RICHARD WAGNER
Wagner: Lohengrin (complete opera recorded in 2016) Dresden Opera / Anna Netrebko, Piotr Beczala, Tomasz Konieczny, Georg Zeppenfeld / Christian Thielemann (cond) [ Deutsche Grammophon DVD / 2 DVD - released 15/Sep/2017 ] ".Netrebko brings a sensuality and an outraged awareness of how this woman is exploited not that common in Elsas, and the role lies well for her vocally at the moment" Gramophone |
GIUSEPPE VERDI
Verdi: Rigoletto (complete opera recorded in 2008) Dresden Opera / Zeljko Lucic, Diana Damrau, Juan Diego Florez, Georg Zeppenfeld / Sachsische Staatskapelle Dresden, Fabio Luisi [ Virgin Classics DVD / DVD - released 10/Apr/2012 ] "Musically, the show is spectacular...Juan Diego Flórez is wonderfully sure of himself in every way...[Damrau] is no soubrette; the voice has body and power, her breath control is superb" (International record Review) |
WALTER BRAUNFELS
Die Vogel [The Birds] (complete opera recorded in 2009) Désirée Rancatore / Brandon Jovanovich / James Johnson / Martin Gantner / Los Angeles Opera Orchestra & Chorus / James Conlon [ Arthaus Musik DVD / DVD - released 16/Feb/2011 ] "Walter Braunfel's Die Vögel is that very rare thing - a neglected work which really is worth reviving...The staging is colourful, with plenty of well-coordinated movement, and James Conlon conducts his Los Angeles forces persuasively, as well as... |
STEFANO LANDI
Landi: Morte d'Orfeo (complete opera recorded in 2018) Dutch National Opera / Cecilia Molinari, Renato Dolcini, Alexander Miminoshvili, Gaia Petrone / Christophe Rousset, conductor [ Naxos DVD / DVD - released 20/May/2020 ] Stefano Landi wrote the operas La morte d'Orfeo (1619) and Il Sant'Alessio (1632), as well as masses, psalms, madrigals and arias. He was maestro di cappella in Padua and Rome, and later a singer in the Sistine Chapel. |
ENGLEBERT HUMPERDINCK
Humperdinck: Konigskinder [The King's Children] (complete opera recorded in 2022) Dutch National Opera / Daniel Behle, Olga Kulchynska, Josef Wagner, Doris Soffel / Marc Albrecht (cond) [ Naxos DVD / DVD - released 11/Aug/2023 ] Hänsel und Gretel brought Humperdinck worldwide fame but his tragic fairy storybrought Humperdinck worldwide fame but his tragic fairy story KönigskinderKönigskinder ('The King's Children') offers a stark contrast to it and has only begun to be... |
GIACOMO PUCCINI
Puccini: Tosca (complete opera recorded in 2022) Dutch National Opera / Malin Byström, Joshua Guerrero, Gevorg Hakobyan / Lorenzo Viotti (cond) [ Naxos DVD / DVD - released 14/Apr/2023 ] "...this must be one of the bloodiest Toscas shown on stage, in a world where the characters' Christian faith is clearly a personal defence against the horror of the tyranny under which they live." Gramophone Editor's Choice July 2023 |
W. A. MOZART
Mozart: Die Zauberflote (complete opera recorded in 2014) Dutch National Opera / Maximilian Schmitt, Christina Landshamer, Thomas Oliemans, Brindley Sherratt, Íride Martínez / Marc Albrecht (cond) [ Opus Arte DVD / DVD - released 20/May/2015 ] "It is sparkily conducted in light, historically aware tempi by Marc Albrecht, and acted and sung as a tightly worked ensemble piece....Subtle touches ease what we now find chauvinist and racist in the original...Ingenious. Recommended." (Gramophone) |
PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOSVKY
Tchaikovsky: Pique Dame (complete opera recorded in 2017) Dutch National Opera / Misha Didyk, Alexey Markov, Vladimir Stoyanov / Mariss Jansons (cond) [ C Major DVD / DVD - released 1/Jun/2018 ] "Musically, standards are extremely high, led by Mariss Jansons's inspired presence in the pit...Aksenova sings a steely Lisa...Diadkova is remarkable as the Countess - singing rather than growling her role." Gramophone |
RICHARD STRAUSS
Strauss, R.: Ariadne auf Naxos (complete opera / original 1912 version recorded in 2012) Salzburg Festival / Emily Magee, Elena Mosuc, Jonas Kaufmann / Wiener Philharmoniker, Daniel Harding (conductor), Sven-Eric Bechtolf (director) [ Sony DVD / DVD - released 28/Jun/2014 ] "Jonas Kaufmann was spectacular as Bacchus, growing improbably stronger as he progressed. Emily Magee was scarcely less impressive in the demanding role of Ariadne." - New York Times |
GEORG FRIDERIC HANDEL
Handel: Xerxes [Serse] (opera recorded 1988) English National Opera / Ann Murray, Lesley Garrett, Valerie Masterson / Sir Charles Mackerras [ Arthaus Musik DVD / DVD - released 7/Aug/2011 ] "a landmark in the reassessment of Handel's genius...Mackerras understood Handel's music intimately...Murray's Xerxes is unfailingly elegant, whether serenading a plant in the shadow of Roubiliac's statue of Handel, or pausing over a demitasse." |
BENJAMIN BRITTEN
The Rape of Lucretia (complete opera recorded in 2001) English National Opera / Sarah Connolly, Christopher Maltman, Catherine Wyn-Rogers / Paul Daniel (conductor) [ Opus Arte DVD / DVD - released 25/Nov/2013 ] Sarah Connolly's 'outstanding' (The Guardian) portrayal of the wronged Roman noblewoman, written originally for Kathleen Ferrier, lies at the heart of David McVicar's powerfully stark production for English National Opera as 'an everyday sort of... |
CIMAROSA
Il Matrimonio Segreto (Complete Opera) Enrico Fissore / Valeria Baiano / Carmen Gonzalez / Orchestra Della Svizzera Italiana / Francis Travis [ OPUS ARTE / FAVEO DVD / DVD ] G :- 'The greatest compliment for this production, both musically and visually, is that three hours was too short…' Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Switzerland |
ROSSINI
La Scala di Seta (complete opera) Ernesto Palacio / Robert Coviello / Tiziana Tramonti / Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana / Marc Andreae (cond) [ Opus Arte DVD / DVD - released 10/May/2007 ] G :- All Regions - Regular 1.33:1 / 4:3 - PCM Stereo - Colour - NTSC - 103 minutes |
W. A. MOZART
Mozart: Le Nozze di Figaro [The Marriage of Figaro] (complete opera recorded in 2006) The Royal Opera / Erwin Schrott, Miah Persson, Gerald Finley, Dorothea Roschmann / Antonio Pappano [ Opus Arte DVD / 2 DVD - released 10/Sep/2008 ] "…so accomplished a cast, in which Gerald Finley's Count, Miah Persson's Susanna and Rinat Shaham's Cherubino stand out as ideal." (BBC Music) |
DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH
Shostakovich: Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk (complete opera recorded live at the Het Muziektheater, Amsterdam in June 2006) Eva-Maria Westbroek / Christopher Ventris / Carole Wilson / Vladimir Vaneev / Lani Poulson / LudovAt Ludha / Alexandre Kravets / Mariss Jansons (con [ Opus Arte DVD / 2 DVD - released 6/Dec/2006 ] M - Contains nudity. -- "This is wonderful … so well performed on all counts that it makes an outstanding choice" (MusicWeb Dec 2006) |
PUCCINI
La Fanciulla del West [The Girl of the Golden West] (complete opera recorded in 2009) BLU-RAY Eva-Maria Westbroek / Lucio Gallo / Zoran Todorovich / Chorus of De Nederlandse Opera / Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra / Carlo Rizzi [ Opus Arte DVD / Blu-ray Disc - released 19/Dec/2010 ] "From her first entrance...Westbroek is captivating. She boasts the wonderfully meaty instrument required for Minnie (especially in the all-important middle voice), plus the right wholesome, strawberry-blonde appearance" (International Record Review) |
PUCCINI
La Fanciulla del West [The Girl of the Golden West] (complete opera recorded in 2009) Eva-Maria Westbroek / Lucio Gallo / Zoran Todorovich / Chorus of De Nederlandse Opera / Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra / Carlo Rizzi [ Opus Arte DVD / DVD - released 19/Dec/2010 ] "From her first entrance...Westbroek is captivating. She boasts the wonderfully meaty instrument required for Minnie (especially in the all-important middle voice), plus the right wholesome, strawberry-blonde appearance." (International Record Review) |
HANDEL
Belshazzar (complete opera recorded in 2008) Festival Aix-en-Provence / Kenneth Taylor, Rosemary Joshua, Bejun Mehta / Rene Jacobs (cond) [ Harmonia Mundi DVD / 2 DVD - released 1/Jun/2011 ] "Mehta's King Cyrus is immaculately sung and powerfully acted...Jacobs proves a consistently lively presence" (BBC Music) |
GEORG FRIDERIC HANDEL
Handel: Alcina (complete opera recorded in 2015) Festival Aix-en-Provence / Patricia Petibon, Philippe Jaroussky, Anna Prohaska, Katarina Bradic / Andrea Marcon (cond) [ Erato / Warner Classics DVD / 2 DVD - released 10/Jun/2016 ] "Petibon is sensational throughout: supremely confident in the pathos and neurotic pyrotechnics of Alcina's music and character. In the pit, Andrea Marcon directs the Freiburger Barockorchester smartly, with a shiver of sul ponticello bowing" (BBC) |
W. A. MOZART
Don Giovanni (complete opera recorded in 2010) Festival d'Aix-en-Provence / Bo Skovhus, Kyle Ketelsen, Marlis Petersen, Kristine Opolais / Louis Langrée (cond) [ Bel Air Classiques DVD / DVD - released 31/Jul/2013 ] "Skovhus is electrifying in the lead role as he pivots from roaring malevolence to whispered fragility..The Freiburg Baroque Orchestra under Louis Langree articulates extreme states of mind latent in Mozart's score...This DVD is a must-see" BBC Music |