JULES MASSENET
Massenet: Cendrillon (complete opera recorded in 2017) BLU-RAY Theater Freiburg / Kim-Lillian Strebel, Anja Jung, Anat Czarny / Fabrice Bollon (cond) [ Naxos Blu-ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 18/Sep/2018 ] Massenet's opera Cendrillon has enjoyed enduring popularity on stage and in recordings, but there are surprisingly few Blu-ray releases of this enchanting work. |
HECTOR BERLIOZ
Les Troyens (complete opera recorded in 2003) BLU-RAY Theatre Musical de Paris / Yannis Kokkos, Susan Graham, Gregory Kunde / Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique, Sir John Eliot Gardiner [ Opus Arte / BBC Blu-Ray / 2 Blu-ray Disc - released 1/Aug/2011 ] "The magnificent high-definition recording does it ample sonic and visual justice. For anyone who loves Les Troyens, this is a revelatory and essential performance." (The Gramophone Classical Music Guide) |
IGOR STRAVINSKY
Stravinsky: The Rake's Progress (Complete opera recorded in 2007) BLU-RAY Theatre Royal de la Monnaie, Brussels / Laura Claycomb, Andrew Kennedy, William Shimell / Kazushi Ono (conductor) [ Opus Arte Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 20/Aug/2009 ] Blu-Ray - 'Lepage has forged a reputation as one of the most visionary theatre directors of our age… The Rake's Progress is heading our way, and it promises to be a highlight of the 2007/8 season.' Sunday Times |
W. A. MOZART
Mozart: Lucio Silla (complete opera recorded in 2017) BLU-RAY Theatro Real / Kurt Streit (Silla), Patricia Petibon, Silvia Tro Santafé, Inga Kalna / Ivor Bolton (cond) [ Bel Air Classiques Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 1/Nov/2018 ] "But the vocal laurels, and the principal reason for recommending this recording, belong to Patricia Petibon who tears into Giunia's arias as if her really depended on it." BBC MusicBBC Music Magazine October 2018 Opera Choice |
PHILIP GLASS
Glass: Einstein on the Beach (recorded in 2012-13) BLU-RAY Theâtre du Châtelet / Helga Davis, Kate Moran, Antoine Silverman / The Philip Glass Ensemble, Michael Riesman [ Opus Arte Blu-Ray / 2 Blu-ray Disc - released 10/Nov/2016 ] "This is close to a definitive version of the opera as you're likely to get." Gramophone |
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: Fidelio (complete opera recorded at the Salzburg Festival in 2015) BLU-RAY Vienna Opera / Jonas Kaufmann, Adrianne Pieczonka, Tomasz Konieczny, Hans-Peter König, Olga Bezsmertna / Franz Welser-Möst (cond) [ Sony Classical Blu-ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 1/Jul/2016 ] "Jonas Kaufmann's gorgeously sung Florestan"(Financial Times) and Leonora - "triumphantly sung by Adrianne Pieczonka" (The Guardian/Observer) |
JULES MASSENET
Massenet: Werther (complete recorded in 2005) BLU-RAY Vienna State Opera / Marcelo Álvarez, Elina Garanca, Ileana Tonca, Adrian Eröd, Alfred Sramek, Peter Jelosit / Philippe Jordan (cond) [ Arthaus Legendary Performances Blu-ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 1/Oct/2015 ] "The Vienna State Opera Orchestra plays rhapsodically for Phillip Jordan. He comes close to delivering a great Werther...this is a stunning, newly and originally conceived show." (ClassicsToday) |
GEORGES BIZET
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Bizet: Carmen (complete Franco Zeffirelli production recorded in 1978) Vienna State Opera / Placido Domingo, Elena Obraztsova, Isobel Buchanan, Yuri Mazurok, Isobel Buchanan / Carlos Kleiber (cond) [ Arthaus DVD / Blu-ray Disc - released 12/Jul/2004 ] The Vienna Carmen from 1978 is a sensational filmed document from the musical legacy of Carlos Kleiber: the meticulous conductor only ever conducted a highly selected repertoire, and among his very few audio and video recordings are only seven... |
RICHARD STRAUSS
Strauss, (R.): Capriccio (complete opera recorded in 2013) BLU-RAY Vienna State Opera / Renee Fleming, Bo Skovhus, Michael Schade, Angelika Kirchschlager / Christoph Eschenbach (cond) [ C Major Blu-ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 28/Apr/2014 ] "Kurt Rydl crowns a fine stage career with a gloriously eccentric impersonation of La Roche...The singing honours belong entirely to Angelika Kirchschlager as Clairon." BBC Music |
GIUSEPPE VERDI
Verdi: La forza del destino (complete opera recorded in 2008) BLU-RAY Vienna State Opera / Salvatore Licitra, Nina Stemme, Carlos Alvarez, Alastair Miles / Zubin Mehta (cond) [ C Major Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 20/Feb/2018 ] "Stemme is an involving Leonore, with a lovely rich lower and mid-register tone, but she is strained and variable above the stave...Krasteva throws herself into cowgirl Preziosilla with gusto. Mehta conducts effectively." International Record Review |
GIUSEPPE VERDI
Verdi: La forza del destino (complete opera recorded in 2008) BLU-RAY Vienna State Opera / Salvatore Licitra, Nina Stemme, Carlos Alvarez, Alastair Miles / Zubin Mehta (cond) [ C Major Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 15/Feb/2012 ] "Nina Stemme's Leonora? A hugely well-acted assumption of the role, with (in the 'Pace! Pace, mio dio' scena) the uncanny presence and vocal fury offered by Price, Barstow or Freni." Gramophone |
GIUSEPPE VERDI
Verdi: Simon Boccanegra (complete recorded in 2002) BLU-RAY Vienna State Opera / Thomas Hampson, Cristina Gallardo-Domas, Ferruccio Furlanetto, Miroslav Dvorský / Daniele Gatti (cond) [ Arthaus Legendary Performances Blu-ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 1/Oct/2015 ] Arthaus presents a "visually alert, musically sensitive and disturbingly coherent" (The Standard) production of Simon Boccanegra on Blu-ray, one of Verdi's lesser known works yet regarded by many opera lovers as one of his finest. |
GLUCK
Gluck: Iphigénie en Aulide & Iphigénie en Tauride (complete operas recorded in 2011) BLU-RAY Véronique Gens / Mireille Delunsch / Les Musiciens du Louvre Grenoble & Chorus of De Nederlandse Opera, Marc Minkowski & Pierre Audi [ Opus Arte Blu-ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 20/Feb/2013 ] "[von Otter] presents a deeply sympathetic character...[Gens's] Iphigenia is equally touching and just as beautifully sung...one or two [production] oddities are far outweighed by the intensity that Pierre Audi secures from his team" (Gramophone) |
GIUSEPPE VERDI
Verdi: Rigoletto (complete opera recorded in 2006) BLU-RAY Zurich Opera House / Leo Nucci / Elena Moscu / Piotr Beczala / Nello Santi (cond) [ Arthaus Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 2/Feb/2009 ] Blu-Ray - "The emotional energy of the evening is concentrated in Santi's person; he stands for nothing less than incontestable aplomb, and for music-making that, thanks to his sense of timing and style, is above reproach." |
GEORG FRIDERIC HANDEL
Handel: Orlando (complete opera recorded in 2007) BLU-RAY Zurich Opera House / Marijana Mijanovic / Martina Jankova / Katharina Peetz / William Christie (cond) [ Arthaus Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 2/May/2009 ] "Jens-Daniel Herzog has produced a sophisticated version of George Frideric Handel's Orlando. William Christie is a fascinating conductor who manages a superb ensemble. Opera that is both cool and cultivated - fantastic!" Aargauer Zeitung |
ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK
Humperdinck: Konigskinder (complete opera recorded in 2010) BLU-RAY Zurich Opera / Jonas Kaufmann, Isabel Rey, Oliver Widmer / Jens-Daniel Herzog (cond) [ Decca Blu-ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 20/Apr/2014 ] Tenor superstar Jonas Kaufmann leads the cast in the first-ever Blu-ray release of the beautiful fairytale opera from the composer of Hänsel und Gretel. |
GEORGES BIZET
Bizet: Carmen (complete opera recorded in 2008) BLU-RAY Zurich Opera / Jonas Kaufmann, Vesselina Kasarova, Isabel Rey, Michele Pertusi / Franz Welser-Möst (cond) [ Decca Blu-ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 16/Oct/2016 ] " it's [Kasarova's] Carmen who makes this production unforgettable. Not just her smoky mezzo dipping down into the chest register in the Habanera, but her gifts are an actress" BBC Music |
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: Fidelio (complete opera recorded in 2008) BLU-RAY Zurich Opera / Krešimir Stražanac, Lucio Gallo, Roberto Sacca, Melanie Diener, Alfred Muff / Bernard Haitink, conductor [ Opus Arte Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 10/Apr/2010 ] Translucence, transparency - warmth' are the qualities identified by Bernard Haitink as necessary for an ideal sound performance of Beethoven's only opera, and all are present in this fantastic recording of Katharina Thalbach's new production. |
W. A. MOZART
Mozart: Cosi fan Tutte (complete opera recorded in 2009) BLU-RAY Zurich Opera / Malin Hartelius, Anna Bonitatibus, Martina Janková, Javier Camarena / Franz Welser-Most (conductor) [ Arthaus Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 10/May/2010 ] "The singing is uniformly excellent. Malin Hartelius is a terrific Fiordiligi, her vibrato prominent but never bothersome, her inflections ideal, her sense of silliness sublime." 10/10 highest rating Classicstoday.com |
Joe Bonamassa
An Acoustic Evening at the Vienna Opera House [ J&R Adventures / Blu-ray Disc - released 5/Apr/2013 ] Hailed worldwide as one of the greatest guitar players of his generation, Joe Bonamassa has almost single-handedly redefined the blues-rock genre and brought it into the mainstream. He continues this role with his first-ever entirely acoustic... |