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Montserrat Caballé (Turandot), José Carreras (Calaf), Mirella Freni (Liù), Michel Sénéchal (Altoum), Paul Plishka (Timur), Vicente Sardinero (Ping), Remy Corazza (Pang), Ricardo Cassinelli (Pong), Eduard Tumageanian (A Mandarin), Alberto Cupido (Prince of Persia), Petranka Malakova (First Voice) & Eva Saurova (Second Voice) Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg, Maîtrise de la Cathédrale & Chœurs de l’Opéra du Rhin, Alain Lombard | 
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Franco Zeffirelli’s magnificent staging of Puccini's final opera — a fairy tale set in a mythical China — is one of the most popular in the Met repertory. In this Live in HD production, Maria Guleghina takes on the title role and Marcello Giordani is Calaf, the unknown prince. Marina Poplavskaya and Samuel Ramey co-star, and Andris Nelsons conducts in his Met debut. “Zeffirelli's classic 1990s Met production, unashamedly glitzy, crowded and spectacular comes up remarkably fresh in this second video incarnation...Guleghina's ice-princess is intensely feminine...Giordano cuts a charismatic stage figure, and 'Nessun dorma' stops the show...What really makes this production is the vividness with which it's communicated, both in the exceptional high-definition picture and spacious sound.” BBC Music Magazine, October 2011 ***** “Zeffirelli's ultra-lavish traditional production hovers between gorgeously extravagant and amusingly overdone. It's kept in check by three terrific performers in the main roles. Maria Guleghina soars effortlessly through the cruelly demanding title role...Poplavskaya is wonderfully affecting both dramatically and vocally as the innocent young Liu...[Nelsons] provides some surprising subtlety among the necessary broad brush-strokes” Classic FM Magazine, October 2011 **** “the production's brain-flooding panorama of ancient China...matches the sumptuousness of Puccini's score...[Guleghina and Giordani are] both fairly new to their roles and singing them with a sense of new discovery...In the secondary roles, Marina Poplavskaya and Samuel Ramey are certainly A-team talents...Nelsons finds layers of sound and meaning unlike anything I've heard since Karajan's audio recording on DG” Gramophone Magazine, Awards Issue 2011 “the 22-year-old extravaganza has lost none of its razzle-dazzle...in the opera house one can't take it all in...Perhaps home viewing is the best route - when soloists sing, the camera hones in on them...The stars of the evening are conductor and second soprano...[Poplavskaya] acts convincingly, looks wonderful and sings with great warmth and sure technique..,[Nelsons] rises to each occasion, but he also pays heed to Puccini's delicate colorations” International Record Review, November 2011 | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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The mid-price collection presents some of the most important and admired recordings of the EMI Classics and Virgin Classics catalogue which make EMI 'The Home of Opera'. This performance of Turandot was recorded in 1957 at the Teatro alla Scala, Milan. “With Callas, the character seems so much more believably complex than with others, and this 1957 recording is one of her most thrillingly magnetic performances on disc. Schwarzkopf provides a comparably characterful and distinctive portrait as Liu...Serafin's masterly conducting exactly matches the characterfulness of Callas and Schwarzkopf” Penguin Guide, 2010 edition *** | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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Maria Guleghina (Turandot), Marco Berti (Calaf), Alexia Voulgaridou (Liù), Alexander Tsymbalyuk (Timur), Javier Agulló (Altoum), Fabio Previati (Ping), Vicente Esteve (Pang), Roger Padullés (Pong), Venteslav Anastasov (Un mandarino), Ossama Badreddine (Il Principe di Persia) Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana, Zubin Mehta Stage / Video Director - Chen Kaige This 2008 production is staged by Chen Kaige, the film director of Farewell My Concubine and winner of the Palme d'Or at Cannes Film Festival. Shot in full HD, including Bonus material behind the scenes. Maria Guleghina is one of the most celebrated and acclaimed sopranos of the world. The leading international tenor Marco Berti is recognised as one of the most important artists from Italy. from Valencia's spectacular Calatrava opera house "Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía", 2008, with its phenomenal acoustics and breathtaking architecture. Bonus - Making of Turandot (36 min.) 156 min. (120´ Opera + 36´ Bonus) 16:9, HD DTS 5.1, PCM Stereo German, French., English, Spanish, Italian (original language) “Turandot has always been one of Zubin Mehta's calling cards, and he rarely disappoints here in Valencia. The sweep of this great score is admirably balanced by a proper attention to orchestral and instrumental detail.” BBC Music Magazine, August 2010 **** “Drawing on his intimate knowledge of traditional Chinese theatre and spectacle, Chen and his designers, Liu King and Chen Tong Xun, give us a Turandot in extravagant colours and choreography, true to the spirit of fable and legend… Maria Guleghina must surely not be the Turandot of our time. The role seems to hold no terrors for her... Zubin Mehta's...direction of the Valenciana Orchestra brims with drama and affection.” Gramophone Magazine, March 2010 | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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Puccini had completed Turandot as far as the final scene by March 1924 but when the composer died in November of that year the closing duet between Calaf and Turandot had not been written. Franco Alfano completed the opera (partly based on sketches left by the composer). The first performance was conducted by Toscanini but did not include Alfano’s ending. Release includes a booklet with a three language synopsis [English / French / German], full cast list and detailed track list. | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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Ealynn Voss, Amanda Thane, Kenneth Collins & Donald Shanks The Australian Opera Chorus & State Orchestra of Victoria, Carlo Felice Cillario Filmed at the Victoria Arts Centre Melbourne 1991
PICTURE FORMAT: 4:3
LENGTH: 128 Mins
SOUND: STEREO
SUBTITLES: EN
‘It was one of those meetings of great minds that you dream about, when the music and drama of the piece are reborn through the interpretative genius of an exceptional director.’ The Australian | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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“Ricciarelli is a far more vulnerable figure than one expects of the icy princess, and the very fact that the part strains her beyond reasonable vocal limits adds to the dramatic point, even if it subtracts from the musical joys. By contrast, Placido Domingo is vocally superb, a commanding prince” Penguin Guide, 2010 edition *** | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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Joan Sutherland (Turandot), Luciano Pavarotti (Calaf), Montserrat Caballé (Liù), Nicolai Ghiaurov (Timur), Tom Krause (Ping), Pier Francesco Poli (Pang), Piero De Palma (Pong), Peter Pears (L'imperatore Altoum), Sabin Markov (Un mandarino) John Alldis Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Zubin Mehta “Sutherland gives an intensely appealing interpretation, while Pavarotti gives a performance equally imaginitive. Mehta directs a gloriously rich and dramatic performance. Still the best-sounding Turandot on CD.” Penguin Guide “Turandot is a psychologically complex work fusing appalling sadism with self-sacrificing devotion.
The icy Princess of China has agreed to marry any man of royal blood who can solve three riddles she has posed. If he fails his head will roll.
Calaf, the son of the exiled Tartar king Timur, answers all the questions easily and when Turandot hesitates to accept him, magnanimously offers her a riddle in return – 'What is his name?'.
Liù, Calaf's faithful slave-girl, is tortured but rather than reveal his identity kills herself.
Turandot finally capitulates, announcing that his name is Love. Dame Joan Sutherland's assumption of the title role is statuesque, combining regal poise with a more human warmth, while Montserrat Caballé is a touchingly sympathetic Liù, skilfully steering the character away from any hint of the mawkish. Pavarotti's Calaf is a heroic figure in splendid voice and the chorus is handled with great power, baying for blood at one minute, enraptured with Liù's nobility at the next. Mehta conducts with great passion and a natural feel for Puccini's wonderfully tempestuous drama. Well recorded.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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Ghena Dimitrova (Turandot), Nicola Martinucci (Calaf), Cecilia Gasdia (Liù), Giancarlo Ceccarini (Ping), Tullio Panè (Pang), Piero De Palma (Pong), Roberto Scandiuzzi (Timur), Angelo Casertano (Altoum), Alfredo Giacomotti (Un mandarino), Ivan Del Manto (Il Principe di Persia) Orchestra e Coro del Teatro Comunale dell´Opera di Genova, Daniel Oren | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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Birgit Nilsson (Turandot), Franco Corelli (Calaf), Renata Scotto (Liù), Renata Scotto (Liù), (Timur), Guido Mazzini (Ping), Franco Ricciardi (Pang), Piero De Palma (Pong), Angelo Mercuriali (L'imperatore Altoum), Giuseppe Morresi (Un mandarino) Coro Del Teatro Dell'Opera Di Roma, Orchestra Del Teatro Dell'Opera Di Roma, Francesco Molinari Pradelli “its impact is immediate, thanks to the conducting of Molinari-Pradelli. Corelli may not be the most sensitive prince in the world, but the voice is in glorious condition. Scotto's Liu is very beautiful and characterful too. With vividly remastered sound, this makes an excellent mid-priced recommendation” Penguin Guide, 2010 edition *** | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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Building a Library