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See Terms & Conditions for p&p rates. | |  | Verdi: Opera Choruses, Overtures & Ballet Music
With his questing spirit, Verdi took an often innovative approach to the choral and orchestral components of his operas. In Nabucco, his first great success, the chorus of Hebrew slaves became a protagonist – and its ‘Va, pensiero’ became Italy’s honorary national anthem – while his overtures range from atmospheric introductions, for instance the haunting prelude to La traviata, to full-blown orchestral showpieces, such as the splendid sinfonia that opens La forza del destino. | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Classic Brass
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| |  | Karajan - New Years Eve Concert 1978A film by Vojtech Jasny
Recording Place & Date: Philharmonie Berlin, 31.12.1978 For the 1978 New Year's Eve concert with the Berlin Philharmonic, Karajan put together a program of exclusively popular classical works Following Verdi's Overture to "La forza del destino" are the two major works of the program, Bizet's Arlésienne Suite No. 2 and Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 The Hungarian March, or "Rákóczy March," from Berlioz's "La damnation de Faust" never fails to rouse listeners with its dazzling instrumentation. The program closes with the Intermezzo from Mascagni's "L'amico Fritz" and the ever-popular Overture to "Leichte Kavallerie" by Franz von Suppé. The present recording superbly illustrates that the orchestra was also able to "let go" and enjoy a rollicking time with Suppé or a Lisztian Hungarian Rhapsody Additional footage: 60 min. portrait “Impressions about Herbert von Karajan”, featuring Karajan the man and conductor, produced for his 70th birthday. This film by Vojtech Jasny from 1978 shows maestro Karajan not only as a conductor and artist but also as teacher, father, pilot, sailor during his holidays in St.Tropez and gives many professional insights and private impressions. In 5.1 DTS Surround Sound. Total Playing Time: 53 min. + 60 min. (Portrait) | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | New Year’s Concert 2006 from the Teatro La Fenice
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| |  | Verdi: Overtures & Preludes
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| |  | Verdi: Famous Overtures
A superb collection of Verdi overtures, marvellously performed by the one-and-only Vienna Philharmonic in sumptuous readings by the late Giuseppe Sinopoli. “The sweetness of the Vienna string sound comes over with even more refinement in this CD transfer” Gramophone Magazine | | | (Sorry, download not available in your country) | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Standing OvationPopular Overtures
A thrilling collection of Overtures and Preludes (with some popular orchestral pieces thrown in for good measure) from Zubin Mehta. As a showman of the best variety, his recordings remains one of the Decca catalogue's richest legacies, and more than half of this collection is being released on CD for the first time. | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Verdi: Sinfonias and Overtures
Orchestra Regionale Filarmonia Veneta ‘Gian Francesco Malipiero’, Marko Letonja Giuseppe Verdi counts as one of the most influential composers of the 19th century, not least for his consistent exploration of political themes within a cultural context. This was a time and a place when opera mattered, and placing on stage the themes of familial tension and social upheaval was a vital catalyst for his country’s own turbulent progress towards unification. The preludes and overtures to his operas fulfil different functions according to the nature of the main work, and when he wrote it. This broad selection encompasses the potpourri style of the overtures to I masnadieri and his first great triumph, Nabucco, showcasing the unforgettable melodies in a parade of expressive light and shade. The terse preludes to Aida and Otello are more designed to set the scene for what follows by heightening without anticipating the tension of the drama; and finally there are the fully worked-out, grand schemes of the overtures to La forza del destino and I vespri siciliani, which in their quasi-symphonic incorporation of the opera’s themes within an independent narrative design are worthy of the example of Beethoven whom Verdi so revered. Marko Letonja is Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. He has conducted the German and Italian opera repertoire in various of the great European houses, including La traviata in Berlin, Nabucco in Dresden and The Makropoulos Case at La Scala, Milan. His Verdian pedigree is assured; as, of course, is that of the native musicians of the Orchestra Regionale Filarmonia Veneta. Recorded in 2002 New booklet notes by Mike Ashman | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | New Year’s Concert 2006Live Recording from The Teatro La Fenice
Venice‘s Teatro La Fenice welcomed 2006 with a celebration of dance and music. After the first full season at the restored Fenice there was ample reason to celebrate the three pillars of the house: symphonic music, opera and dance. Kurt Masur chose works by three of Italy‘s leading 19th century operatic composers, Verdi, Donizetti and Puccini and - in the year that sees the 250th anniversary of Mozart‘s birth - excerpts from two of his operas with libretti by the Venetian poet Lorenzo Da Ponte. So the live recording of the gala concert features highlights from the world’s most beloved operas, among them an extract from Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro and the duet, „Là ci darem la mano“, from his Don Giovanni, the sinfonia from Verdi‘s La forza del destino and the famous „Libiamo ne‘ lieti calici“ from La Traviata and two of his most popular choruses: „O signore, dal tetto natio“ from I lombardi alla prima crociata and „Va, pensiero“ from Nabucco. Donizetti‘s sinfonia from Don Pasquale and the tenor aria „Una furtiva lacrima“ from his L‘elisir d‘amore are featured along with the legendary “Vissi d’arte” from Puccini’s Tosca. The outstandingly well-prepared choir of the Fenice opera house perform alongside three international opera stars: Italian dramatic soprano Fiorenza Cedolins, young tenor Joseph Calleja and longstanding Italian bass Roberto Scandiuzzi. Sound Format: PCM Stereo, DD 5.1, DTS 5.1 Picture Format: 4:3 DVD Format: DVD 5, NTSC Running Time: 55 mins FSK: 0 “Masur and the young Calleja are the finest performers” BBC Music Magazine, Christmas 2012 *** | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | Berliner Philharmoniker from El EscorialEuropean Concert 1992: Live Recording From The Basilica of The Monastery El Escorial, 1992
We are in an historical place: the monastery El Escorial, north-west of Madrid, which King Philip II had built between 1563 and 1584 in honour of St. Lawrence, on whose saint day the battle of San Quintin had been won. This European Concert, which annually celebrates the founding of the Berlin Philharmonic on 1st May 1882, was performed in this venue on the World Heritage List of the UNESCO. After the premiere in Prague in 1991, it was the second concert of its kind. The orchestra was conducted by Daniel Barenboim. The soloist on this evening was the star tenor Plácido Domingo. Sound Format: PCM STEREO, DD 5.1, DTS 5.1 Picture Format: 4:3 DVD Format: DVD 9, PAL Running Time: 104 mins FSK: 0 | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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