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Future opera releases on DVD and Blu-ray

164K views 707 replies 61 participants last post by  Andrew Kenneth 
#1 ·
Hey, I thought of another thread for a neglected area: the DVDs and blu-rays that are coming up.

I'm excited about this, about to be released on 6/14/11 - Lully's Armide, by William Christie and Les Arts Florissants, on blu-ray:

 
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#16 ·
Handel, Agrippina (Venice, 1709) by the 24 year old.

René Jacobs, AKAMUS. Agrippina: Alexandrina Pendatchanska, soprano; Nerone: Jennifer Rivera, soprano; Poppea: Sunhae Im, soprano; Ottone: Bejun Mehta, countertenor; Narcisso: Dominique Visse, countertenor; Pallante: Neal Davies, baritone; Claudio: Marco Fink, bass; Lesbo: Daniel Schmutzhard, baritone.

I will definitely be getting this, as Jacobs have done wonders with Handel's music, despite eccentric tempos at times and even re-orchestration. Performance wise, should be the usual standard but the staging appears a mixed bag, as it often is the case with a Handel production.

 
#17 ·
Handel, Agrippina (Venice, 1709) by the 24 year old.

René Jacobs, AKAMUS. Agrippina: Alexandrina Pendatchanska, soprano; Nerone: Jennifer Rivera, soprano; Poppea: Sunhae Im, soprano; Ottone: Bejun Mehta, countertenor; Narcisso: Dominique Visse, countertenor; Pallante: Neal Davies, baritone; Claudio: Marco Fink, bass; Lesbo: Daniel Schmutzhard, baritone.

I will definitely be getting this, as Jacobs have done wonders with Handel's music, despite eccentric tempos at times and even re-orchestration.
Oh yes oh yeah oh yippee. I followed all this on Jennifer's Rivera's blog and she talked a lot about Jacobs' meticuluous attention to details.

Performance wise, should be the usual standard but the staging appears a mixed bag, as it often is the case with a Handel production.
OMG more on-stage simulated fellatio. It was also in the Paris Giulio Cesare. It makes me uncomfortable.

Never mind with this cast and conductor I'll still get it. Do you know when it's due for release, HC?
 
#23 · (Edited)
The two newest blu-rays I've been waiting for got such negative reviews on Amazon.com that I'm having second thoughts.

It's the new Rusalka with the cute new soprano Opalais, and the Gergiev Les Troyens with the weird spaceship/computer setting.

Has anybody seen them already? I'd much rather trust one of you guys than Amazon.com customers. I'm hesitating to buy until I hear from one of you.

PS - Can someone who speaks German please translate this into English for me? Thanks in advance. I tried with Google Translator and got most of it but the translation is still not too good, so I hope someone else here will do a better job. It's one of the Amazon.co.uk customer reviews for Rusalka:

"Die Aufführung ist musikalisch grossartig. Die Geister werden sich an der Inszenierung scheiden. Kusej erzählt die Geschichte völlig neu und zum Teil in drastischen Bildern. Heile Welt ist das nicht und nicht jedermanns Sache. Wer sich darauf einlassen kann, erlebt eine der spannendsten Opernabende der letzten Jahre. Aber einfach macht es einem Kusej nicht."
 
#24 ·
The two newest blu-rays I've been waiting for got such negative reviews on Amazon.com that I'm having second thoughts.

It's the new Rusalka with the cute new soprano Opalais, and the Gergiev Les Troyens with the weird spaceship/computer setting.

Has anybody seen them already? I'd much rather trust one of you guys than Amazon.com customers. I'm hesitating to buy until I hear from one of you.
jflatter posted a favourable review of the Rusalka very recently:

http://www.talkclassical.com/11655-miscellaneous-opera-dvd-blu-8.html#post176868
 
#25 ·
These arrived and I've already watched the Gambler. Good opera and very well done but what a unredeemably unpleasant set of characters.



Got to get my boy when he does Falstaff and besides it's a stunning production, all white and shiny.



Already watched this with the 8 year old. Apparently Onegin is an idiot and should stop whingeing on to Tatiana about how she doesn't know what it's like to be in love.



Alma is entirely responsible for my purchases of these two:





If I don't like them I'm blaming him.
 
#32 ·


The legendary 1984 MINGES / DOMINGO Carmen (movie version) finally rises from the grave in Blu Ray!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

USA release date 8/30/11, it is in my Amazon wishlist, it will be mine! :) :) :)
Wow! I want it too! Will it be released earlier in Europe? I can't wait!
 
#52 ·
Both performances were filmed



and one of them will be shown in cinemas later this year and I think a composite will be released on DVD. The Dream Team were together for these two performances presumably for this specific purpose.

Continuity might be a problem. Audience stayed silent after Recondita on the Thursday but applauded on the Sunday. (from his body language Pappano was not happy with the applause but it does interrupt the music). Also Scarpia head-butts Cavaradossi on the Sunday but not on the Thursday.
 
#53 ·
I am trying to get my hands on a couple of new DVDs. These are Katia kabanova with matilla from the Teatro Real in Madrid. But, I never seem to like the productions from this opera house, the Opus Arte range always are terrific quality but the stage seems so big! Anyone seen this DVD yet?

The other is the dialogues des carmilites from Munich with Nagano conducting. Now this is not the greatest opera and the story is slow but I have seen some good reviews and I like the director Dmitri Tcherniakov
 
#55 ·
I don't know the one by Tcherniakov, but I do know the one by Carsen and find it pretty good. By the way, for me the best part of Dialogues des Carmélites is its extraordinary libretto.

 
#56 ·
It was written basically by Poulenc himself, based on the original drama by Bernanos.

Funny enough, the origin of this all is a pretty insubstantial novella by an unkown author, Gertrud von le Fort... Wouldn't be interesting to incorporate the Dialogues into our opera in-depth project?. :)
 
#68 ·
Your DVD? Your DVD? You mean you didn't get this one on blu-ray???? Shame on you!:D

Wow, Carsen, huh? I'm watching as we speak his spectacular staging of Les Boréades for Christie. Promising!

L'Etoile and Atys are two of my favorite French operas.

Good things coming out of France these days.:)
 
#72 ·
Has anyone seen the recent DVD of Rossini's La Cenerentola from the Italian Dynamic label. It features Jose Maria Lo Monaco and Maxim Mironov?

I really enjoy this opera and would like to add a decent DVD to my collection.

Any other La Cenerentola recommendation?
 
#74 ·
Derailing slightly, but ah.
I haven't seen that one, but it looks entertaining. Mironov isn't my favourite Don Ramiro, but he's good.
My favourite version of Cenerentola is the 1981 filmed version with Frederica von Stade as Angelina and Francisco Araiza as Don Ramiro. A beautifully and very consistently cast production with beautiful sets and thoroughly amazing singing. There is also the recent Met one with Elina Garanca (who is good, but not quite agile enough for Angelina (also, I think her voice is a little too cold for the role (Flicka for the win!))) and Larry Brownlee (who is very good (on par with J-Flo in my opinion), but looks a bit off (short and somewhat plump)) which is rather good, but I don't really care for the production that much).

Post comparing the Met production and the filmed one with Flicka.
Review of the filmed 1981 version (get it!)

There is also a production with Joyce DiDonato (whom I love. She's fantastic, and I believe the greatest Rossini mezzo today) and Juan Diego Flórez (who is also totally amazing. Greatest Rossini tenor of his generation) from ROH (I think, not sure). I have only seen clips of it, and the production is rather weird. But with those singers, it should be totally amazing anyway.

If you want a version you can watch online, there's a production with the very fabulous Marlena Ernmann from the Royal Opera in Stockholm on the Youtubes. Clicky.

Also, just to prove how fabulous she is, here's Marlena Ernmann singing Naqcui all'affanno and Non piú mesta, whilst losing her dress. Extra points if you speak Swedish:



Can you tell I love this opera to bits? :p
 
#73 ·
Also any thoughts on the new DVD and blue ray release of Janaceks Jenufa with Amanda Roocroft and Debrah Polaski from the Teatro Real in Madrid. It is released on the OpusArte label. Now I have a few DVDs from this house and the stage always looks massive and I think it tAkes away from the drama. Anyone seen it live or on DVD care to comment?
 
#76 ·
There seems to be a new DVD of one of my favourite operas, Korngold's Die Tote Stadt. It has been not reviewed yet but it does seems rather interesting.

Vinke, Kringleborn, Genz, Mayer, Marguerre, Oesch, Potente, Yijie, Schulz. Orchestra & Chorus Teatro la Fenice Venizia, Eliahu Inbal, conductor. Pier Luigi Pizzi, direction.



and the trailer:
 
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