All recordingsPrices shown exclude VAT. (UK tax is not payable for deliveries to United States.)
See Terms & Conditions for p&p rates. | |  | Live Recording from The Badisches Staatstheater, 2010
José Cura (Samson), Julia Gertseva (Dalila) & Stefan Stoll (The High Priest of Dagon) Orchestra and Choir of The Badisches Staatstheater, Jochem Hochstenbach (conductor) & José Cura (stage director) 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 | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
|
|
| |  | Recorded live at the Vlaamse Opera Antwerpen/Gent, 2009
Torsten Kerl (Samson), Marianna Tarasova (Dalila), Nikola Mijailovic (High Priest), Gijs Van der Linden (Old Hebrew) Symphonic Orchestra and Choir of the Flanders Opera, Tomáš Netopil (conductor) & Omri Nitzan and Amir Nizar Zuabi (directors) Using the example of the impossible love between the Jew Samson and the Philistine Dalila, Camille Saint-Saëns shows the deadly conflict between two hostile cultures and religions. Staged by the Flanders Opera Company in Antwerp in 2009, Saint-Saëns’ opera Samson et Dalila is re-located in this production to the contemporary Middle East. The two directors, Israeli Omri Nitzan and Palestinian Amir Nizar Zuabi, explore the tensions between different nations and religions, and the complex relationship between the oppressors and the oppressed. ‘In our approach to this opera we tried to move away from the quasi-biblical interpretation, and to place the story in today’s world to explain its political aspects better,’ say the two directors. ‘Acts of terror by a state will lead to acts of terror against a state, which in turn will lead to more terror by the state and this completes the vicious circle.’ Performed by the Symphonic Orchestra and Choir of Vlaamse Opera Antwerp/Gent under the baton of Czech conductor Tomáš Netopil, Samson is sung by the young German tenor Torsten Kerl and Dalila by the Russian mezzo-soprano Marianna Tarasova. The kaleidoscopic colours of the music are brought out with sensitivity and lyricism by the orchestra and singers, unfolding the dramatic story in all its tragic beauty. With this production the intendant, Aviel Cahn, hopes to elucidate the future course he intends to follow with the Flanders Opera: bringing opera to today’s people. Samson and Dalila promises to be a production that no serious opera connoisseur would want to miss. Bonus: The Making of Samson et Dalila - including interviews with the production team and Torsten Kerl Picture format: NTSC - 16:9 Sounds formats: PCM Stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1 Region code: 0 Booklet notes: English, German, French Subtitles: French, English, German, Dutch Running time: 122 mins (+ Bonus 16 mins) “Torsten Kerl's timbre suits Samson musically and textually...Kerl is massively built, but he's unafraid of movement and mantains a sympathetic presence.” International Record Review, July/August 2011 “Set in Gaza, Samson et Dalila is ripe for a modern update, especially when jointly directed by an Israeli Jew and a Palestinian...[they] have swapped the role of the Jews from occupied to occupying force...[Kerl's] clarion Wagnerian tenor rings out gloriously...there’s a sincerity and simplicity in his approach which works rather well. Tomas Netopil leads the performance...with plenty of orchestral muscle and vivid excitement in the orgiastic ‘Bacchanale’.” Opera Britannia, 30th June 2011 **** | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
|
|
| |  |
Available for the first time on DVD | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
|
|
| |  |
Plácido Domingo (Samson), Shirley Verrett (Dalila), Wolfgang Brendel (Le Grand Prêtre de Dagon), Arnold Voketatis (Abimélech), Kevin Langan (Le Vieillard Hébreu), Le Vieillard Hébreu (Le messager philistin), Michael Ballam (Michael Ballam), Stanley Wexler (Deuxième philistin) San Francisco Opera, Julius Brendel, stage direction by Nicolas Joel Recording Date: 1981
Place of recording: San Francisco Opernhaus
Running Time: 111 min
Picture Format: 4:3
Sound Format: PCM Stereo
Menu Languages PAL: D, GB, F, SP
Subtitle Languages PAL: D, GB, SP
“this DVD of Saint-Saens's biblical opera offers a heavily traditional production with realistic sets and costumes like those in a Hollywood epic...Domingo is in magnificent, heroic voice, with Shirley Verrett also at her peak as Dalila, at once seductive sinister.” Penguin Guide, 2011 edition | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
|
|
| |  |
Aukso Orchestra Poland & Camerata Silesia Chorus A film of Samson and Delilah as performed at the annual Opera Spanga Festival in 2007 which began in the Frisian village of Spanga in Holland in 1989. The festival is known for its modern, often sexual interpretations of various operas, and given the highly passionate and sexual nature of Saint-Saens’ Samson and Delilah, this production is no exception. Sung in French with subtitles in English, German, Spanish, Polish, Dutch and French. | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
|
|
| |  |
“Vickers's account is well matched by Verrett. Committed conducting and strong visuals in Nolan's designs.” BBC Music Magazine, May 2006 ***** | | | Usually despatched in 4 - 5 working days. |
|
|
| |  | Plácido Domingo - My Greatest Roles Volume 3 (French Opera)
CARMEN This famous staging of Carmen from Vienna State Opera in 1978 was by the great Franco Zeffirelli, who not only directed the production but also the television broadcast. It is also a rare chance to witness the musical genius of conductor Carlos Kleiber, who made very few video recordings. Together they created a thrilling and dramatic production, which Domingo says was “very special”, and “will live in my mind forever.” Plácido Domingo was in his prime at the time of this performance. He considers the role of Don José to be very close to his heart because his mother, like Don José, was from the Basque country, and this empathy shows in his stunning portrayal. He is joined by Elena Obraztsova as a strong, but wonderfully natural Carmen, Isobel Buchanan as Micaëla, and Yuri Mazurok as Escamillo. SAMSON ET DALILA Plácido Domingo and Shirley Verrett star in the title roles in this live recording of the 1981/82 Season premiere from the San Francisco Opera, with Wolfgang Brendel as the High Priest of Dagon. The colourful and evocative sets and costumes reflect Saint-Säens’ melodic and sensual score, here conducted by Julius Rudel. Samson is one of Domingo’s favourite roles, partly for the profound beauty of the music, but also because of the character’s battle between duty to his people and his love of Dalila. “Plácido Domingo and Shirley Verrett…incomparable in the title roles” SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE THE TALES OF HOFFMANN This stunning 1980 Royal Opera production is by film director John Schlesinger and conducted by Georges Prêtre. The spectacular designs by Maria Björnson and William Dudley vividly bring Hoffmann’s nightmare world to life. Plácido Domingo sings the role of Hoffmann, in one of his towering portrayals. The all-star cast also includes Luciana Serra as Olympia, Agnes Baltsa as Giulietta, Ileana Cotrubas as Antonia, Robert Lloyd as Lindorf, Geraint Evans as Coppélius, Nicola Ghiuselev as Dr Miracle, and Siegmund Nimsgern as Dappertutto. Domingo very much enjoyed singing this most ‘complete’ of roles with the huge range of characterisation required. “Plácido Domingo, surely the most compelling Hoffmann of his generation. The most stylish vocally, too” BBC Music Magazine CARMEN: Picture format: NTSC 4:3 FF Audio: Dolby 2.0 Stereo Duration: 153 mins Subtitles: Eng / Fr / Ger / It / Sp SAMSON ET DALILA: Picture format: NTSC 4:3 FF Audio: L-PCM Stereo Duration: 116 mins Subtitles: Eng / Fr / Ger / It / Sp THE TALES OF HOFFMANN: Picture format: NTSC 4:3 FF Audio: Dolby 2.0 Stereo Duration: 150 mins Subtitles: Eng / Fr / Ger / It / Sp / Jp Bonus interviews: Picture format: NTSC 16:9 Audio: L-PCM 2.0 Stereo Duration: 59 mins Colour Subtitles: None Region Code: 2-6
NVC Arts/Warner Classics is delighted to announce the release of the third volume of DVD boxed sets showcasing some of the greatest recordings of Plácido Domingo’s career on stage. This volume features full-length performances of French operas, including Carmen from Vienna State Opera, Samson and Delilah from San Francisco Opera, and The Tales of Hoffmann from The Royal Opera, Covent Garden. Bonus: This volume is complemented by a 1-hour bonus DVD in which Plácido Domingo speaks at length, with passion and fervour, about each of the roles he sings in these three operas. “Domingo stops the show in Carmen, in a performance wonderfully conducted by Carlos Kleiber. The Samson and Hoffmann (both 1981) are seriously good.” BBC Music Magazine, April 2011 ***** | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
|
|
| |  | Plácido Domingo
Arthaus presents a Homage to one of the most outstanding and charismatic operatic artists in the last 50 years: Plácido Domingo. Box Set Plácido Domingo including legendary documents available now. Sound Format: PCM Stereo Picture Format: 4:3 DVD Format: 4 x DVD 9, NTSC (L’Africaine, La Gioconda) / PAL (Samson et Dalila) Subtitle Languages: GB, DE, FR, IT, ES / GB, DE, ES (Samson et Dalila) Running Time: about 470 mins FSK: 0 | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
|
|
| |
|
