Brokeback Mountain

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Charles Wuorinen Brokeback Mountain opera to a libretto by Annie Proulx. Staged 2014 by Ivo Van Hove at the Teatro Real. Stars Daniel Okulitch (Ennis del Mar), Tom Randle (Jack Twist), Heather Buck (Alma), Hannah Esther Minutillo (Lureen), Ethan Herschenfeld (Aguirre/Hog-Boy), Celia Alcedo (Alma's mother), Jane Henschel (Jack's mother), Ryan MacPherson (Jack's father), Hilary Summers (Bartender), Letitia Singleton (Saleswoman), Gaizka Gurruchaga (Cowboy), and Vasco Fracanzani (Bill Jones). Titus Engel conducts the Orchestra & Chorus Teatro Real de Madrid. Released 2015, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio. Grade: NA

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La Bête et la Belle

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La Bête et la Belle (The Beast and the Beauty) ballet to a libretto by Josseline Le Bourhis and Kader Belarbi, after the tale Beauty and the Beast. Music by Louis-Claude Daquin, Joseph Haydn, György Ligeti, and Maurice Ravel. Staged and choreographed by Kader Belarbi assisted by Susanna Campo. Recorded 2013 at the Théâtre du Capitole, Toulouse. Stars Takafumi Watanabe (The Beast), Julie Loria (Beauty), and Kazbek Akhmedyarov (Toroador). Cranes: Juliana Bastos, Caroline Betancourt, Emilia Cadorin, Julie Charlet, Lauren Kennedy, Eukene Sagues-Abad, Silvia Selvini, Peirre Devaux, and Shizen Kazama. The Swan: Valerio Mangianti. The Vulture: Demian Vargas. The Pimp: Jérémy Lyedier. Ostriches: Taisha Barton-Rowledge and Solène Monnereau. Goose feet: Maki Matsuoka and Vanessa Spiteri. Magpie tails: Matthew Astley, Petros Chrkhoyan, Giuseppe Depalo, Evgueni Dokoukine, and Nicolas Rombaut. Snake tails: Virginie Baïet-Dartigalongue, Juliette Thélin, Alexander Akulov, and Théodore Nelson. Aristocrats: Juliana Bastos, Lauren Kennedy, Matthew Astley, Valerio Mangianti, and Demian Vargas. Whippers-in: Juliette Thélin, Giuseppe Depalo, and Jérémy Lyedier. Hounds: Virginie Baïet-Dartigalongue, Taisha Barton-Rowledge, Caroline Betancourt, Emilia Cadorin, Julie Charlet, Maki Matsuoka, Solène Monnereau, Eukene Sagues-Abad, Silvia Selvini, Vanessa Spiteri, Petros Chrkhoyan, Pierre Devaux, Evgueni Dokoukine, Shizen Kazama, Théodore Nelson, and Nicolas Rombaut. Designs by Valérie Berman assisted as to sets by Sophie Kitching and as to costumes by Jean-Jacques Delmotte; lighting by Marc Parent; directed for screen by Luc Riolon; produced by Fabienne Servan Schreiber and Laurence Miller. Released 2015, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: B

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Hippolyte et Aricie

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Rameau Hippolyte et Aricie opera to a libretto by Simon-Joseph Pellegrin. Directed 2013 by Jonathan Kent at the Glyndebourne Festival. Stars Ed Lyon (Hippolytus), Christiane Karg (Aricia), Sarah Connolly (Phaedre), Stéphane Degout (Theseus), François Lis (Pluto/Jupiter/Neptune), Katherine Watson (Diana), Emmanuelle de Negri (High Priestess/Huntress/Song of the Nightingale), Mathias Vidal (Follower of Cupid/First Fate), Ana Quintans (Cupid/Sailor Girl), Aimery Lefèvre (Arcas/Second Fate), Julie Pasturaud (Œnone), Samuel Boden (Mercury), Callum Thorpe (Third Fate), Loïc Félix (Tisiphone), Charlotte Beament (Priestress), and Timothy Dickenson (Hunter). Dancers were Sophie Allnatt, Thomas Baylis, Nicole Craddock, Anthony Kurt Gabel, Jarkko Lehmus, Martin Lindinger, Naomi Murray, and Johanna Nuutinen.  William Christie conducts the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment (Leader Kati Debretzeni) and The Glyndebourne Chorus (Chorus Master Christopher Bucknall). Benoît Hartoin harpsichord continuo; Jonathan Manson cello continuo; Chi-Chi Nwanoku double bass continuo. Designs by Paul Brown; lighting by Mark Henderson; choreography by Ashley Page, and video designed by Nina Dunn. Executive production by George Bruell; film direction by François Roussillon; sound supervision by Jean Chatauret; music production by Sébastien Chonion. Released 2014, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: A+

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The Winter's Tale

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TThe Winter's Tale ballet. Music by Joby Talbot. Choreography by Christopher Wheeldon. Recorded 2014 at the Royal Opera House. Stars Edward Watson (Leontes, King of Sicilia), Lauren Cuthbertson (Hermione, Queen of Sicilia), Sarah Lamb (Perdita, Princess of Sicilia), Joe Parker (Mamillius, Prince of Sicilia), Zenaida Yanowsky (Paulina, head of Hermione's household), Bennet Gartside (Antigonus, head of Leontes' household), Federico Bonelli (Polixenes, King of Bohemia), Steven McRae (Florizel, Prince of Bohemia), Thomas Whitehead (head of Polixenes' household), Gary Avis (Father Shepherd), Valentino Zucchetti (Clown, son of Father Shepherd) and Beatriz Stiz-Brunell (Young Shepherdess). David Briskin conducts the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House (Concert Master Peter Manning). Stage band consists of Eliza Marshall on bansuri flute; Gregory Knowles on dulcimer, Ian Watson on accordion, and Rod Farrer plus Jeremy Wiles playing percussion. Designs by Bob Crowley; lighting design by Natasha Katz; projection design by Daniel Brodie; silk effects design by Basil Twist. Directed for TV by Ross MacGibbon. Released 2015, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: A+

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Nabucco

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Verdi Nabucco opera to a libretto by Temistocle Solera. Staged 2013 by Daniele Abbado at the Royal Opera House. Stars Plácido Domingo (Nabucco), Liudmyla Monastyrska (Abigaille), Andrea Caré (Ismaele), Marianna Pizzolato (Fenena), Vitalij Kowaljow (Zaccaria), Robert Lloyd (High Priest), David Butt Philip (Abdallo), and Dušica Bijelić (Anna) . Nicola Luisotti conducts the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House and the Royal Opera Chorus. Directed for video by Rhodri Huw. Released 2015, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio. Grade: NA

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Mahler Symphonies Nos. 3 and 4

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Mahler Symphony No. 3 and Symphony No. 4. Paavo Järvi conducts the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, Limburger Domsingknaben, and the MDR-Rundfunkchor Leipzig. Features Waltraud Meier (mezzo-soprano) and Genia Kühmeier (soprano). Directed for TV by Michael Ciniselli. Released 2015, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: F-

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Mahler Symphonies Nos. 7 and 8

Mahler Symphony No. 7 and Symphony No. 8. Paavo Järvi conducts the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Limburger Domsingknaben, the Europachorakademie, and the Czech Philharmanic Choir Brno. Features sopranos Erin Wall, Ailish Tynan, and  Anna Lucia Richter; mezzo-sopranos Alice Coote and Charlotte Hellekant, tenor Nikolai Schukoff; baritone Michail Nagy, and bass Ain Anger. Directed for TV by Michael Ciniselli. Released 2015, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: F-

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Semiramide

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Rossini Semiramide opera to a libretto by Gaetano Rossi. Directed 2011 by Nigel Lowery at the Vlaamse Opera. Stars Myrtò Papatanasiu (Semiramide), Ann Hallenberg (Arsace), Josef Wagner (Assur), Robert McPherson (Idreno), Igor Bakan (Oroe), Julianne Gearhart (Azema), Eduardo Santamaria (Mitrane), and Charles Dekeyser (L'Ombra di Nino). Alberto Zedda conducts the Symphony Orchestra and Chorus of the Vlaamse Opera Antwerp/Ghent (Chorus Master Yannis Pouspourikas). Set design and costume design by Nigel Lowery; lighting design by Lothar Baumgarte; directed for video by Matteo Ricchetti. Released 2015, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA

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Schubert Symphony No. 9

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Schubert Symphony No. 9 from the opening concert at the 2009 Salzburg Festival. Nikolaus Harnoncourt conducts the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.

Features the following pieces:

1. Schubert Sechs Deutsche Tänze, piano pieces arranged by Anton Webern for orchestra
2. Josef Strauss Frauenherz – Polka-mazurka
3. Josef Strauss Delirien – Waltz
4. Josef Strauss Pêle-mêle – Fast Polka
5. Franz Schubert Symphony No. 9

Directed for video by Michael Beyer. Released 2015, disc has 5.0 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA

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Bartók Piano Concerto No. 1

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Bartók Piano Concerto No. 1 concert. This performance was the opening concert at the 2008 Salzburg Festival. Pierre Boulez conducts the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra; Daniel Barenboim plays piano.

Features the following pieces:

1. Maurice Ravel - Valses nobles et sentimentales
2. Béla Bartók - Concerto for Piano and Orchestra
3. Igor Stravinsky - The Firebird

Directed for video by Michael Beyer. Released 2015, disc has 5.0 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA

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Dance!

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Dance! ballet box set. The box includes three titles described in more detail on this site:

1. Chaplin, graded "B+", would please most modern dance fans.
2. Poppea//Poppea in 3D, graded "D+", was an interesting production, but its video quality might be the worst I've seen for a dance title.
3. The Great Mass, graded "C", might be accurately called "The Great Mess."

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Beethoven Symphony No. 3

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The Beethoven Symphony No. 3 concert includes:

1. Brahms Tragic Overture
2. Schoenberg Interlude and Song of the Wood Dove from Gurre-Lieder (with alto Mihoko Fujimura)
3. Beethoven Symphony No. 3, the "Sinfonia Eroica" or "Heroic Symphony"

Claudio Abbado conducts the Lucerne Festival Orchestra in opening the summer festival in 2013. Directed for TV by Uti Feudel; produced by Paul Smaczny. Released 2014, music was recorded with 48kHz/24-bit sound sampling, and the disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: B-

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