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Following the artistic and commercial success of their last DVD project, La Traviata from the 2005 Salzburg Festival, opera superstars Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazón bring their combined talents to Jules Massenet’s Manon. Netrebko was born to play the title role: her voice and body language capturing the fluctuating personality of the complex Manon, one minute girlish, the next introspective. “She is a real stage animal, constantly reacting to what is happening around her”, wrote Opera of her performance. Villazón is compelling as Des Grieux, expressing all the burning passion of the doomed lover in his burnished, supple tenor. This is a production with a distinct Hollywood touch: first-time opera director Vincent Paterson has previously worked with Madonna, Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney and staged several Broadway musicals. He has already enjoyed great success with his first classical DVD project for DG: The Woman – The Voice featuring Anna Netrebko. Given his show-business background, Paterson interprets Manon as a Hollywood cinematic tale for the opera stage with Massenet’s colourful music as a kind of soundtrack. The press raved about the opera event of the year in Berlin, while the live public screening of one of the performances in the square in front of the opera house attracted an audience of more than 20,000 people. Musically, the production is equally accomplished. This is a Manon that will appeal across the spectrum: to lovers of opera, movies and Hollywood. A glittering production filled with beautiful people with gorgeous voices! Additional features: Produced in HD, length 170 min., to be released in NTSC 16:9 widescreen; audio is in 5.1 DTS surround sound & PCM stereo. Bonus: “The Making of Manon” (20 min., in stereo sound only). “[Netrebko] is a real stage animal, constantly reacting to what is happening around her” Opera “Villazon (at his finest)...sing[s] gloriously on DG, in a passionate liaison that proves most moving of all...Throughout, Barenboim, (who stepped in at the last moment to conduct) achieves first-class orchestral playing and keeps the tension high, and overall the performance is quite unforgettable.” Penguin Guide, 2011 edition | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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“David Caviar's production of Massenet's masterpiece is strong on period flavour… It's strong, too, in the delineation and interaction of the two protagonists… Dessay's Manon shines, not only in her prodigious technical skills… but also in a realisation of her conflicted character that shows Manon's desire for love running up against her penchant for the finer things in life.” BBC Music Magazine, March 2008 ***** “David McVicar's production of Manon takes a more than usually harsh view of the story…Here, everything and everybody is for sale… It is thrilling, sometimes even slightly shocking, and throughout the direction of the cast is faultless: every scene bears re-viewing for the amount of detail and dramatic energy that is released. It is unlikely that Natalie Dessay will ever give a greater performance than this. Her singing of each of the great arias is equally fascinating. The scene in which she and Rolando Villazón size each other up before speaking is exquisitely managed... Villazón makes a passionate hero. I cannot imagine that we will see another Manon to equal this for a long time: highly recommended.” Gramophone Magazine, April 2008 “David McVicar's production of Manon takes a more than usually harsh view of the story, too often softened by Rococo prettiness. Here, everything and everybody is for sale, and behind the façade of 18th-century Paris lurks a world of corruption, disease and perversion. It is thrilling, sometimes even slightly shocking, and throughout the direction of the cast is faultless: every scene bears re-viewing for the amount of detail and dramatic energy that is released.
It is unlikely that Natalie Dessay will ever give a greater performance than this. First glimpsed as a gawky schoolgirl, wearing a travelling-coat two sizes too large, she grows into a coquettish lover, then a manipulative, avaricious courtesan before our eyes. Her singing of each of the great arias is equally fascinating, with delicate embellishments at such moments as 'Profitons de la jeunesse', and a really touching 'Adieu, notre petite table', ending up lying in a foetal position on top of the table. The scene in which she and Rolando Villazón size each other up before speaking is exquisitely managed.
Villazón makes a passionate hero. His interpretation is much more extrovert than Dessay's, and there are several moments when one would have wished him to sing yet more softly. This is considerably more subtle, though, than his reading of the same part in the modern-dress production in Berlin last year. Manuel Lanza makes a seductive, sleazy Lescaut, and Francisco Vas is sinister rather than just amusing as the vengeful Guillot.
Although his demeanour is suitably dignified as Des Grieux père, Samuel Ramey's voice now has such a perilous wobble that 'Epouse quelque brave fille' is rather painful, in the wrong way.
Tanya McCallin's set – a steep amphitheatre from which extras watch the action played out centre-stage – complements her costumes, inspired by the paintings of Chardin rather than the usual sugary Fragonard. The choreography of Michael Keegan-Dolan reaches its height in the elaborate hunting ballet in the Cours-La- Reine scene, one of Massenet's happiest bits of Baroque pastiche. It is hard to imagine that we will see another Manon to equal this for a long time: highly recommended.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010  BBC Music Magazine
DVD Choice - March 2008 |
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“A pretty-picture version of this ingratiating opera, with a strong performance from Francisco Araiza, but Edita Gruberova as Manon looks far too doll-like and sings in piping tones. Just charm, with little pathos.” BBC Music Magazine, April 2007 *** | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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PICTURE FORMAT: 4:3
LENGTH: 110 Mins
SOUND: STEREO
SUBTITLES: EN
‘A spectacular drama of lust, greed and death… raunchy in subject matter and robust in interpretation. It is also graceful, beautiful and moving, action-packed and highly entertaining.’ The Telegraph-Mirror | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Manon - Complete Ballet
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Choreography: Kenneth MacMillan TV Director: Ross MacGibbon This new high-definition film of MacMillan’s hugely-popular ballet ‘Manon’ is the perfect twin to his classic ‘Romeo & Juliet’ (August 2009 release). Once again, the romantic male lead is taken by the charismatic Carlos Acosta, and once again his beautiful partner is Tamara Rojo. Prévost’s famous tale is set to the sensual music of Massenet and the Royal Ballet’s staging is played out against the sumptuous set and costume designs of Nicholas Georgiadis. ‘Manon’ is the third DVD release from Decca’s new exclusive artist, Carlo Acosta. The Cuban superstar builds on his stunning ‘Spartacus’ (October 2008) and romantic ‘Romeo & Juliet’ (August 2009) with an elegant and moving performance as the ardent young lover, Des Grieux, in MacMillan’s classic version of the tragedy. This new high-definition film of ‘Manon’ is the perfect twin to the Royal Ballet’s staging of MacMillan’s other great classic – ‘Romeo & Juliet’. It is one of the most popular ballets in the Royal Ballet’s repertory, having received over 200 performances since its premiere in 1974. This High Definition Widescreen recording was screened in cinemas throughout the UK in early 2009, and broadcast later in the year by the BBC. ‘Manon’ and ‘Romeo & Juliet’ signal the beginning of a major collaboration with Carlos Acosta and The Royal Ballet, which continued in early 2009 with the filming of ‘La Bayadère’. The DVD also includes an extensive (40 min) and fascinating documentary film, 'Dancing Manon', featuring interviews with Carlos Acosta, Tamara Rojo, Monica Mason (Director of the Royal Ballet) and Ross MacGibbon (TV Director). BONUS FEATURES: Extended 'Dancing Manon' film, featuring interviews and rehearsal footage | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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Recorded live at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York, on 28th October 1959. | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | Live recording from Opéra National De Paris
Directed by Gilbert Deflo Set Design and Costumes by William Orlandi Arthaus presents an exceptional Manon from the Opera Paris on DVD. With American star soprano Renée Fleming in the manyfaceted title role, Argentinean tenor Marcelo Álvarez opposite her and Spanish opera conductor Jesús López-Cobos, this production provides first-rate listening and viewing of one of the masterpieces of French opéra lyrique. The musical excellence of the performers in this production is outstanding. Renée Fleming’s Manon is womanly and seductive, her voice perfectly cultivated in this enormously demanding role, that requires change of register, sentiment and expression more often than almost any other operatic role. The combination of vocal beauty, stylistic versatility and commitment to dramatic portrayal made her Paris Manon an enormous success, in an interview she comments, “I think Manon is my favourite role. I love French music, it is so elegant and delicate stylistically. It has both dramatic and lyrical elements”. Renée Fleming is partnered by the brilliant Marcelo Álvarez, who is hailed as „one of the hottest tenors on the international scene“ (Opera News), in the role of the Chevalier des Grieux. Together they present an absolutely moving final scene, when Manon dies in her lover’s arms, proving them one of the dream teams of the international opera scene. The staging by Gilbert Deflo had its first performance at the Bastille opera in Paris in June 1997 and proved to be an unforgettable experience complete with splendid historical costumes by William Orlandi, sophisticated lighting, opulent ballet dancing and colourful mass scenes. The minimal décor of darkly shaded abstract backdrops further accentuates the magnificent, colourful costumes – thus shifting the focus onto the interaction between the characters of the drama. This is supported by the close-up filming, so that the viewer can actually experience an intimate filmed drama. | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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