EN/DE/FR/ES / Castor Et Pollux EN/FR/DE/ES/IT/NE Il Convetendo EN/FR/DE/ES/IT / Les Indes Galantes EN/FR/DE/ES/IT Les Paladins EN/FR/DE/ES/IT/ Zoroastre EN/FR/DE/ES/IT “the Paris production by Robert Carsen of Rameau's astonishing last opera, Les Boréades, is brilliantly sumptuous if cold, while Pierre Audi's typically sharp and forceful Castor et Pollux from Amsterdam is eloquent. Andrie Serban's Les Indes galantes is a riot of fun, but pick of the bunch is José Montalvo's mingling of video, dance and animal fantasy in Les Paladins, one of the most deliciously clever stagings of recent times, with superbly lively music from Christie's forces.” The Observer, 1st May 2011 | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Opera buffa in 2 actsStage direction - Patrice Chéreau New production from the Aix-en-Provence festival, 2005
Subtitles in French, Italian, German, Spanish and English. “Patrice Chéreau's production is full of strokes of near-genius from old (Chéreau, his regular set designer Richard Peduzzi, his photogenic Don Alfonso, Ruggero Raimondi), not so old (Barbara Bonney's unhackneyed Despina) and new (Daniel Harding – a thrilling Mozart conductor on the wing – Elina Garanca's Dorabella, and the men) but, at least as filmed here, is often less than the sum of its parts.
In Act 1 Chéreau and Peduzzi rely too often on clichés. The fact that they're their own clichés – an aesthetic that they invented – may only worry those who know their stagings well.
They design an empty theatrical space with 18th-century Noh theatre actors as providers of props and furniture and a huge (and distracting) 'No Smoking' instruction on the back wall, perhaps a reference to their first Mozart success in early-1970s Spoleto. Blocking tics from the Bayreuth Ring and other shows abound – the chain of people going nowhere just before the boys leave for supposed military service, the painters' scaffold that takes them there, the endless running around and singing in the 'wrong' directions. All the while, there's a very serious intent here and a studiedly conscious recreation of 18th-century patterns in both costumes (Caroline de Vivaise) and movement that compels admiration.
After the interval Chereau, always a compelling observer of sexual love, comes into his element.
The comic/erotic balance of the boys' success with the others' girls is brilliantly detailed. The 18th-century quotes seem more integrated. The last scene – helped by Bonney's well-acted shock and breakdown when Despina realises she's been duped too – is dark but, significantly, not twisted out of shape to fit an intellectual conceit. All end up in a kind of exhausted, nervous embrace.
Musically, things are also mixed. The best of Harding's Così is as earthily thrilling (and pungent) as his Giovanni and recent Zauberflöte; elsewhere this is work-in-progress, but his Klemperer-on-original-instruments approach is appealing. Erin Wall is stretched by both Fiordiligi's big set-pieces but acts them with conviction. Raimondi compensates for an inevitable lack of pure voice by charismatic phrasing and acting. The men are good – a nice combination of character and virtuosity; Garanca and Bonney are exceptional.
Mixed down by Arte TV channel from four live performances (and filmed rather bumpily), the soundtrack does not always sync with what you see, but it's a distraction you soon forget.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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Felicity Lott (Marschallin), Anne Sofie von Otter (Octavian), Barbara Bonney (Sophie), Kurt Moll (Baron Ochs), Gottfried Hornik (Faninal), Heinz Zednik (Valzacchi), Anna Gonda (Annina), Keith Ikaia-Purdy (Italian Singer), Olivera Miljakovic (Marianne Leitmetzerin), Peter Wimberger (Polizeikommissar) Chor & Orchester der Wiener Staatsoper, Carlos Kleiber | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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Specials: <br> •THE TRIUMPH OF LOVE – 60 minute documentary on the background of the production, including interviews with Robert Carsen, William Christie, Barbara Bonney, Paul Agnew and Laurent Naouri and other members of the cast.<br> •28 page, full colour illustrated booklet in English, French and German and complete libretto.<br> <br> PICTURE FORMAT: 16:9 <br> LENGTH: 218 MINS <br> SOUND: DOLBY 5.1 SURROUND / DOLBY STEREO <br> SUBTITLES: EN/DE/FR/ES<br> “The cast...is excellent...The hero of the occasion is the conductor. Once again William Christie justifies the florid metaphors he used when naming Les Arts Florissants” New Statesman | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Claudio Abbado: A Life Dedicated to MusicJubilee Box
Bach, J S: | Brandenburg Concertos Nos. 1-6 BWV1046-1051 (complete) Recorded live at Teatro Municipale Valli, Reggio Emilia, 21 April 2007 Orchestra Mozart | Beethoven: | Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37 Recorded live at the Concert Hall of the Culture and Concention Centre Lucerne, 10–12 August 2005 Alfred Brendel (piano) Lucerne Festival Orchestra Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, Op. 55 'Eroica' Recorded live at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Rome, February 2001 Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 'Choral' Recorded live at Philharmonie, Berlin, 1 May 2000 Karita Mattila (soprano), Violeta Urmana (alto), Thomas Moser (tenor), Eike Wilm Schulte (bass) Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Swedish Radio Chorus, Eric Ericson Chamber Choir | Brahms: | Ein Deutsches Requiem, Op. 45 Recorded live at the Musikverein, Vienna, April 1997 Barbara Bonney (soprano), Bryn Terfel (baritone) Swedish Radio Choir, Eric Ericson Chamber Choir & Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra | Bruckner: | Symphony No. 7 in E Major Recorded live at the Concert Hall of the Culture and Concention Centre Lucerne, 10–12 August 2005 Lucerne Festival Orchestra | Mahler: | Symphony No. 9 in D major Recorded live at Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Rome, 14 April 2004 Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra | Mussorgsky: | A Night on the Bare Mountain Recorded live from the Suntory Hall, Tokyo, 1994 Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra | Stravinsky: | The Firebird Suite Recorded live from the Suntory Hall, Tokyo, 1994 Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra | Tchaikovsky: | Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64 Recorded live from the Suntory Hall, Tokyo, 1994 Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra |
plus: DVD 3: A Verdi Gala from Berlin Verdi Arias from: Un ballo in maschera / Don Carlos / Rigoletto / La traviata / Falstaff Andrea Rost, Ramón Vargas, Alan Titus, Lucio Gallo and other soloists Berliner Philharmoniker Recorded live at the Philharmonie, Berlin, 30–31 December 2000 DVD 5: Hearing the Silence with Bruno Ganz, Daniel Harding, Albrecht Mayer, Wolfram Christ, Kolja Blacher Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Lucerne Festival Orchestra, Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra
This DVD Box will be released in honour of Claudio Abbado’s 80th anniversary on June 26th. It contains an extensive collection of concert recordings and the documentary Hearing the Silence, capturing the outstanding work and repertoire of this formidable conductor on 8 DVDs. Claudio Abbado, musical director of the Teatro alla Scala in Milan (1968-1986) and the Berliner Philharmoniker (1989-2002) has always been supportive to the younger music generation and hence founded excellent orchestras such as the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, European Union Youth Orchestra and the Orchestra Mozart. His musical career took him all over the world to the most prestigious opera and concert houses from Milan, London, Chicago to Berlin, Vienna and Bologna. A tremendous achievement which is captured in this Box. These 8 DVDs contain marvellous recordings of Beethoven, Mussorgsky, Stravinksky, Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Verdi, Mahler and Bach performed by excellent Orchestras such as the Berliner Philharmoniker, the Lucerne Festival Orchestra and the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester, accompanied by exceptional soloists like Alfred Brendel , Andrea Rost, Karita Mattila, Barbara Bonney all conducted by one of the greatest conductors of our time. Picture format: NTSC 16:9 Sound formats: PCM Stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1 DVD 2 & 5 PCM Stereo Region code: All (worldwide) Booklet Notes: English, German, French Running Time: Disc 1: 97 mins, Disc 2: 79 mins, Disc 3: 94 mins, Disc 4: 122 mins, Disc 5: 67 mins, Disc 6: 84 mins, Disc 7: 106 mins, Disc 8: 100 mins (total 749 mins) | 
| | | Scheduled for release on 3 June 2013. Order it now and we will deliver it as soon as it is available. |
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| |  | Mozart at Salzburg Festival
Mozart: | Le nozze di Figaro, K492 Live Recording from The Salzburg Festival 1966 Ingvar Wixell (Il Conte di Almaviva), Claire Watson (La Contessa di Almaviva), Reri Grist (Susanna), Edith Mathis (Cherubino), Walter Berry (Figaro), David Thaw (Basilio), Zoltan Kelemen (Bartolo) & Margarethe Bence (Marcellina) Chor Der Wiener Staatsoper & Die Wiener Philharmoniker, Karl Böhm (conductor) & Günther Rennert (director) Die Zauberflöte, K620 Live Recording from From The Salzburger Festspiele, 1982 Edita Gruberova (Königin der Nacht), Peter Schreier (Tamino), Christian Boesch (Papageno), Ileana Cotrubas (Pamina), Edda Moser (Erste Dame), Ann Murray (Zweite Dame), Ingrid Mayr (Dritte Dame), Martti Talvela (Sarastro), Horst Hiestermann (Monostatos), Gudrun Sieber (Papagena) Wiener Staatsoper, James Levine La clemenza di Tito, K621 Live Recording from The Felsenreitschule, Salzburg Festival, 2003 Michael Schade (Tito), Vesselina Kasarova (Sesto), Dorothea Röschmann (Vitellia), Elina Garanča (Annio) & Barbara Bonney (Servilia) Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor & Wiener Philharmoniker, Nikolaus Harnoncourt (conductor) & Martin Kušej (director) |
This Boxed Set presents outstanding opera recordings from the Salzburg Festival of 1966, 1982 and 2003 featuring star singers as Walter Berry, Reri Grist and Ingvar Wixell, in “Le Nozze di Figaro”, Edita Gruberova, Ileana Cotrubas and Peter Schreier in “Die Zauberflöte” and fi nally the outstanding production of “La clemenza di Tito” with the mezzo-soprano stars Vesselina Kasarova and Elina Garanca. Sound Formats: PCM Mono (Le Nozze di Figaro) / PCM Stereo (Die Zauberflöte) / PCM Stereo, DD 5.1, DTS 5.1 (La Clemenza di Tito) Picture Formats: 4:3 / 16:9 DVD Formats: 4x DVD 9 + 2x DVD 5, NTSC Subtitle Languages: GB, DE FR, ES, IT Running Time: 529 mins FSK: 0 | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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“a milestone in the history of operatic production in this city” was the judgement of the New York Herald Tribune. Production & Set Designer: Franco Zeffirelli Lighting Designer: Gil Wechsler Stage Director: Paul Mills Choreographer: William Burdick Musical Preparation: John Keenan, Craig Rutenberg, Jane Klaviter, Franz Vote Assistant Stage Director: Sharon Thomas Prompter: Jane Klaviter Produced at the Metropolitan Opera House, October 1992 “A traditional but glamorous staging by Franco Zeffirelli, with a virtually all-star cast and a highly skilled conductor, represents the Met near its best.” BBC Music Magazine, Christmas 2009 **** | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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Salzburg Festival production | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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Kiri Te Kanawa (Die Marschallin), Anne Howells (Oktavian), Barbara Bonney (Sophie), Aage Haugland (Ochs), Jonathan Summers (Faninal), Robert Tear (Valzacchi), Cynthia Buchan (Annina), Dennis O'Neill (Italian Singer), Phyllis Cannan (Marianne Leitmetzerin), Roderick Earle (Polizeikommissar), Kim Begley (Der Haushofmeister bei der Feldmarschallin), John Dobson (Der Haufhofmeister bei Faninal) Royal Opera House, Georg Solti Format: NTSC, Regions: 2,3,4,5,6 Subtitles: Eng, Fr, Ger, Sp, Jap | | | Usually despatched in 4 - 5 working days. |
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