Orfeo ed Euridice

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Christoph Gluck Orfeo ed Euridice opera to a libretto in Italian by Ranieri de' Calzabigi (Vienna version from 1762). Directed 2013 by Ondřej Havelka at the Baroque Theatre of Český Krumlov Castle. Stars Bejun Mehta (Orfeo), Eva Liebau (Euridice or Eurydice), and Regula Mühlemann (Amore). Václav Luks conducts the Collegium 1704 and Collegium Vocale 1704. Sets by Zheněk Flemming; costumes designed by Jana Zbořilovká, choreography by Andrea Miltnerová; artistic advice from Bejun Mehta. Photography directed by Jan Malíř; edited by Marek Opatrný; executive production  by Jiří Hubač; produced by Hebert G. Kloiber.  Released 2014, disc has 5.0 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: A

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Orphée et Eurydice

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Christoph Gluck Orphée et Eurydice in French (Orfeo ed Euridice in the original Italian name) opera to libretto by Pierre-Louis Moline (sung in French). David Alagna made theatrical and musical adaptations and directed at the Teatro Comunale di Bologna in 2008. Stars Roberto Alagna (Orphée [yes, he's a brother of the director]), Serena Gamberoni (Eurydice), and Marc Barrard (Le Guide or The Guide, who replaces the Amore character). Giampaolo Bisanti conducts the Teatro Comuniale di Bologna Orchdestra (Chorus Master Paolo Vero). Sets by David Algana; costumes by Carla Teti; lighting by Aldo Solbiati; directed for TV by Arnaud Petitet and David Alagna. Released 2010, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: B+

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Orfeo ed Euridice

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Christoph Gluck Orfeo ed Euridice opera to a libretto by Ranieri de' Calzabigi. Directed 2011 by Carlus Padrissa at the 25th Festival Castell de Peralada in Catalonia, Spain. Stars Anita Rachvelishvili (Orfeo), Maite Alberola (Euridice) , Auxiliadora Toledano (Amore), and Aline Vincent (dancer). Gordan Nikolić conducts (as Concert Master) the Orquesta bandArt and the Cor de Cambra del Palau de la Música Catalana (Chorus Master Jordi Casas Bayer). Staged by La Fura dels Baus; costume design by Aitziber Sanz; lighting design by Carles Rigual; video by David Cid and Sagar Fornies; interactive graphics by Román Torre and Pelayo Méndez; video direction by Tiziano Mancini. Released 2012, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: D

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Prince Igor

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Borodin Prince Igor opera to libretto by the composer. Directed by Dmitri Tcherniakov at the Metropolitan Opera. Stars Ildar Abdrazakov (Prince Igor), Mikhail Petrenko (Prince Galitsky), Sergey Semishkur (Vladimir Igorevich), Vladimir Ognovenko (Skula), Andrey Popov (Yeroshka), Oksana Dyka (Yaroslavna), Kiri Deonarine (Polovtsian Maiden), Anita Rachvelishvili (Konchakovna), Mikhail Vekua (Ovlur), Štefan Kocán (Khan Konchak), Barbara Dever (Yaroslavna's Nurse), and Mikhail Vekua (Ovlur). Gianandrea Noseda conducts the Metropolitan Opera. Released 2014, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA

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Carmen (Kasarova)

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Bizet Carmen opera to libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy. Directed 2008 by Matthias Hartmann at the Opernhaus Zürich. Stars Jonas Kaufmann (Don José), Vesselina Kasarova (Carmen), Isabel Rey (Micaëla), Michele Pertusi (Escamillo), Sen Guo (Frasquita), Judith Schmid (Mercédès) Gabriel Bermúdez (Dancaïre), Javier Camarena (Remendado), Morgan Moody (Zuniga), and Krešimir Stražanac (Moralèz). Franz Welser-Most conducts the Philharmonia Zurich. Set design by Matthias Hartmann; costume design by Su Bühler; light design by Martin Gebhardt; choreography by Teresa Rotemberg. Directed for TV by Felix Breisach. Released 2014, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA

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Fauré Requiem

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Fauré Requiem concert. Performed 2011 at the Salle Pleyel in Paris. Features the following pieces by Fauré for orchestra and chorus:

1. Pavane in F sharp minor, Op. 50  [6:44] (Popular piece based on a Spanish dance called the pavane)
2. Élégie in C minor, Op. 24  [7:23] (cello Eric Picard) (chorus rests)
3. Super flumina Babylonis  [11:00]  ("By the rivers of Babylon")
4. Cantique de Jean Racine in D flat major, Op. 11  [6:08] ("Hymn of Racine")
5. Requiem in D minor, Op. 48 [37:30] (soprano Chen Reiss and baritone Matthias Goerne)

Paavo Järvi conducts the Orchestre de Paris and the Chœur de l'Orchestre de Paris (Chorus Director Stephen Betteridge). Directed for TV by Isabelle Soulard; film edited by  Richard Poisson; audio by Aurélie Messonnier; produced by Sabrina Iwanski.  Released 2012, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: C

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Arabella

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Strauss Arabella opera to a libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal. Directed 2014 by Florentine Klepper at the Salzburg Easter Festival. Stars Renée Fleming, Thomas Hampson, Albert Dohmen, Gabriela Beňačková, and Hanna-Elisabeth Müller. Christian Thielemann conducts the Staatskapelle Dresden and the Sächsischer Staatsopernchor Dresden. Released 2014, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio Sound. Grade: NA

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Peter & the Wolf

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Sergei Prokofiev Peter & the Wolf orchestra suite. A tale of two Peters: the image on the left with the dark blue background is the new Arthaus Peter & the Wolf (Catalogue #108113) that is region free. The image on the right with the duck and wolf is the old Arthaus Peter & der Wolf (Catalogue #502487) that is limited to Region B. The old version came out in 2010; the new version dates to September 1, 2014.

We think the annimated film and the documentary will be the same. But there are changes in the presentation to ready  the new version for the world market. For example, the keepcase art and booklet for the old version was entirely in German ("und" in the title and "Oscar Gewinner" on the front). But the keepcase art for the new version is in English ("and" in the title and "Oscar Winner"). This situation is confusing to everyone except certain businessmen and lawyers. But the upshot is good because this is a very nice film that deserves to be seen worldwide. We have rewritten our review to help spread the news.

The feature firm lasts 34 minutes, and there is about an hour of high-quality bonus material. Mark Stephenson conducted a new recording of the Prokofiev score with the Philharmonia Orchestra.  Both discs will apparently have 7.1 dts-HD Master Audio surround sound. The auflösung or resolution is described on the keep case of the old disc as "1080/24P Full HD." It appears the resolution of the new disc is 1080i. Grade: X-A+

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Anna Netrebko - Live from the Salzburg Festival

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Anna Netrebko - Live from the Salzburg Festival opera box with 3 titles and some new bonus literature. Each of the titles has already been reported on this website, and you can get more details by using the links provided:

Released 2014, each opera has 5.0 or 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Composite Grade: B-

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The Merchant of Venice

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André Tchaikowsky The Merchant of Venice opera to a libretto by John O'Brien. Directed 2013 (indoors) by Keith Warner at the Bregenz Festival. Stars Richard Angas (Duke of Venice), Christopher Ainslie (Antonio), Charles Workman (Bassanio), Adrian Clarke (Salerio), Norman Patzke (Solanio), David Stout (Gratiano), Jason Bridges (Lorenzo), Adrian Eröd (Shylock), Kathryn Lewek (Jessica), Magdalena Anna Hofmann (Portia), Verena Gunz (Nerissa), Hanna Herfurtner (A Boy), Juliusz Kubiak (Prince of Aragon), and Elliot Lebogang Mohlamme (Prince of Morocco). Erik Nielsen conducts the Wiener Symphoniker and the Prague Philharmonic Choir (Chorus Master Lukáš Vasilek). Set and costume design by Ashley Martin-Davis; lighting design by Davy Cunningham; movement direction by Michael Barry; associate direction by Amy Lane; video direction by Felix Breisach. Sung in English. Released 2014, this disc has 5.0 dts-HD Master Audio. Grade: NA

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L'elisir d'amore

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Donizetti L'elisir d'amore opera to libretto by Felice Romani. Directed 2012 by Rolando Villazón at the Baden-Baden Festspielhaus. Stars Miah Persson (Adina), Rolando Villazón (Nemorino), Ildebrando D'Arcangelo (Dulcamara), Regula Mühlemann (Giannetta), and Roman Trekel (Belcore). Pablo Heras-Casado conducts the Balthasar-Neumann Ensemble and Choir (Chorus Master Detlef Bratschke). Staging by Rolando Villazón; sets by Johannes Leiacker; costumes by Thibault Vancraenenbroeck; lighting by Davy Cunningham; movement coached by Nola Rae; directed for TV by Nele Münchmeyer; produced by Jocthim Lang. Released 2014, this disc has 5.0 dts Master Audio. Grade: NA

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A Recital with Renée Fleming

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A Recital with Renée Fleming - Vienna at the Turn of the 20th Century. Renée Fleming, an American, accompanied by pianist Maciej Pikulski, gives in 2012 a recital at the Golden Hall of the Musikverein in Vienna.  The recital includes works by Wolf, Mahler, Zemlinsky, Schoenberg, and Korngold. Directed for TV by Brian Large. Released 2014, disc has 5.0 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA

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Don Giovanni (D'Arcangelo)

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Mozart Don Giovanni opera to libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte. Directed 2011 by Pier Luigi Pizzi at Teatro Lauro Rossi as part of the Macerata Opera Festival (then called the Sferisterio Opera Festival). Stars Ildebrando D’Arcangelo (Don Giovanni), Andrea Concetti (Leporello), Carmela Remigio (Donna Elvira), Myrtò Papatanasiu (Donna Anna), Marlin Miller (Don Ottavia), Manuela Bisceglie (Zerlina), William Corrò (Masetto), and Enrico Giuseppe Iori (Commendatore). Riccardo Frizza conducts the Fondazione Orchestra Regionale dele Marche and the Coro Lirico Marchigiano "Vinzenzo Bellini (Chorus Master David Crescenzi).  Lighting byi Sergio Rossi; choreography by Roberto Maria Pizzuto; directed for video by Davide Mancini. Released 2014, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA

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Don Giovanni (Kwiecien)

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Mozart Don Giovanni opera to libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte.  Directed 2014 by Kasper Holten at the Royal Opera House. Stars Mariusz Kwiecien (Don Giovanni), Alex Esposito (Leporello), Alexander Tsymbalyuk (Commendatore), Malin Byström (Donna Anna), Antonio Poli (Don Ottavio), Véronique Gens (Donna Elvira), Elizabeth Watts (Zerlina), Dawid Kimberg (Masetto), and Josephine Arden (Donna Elvira's Maid). Nicola Luisotti conducts the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House (Concert Master Sergey Levitin) and the Royal Opera Chorus (Chorus Director Renato Balsadonna). Piano continuo Nicola Luisotti; harpsichord continuo Paul Wingfield; cello continuo George Ives. Set design by Es Devlin; video designs by Luke Halls; lighting design by Bruno Poet; choreography by Signe Fabricius; fight direction by Kate Waters; casting by Peter Mario Katona. Released 2014, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA

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