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See Terms & Conditions for p&p rates. | |  | Shostakovich: Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk
Angela Denoke (Katerina), Misha Didyk (Sergey), Kurt Rydl (Boris), Marian Talaba (Zinovy), Michael Roider (Shabby peasant), Nadia Krasteva (Sonyetka), Donna Ellen (Aksinya), Janusz Monarcha (Priest), Dan Paul Dumitrescu (Old convict), Eijiro Kai (Sergeant) & Wolfram Igor Derntl (Teacher) Chorus & Orchestra of the Vienna State Opera, Ingo Metzmacher One of the key works of the 20th century, Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District, finally entered the Vienna State Opera repertory in 2009 in its original language and without the sanitising changes made in the wake of Stalin’s death by the Soviet Communist Party. The plot remains as explosively provocative as ever, with its account of the murderous goings-on of a frustrated merchant’s wife in Tsarist Russia and a musical setting that veers virtuosically between biting social satire and sympathy for the protagonist. It was fortunate, then, that the Vienna State Opera was able to enlist the services of an experienced conductor and draw on its own home-grown ensemble, led by a singing actress of thrilling intensity. Angela Denoke is fascinating as Katerina Izmailova, her singing marked by its razor-sharp accuracy and highly individual timbre, her acting making her atrocities at least understandable if not forgivable. In order for the opera to create this impression, it also needs powerful antagonists, which it found in the form of the young heldentenor Marian Talaba, as Katerina’s duped husband Zinovy; the black bass of Kurt Rydl, who lends a chilling stature to Katerina’s violent stepfather Boris; and Nadia Krasteva’s richly coloured mezzo-soprano helps to flesh out the character of Katerina’s rival, Sonetka, who appears in the column of convicts in the opera’s harrowing final scene. Here Katerina’s seducer and lover, Sergey, turns out to be a false friend and, as such, a foil to the protagonist. Making his State Opera début, Misha Didyk used his lyrically and dramatically flexible tenor to create a portrait against which the dark and unfathomable facets of Angela Denoke’s portrayal could stand out even more clearly and impressively. The numerous smaller parts, together with the chorus and orchestra of the Vienna State Opera, were inspired by Ingo Metzmacher’s conducting to produce an interpretation that explored every aspect of Shostakovich’s score, a score teeming with the greatest extremes of tempo, dynamics and rhythm. “Metzmacher conducts with his trademark mix of intelligence and raw emotion and orchestrally it's superb...Angela Denoke's Katerina is sharply characterised as a woman for whom murder is the sole means of survival in a men's world...Misha Didyk sounds attractive as Sergei” The Guardian, 9th June 2011 **** | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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Full track-list and synopsis in English, German and French “Chung's version of Shostakovich's sardonic tragedy still packs tremendous punch” BBC Music Magazine, December 2010 **** | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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The brand new series celebrates EMI - The Home of Opera with Rostropovich's legendary recording of Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk with Galina Vishnevskaya and Nicolai Gedda. Includes complete libretto and synopsis on a bonus CD ROM. | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Shostakovich: Lady Macbeth of MtsenskLive Recording from The Teatro Comunale Firenze, 2008
Set and Costume Design by David Borovsky. At first glance, the title of Shostakovich’s opera seems to speak for itself: Katherina, neglected and unhappy in her marriage, commits the most heinous crime just like the Shakespearian Lady Macbeth. But Nikolai Leskov’s short novel, which portrays Katherina as a monster, was only the starting point for Shostakovich to elicit understanding for an oppressed woman whose pursuit for self-determination is suppressed by society. Through combining satiric, grotesque and tragic elements in his music, Shostakovich succeeds in striking the balance between repulsion at Katherina’s immoral acts and sympathy for her. Violence, eroticism and the paralysing boredom of Russian society in the 19th century are the founding elements of this composition. The choir and orchestra of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino conducted by James Conlon accompany tremendous soloists such as Jeanne-Michèle Charbonnet, Vladimir Vaneyev and Vsevolod Grivnov in the original language in this live recording. “…James Conlon… has conducted Shostakovich's masterpiece on both continents… There is plenty of passion in the pit. …New Orleans-raised Jeanne-Michèle Charbonnet proves a powerful if one-dimensional actress in the title-role. The other key protagonists are authentically Russian. The most distinguished singing comes from Vladimir Vaneev... The main attraction of ArtHaus's DVDs ought to be the production of Lev Dodin, long-term director of St Petersburg's Maly Drama Theatre. ...his Lady Macbeth is conceived wholly in terms of realism... Exceptionally, the episode where the shabby peasant discovers Zinoviy's corpse is staged as a group tableau. Mostly straightforward, the cinematography switches to blurry black-and-white for the appearance of Boris's ghost.” Gramophone Magazine, January 2010 | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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Nadine Secunde (Katerina), Christopher Ventris (Sergey), Francisco Vas (Zinovi), Anatoli Kotcherga (Boris), Graham Clark (Shabby Peasant), Nino Surguladze (Sonyetka) Symphony Orchestra & Chorus Of The Gran Teatre Del Liceu, Alexander Anissimov | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Shostakovich: Lady Macbeth of MtsenskLive Recording from The Teatro Comunale Firenze, 2008
Set and Costume Design by David Borovsky. At first glance, the title of Shostakovich’s opera seems to speak for itself: Katherina, neglected and unhappy in her marriage, commits the most heinous crime just like the Shakespearian Lady Macbeth. But Nikolai Leskov’s short novel, which portrays Katherina as a monster, was only the starting point for Shostakovich to elicit understanding for an oppressed woman whose pursuit for self-determination is suppressed by society. Through combining satiric, grotesque and tragic elements in his music, Shostakovich succeeds in striking the balance between repulsion at Katherina’s immoral acts and sympathy for her. Violence, eroticism and the paralysing boredom of Russian society in the 19th century are the founding elements of this composition. The choir and orchestra of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino conducted by James Conlon accompany tremendous soloists such as Jeanne-Michèle Charbonnet, Vladimir Vaneyev and Vsevolod Grivnov in the original language in this live recording. “James Conlon… has conducted Shostakovich's masterpiece on both continents… There is plenty of passion in the pit. …New Orleans-raised Jeanne-Michèle Charbonnet proves a powerful if one-dimensional actress in the title-role. The other key protagonists are authentically Russian. The most distinguished singing comes from Vladimir Vaneev... The main attraction of ArtHaus's DVDs ought to be the production of Lev Dodin, long-term director of St Petersburg's Maly Drama Theatre. ...his Lady Macbeth is conceived wholly in terms of realism... Exceptionally, the episode where the shabby peasant discovers Zinoviy's corpse is staged as a group tableau. Mostly straightforward, the cinematography switches to blurry black-and-white for the appearance of Boris's ghost” Gramophone Magazine, January 2010 | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | Shostakovich: Lady Macbeth of MtsenskRecorded live in Het Muziektheater, Amsterdam, on 25th & 28th June 2006.
Note: This Blu-ray Disc (BD) is not compatible with standard DVD players Shostakovich’s musically brilliant and ingeniously panoramic opera about love, lust, power and oppression is fabulously performed by the Concertgebouw Orchestra under Mariss Jansons in this authoritative production. Stage director Martin Kušej builds on formidable musical strengths to forge a relentless drama that explores with emotional conviction the shadowy, layered boundaries between victims and perpetrators. First-rate protagonist Eva-Maria Westbroek is phenomenal in her gripping interpretation of Katarina, compelling the entire cast, including the choir, to almost unbearable realism in their portrayal of timeless human weaknesses. ‘With one of the finest orchestras in the world conducted by an eminent Shostakovich conductor, supported by superb soloists and a very tasteful stage setting… [Eva-Maria Westbroek’s] portrayal of the heroine is absolutely superb…the passions and emotions raised by the composer are superbly realised… The soloists and chorus are all superb.’ Music Web International Bonus material: Illustrated synopsis & cast gallery. Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk - The Tragedy of Katerina Ismailova - A documentary film by Reiner E. Moritz, including interviews with Martin Kušej, Mariss Jansons and leading members of the cast. PICTURE FORMAT: 1080i
LENGTH: Approx 236 Mins
SOUND: 2.0 & 5.0 PCM
SUBTITLES: EN/FR/DE/ES/IT/NL
“a first-rate protagonist in Eva-Maria Westbroek, a Katerina of Jean Harlow-like allure, who had all the vocal power and stamina that the role demands”” The Times | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | Shostakovich: Lady Macbeth of MtsenskRecorded live in Het Muziektheater, Amsterdam in
June 2006Stage Director - Martin Kušej
Bonus Feature: The Tragedy of Katerina Ismailova - A documentary film by Reiner E. Moritz, including interviews with Martin Kušej, Mariss Jansons and leading members of the cast.
WARNING: The strengths of this highly acclaimed production are largely due to its brutal and graphic portrayal of human emotions. Please be aware that the production contains stroboscopic light effects, nudity and scenes of a sexual nature. PICTURE FORMAT: 16:9 LENGTH: 236 Mins SOUND: DTS SURROUND / LPCM STEREO SUBTITLES: EN/FR/DE/ES/IT/NL “a first-rate protagonist in Eva-Maria Westbroek, a Katerina of Jean Harlow-like allure, who had all the vocal power and stamina that the role demands” The Times | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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Maria Ewing, Sergei Larin, Aage Haugland, Philip Langridge, Heinz Zednik, Kristine Ciesinski, Ilya Levinsky, Romuald Tesarowicz, Anatoly Kocherga, Eléna Zaremba, Kurt Moll, Grigory Gritziuk, Carlos Alvarez, Guillaume Petitot, Jean-Pierre Mazaloubaud, Alan Woodrow, Jean-Claude Costa, Jean Savignol, José Ochagavia, Philippe Duminy, Mario Agnetti, Johann Tilli & Margaret Jane Wray Paris Opéra-Bastille Chorus & Paris Opéra-Bastille Orchestra, Myung-Whun Chung | | (Sorry, download not available in your country) | |
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