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Bringing together a collection of arias and choruses from some of the world’s favourite operas, this disc showcases the outstanding artists and productions from the stage of the Royal Opera House.

The perfect gift for anyone who loves opera.

A unique collection from one of the world’s finest opera houses, showcasing the international opera stars and famous Royal Opera House productions.

The comprehensive packaging will include a synopsis of each opera, suggestions for further exploration of the catalogue and full subtitles.

International stars featured in the collection include: Jonas Kaufmann, Renee Fleming, Simon Keenlyside, Gerald Finley and Miah Persson.

Running time: 80 minutes

Subtitles: EN/FR/DE/JP/ES

Sound format: 2.0LPCM + 5.1(5.0) DTS

Set Design by JOSÉ CURA

In this saga of hatred and holy war, of power and desire, there is no victor and no truth. The god-like is diminished, power restricted, taboos are broken, love betrayed. Only the composer can afford uninterrupted pathos in the wonderful duet of Samson and Dalila in the second act, which misleads us to believe in a moving story of love. Perhaps it truly is. The story of Samson is contradictory, it is human. Camille Saint-Saëns completed the work in 1876, but was only able to bring about its first performance in 1877 through the mediation of his friend Franz Liszt – with pre-eminent success – in Weimar. In France, where the elements of oratorio and the influence of Wagner were not well received, the first performance would not follow for another 13 years. Samson et Dalila ranks among the masterpieces of 19th century French Opera - and among the showpieces favored by the Argentine tenor José Cura. In the recorded production he saw himself celebrated on stage as a unified three-in-one: eponymous hero, director and stage designer.

Sound Format: PCM Stereo, DD 5.1

Picture Format: 16:9

DVD Format: DVD 9, NTSC

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

Running Time: 125 mins

FSK: 12

Celebrating the work of Italy’s greatest musical dramatist, this set of 12 operas includes definitive performances from some of the finest Verdi singers of our age, in productions which reflect the contemporary richness of our perspective of the composer as both a man of his time, inspired to reflect the familial tensions and revolutionary fervour of his homeland, and also a man of theatrical genius as timeless as his adored Shakespeare, whose anti-heroes Macbeth and Falstaff stand as the poles of tragedy and comedy in this survey of modern stagings.

Running time: 34 hours 10 minutes approx

Subtitles:

RIGOLETTO / IL TROVATORE / FALSTAFF: EN

LA TRAVIATA / UN BALLO IN MASCHERA / MACBETH

SIMON BOCCANEGRA: EN/FR/DE/ES/IT

LES VÊPRES SICILIENNES: EN/FR/DE/ES

LA FORZA DEL DESTINO: EN/FR/DE/ES/DU

DON CARLO: EN/FR/DE/ES/IT/DU

AIDA: EN/FR/DE/ES/CA

OTELLO: EN/FR/DE/ES/IT/CA

Sound format: 2.0LPCM + 5.1(5.0) DTS

Set and Costume Design by GIANCARLO DEL MONACO

Arthaus presents Andrea Chenier, one of the important works of Italian verismo, in a realistic staging at the Teatro Communale di Bologna. With José Cura and Maria Guleghina in the lead roles, the production proved to be a visual and musical feast for opera lovers.

Umberto Giordano wrote his best-known work in 1896. It is based on the life of the French poet, André Chénier. The historical figure was born in Constantinople in 1762, the son of a French father and a Greek mother. In 1794, only a few days before Robespierre suffered the same fate, he was executed for his part in a prison uprising. He had been imprisoned for having visited the house of the painter and staunch royalist, the Marquis de Pastoret.

Initially he had espoused the ideals of the Revolution, but his attitude had changed as a result of the arbitrary rule that had led to the murder of Marat and to the beginning of the Reign of Terror.

Carlo Rizzi, highly-acclaimed conductor of the Italian repertoire with international standing, leads the ensemble through the score in an admirable Italian singer-conductor tradition.

Sound Format: PCM Stereo, DD 5.1, DTS 5.1

Picture Format: 16:9

DVD Format: DVD 9, NTSC

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

Running Time: 123 mins

FSK: 0

Set Design by Luigi Perego.

Two timeless stories of love, honour, justice and violence, captured on just one DVD – a highlight for every opera lover.

Pietro Mascagni‘s “Cavalleria rusticana” and Ruggero Leoncavallo‘s “Pagliacci” speak to one‘s heart and soul. They are regarded as the most absorbing tragedies of Italian music theater. Adultery, jealousy and betrayal are leading to passionate conflicts that jointly connect both operas. The impressively embellished stage waives exaggerated decoration to underline the unflattering realistic brutality. Both operas are supported by a musical variety of great arias, short duets and amazing choir passages that add to the unveiled expression of feelings. As a special guest the Argentinian Tenor José Cura stands out with his fascinating singing and acting performance. Besides him Soprano Paoletta Marrocu with her expressive interpretation of Santuzza, Carlo Guelfi as Tonio or Fiorenza Cedolins as Nedda can convince the audience with their great voices. These atmospheric performances directed by Grischa Asagaroff and conducted by Stefano Ranzani are capable to fascinate every opera lover.

Sound Format: PCM STEREO, DD 5.1

Picture Format: 16:9

DVD Format: DVD 9, NTSC

Subtitle Languages: IT, GB, DE, FR, ES, JP

Running Time: 151 mins

FSK: 0

World Premiere Recording on DVD

Set and Costume Design by Maurizio Balò

A fake death, a perverse woman and a pure woman, a man torn between them, a murder: the story of Edgar, Giacomo Puccini’s second opera, is full of dramatic turns of events. Arthaus Musik presents this powerful and tragic opera now in a version which was count for lost for nearly 120 years.

For the first time the original version in four acts of Edgar by Giacomo Puccini was staged at the Teatro Regio in Turin in 2008. Thanks to the rediscovery of the manuscript score, after 119 years since the first and only performance in Milan in 1889 and after numerous versions condensing the opera in three acts, it will be again possible to experience the original opera that Puccini wrote. It was only when the American Puccini expert Linda B. Fairtile began reconstructing the original orchestration of the almost 40-minute final act that the composer’s granddaughter, Simonetta Puccini, came up with the intact score. José Cura, acclaimed all over the world for his intense interpretations, is Edgar. His rich and brilliant tenor voice, together with his fascinating stage presence, make him one of the most charismatic and sought-after artists in the world. With him, two prima donnas, two artists of great charm and with skyrocketing careers: the Italian soprano Amarilli Nizza and the Russian mezzo-soprano Julia Gertseva.

Sound Format: PCM Stereo, DD 5.1

Picture Format: 16:9

DVD Format: DVD 9, NTSC

Menu Language: GB

Subtitle Languages: IT, GB, DE, FR, ES, Japanese

Running Time: 157 mins

FSK: 0

Region Code: 0