Shostakovich Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk opera to libretto by Alexander Preis and the composer. Directed 2006 by Martin Kušej at Het Muziektheater in Amsterdam. Stars Eva-Maria Westbroek (Katerina Lvovna Ismailova), Christopher Ventris (Sergey), Carole Wilson (Aksinya/Old Convict), Vladimir Vaneev (Boris Timofeyevich Ismailov/Old Convict), Lani Poulson (Sonyetka), Ludovít Ludha (Zinovy Borisovich Ismailov), Alexandre Kravets (Shabby Peasant), Nikita Storojev (Chief of Police), Alexander Zassiliev (Priest/Guard), Valentin Jar (Teacher), Martin Vijgenboom (Steward), Jan Polak (Porter), Ruud Fiselier (First Foreman), Jan Majoor (Second Foreman), Leo Geers (Third Foreman), Harry Teeuwen (Millhand), Cor de Wit (Coachman), Wojtek Okraskra (Sentry), and John van Halteren (Drunken Guest). Mariss Jansons conducts The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and the Chorus of De Nederlandse Opera (rehearsed by Winfried Maczewski). Sets by Martin Zehetgruber; contumes by Heide Kastler; lighting by Reinhard Traub; dramaturgy by Marion Tiedtke. Directed for TV director Thomas Grimm. Released 2009 on 2 discs, has 5.0 PCM sound. Grade: C+
Read MoreHandel Semele opera to libretto by William Congreve. Directed 2007 by Robert Carson at Opernhaus Zürich. Stars Cecilia Bartoli (Semele), Charles Workman (Jupiter), Birgit Remmert (Juno), Liliana Nikiteanu (Ino), Anton Scharinger (Cadmus/Somnus), Thomas Michael Allen (Athamas), and Isabel Rey (Iris). William Christie conducts the Orchestra La Scintilla (Concert Master Ada Pesch) and the Chorus of the Zürich Opera (Chorus Masters Jürgen Hämmerli and Ernst Raffelsberger). Continuo: Claudius Herrmann, cello; Dieter Lange, double bass; Jory Vinikour, harpsichord. Sets and costumes by Patrick Kinmonth; lighting by Robert Carsen and Peter van Praet; choreography by Philippe Giraudeau as revived by Elain Tyler-Hall. Directed for TV by Felix Breisach. Released 2009, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio. Grade: B
Read MoreEngelbert Humperdinck Hansel and Gretel opera to libretto by Adelheid Wette (Humperdinck's sister). Directed 2008 by Moshe Leiser and Patrice Caurier at the Royal Opera House. Stars Angelika Kirchschlager (Hansel), Diana Damrau (Gretel), Elizabeth Connell (Gertrude), Thomas Allen (Peter), Anja Silja (Witch), Pumeza Matshikiza (Sandman), and Anita Watson (Dew Fairy). Colin Davis conducts the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House (Concert Master Peter Manning) and the Tiffin Boys' Choir and Children's Chorus (Director Simon Toyne). Set design by Christian Fenouillat; costumes by Agostino Cavalca; lighting by Christophe Forey. Directed for TV by Sue Judd. Released 2009, disc has 5.1 PCM sound. Grade: B+
Read MoreWagner Götterdämmerung opera to libretto by the composer. Directed 2008 by Carlos Padrissa and La Fura dels Baus at the Palau de las Arts Reina Sofía in Valencia. Stars Lance Ryan (Siegfried), Jennifer Wilson (Brünnhilde), Matti Salminen (Hagen), Elisabete Matos (Gutrune), Ralf Lukas (Gunther), Franz-Josef Kapellmann (Alberich), Catherine Wyn-Rodgers (Waltraute), Daniela Denschlag (First Norn), Pilar Vázquez (Second Norn), Eugenia Bethencourt (Third Norn), Silvia Vázquez (Woglinda), Ann-Katrin Naidu (Wellgunde), and Marina Prudenskaya (Floẞhilda). Zubin Mehta conducts the Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana and the Cor de la Comunitat Valenciana (Chorus Master Francesc Perales). Video creation by Franc Aleu; staging and acting coordination by Aron Stiehl; sets by Roland Olbeter; costumes by Chu Uroz; lighting by Peter Van Praet. Directed for TV by Tiziano Mancini. Released 2010, disc has 7.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: D
Read MoreRichard Wagner Götterdämmerung to libretto by the composer. Directed 2008 by Michael Schulz at the Deutsches Nationaltheater Weimar. Stars Norbert Schmittberg (Siegfred), Tomas Möwes (Alberich), Mario Hoff (Gunther), Renatus Mészár (Hagen), Catherine Foster (Brünnhilde), Marietta Zumbült (Gutrune), Nadine Weissmann (Waltraute/Second Norn), Christine Hansmann (First Norn), Silona Michel (Third Norn/Woglinda), Susann Günther-Dissmeier (Wellgunde), and Christiane Bassek (Floẞhilde). Carl St. Clair conducts the Staatskapelle Weimar, the Opera Chorus of the Deutsches Nationaltheater Weimar, and Gentlemen of the Philharmonic Chorus Weimar. Set design by Dirk Becker; costumes by Renée Listerdal; dramaturgy by Wolfgang Willaschek. Directed for TV by Brooks Riley. Sung in German. Released 2009 and then re-released 2019 with new cover artwork showing the gold ring. Disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: D-
Read MoreRichard Wagner Siegfried to libretto by the composer. Directed 2008 by Michael Schulz at the Deutsches Nationaltheater Weimar. Stars Johnny Van Hal [not "Hall] (Siegfried), Tomas Möwes (Wotan as Wanderer), Nadine Weissmann (Erda), Lars Creuzburg (Donner), Steffen Bärtl (Froh), Catherine Foster (Brünnhilde), Erika Krämer (Grane), Frieder Aurich (Mime), Mario Hoff (Alberich), Johannes Martin (Hagen), Hidekazu Tsumaya (Fafner), Heike Porstein (Forest Bird), and Burkhard Wolf (Voice of the Norns). Carl St. Clair conducts the Staatskapelle Weimar. Set design by Dirk Becker; costumes by Renée Listerdal; dramaturgy by Wolfgang Willaschek. Directed for TV by Brooks Riley. Released 2009 and then re-released 2019 with new cover artwork showing the gold ring. Disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: D
Read MoreRichard Wagner Siegfried opera to libretto by the composer. Directed 2008 by Carlos Padrissa and La Fura dels Baus at the Palau de las Arts Reina Sofía in Valencia. Stars Lance Ryan (Siegfried), Jennifer Wilson (Brünnhilde), Juha Uusitalo (Der Wanderer), Gerhard Siegel (Mime), Franz-Josef Kapellmann (Alberich), Catherine Wyn-Rodgers (Erda), Stephen Milling (Fafner), and Marina Zyatkova (Waldvogel). Zubin Mehta conducts the Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana. Sets by Roland Olbeter; costumes by Chu Uroz; lighting by Peter Van Praet; video projections by Franc Aleu. Directed for TV by Tiziano Mancini. Released 2010, disc has 7.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound.. Grade: B
Read MoreGioachino Rossini La Gazzetta opera to libretto by Giuseppe Palomba. Directed 2005 by Dario Fo (with Assistant Stage Director Arturo Corso) at the Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona. Stars Cinzia Forte (Lisetta), Bruno Praticò (Don Pomponio), Pietro Spagnoli (Filippo), Charles Workman (Alberto), Agata Bienkowska (Madame La Rose), Marisa Martins (Doralice), Simón Orfila (Monsù), and Marc Canturri (Anselmo). Maurizio Barbacini (with Assistant Directors Guerassim Voronkov and Daniel Mestre) conducts the Orchestra Academy of the Gran Theatre del Liceu and the Intermezzo Choir (Chorus Master Ignacio Ruiz de Alegría). Set and costumes by Dario Fo (with Francesco Calcagnini Associate Set Designer and Paula Mariani Associate Costume Designer); lighting by Franco Marri; choreography by Sebastiano Mario di Bella. Direction for TV by Angel Luis Ramirez. Released 2009, disc has 5.1 PCM sound. Grade: C
Read MoreWagner Der Fliegende Holländer opera to a libretto by the composer. Directed 2010 by Martin Kušej at De Nederlandse Opera. Stars Robert Lloyd (Daland), Catherine Naglestad (Senta), Marco Jentzsch (Erik), Marina Prudenskaja (Mary), Oliver Ringelhahn (Daland's Steersman), and Juha Uusitalo (Holländer). Harmut Haenchen conducts the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra and the Chorus of De Nederlandse Opera (Chorus Master Martin Wright). Set design by Martin Zehetgruber; costumes by Heide Kastler; lighting by Reinhard Traub; dramaturgy by Sebastian Huber. Directed for TV by Joost Honselaar; TV recording produced by Coby Van Dijck. Released 2011, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: B+
Read MoreVerdi Simon Boccanegra opera to a libretto by Francesco Maria Piave and later revised by Arrigo Boito. Directed 2007 by Giorgio Gallione at the Teatro Comunale di Bologna with assistant director Gianni Marras. Stars Roberto Frontali (Simon Boccanegra), Carmen Giannattasio (Amelia Grimaldi), Giacomo Prestia (Jacopo Fiesco), Giuseppe Gipali (Gabriele Adorno), Marco Vratogna (Paolo Albiani), Alberto Rota (Pietro), Enea Scala (Capitano dei balestrieri), and Lucia Michelazzo (Ancella di Amelia). Michele Mariotti conducts the Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro Comunale di Bolgona (Chorus Master Paolo Vero). Costumes and set design by Guido Fiorato with assistant set designer Monica Boromello and assistant costume designer Giorgio Cardosi; lighting by Daniele Naldi. Directed for TV by Francesca Nesler. Sung in Italian. Released 2010, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: B-
Boccanegra is a tricky opera to follow. Arthaus helps by including a nice synopsis in the keepcase booklet. I’ll offer some screenshots to help you learn a bit about the main characters and how this was presented in the small opera house in Bologna . . .
Read MoreBeethoven Fidelio opera (1814 version) to libretto by Joseph Ferdinand von Sonnleithner, Stephan von Breuning, and Georg Friedrich Treitschke. Directed 2008 by Katharina Thalbach at the Zurich Opera House. Stars Krešimir Stražanac (Don Fernando), Lucio Gallo (Don Pizarro), Roberto Saccà (Florestan), Melanie Diener (Leonore/Fidelio), Alfred Muff (Rocco), Sandra Trattnigg (Marzelline), Christoph Strehl (Jaquino), Bogusław Bidziński (First Prisoner), and Morgan Moody (Second Prisoner). Bernard Haitink conducts the Zurich Opera Orchestra with the Zurich Opera Chorus, Supplementary Chorus, Youth Chorus, and Extras Association (Chorus Master Ernst Raffelsberger). Set design by Ezio Toffolutti; lighting by Hans-Rudolf Kunz. Directed for TV by Felix Breisach. Released 2010, disc has 5.0 dts Digital Surround sound. Grade: B-
Read MorePuccini La Fanciulla del West opera to a libretto by Guelfo Civinini and Carlo Zangarini. Directed 2009 by Nikolaus Lehnhoff at De Nederlandse Opera (Amsterdam Music Theater). Stars Eva-Maria Westbroek (Minnie), Lucio Gallo (Jack Rance), Zoran Todorovich (Dick Johnson), Roman Sadnik (Nick), Diogenes Randes (Ashby), Stephen Gadd (Sonora), Jean-Léon Klostermann (Trin), Leo Geers (Sid), Peter Arink (Bello), Pascal Pittie (Harry), Ruud Fiselier (Joe), Harry Teeuwen (Happy), Patrick Schramm (Larkens), Tijl Faveyts (Billy Jackrabbit), Ellen Rabiner (Wowkle), André Morsch (Jake Wallace), Roger Smeets (José Castro), and Erik Slik (Pony Express Rider). Carlo Rizzi conducts the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra (Chorus Master Martin Wright). Set design by Raimund Bauer; costume design by Andrea Schmidt-Futterer; lighting by Duane Schuler; video design by Jonas Gerberding; movement direction by Denni Sayers; casting by Hein Mulders. Directed for TV by Misjel Vermeiren. Released 2010, disc has 5.0 dts-HD Master Audio. Grade: A-
Read MoreHandel Tamerlano opera to libretto by Nicola Francesco Haym. Directed 2008 by Graham Vick at the Madrid Teatro Real. Stars Plácido Domingo (Bajazet), Monica Bacelli (Tamerlano), Ingela Bohlin (Asteria), Sara Mingardo (Andronico), Jennifer Holloway (Irene), and Luigi De Donato (Leone). Paul McCreesh directs the Madrid Symphony Orchestra. Continuo: harpsichord, Benjamin Bayl and Joseph McHardy; cello, Christopher Suckling; lute, Jorgen Skogmo. Set and costume design by Richard Hudson; lighting by Giuseppe di Lorio (based on original lighting design by Matthew Richardson); choreography by Ron Howell. Directed for TV by Angel Luis Ramírez. This is a 4-hour show on 2 Blu-ray discs. Sung in Italian. Released 2009, discs have PCM 5.0 sound. Grade: A
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