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JOHN ADAMS
Doctor Atomic (complete opera recorded in 2008) Metropolitan Opera / Gerald Finley, Sasha Cooke, Eric Owens / Alan Gilbert (cond) [ Sony Metropolitan Series DVD / 2 DVD - released 20/Feb/2011 ] "Video and audio are state-of-the-art. This is a major addition to the operatic DVD catalog." (ClassicalCdReview) |
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GIUSEPPE VERDI
Verdi: Rigoletto (Complete opera recorded in 1981) Metropolitan Opera / Louis Quilico, Christiane Eda-Pierre, Luciano Pavarotti, Isola Jones / James Levine (cond) [ Decca Music Group DVD / DVD - released 5/Nov/2014 ] "Musically there's much to admire...The vocalism is strong and occasionally outstanding." Gramophone |
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GEORGES BIZET
Bizet: Carmen (Complete Opera recorded in June 2009) Opéra Comique, Paris / Anna Caterina Antonacci, Andrew Richards, Nicolas Cavallier, Monteverdi Choir / John Eliot Gardiner (cond) [ Naxos DVD / DVD - released 14/May/2021 ] On 3 June 1975, the day after the 33rd performance of Carmen - indicating limited success as the receipts were meagre - he died from a heart attack, at the age of 36, like Mozart. |
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VERDI / MOZART / MONTEVERDI / OFFENBACH / PUCCINI / WAGNER
The Essential Opera Collection (19 DVD) Muziektheater Amsterdam / Glyndebourne Opera / Madrid Teatro Real / Gran Teatre del Liceu / Netherlands Opera / Royal Opera House / Paris Opera [ Opus Arte Essential Opera Collection DVD / 19 DVD Box Set - released 20/Nov/2015 ] The 'Essential Opera Collection' is an exciting new mid-price series that brings together popular operas and classic productions in simple stylish packaging. The ten launch titles represent the leading opera houses of the world, including The Royal... |
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JACQUES OFFENBACH
Offenbach: Orphee aux Enfers / La Belle Helene (complete operettas recorded in 1998 & 2000) Natalie Dessay / Felicity Lott / Yann Beuron / Laurent Naouri / Opéra National de Lyon / Les Musiciens du Louvre / Marc Minkowski [ ArtHaus Musik DVD / 2 DVD Box Set - released 10/Oct/2012 ] Arthaus presents an Offenbach Box Set (Orphée aux Enfers & La belle Hélène) featuring Marc Minkowski - the preeminent Offenbach conductor of our day but also a team of wonderful singer-actors (Natalie Dessay & Felicity Lott). |
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TCHAIKOVSKY
Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake, Op. 20 (The Royal Swedish Ballet) Nathalie Nordquist, Anders Nordström, Marketta Kaila, Christian Rambe Royal Swedish Ballet, Royal Swedish Opera Orchestra, Michel Quéval [ Opus Arte DVD / DVD - released 8/Nov/2002 ] This stunning production by The Royal Swedish Ballet, produced by Ross MacGibbon, stars Nathalie Nordquist as Odette/Odile and Anders Nordström as Prince Siegfried. Choreographer Peter Wright stages Swan Lake as a romantic Gothic tragedy. This... |
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VERDI
Les Vespres Siciliennes (complete opera recorded in 2010) Netherlands Opera / Barbara Haveman, Burkhard Fritz, Alejandro Marco-Buhrmester / Paolo Carignani (cond) [ Opus Arte DVD / 2 DVD - released 1/Aug/2012 ] The Netherlands Opera Chorus...remains one of the most musically and dramatically responsive among major companies." (International Record Review) |
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VINCENZO BELLINI
Bellini: Norma (the complete opera, recorded in 2005) Netherlands Opera / Hasmik Papian / Hugh Smith / Irini Tsirakidis / Julian Reynolds (cond) [ Opus Arte DVD / 2 DVD - released 7/Nov/2006 ] G :- "Conductor Julian Reynolds extensively studied Bellini's score in manuscript and introduces lots of surprising details." -De Telegraaf |
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W. A. MOZART
Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail (complete opera recorded in 2008) Netherlands Opera / Laura Aikin / Edgaras Montvidas / Kurt Rydl / Mojca Erdmann / Constantinos Carydis (cond) [ Opus Arte DVD / DVD - released 2/Feb/2009 ] "Constantinos Carydis conducts the excellent Netherlands CO with zest and a fair sense of period style." Gramophone Magazine, May 2009 |
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W. A. MOZART
Da Ponte Operas: Cosi fan Tutte / Le Nozze di Figaro / Don Giovanni (recorded 2006 & 2007) Netherlands Opera / Sally Matthews / Luca Pisaroni / Danielle de Niese / Garry Magee / Ingo Metzmacher(cond) [ Opus Arte DVD / 4 DVD Box Set - released 1/Aug/2011 ] Wit and astute theatrical awareness are the hallmarks of this exceptional vision of Mozart's and Da Ponte's famous masterpieces, directed by the duo Jossi Wieler and Sergio Morabito. Set in a 1960s youth hostel, Così fan tutte is a charmingly... |
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RIMSKY-KORSAKOV
The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevronia (complete opera recorded in 2012) Netherlands Opera / Svetlana Ignatovich, John Daszak, Vladimir Vaneev. / Marc Albrecht (conductor) [ Opus Arte DVD / 2 DVD - released 20/Feb/2014 ] "This deeply felt production...is a significant step further in the internationalisation of the opera...The committed theatricality of the cast...goes far to making the production convincing on its own terms...[Ignatovich] sings without strain or fat |
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GEORG FRIDERIC HANDEL
Handel: Semele New Zealand Opera Chorus, Holy Trinity Cathedral Choir, New Zealand Opera Baroque Orchestra, Peter Walls [ Opus Arte DVD / DVD - released 21/Jul/2023 ] "Amitai Pati is the pick of the bunch. The Samoan tenor is an outstanding Jupiter, bright-toned and fullvoiced, lyrical lines anchored by enough weight to make this reluctant smiter believable as both lover and thug." Gramophone |
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PROKOFIEV
Ivan The Terrible (complete ballet recorded in 2003) Nicolas Le Riche / Eleonora Abbagnato / Karl Paquette / Le Corps de Ballet and Opéra National de Paris / Vello Pähn [ Arthaus Musik DVD / DVD - released 1/Jul/2011 ] Arthaus presents one of the most fascinating choreographies to have emerged from Russia during the last decades: Yuri Grigorovich's original ballet dramatizing Ivan the Terrible's reign as Czar of Russia. |
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CLAUDIO MONTEVERDI
Monteverdi: L'Incoronazione di Poppea (complete opera recorded in 2010) Norwegian National Opera / Birgitte Christensen, Jacek Laszczkowski, Tim Mead, Marita Sølberg / Alessandro de Marchi [ EuroArts DVD / DVD Box Set - released 20/Jun/2017 ] "There is, though, some truly terrific singing here. Birgitte Christiansen (Poppea) is an amazingly assured musical presence, who can colour her voice to fit every occasion. Jacek Laszczkowski (Nero) is expressively menacing and lascivious by turn" |
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GIACOMO PUCCINI
Puccini: La Boheme (complete opera recorded in 2012) Norwegian National Opera / Diego Torre, Marita Salberg, Vasily Ladyuk, Jennifer Rowley / The Norwegian National Opera Orchestra, Eivind Gullberg [ Naxos DVD / DVD - released 10/Jun/2022 ] Who among us doesn't already have a personal relationship to La Bohème? Probably a deep and intimate one: this opera, perhaps more than any other, strikes a chord that resonates in us where we are most sensitive. Puccini, one could say, was the... |
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CLAUDIO MONTEVERDI
Monteverdi: 3 x Poppea - L'Incoronazione di Poppea (complete operas recorded in 1993, 2010 & 2013) Norwegian National Opera with Birgitte Christensen, Jacek Laszczkowski / Concerto Koln, Rene Jacobs / Theaterhaus Stuttgart, Eric Gauthier, Anneleen R [ EuroArts DVD / 3 DVD Box Set - released 2/Feb/2018 ] Three different approaches to the enigmatic mistress of Roman Emperor Nero - in one box: watch Poppea in two contrasting opera productions plus as a futuristic ballet performance. Monteverdi: L'incoronazione di Poppea Orchestra of the Norwegian... |
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CLAUDIO MONTEVERDI
Monteverdi: L'Orfeo (Complete Opera recorded in June 2021) Opéra Comique, Paris / Luciana Mancini, Marc Mauillon, Sara Mingardo / A Capella Reial de Catalunya, Le Concert des Nations, Jordi Savall [ Naxos DVD / DVD - released 9/Sep/2022 ] Monteverdi's L'Orfeo was premiered in 1607 and is the oldest opera still performed today. The narrative is based on the Greek legend of Orpheus who, armed only with the weapons of music and love, descends into Hades. |
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LEO DELIBES
Delibes: Lakme (complete opera recorded in 2022) Opera Comique, Paris / Sabine Devieilhe, Grederic Antouni, Stephane Degout, Ambroisine Bre / Pygmalion, Raphael Pichon [ Naxos DVD / DVD - released 20/Oct/2023 ] "Laurent Pelly transforms Delibes's opera into an exploration of colonialism and cultural appropriation...Raphaël Pichon, conducting Pygmalion on original instruments, relishes Delibes's lush orchestration." BBC Music DVD of the Month Jan 2024 |
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VERDI
Oberto (complete opera recorded in 2007) Opera de Bilbao / Ildar Abdrazakov, Evelyn Herlitzius, Carlo Ventre / Yves Abel (cond) [ Opus Arte DVD / DVD - released 25/Mar/2008 ] G - "This new DVD of the opera from Opus Arte captures a performance that brings out the best from the opera and suggests conviction in its quality." (MusicalCriticism.com) |
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GIACOMO PUCCINI
Puccini: La Rondine (complete opera recorded in 2007) Opera de Nice / Svetla Vassileva / Maya Dashuk / Fabio Sartori / Alberto Veronesi [ Naxos DVD / DVD - released 1/Jul/2009 ] "Svetla Vassileva gives a totally committed acted performance..She puts her whole body and face into her acting whilst her phrasing, legato and vocal expression are first rate." (MusicWeb June 2009) |