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See Terms & Conditions for p&p rates. | |  | Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker, Op. 71
Alina Somova (Masha the Princess), Vladimir Shklyarov (The Nutcracker Prince), Alexandra Korshunova (Masha) & Fyodor Lopukhov (Drosselmeyer) Mariinsky Ballet & Orchestra, Valery Gergiev Libretto by MARIUS PETIPA after the story by ETA Hoffmann Choreography by VASILY VAINONEN Production design by SIMON VIRSALADZE Mariinsky Theatre Musical Director, Valery Gergiev, conducts Tchaikovsky’s glorious score in this enchanting, traditional, Russian production of The Nutcracker. Vainonen’s stunning choreography is complemented by Simon Virsaladze’s wonderfully colourful designs, and the roles of Masha and her Nutcracker Prince are danced by two of the Mariinsky’s award-winning, international soloists, all of which make this as magical and memorable a Christmas treat as ever. | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker, Op. 71
Alina Somova (Masha the Princess), Vladimir Shklyarov (The Nutcracker Prince), Alexandra Korshunova (Masha) & Fyodor Lopukhov (Drosselmeyer) Mariinsky Ballet & Orchestra, Valery Gergiev Libretto by MARIUS PETIPA after the story by ETA Hoffmann Choreography by VASILY VAINONEN Production design by SIMON VIRSALADZE Mariinsky Theatre Musical Director, Valery Gergiev, conducts Tchaikovsky’s glorious score in this enchanting, traditional, Russian production of The Nutcracker. Vainonen’s stunning choreography is complemented by Simon Virsaladze’s wonderfully colourful designs, and the roles of Masha and her Nutcracker Prince are danced by two of the Mariinsky’s award-winning, international soloists, all of which make this as magical and memorable a Christmas treat as ever. NEWLY RECORDED IN HIGH DEFINITION NTSC 16:9 L-PCM STEREO + DTS + 5.1 SURROUND SOUND 103 MINS ALL REGIONS “Alina Somova and Vladimir Shklyarov make a good-looking, well-matched couple and are technically utterly self-assured.” MusicWeb International, 23rd April 2013 | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker
A favourite ballet all round the year, but a perennial at Christmas-time, Tchaikovsky’s evergreen Nutcracker has never perhaps received as luxurious a recorded performance as that of Charles Dutoit and the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal. The coupling – Aurora’s Dream – is a suite of dances, mostly from the last act of The Sleeping Beauty, put together by Sergei Diaghilev to enable him to give performances of this music without throwing him into heavy debt (which was the case with his staging of the lavish production with the Ballets russes at London’s Alhambra Theatre in 1921). | | | (Sorry, download not available in your country) | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker
| | | (Sorry, download not available in your country) | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker (Experience Edition)This special, limited edition 2-CD set features a 52 page booklet detailing the history and context of the work through photographs, illustrations, essays as well as an introduction from Sir Simon Rattle himself.
“Some of the tunes are so famous that you even forget that someone had to write them: what could be more perfect than the pas de deux after the Waltz of the Flowers, which is just a G major scale? We fell in love with this music, rehearsing and performing it, and we think it is magic.” Simon Rattle “The wealth of melodies contained in The Nutcracker, is all the more remarkable, as Simon Rattle suggests, for the depressive state of its composer...Rattle and the Berliner Philharmoniker enter fully into the spirit of things, infusing the classic "March" with a lovely toytown pomp. Delightful.” The Independent, 29th October 2010 ***** “Rattle seems happiest conducting the darker, more fantastical scenes of Act One. He certainly relishes the Drosselmeyer character...characterised with grotesque, brusque chords. Elsewhere the Miniature Overture, defying the acoustic, keeps bright and perky; while the Snow King and Queen’s waltz almost reaches the succulent kiss of Richard Strauss.” The Times, 5th November 2010 *** “the playing of the Berlin Philharmonic is superb, the precision and articulation of the woodwind and of the first oboe, in particular, a delight; every detail is there, perfectly realised and balanced.” The Guardian, 4th November 2010 *** “This is a high-definition, low-camp midnight feast. The bravura sequence of dances in Confiturembourg has authentic fizz: the shrill Chinese Dance comes with a peppery underpinning of bassoons, while the celesta in Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy acquires an almost sinister glow” The Independent on Sunday, 15th November 2010 “The Berlin Philharmonic plays superbly, Rattle characterising the first act’s scenario and its emotional fluxes with a sure hand and finding a deft touch for the dances in the second. This is a performance that really makes The Nutcracker come alive as a dramatic and musical entity” The Telegraph, 5th November 2010 ***** “There is a consistent sense here that Rattle has the consistent scenario and its detail firmly in view, so that the children's fluctuating emotions of wonderment, vexation and disappointment are clearly etched in...this magnificent recording underlines its magical and musical magnetism.” Gramophone Magazine, December 2010 “Complete with well illustrated 52-page booklet and a touching introduction by Simon Rattle explaining how, after initial resistance, he came to love Tchaikovsky's music, this complete Nutcracker ballet is glorious. The quality of the Berliners' playing is unrivalled, with some of the best woodwind you'll ever hear.” The Observer, 21st November 2010 “In his Birmingham days Sir Simon showed a distinct coolness about Russian Romantic music, but here he lavishes care over the Tchaikovsky ballet most closely associated with Christmas. The opportunity to hear his virtuoso Berliners in the Act 2 dances is not to be passed up, but it’s very much a concert reading” Financial Times, 4th December 2010 *** “Those of us who have always loved it can breathe again. It’s good to welcome Rattle to the Nutcracker fold, especially as he, too, seems to have fallen in love with Tchaikovsky’s astonishingly original score...the Berlin strings are simply gorgeous. Rattle keeps a tight rein on the dramatic action of Act I and revels in the popular character dances of Act II” Sunday Times, 19th December 2010 **** “There are certain things one can take for granted with a Berlin Phil recording. The silky sheen of the upper strings, the accuracy of the ensemble playing, the variety of tonal colours in the woodwind, the now mellow-now-blazing brass playing - and they're all here on this highly enjoyable performance.” Classic FM Magazine, January 2011 *** | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| | | Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker (Standard Edition)
“Some of the tunes are so famous that you even forget that someone had to write them: what could be more perfect than the pas de deux after the Waltz of the Flowers, which is just a G major scale? We fell in love with this music, rehearsing and performing it, and we think it is magic.” Simon Rattle Simon Rattle and the Berliner Philharmoniker have recorded the most performed ballet of all time, Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker. The release marks the conductor’s first Tchaikovsky recording and is one of several releases this season celebrating Rattle’s 30th anniversary on the EMI Classics label. The Nutcracker, in which the boy band Libera makes a brief appearance in the wordless children’s chorus of The Waltz of the Snowflakes, appears in two editions: the 2-CD Standard and Experience editions containing the complete ballet score. The different versions contain varying amounts of background material and links to online content. The Nutcracker story takes place around a Christmas Eve celebration in the Stahlbaums’ grand house with a beautiful tree surrounded by family and friends. Godfather Drosselmeyer, a clock and toy maker, arrives and presents dolls and gifts to all the children. He gives the Stahlbaums’ young daughter Clara a nutcracker that she adores. Her jealous brother, Fritz, grabs it and breaks it but Drosselmeyer deftly repairs it. The guests leave and the Stahlbaum family goes to bed but Clara, worried about her Nutcracker, steals downstairs to check up on him. At midnight, the tree seems to grow bigger. The toys come alive and the room is filled with an army of mice led by the Mouse King. The Nutcracker awakes and leads an army of toy soldiers in a fight with the mice. The mouse army is on the verge of winning when Clara hits the Mouse King on the head with her slipper, causing him to fall to the ground and his mouse army to scurry away. The Nutcracker turns into a prince and leads Clara to the Land of Snow where they are entertained by dancing snowflakes. In the Land of Sweets, the Sugar Plum Fairy treats them to a series of fantastic dances. Clara awakens to find herself by the Christmas tree in her own home. She is still hugging the Nutcracker. “The wealth of melodies contained in The Nutcracker, is all the more remarkable, as Simon Rattle suggests, for the depressive state of its composer...Rattle and the Berliner Philharmoniker enter fully into the spirit of things, infusing the classic "March" with a lovely toytown pomp. Delightful.” The Independent, 29th October 2010 ***** “the playing of the Berlin Philharmonic is superb, the precision and articulation of the woodwind and of the first oboe, in particular, a delight; every detail is there, perfectly realised and balanced.” The Guardian, 4th November 2010 *** “Rattle seems happiest conducting the darker, more fantastical scenes of Act One. He certainly relishes the Drosselmeyer character...characterised with grotesque, brusque chords. Elsewhere the Miniature Overture, defying the acoustic, keeps bright and perky; while the Snow King and Queen’s waltz almost reaches the succulent kiss of Richard Strauss.” The Times, 5th November 2010 *** “The Berlin Philharmonic plays superbly, Rattle characterising the first act’s scenario and its emotional fluxes with a sure hand and finding a deft touch for the dances in the second. This is a performance that really makes The Nutcracker come alive as a dramatic and musical entity.” The Telegraph, 5th November 2010 ***** “This is a high-definition, low-camp midnight feast. The bravura sequence of dances in Confiturembourg has authentic fizz: the shrill Chinese Dance comes with a peppery underpinning of bassoons, while the celesta in Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy acquires an almost sinister glow” The Independent on Sunday, 15th November 2010 “There is a consistent sense here that Rattle has the consistent scenario and its detail firmly in view, so that the children's fluctuating emotions of wonderment, vexation and disappointment are clearly etched in...this magnificent recording underlines its magical and musical magnetism” Gramophone Magazine, December 2010 “It's so infectiously, festively fun that even the Berlin Philharmoniker, famed more for their rich, smooth perfection than for letting their hair down, has fallen into party mode, albeit of the cocktail rather than the student shin-dig variety.” Charlotte Gardner, bbc.co.uk, 22nd November 2010 “Those of us who have always loved it can breathe again. It’s good to welcome Rattle to the Nutcracker fold, especially as he, too, seems to have fallen in love with Tchaikovsky’s astonishingly original score...the Berlin strings are simply gorgeous. Rattle keeps a tight rein on the dramatic action of Act I and revels in the popular character dances of Act II” Sunday Times, 19th December 2010 **** “There are certain things one can take for granted with a Berlin Phil recording. The silky sheen of the upper strings, the accuracy of the ensemble playing, the variety of tonal colours in the woodwind, the now-mellow-now-blazing brass playing - and they're all here on this highly enjoyable performance.” Classic FM Magazine, January 2011 *** | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker, Op. 71Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, Nov & Dec, 2009
Choreography: Peter Wright after Lev Ivanov This all-time ballet favourite, in which young Clara is swept into a fantasy adventure when one of her Christmas presents comes to life, is at its most enchanting in Peter Wright’s glorious production – as fresh as ever in its 25th year. Tchaikovsky’s ravishing score, period designs by Julia Trevelyan Oman (including an ingenious magical Christmas tree), an exquisite Sugar Plum Fairy (Miyako Yoshida) and chivalrous Prince (Steven McRae), the mysterious Drosselmeyer (Gary Avis) and vibrant dancing by The Royal Ballet make for a captivating performance. Filmed in High Definition and recorded in true surround sound. ‘One of the very best seasonal treats for children and adults alike, the Royal Ballet’s Nutcracker is a handsome, magical, thoroughly traditional rendering of ETA Hoffmann’s immortal if deeply strange story.’ Sunday Express Extra Features Cast gallery Rehearsing at White Lodge Peter Wright tells the story of The Nutcracker Running time TBC 127 mins Region code All regions Video codec AVC/MPEG-4 Disc size BD50 Picture format 1080i High Definition / 16:9 Sound format 2.0 LPCM + 5.1(5.0) DTS digital surround Menu language EN Subtitles: EN/FR/DE/ES | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Sir Simon Rattle conducts Stravinsky, Rachmaninov & TchaikovskyRecorded live at Waldbühne Berlin, 21 June 2009
The famous yearly Berliner Philharmoniker Open-Air concert at the Berlin Waldbühne attended by more than 20,000 people. The atmosphere is unique and unconventionally relaxed. People bring champagne, salmon and caviar, making the Waldbühne a giant picnic area. Candles are lit, transforming the area into an atmospheric venue for some of the most popular pieces of classical music. The 2009 programme has a Russian feel to it, with classic pieces by Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff and Stravinsky; three pieces of the core repertoire, among the most popular ones. Yefim Bronfman, artist of international reputation, and specialist of the Russian repertoire, achieves a brilliant performance of this 3rd Concerto of Rachmaninoff. Romantic, different, and relaxed, this is a superb summer night in Berlin - not only for fans of classical music. The first Blu ray Disc of Sir Simon Rattle and the Berliner Philharmoniker on EuroArts. Picture format BD: 1080i Full HD - 16:9 Sounds formats BD: PCM 2.0, PCM 5.1 Region code: All Booklet notes: English, German, French Running time: 104 mins FSK: 0 | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | André Previn conducts Tchaikovsky & Lovenskjold
The Ballet Edition is a series of 2 CD sets drawn from the catalogues of EMI Classics, presenting the best-loved and most popular ballets, performed by the world’s leading orchestras and conductors. “A more relaxed alternative to Gergiev's speedy Nutcracker, Previn's first version sounds gorgeous, including a bonus number arranged by John Lanchbery. Schmidt charms.” BBC Music Magazine, March 2010 **** | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker, Op. 71Recorded live at the War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco, California, on 19th & 20th December 2007.
Choreographer: Helgi Tomasson. This visually stunning, all-new production of Nutcracker, choreographed by Helgi Tomasson (artistic director of the San Francisco Ballet) is a graceful and timeless adventure on a grand scale. The scenic design by Michael Yeargan, setting the tale at the time of the 1915 San Francisco World Fair, is sensational. From the lovely Waltz of the Flowers to the crystalline beauty of the stunning Snowflake Waltz, each scene is more breathtaking than the last, bringing to life all the wellknown and beloved characters with fresh sparkle and compelling originality. Recorded in High Definition video and true surround sound, this age-transcending production offers a dazzling magical journey which has received critical acclaim throughout the world. BONUS MATERIAL Illustrated synopsis & cast gallery. Interviews with Helgi Tomasson, Michael Yeargan and Martin Pakledinaz. Documentary: 1915 World's Fair. ‘The opulent new version of the seasonal classic, launched spectacularly by the San Francisco Ballet, is every parent’s dream of a holiday treat. It looks scrumptious, tastes delicious, offers substantial nourishment and won’t cause cavities.’ San Francisco Examiner Picture 1080i High Definition / 16:9 Sound 2.0 & 5.0 PCM Video codec AVC/MPEG-4 Disc size BD50 Menu language EN Subtitles: FR/DE/ES/IT (extras only) Region code All regions Running time 133 mins Dimensions W135 H170 D12 (mm) | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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