Janáček Jenůfa opera to a libretto by the composer. Directed 2009 by Stéphane Braunschweig at the Teatro Real Madrid. Stars Amanda Roocroft (Jenůfa), Deborah Polaski (Kostelnička), Miroslav Dvorský (Laca Klemeň), Nikolai Schukoff (Števa Buryja), Mette Ejsing (Grandma Buryjovka), Károly Szemerédy (Mill Foreman), Sandra Ferrández (Barena), Miguel Sola (The Mayor), Marta Mathéu (Mayor's Wife), Marta Ubieta (Karolka), María José Suárez (Herdswoman), Elena Poesina (Jano), and Marina Makhmoutova (Aunt). Ivor Bolton conducts the Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro Real (Chorus Master Perter Burian). Sets by Stéphane Braunschweig; costumes by Thibault Vancraenenbroeck; lighting by Marion Hewlett; directed for TV by Ángel Luis Ramírez. Music Producer was James Whitbourn; Executive Producer was Ângela Âlvarez Rilla. Sung in Czech with subtitles in English, French, German, and Spanish. Released 2011, disc has 5.1 dts Master Audio. Grade: A+
Read MoreVerdi Macbeth opera to a libretto by Francesco Maria Piave. Directed 2013 by Dario Argento at the Teatro Carlo Coccia, Novara Italy. Stars Giuseppe Altomare (Macbeth), Giorgio Giuseppini (Banquo), Dimitra Theodossiou (Lady Macbeth), Valeria Sepe (Lady-in-waiting), Dario Di Vietri (Macduff), and Ernesto Petti (Malcolm). Giuseppe Sabbatini conducts the Orchestra Filarmonica del Piemonte and the Schola Cantorum San Gregorio Magno of Trecate, Italy (Chorus Master: Dario Argenta). Sets and lighting by Angelo Linzalata; costumes by Elena Bianchini. Released 2015, disc has 5.0 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA
Read MoreMozart Così fan tutte opera to a libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. Directed 2013 by Michael Haneke at the Teatro Real de Madrid. Stars Anett Fritsch (Fiordiligi), Paola Gardina (Dorabella), Kerstin Avemo (Despina), Juan Francisco Gatell (Ferrando), Andreas Wolf (Guglielmo), and William Shimell (Don Alfonso). Sylvain Cambreling conducts the Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro Real de Madrid (Chorus Master Andrés Maspero). Pianoforte by Eugène Michelangeli. Sets designed by Christoph Kanter; costumes by Moidele Bickel; lighting by Urs Schönebaum; video edited by Monika Willi; directed for TV by Hannes Rossacher. Released 2013, disc has 5.0 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: C-
Read MoreBellini I Capuleti e i Montecchi opera to a libretto by Felice Romani. Directed 2012 by Vincent Boussard at the San Francisco Opera. Stars Joyce DiDonato (Romeo [trousers]), Nicole Cabell (Giulietta), Saimir Pirgu (Tebaldo), Eric Owens (Capellio), and Ao Li (Lorenzo). Riccardo Frizza conducts the San Francisco Opera (Acting Concertmaster Laura Albers) and Chorus (Chorus Master Ian Robertson). Sets by Vincent Lemaire; costumes by Christian Lacroix; lighting by Guido Levi; directed for screen by Frank Zamacona; Master Audio/Video Engineer was Doug Mitchell; Audio Recording Engineer was Michael Chen. Zoltan Glied first reported this title was recorded with 96kHz/24-bit sound sampling for both its stereo and surround sound versions, and we confirmed this later. Released 2014, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio output. This is (we think) the second opera recording to have both audiophile sound and HD TV (our Alcina was the first). Grade: A+
Read MoreHandel Giulio Cesare (Julius Caesar) opera to libretto by Nicola Francesco Haym. Directed 2005 by David McVicar at Glyndebourne. Stars singers Danielle de Niese (Cleopatra), Sarah Connolly (Giulio Cesare), Patricia Bardon (Cornelia), Angelika Kirchschlager (Sesto), Rachid Ben Abdeslam (Nireno), Christophe Dumaux (Tolomeo), Christopher Maltman (Achilla), Alexander Ashworth (Curio) and Nadja Zwiener (On-Stage Violin). Actors: Sirena Tocco, Irene Hardy, Hatim Kamel, Trevor Goldstein, Benjamin Timothy, and Ted Sikström. William Christie conducts the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment (Leader Alison Bury) and the Glyndebourne Chorus (Chorus Master Bernard McDonald). Continuo: harpsichord, Laurence Cummings and Benoìt Hartoin; cello, Jonathan Cohen; viola da gamba, Richard Tunnicliffe; bass, Chi-chi Nwanoku; theorbo, Elizabeth Kenny. Set design by Robert Jones; costumes by Brigitte Reiffenstuel; lighting by Paule Constable; movement direction by Andrew George; fight direction by Nicholas Hall; directed for TV by Robin Lough. Music was recorded with 48kHz/24-bit sound sampling. Opera has 5.0 PCM sound output. Released 2009, the opera runs 3 hours and 46 minutes, and there are valuable extras for a total of 5 hours runtime on 2 discs. Grade: A+
Read MoreAribert Reimann Lear opera (composed 1978) to a libretto by Claus H. Henneberg. Directed 2014 by Karoline Gruber at the Staatsoper Hamburg. Stars Bo Skovhus (König or King Lear), Katja Pieweck (Goneril), Hellen Kwon (Regan), Siobhan Stagg (Cordelia), Erwin Leder (Narr or Fool), Lauri Vasar (Graf or Count von Gloster), Andrew Watts (Edgar), Martin Homrich (Edmund), Christian Miedl (Herzog or Duke von Albany), Peter Galliard (Herzog or Duke von Cornwall), Jürgen Sacher (Graf or Duke von Kent), Wilhelm Schwinghammer (König von Frankreich), and Frieder Stricker (Bedienter or Servant). Simone Young conducts the Philharmoniker Hamburg and Chor der Staatsoper Hamburg (Chorus Master Eberhard Friedrich). Set Design by Roy Spahn; costume design by Mechthild Seipel; lighting design by Hans Toelstede; directed for video by Marcus Richardt. Released 2015, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio. Grade: NA
Read MoreDonizetti Anna Bolena opera to a libretto by Felice Romani. Directed 2013 by Cesare Scarton at the Teatro Flavio Vespasiano in Rieti, Italy in connection with the Reatefestival of the Theatro Dell’Opera di Roma. Stars Federico Benetti (Enrico VIII, King of England), Marta Torbidoni (Anna Bolena, his wife), Laura Polverelli (Giovanna or Jane Seymour, Anna’s lady-in-waiting), Dionisos Tsantinis (Lord Rochefort, Anna’s brother), Moisés Marín García (Lord Percy), Martina Belli (Smeton, musician), and Carlo Allemano (Sir Hervey, court official). Fabio Biondi conducts the Europa Galante (period-instrument chamber orchestra) and the Belcanto Chorus (Chorus Master Martino Faggiani). Set design by Michele Della Cioppa; costume design by Anna Biagiotti; light design by Corrado Rea. No videographer credited (bad sign). Sung in Italian. Released 2015, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio. Grade: NA
Read MoreJohann Strauss II Die Fledermaus operetta to a libretto by Carl Haffner and Richard Genée. Directed 2003 by Stephan Lawless (with assistant Titus Hollweg) at Glyndebourne. Stars Pamela Armstrong (Rosalinda), Thomas Allen (Gabriel von Eisenstein), Lyubov Petrova (Adele), Malena Ernman (Prince Orlovsky), Håkan Hagegård (Dr. Falke), Pär Lindskog (Alfred), Ragnar Ulfung (Dr. Blind), Artur Korn (Frank, the gaoler or jailer), Renée Schüttengruber (Ida), and Udo Samel (Frosch, a speaking part). Vladimir Jurowski directs the London Philharmonic Orchestra (Leader Peter Shoeman) and the Glyndebourne Opera Chorus (Chorus Master Bernard McDonald). Set design by Benoit Dugardyn; costumes by Ingeborg Bernerth; lighting by Paul Pyant; choreography by Nicola Bowie; directed for TV by Francesca Kemp and produced for TV by Ross MacGibbon. Released 2008. Package says 24-bit sound was used, but infalible Zoltan Glied reports sound sampling was at 48kHz/24-bit for stereo and 48kHz/16-bit for surround. The disc has 5.0 PCM surround sound output. Grade: A+
Read More💓 Francis Poulenc Dialogues des carmélites opera to a libretto by the composer. Directed 2013 by Olivier Py at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées. Stars Patricia Petibon (Blanche de La Force), Sophie Koch (Mère Marie de l’Incarnation), Véronique Gens (Madame Lidoine), Sandrine Piau (Soeur Constance de Saint Denis), Rosalind Plowright (Madame de Croissy), Topi Lehtipuu (Le Chevalier de La Force), Phillippe Rouillon (Le Marquis de La Force), François Piolino (Le Père confesseur du couvent), Annie Vavrille (Mère Jeanne de l’Enfant Jésus), Sophie Pondjiclis (Soeur Mathilde), Matthieu Lécroart (Thierry, le médecin, le geôlier), Yuri Kissin (Le second commissaire, un officier), and Jérémy Duffau (Le premier commissaire). Chœur des Carmélites: Caroline Allonzo, Solange Añorga, Elizabeth Bartin, Anne-Lou Bissières, Béatrice Dupuy, Anne-Sophie Durand, Carolina Fèvre, Claire Geoffroy-Dechaume, Laure Slabiak, Sophie Van de Woestyne, and Mayuko Yasuda. Jérémie Rhorer conducts the Philharmonia Orchestra & Chœur du Théâtre des Champs-Elysées (Chef de chœur Alexandre Piquion). Set design and costumes by Pierre-André Weitz; lighting by Bertrand Killy; directed for film by François-Rene Martin. Released 2014, disc has Dolby 5.1 sound. Grade: A+
Read MoreFrancis Poulenc Dialogues des carmélites opera to libretto by the composer based on the play by Georges Bernanos. Directed 2008 by Nikolaus Lehnhoff at the Staatsoper Hamburg. Stars Wolfgang Schöne (Marquis de la Force), Alexia Voulgaridou (Blanche de la Force), Nikolai Schukoff (Le Chevalier de la Force), Kathryn Harries (Madame de Croissy), Anne Schwanewilms (Madame Lidoine), Gabriele Schnaut (Mère Marie de l'Incarnation), Jana Büchner (Sœur Constance), Olive Fredricks (Mère Jeanne), Susanne Bohl (Sœur Maltilde), Benjamin Hulett (Father Confessor for the Convent), Mortiz Gogg (Officer), Frieder Stricker (First Commissionar), Wilhelm Schwinghammer (Second Commissionar), Jan Buchwald (The Jailor), Peter Veit (Thierry, a Lackey), and Rainer Böddeker (Doctor). Simone Young conducts the Philharmoniker Hamburg and the Chor der Staatsoper Hamburg (Chorus Master Florian Csizmadia). Sets by Raimund Bauer; costumes by Andrea Schmidt-Futterer; associate direction by Heiko Hentschel; dramaturgy by Annedore Cordes; lighting by Olaf Freese; TV direction by Andreas Morell. Released 2010, disc has 7.1 dts-HD Master Audio. Grade: B
Read MoreFrancis Poulenc Dialogues des carmélites (Dialogues of the Carmelites) opera to a libretto by the composer. Directed 2010 by Dmitri Tcherniakov at the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich. Stars Alain Vernhes (Marquis de la Force), Susan Gritton (Blanche de la Force), Bernard Richter (Chevalier de la Force), Sylvie Brunet (Madame De Croissy), Soile Isokoski (Madame Lidoine), Susanne Resmark (Mère Marie), Hélène Guilmette (Sœur Constance), Heike Grötzinger (Mère Jeanne), Anaïk Morel (Sœur Mathilde), Kevin Conners (Chaplain), Ulrich Ress (First Commissioner), John Chest (Second Commissioner), Christian Rieger (Officier), Levente Molnár (Jailor), Rüdiger Trebes (Thierry, a Lackey), and Oscar Quezada (Monsieur Javelinot). Kent Nagano conducts the Bayerische Staatsoper Orchestra and Chor der Bayerischen Staatsoper (Chorus Master Andrés Máspero). Set design by Dmitri Tcherniakov; costume design by Elena Zaytseva; lighting by Gleb Filshtinksy; dramaturgy by Andrea Schönhofer; directed for TV by Andy Sommer. Released 2011, disc has dts 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: D
Read MoreCharles Wuorinen Brokeback Mountain opera to a libretto by Annie Proulx. Staged 2014 by Ivo Van Hove at the Teatro Real. Stars Daniel Okulitch (Ennis del Mar), Tom Randle (Jack Twist), Heather Buck (Alma), Hannah Esther Minutillo (Lureen), Ethan Herschenfeld (Aguirre/Hog-Boy), Celia Alcedo (Alma's mother), Jane Henschel (Jack's mother), Ryan MacPherson (Jack's father), Hilary Summers (Bartender), Letitia Singleton (Saleswoman), Gaizka Gurruchaga (Cowboy), and Vasco Fracanzani (Bill Jones). Titus Engel conducts the Orchestra & Chorus Teatro Real de Madrid. Released 2015, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio. Grade: NA
Read MoreRameau Hippolyte et Aricie opera to a libretto by Simon-Joseph Pellegrin. Directed 2013 by Jonathan Kent at the Glyndebourne Festival. Stars Ed Lyon (Hippolytus), Christiane Karg (Aricia), Sarah Connolly (Phaedre), Stéphane Degout (Theseus), François Lis (Pluto/Jupiter/Neptune), Katherine Watson (Diana), Emmanuelle de Negri (High Priestess/Huntress/Song of the Nightingale), Mathias Vidal (Follower of Cupid/First Fate), Ana Quintans (Cupid/Sailor Girl), Aimery Lefèvre (Arcas/Second Fate), Julie Pasturaud (Œnone), Samuel Boden (Mercury), Callum Thorpe (Third Fate), Loïc Félix (Tisiphone), Charlotte Beament (Priestress), and Timothy Dickenson (Hunter). Dancers were Sophie Allnatt, Thomas Baylis, Nicole Craddock, Anthony Kurt Gabel, Jarkko Lehmus, Martin Lindinger, Naomi Murray, and Johanna Nuutinen. William Christie conducts the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment (Leader Kati Debretzeni) and The Glyndebourne Chorus (Chorus Master Christopher Bucknall). Benoît Hartoin harpsichord continuo; Jonathan Manson cello continuo; Chi-Chi Nwanoku double bass continuo. Designs by Paul Brown; lighting by Mark Henderson; choreography by Ashley Page, and video designed by Nina Dunn. Executive production by George Bruell; film direction by François Roussillon; sound supervision by Jean Chatauret; music production by Sébastien Chonion. Released 2014, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: A+
Read MoreVerdi Nabucco opera to a libretto by Temistocle Solera. Staged 2013 by Daniele Abbado at the Royal Opera House. Stars Plácido Domingo (Nabucco), Liudmyla Monastyrska (Abigaille), Andrea Caré (Ismaele), Marianna Pizzolato (Fenena), Vitalij Kowaljow (Zaccaria), Robert Lloyd (High Priest), David Butt Philip (Abdallo), and Dušica Bijelić (Anna) . Nicola Luisotti conducts the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House and the Royal Opera Chorus. Directed for video by Rhodri Huw. Released 2015, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio. Grade: NA
Read MoreRossini Semiramide opera to a libretto by Gaetano Rossi. Directed 2011 by Nigel Lowery at the Vlaamse Opera. Stars Myrtò Papatanasiu (Semiramide), Ann Hallenberg (Arsace), Josef Wagner (Assur), Robert McPherson (Idreno), Igor Bakan (Oroe), Julianne Gearhart (Azema), Eduardo Santamaria (Mitrane), and Charles Dekeyser (L'Ombra di Nino). Alberto Zedda conducts the Symphony Orchestra and Chorus of the Vlaamse Opera Antwerp/Ghent (Chorus Master Yannis Pouspourikas). Set design and costume design by Nigel Lowery; lighting design by Lothar Baumgarte; directed for video by Matteo Ricchetti. Released 2015, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA
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