Anna Bolena

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Donizetti Anna Bolena opera to a libretto by Felice Romani. Directed 2013 by Cesare Scarton at the Teatro Flavio Vespasiano in Rieti, Italy in connection with the Reatefestival of the Theatro Dell’Opera di Roma. Stars Federico Benetti (Enrico VIII, King of England), Marta Torbidoni (Anna Bolena, his wife), Laura Polverelli (Giovanna or Jane Seymour, Anna’s lady-in-waiting), Dionisos Tsantinis (Lord Rochefort, Anna’s brother), Moisés Marín García (Lord Percy), Martina Belli (Smeton, musician), and Carlo Allemano (Sir Hervey, court official). Fabio Biondi conducts the Europa Galante (period-instrument chamber orchestra) and the Belcanto Chorus (Chorus Master Martino Faggiani). Set design by Michele Della Cioppa; costume design by Anna Biagiotti; light design by Corrado Rea. No videographer credited (bad sign). Sung in Italian. Released 2015, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio. Grade: NA

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Flute Concertos at Sanssouci

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Flute Concertos at Sanssouci: A Tribute to Frederick the Great. This is a concert film celebrating the 300th birthday of Frederick the Great, the King of Prussia.  Emmanuel Pahud (principal chair of the Berliner Philharmoniker) is the flautist. Trevor Pinnock plays harpsichord and conducts the Kammerakademie Potsdam at the Royal Theater of the Neues Palais, Schloss Sanssouci, Potsdam.

The program:

1. Frederick the Great - Flute Concerto No. 3 in C major.
2. Johann Joachim Quantz - Capriccio in G major; Capriccio in B major; Flute Concerto in G major; and Preludio in D major.
3. Franz Benda - Flute Concerto in E minor.
4. Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach - Flute Sonata in A minor.

Video direction by Beatrix Conrad. Released 2012, disc has 5.0 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: C

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Die 12 Cellisten 40 Years Anniversary Concert

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Die 12 Cellisten 40 Years Anniversary Concert. Performed 2012 by the cello section of the Berliner Philharmoniker at the Philharmonie Berlin. 

Cellists for the concert are (in order of seniority): Ludwig Quandt, Martin Löhr, Olaf Maninger, Richard Duven, Rachel Helleur, Christoph Igelbrink, Solène Kermarrec, Stephan Koncz, Martin Menking, David Riniker, Nikolaus Römisch, Dietmar Schwalke, and Knut Weber. If you're sharp, you'll note there are 13 names in the preceding sentence. In 2012, the cello section had been expanded to 13 members, but the repertoire of the group was still written for 12 instruments. (As I write this in February 2015, the cello section has been further expanded to 14.) So somebody normally gets a day off. In the concert filmed for this HDVD, 12 members play the main program, and all 13 play the 4 encores.

For the concert--- Director: Michael Beyer; Director of Photography: Günter Euringer; Sound: Christian Feldgen; Editor: Cetin Tutak; Producer: Grete Liffers; Producer: Grete Liffers; Line Producer: Claudia Krüger.

Title also includes a 59 minute documentary, The 12 Cellists.  For the documentary--- Director: Enrique Sánchez Lansch; Directors of Photography:  Isabelle Casez and Henning Brümmer; Sound by Andreas Köppen; Editor: Julia Oehrig; Sound Editor: Sven Piesker.

Concert music was recorded with 48kHz/24-bit sampling for both stereo and surround. Released 2012, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound output. Grade: B+

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Mendelssohn Piano Concerto No. 1 and Sommernachtstraum

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Mendelssohn Piano Concerto No. 1 and Sommernachtstraum or Music to A Midsummer Night's Dream. Seiji Ozawa conducts a 20th-year anniversary concert of his Japanese Mito Chamber Orchestra in 2009 at the Mito Art Tower. Yu Kosuge is the piano soloist. For A Midsummer Night's Dream, the orchestra is joined by soprano Akiko Nakajima, mezzo Katherine Rohrer,  ladies of the Tokyo Opera Singers (Chorus master: Masanori Mikawa), and narrator Yukiyoshi Ozawa (Seiji's son, an actor). There is also an 8-minute bonus of the Bach Air on the G String from the Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major. The information in the collector's booklet is 99+% in Japanese, but there are nice subtitles in English on the disc. This title was recorded with 96kHz/24 bit sound sampling on all tracks. The disc has 5.0 PCM sound output. Grade: A+ for both performances.

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The Merchant of Venice

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Shakespeare The Merchant of Venice motion picture. Michael Radford directed and wrote this film in 2004. Stars Al Pacino (Shylock), Jeremy Irons (Antonio), Joseph Fiennes (Bassanio), Lynn Collins (Portia), Zuleikha Robinson (Jessica), Kris Marshall (Gratiano), Charlie Cox (Lorenzo), Heather Goldenhersh (Nerissa), Mackenzie Crook (Launcelot Gobbo), John Sessions (Salerio), Gregor Fisher,(Solanio), Ron Cook (Old Gobbo), Allan Corduner (Tubal), Anton Rodgers (The Duke), David Harewood (Prince of Morocco), and Jules Werner (Franciscan Friar). Music by Jocelyn Pook; cinematography by Benoît Delhomme; editing by Lucia Zucchetti; produced by Cary Brokaw, Michael Cowan, Jason Piette, Barry Navidi, and Luciano Martino. Released 2014, disc has 5.1 surround sound. Grade: NA

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Coriolanus

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Shakespeare Coriolanus motion picture. Ralph Fiennes directed this film in 2011. Stars Ralph Fiennes (Caius Martius Coriolanus), Gerard Butler (Tullus Aufidius), Vanessa Redgrave (Volumnia), Brian Cox (Menenius), Jessica Chastain (Virgilia), John Kani (General Cominius), James Nesbitt (Sicinius), Paul Jesson (Brutus), Lubna Azabal (Tamora), Ashraf Barhom (Cassius), Slavko Štimac (Volsce lieutenant), Dragan Mićanović (Titus), Radoslav Milenković (Volsce politician), Harry Fenn (Young Martius), and Jon Snow (TV Anchorman). Screenplay by John Logan; music by Ilan Eshkeri; cinematography by Barry Ackroyd; editing by Nicolas Gaster; produced by Ralph Fiennes, John Logan, Gabrielle Tana, Julia Taylor-Stanley, and Colin Vaines. Released 2012, disc has 5.1 surround sound. Grade: A+

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King Lear

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Shakespeare King Lear motion picture. Trevor Nunn directed this television film in 2008. Stars Ian McKellen (King Lear), Romola Garai (Cordelia), William Gaunt (Earl of Gloucester),  Jonathan Hyde (Earl of Kent), Philip Winchester (Edmund), Sylvester McCoy (The Fool), Frances Barber (Goneril),  Monica Dolan (Regan), David Weston (A Gentleman), Guy Williams (Duke of Cornwall), Seymour Matthews (Curan), John Heffernan (Oswald) Ben Meyjes (Edgar), Julian Harries (Duke of Albany), Naomi Capron (Maid), Kieran Bew (Soldier), Peter Hinton (Duke of Burgundy), and Ben Addis (King of France). Music by Steve Edis; cinematography by Paul Wheeler; editing by Dave Thrasher; art direction by Emma Davis; produced by Andy Picheta and Richard Price. Released 2008, disc has 5.1 surround sound. Grade: NA

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Die Fledermaus

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Johann Strauss II Die Fledermaus operetta to a libretto by Carl Haffner and Richard Genée. Directed 2003 by Stephan Lawless (with assistant Titus Hollweg) at Glyndebourne. Stars Pamela Armstrong (Rosalinda), Thomas Allen (Gabriel von Eisenstein), Lyubov Petrova (Adele), Malena Ernman (Prince Orlovsky), Håkan Hagegård (Dr. Falke), Pär Lindskog (Alfred), Ragnar Ulfung (Dr. Blind), Artur Korn (Frank, the gaoler or jailer), Renée Schüttengruber (Ida), and Udo Samel (Frosch, a speaking part). Vladimir Jurowski directs the London Philharmonic Orchestra (Leader Peter Shoeman)  and the Glyndebourne Opera Chorus (Chorus Master Bernard McDonald). Set design by Benoit Dugardyn; costumes by Ingeborg Bernerth; lighting by Paul Pyant; choreography by Nicola Bowie; directed for TV by Francesca Kemp and produced for TV by Ross MacGibbon. Released 2008. Package says 24-bit sound was used, but infalible Zoltan Glied reports sound sampling was at 48kHz/24-bit for stereo and 48kHz/16-bit for surround. The disc has 5.0 PCM surround sound output. Grade: A+

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Dialogues des carmélites

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💓 Francis Poulenc Dialogues des carmélites opera to a libretto by the composer. Directed 2013 by Olivier Py at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées. Stars Patricia Petibon (Blanche de La Force), Sophie Koch (Mère Marie de l’Incarnation), Véronique Gens (Madame Lidoine), Sandrine Piau (Soeur Constance de Saint Denis), Rosalind Plowright (Madame de Croissy), Topi Lehtipuu (Le Chevalier de La Force), Phillippe Rouillon (Le Marquis de La Force), François Piolino (Le Père confesseur du couvent), Annie Vavrille (Mère Jeanne de l’Enfant Jésus), Sophie Pondjiclis (Soeur Mathilde), Matthieu Lécroart (Thierry, le médecin, le geôlier), Yuri Kissin (Le second commissaire, un officier), and Jérémy Duffau (Le premier commissaire). Chœur des Carmélites: Caroline Allonzo, Solange Añorga, Elizabeth Bartin, Anne-Lou Bissières, Béatrice Dupuy, Anne-Sophie Durand, Carolina Fèvre, Claire Geoffroy-Dechaume, Laure Slabiak, Sophie Van de Woestyne, and Mayuko Yasuda. Jérémie Rhorer conducts the Philharmonia Orchestra & Chœur du Théâtre des Champs-Elysées  (Chef de chœur Alexandre Piquion). Set design and costumes by Pierre-André Weitz; lighting by Bertrand Killy; directed for film by François-Rene Martin. Released 2014, disc has Dolby 5.1 sound. Grade: A+

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Dialogues des carmélites

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Francis Poulenc Dialogues des carmélites opera to libretto by the composer based on the play by Georges Bernanos. Directed 2008 by Nikolaus Lehnhoff at the Staatsoper Hamburg. Stars Wolfgang Schöne (Marquis de la Force), Alexia Voulgaridou (Blanche de la Force), Nikolai Schukoff (Le Chevalier de la Force), Kathryn Harries (Madame de Croissy), Anne Schwanewilms (Madame Lidoine), Gabriele Schnaut (Mère Marie de l'Incarnation), Jana Büchner (Sœur Constance), Olive Fredricks (Mère Jeanne), Susanne Bohl (Sœur Maltilde), Benjamin Hulett (Father Confessor for the Convent), Mortiz Gogg (Officer), Frieder Stricker (First Commissionar), Wilhelm Schwinghammer (Second Commissionar), Jan Buchwald (The Jailor), Peter Veit (Thierry, a Lackey), and Rainer Böddeker (Doctor). Simone Young conducts the Philharmoniker Hamburg and the Chor der Staatsoper Hamburg (Chorus Master Florian Csizmadia). Sets by Raimund Bauer; costumes by Andrea Schmidt-Futterer; associate direction by Heiko Hentschel; dramaturgy by Annedore Cordes; lighting by Olaf Freese; TV direction by Andreas Morell. Released 2010, disc has 7.1 dts-HD Master Audio. Grade: B

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Dialogues des carmélites

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Francis Poulenc Dialogues des carmélites (Dialogues of the Carmelites) opera to a libretto by the composer. Directed 2010 by Dmitri Tcherniakov at the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich. Stars Alain Vernhes (Marquis de la Force), Susan Gritton (Blanche de la Force), Bernard Richter (Chevalier de la Force), Sylvie Brunet (Madame De Croissy), Soile Isokoski (Madame Lidoine), Susanne Resmark (Mère Marie), Hélène Guilmette (Sœur Constance), Heike Grötzinger (Mère Jeanne), Anaïk Morel (Sœur Mathilde), Kevin Conners (Chaplain), Ulrich Ress (First Commissioner), John Chest (Second Commissioner), Christian Rieger (Officier), Levente Molnár (Jailor), Rüdiger Trebes (Thierry, a Lackey), and Oscar Quezada (Monsieur Javelinot). Kent Nagano conducts the Bayerische Staatsoper Orchestra and Chor der Bayerischen Staatsoper (Chorus Master Andrés Máspero). Set design by Dmitri Tcherniakov; costume design by Elena Zaytseva; lighting by Gleb Filshtinksy; dramaturgy by Andrea Schönhofer; directed for TV by Andy Sommer. Released 2011, disc has dts 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: D

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Richard Strauss Gala

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Richard Strauss Gala. Christian Thielemann conducts the Staatskapelle Dresden with sopranos Christine Goerke, Anja Harteros, and Camilla Nylund. Also features a documentary by Andreas Morell: Christian Thielemann - My Strauss. The program is as follows:

1. Waltz Sequences No. 1 and No. 2 (from Der Rosenkavalier)
2. "Allein! Weh, ganz allein"(from Elektra)
3. Liebesszene (from Feuersnot)
4. "Ah! Du wolltest mich nicht deinen Mund küssen lassen" (from Salome)
5. "Mein Elemer! Das hat so einen sonderbaren" (from Arabella)
6. Symphonic Interlude from Intermezzo
7. "Zweite Brautnacht!" (from Die Ägyptische Helena)
8. Overture (from Die schweigsame Frau)
9. "Ich komme, grünende Brüder" (from Daphne)

Directed for video by Michael Beyer. Released 2015, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA

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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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