Tango!

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💓 Tango! concert of Ástor Piazzolla tango nuevo music performed 2013 by the Isabelle van Keulen Ensemble at the MotorMusic Studios in Mechelen, Belgium. The Isabelle van Keulen Ensemble is a chamber music group formed primarily to play Piazzolla compositions; it consists of van Keulen on violin, Christian Gerber on bandoneón, Ulrike Payer on piano, and Rüdiger Ludwig on double bass. Music director was Felicia Van Boxstael and the recording producer was Steven Maes for Serendipitous. The executive producers were Anne de Jong and Marcel van den Broek. Project coordinators were Jolien Plat and Inge De Pauw. Released 2013, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: A+

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Bruckner Symphony No. 9 and Schumann Piano Concerto

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💓 Bruckner Symphony No. 9 and Schumann Piano Concerto. Bernard Haitink conducts the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in 2009. Murray Perahia is the piano soloist. The title is the first effort by NHK to produce an HDVD of Western classical music with performers who have no special connection to Japan. The front cover is in English. But the rest of the disc is in Japanese. There are extras with persons speaking in English, but only Japanese subtitles are provided. So this disc is not aimed at the world market, but just for domestic consumption in Japan. Released 2009, the sound on the title was recorded with 96kHz/24-bit sound sampling, and the disc has 5.0 LPCM output. Grade: A+ for both the Schumann Piano Concerto and the Bruckner Symphony No. 9.

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Le nozze di Figaro

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Mozart Le nozze di Figaro opera to libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte. Directed 2015 by Sven-Eric Bechtolf at the Salzburg Festival. Stars Luca Pisaroni (Conte Almaviva), Anett Fritsch (Contessa Almaviva), Martina Janková (Susanna), Adam Plachetka (Figaro), Margarita Gritskova (Cherubino), Ann Murray (Marcellina), Carlos Chausson (Don Bartolo), Paul Schweinester (Don Basilio), Franz Supper (Don Curzio), Christina Gansch (Barbarina), and Erik Anstine (Antonio). Dan Ettinger plays piano and conducts the Wiener Philharmoniker and the Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor (Concert Chorus of the Vienna State Opera). Chorus Master was Ernst Raffelsberger; sets by Alex Eales; costumes by Mark Bouman; lighting by Friedrich Rom; directed for TV by Tiziano Mancini. Released 2016, has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA

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Beethoven Symphonies 1-9

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Beethoven Symphonies 1-9 box set. Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos conducts the Danish National Symphony in all nine Beethoven symphonies. As bonus extras you also get:

  1. Rodrigo Concierto de Aranjuez
  2. Berlioz Symphonie fantastique
  3. Strauss Eine Alpensinfonie

Featured performers are Albina Shagimuratova (soprano), Charlotte Hellekant (mezzo-soprano), Scott MacAllister (tenor), Johan Reuter (bass), Pepe Romero (guitar), and the Danish National Concert Choir.

Wow! This box will keep you busy for the weekend! And the price is right. Grade: NA

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La Belle Hélène

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Jacques Offenbach La Belle Hélène opera to a libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy. Directed 2014 by Renaud Doucet. Stars Jun-Sang Han (Pâris), Peter Galliard (Ménélas), Jennifer Larmore (Hélène), Viktor Rud (Agamemnon), Rebecca Jo Loeb (Oreste), Christian Miedl (Calchas), and Anat Edri (Bacchis). Gerrit Priessnitz conducts the Philharmoniker Hamburg and the Chor der Hamburgischen Staatsoper (Chorus Master Eberhard Friedrich). Set and costume design by André Barbe; lighting design by Guy Simard; choreography by Renaud Doucet; dramatic advisor was Kerstin Schüssler-Bach. Directed for TV by Marcus Richardt. Sung in French. Released 2015, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio Sound. Grade: NA

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La Dame aux camélias

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La Dame aux camélias ballet. Choreography by John Neumeier. Music by Frédéric Chopin. Produced 2008 by Paris Opera Ballet at Palais Garnier. Stars Agnès Letestu, Stéphane Bulllion, Machaël Denard, Dorothée Gilbert, Delphine Moussin, José Martinez, Eve Grinsztajn, Karl Paquette, Laurent Novis, Béatrice Martel, and Simon Valastro. Michael Schmidtsdorff conducts The Paris Opera Orchestra. Solo pianists are Emmanuel Strosser and Frédéric Vaysse-Knitter. Set and costume design by Jürgen Rose; lighting by Rolf Warter; directed for TV by Thomas Grimm. Disc also has a good Opus Arte synopsis and a valuable documentary by Reiner E. Moritz and Stéphane Loison. The show and documentary last more than 4 hours on 2 discs. Released 2009, show has 5.0 PCM sound. Grade: A+

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Berlioz Symphonie fantastique and Mahler Symphony No. 1 ("Titan")

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Berlioz Symphonie fantastique and 💓 Mahler Symphony No. 1 ("Titan"). Seiji Ozawa conducts the Saito Kinen Orchestra (Saito Memorial Festival Orchestra). The Berlioz was recorded at the 2007 Festival; the Mahler was recorded in 2008. Released in 2009, this title has 5.0 PCM 96kHz/24 bit sound. About 99% of the printed material with this disc is in Japanese. If you don't know that language, it's a humbling experience to navigate your way through the titles and extras, but you can do it. Grade: A- for Symphonie fantastique Grade: A+ for Mahler Symphony No. 1

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Brahms Serenade No. 2 and Symphony No. 2

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All Brahms disc with three major works: Symphony No. 2, Serenade No. 2, and the Alto Rhapsody. Andris Nelsons conducts the Lucerne Festival Orchestra and Bavarian Radio Choir in 2014 at the Lucerne Summer Festival (KKL Concert Hall). Soloist is Sara Mingardo (alto). Gerarld Häussler was Chorus Master; video directed by Michael Beyer; produced by Paul Smaczny. Released 2015, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: D- blended grade for the whole disc

 

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Swan Lake

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Swan Lake ballet. Music by Tchaikovsky. Book by V. P. Begitchev and Vasily Geltzer. Choreography by Rudolf Nureyev in tradition of Lev Ivanov and Marius Petipa. Directed 2005 by Brigitte Lefèvre and Patricia Ruanne at the Paris Opera Ballet (Opéra Bastille). Stars Agnès Letestu (Odette/Odile), José Martinez (Prince Siegfried), Karl Paquette (Tutor/Rothbart), Muriel Hallé (The Queen), Michel Pasternak (Master of Ceremonies), Marie-Isabelle Peracchi (Ghost of White Swan), Nolwenn Daniel, Dorothée Gilbert and Emmanuel Thibault (Pas de Trois), Dorothée Gilbert, Myriam Ould-Braham, Fanny Fiat, and Mathilde Froustey (Cygnets), Emilie Cozette, Stéphanie Romberg, Aurélia Bellet, Laurence Laffon (Big Swans), Fanny Fiat and Alessio Carbone (Czardas), Stéphanie Romberg, Nathalie Riqué, Julien Meyzindi, and Christophe Duquenne (Spanish Dance), plus Myriam Ould-Braham and Jérémie Bélingard (Neaposiatan Dance). Vello Pähn directs the Paris Opera Orchestra. Set design by Ezio Frigerio; costumes by Franca Squarciapino; lighting by Vinicio Cheli. Directed for TV by François Roussillon. Released 2008, this Blu-ray disc has 5.0 PCM sound. Grade: A+

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The Sleeping Beauty

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💓 The Sleeping Beauty ballet. Music by Tchaikovsky. Libretto by Ivan Vsevolozhsky and Marius Petipa. Choreography by Marius Petipa as revived 2011 by Yuri Grigorovich. Stars Svetlana Zakharova (Aurora), David Hallberg (Prince Désiré), Maria Allash (Lilac Fairy), Alexey Loparevich (Carabosse), Artem Ovcharenko (Bluebird), Nina Kaptsova (Princess Florine), Andrei Sitnikov (King FLorestan), and Kristina Karasyova (Queen). Vassily Sinaisky conducts the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra. Set design by Ezio Frigerio; costume design by Franca Squarciapino; lighting by Vinicio Chelie. Directed for TV by Vincent Bataillon; produced by François Duplat. Released 2012, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: A+

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McGregor Triple Bill

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In the 💓 McGregor Triple Bill we have three modern ballets choreographed by Wayne McGregor at the Royal Opera Ballet:

Chroma. Music by Joby Talbot and Jack White III, arranged by Talbot and orchestrated by Christopher Austin. Stars Federico Bonelli, Ricardo Cervera, Mara Galeazzi, Sarah Lamb, Steven McRae, Laura Morera, Ludovic Ondiviela, Tamara Rojo, Eric Underwood, Jonathan Watkins, and Edward Watson. Daniel Capps conducts the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House (Peter Schulmeister Associate Concert Master). Sets by John Pawson; costumes by Moritz Junge; lighting by Lucy Carter.

Infra. Music by Max Richter. Stars Leanne Benjamin, Ricardo Cervera, Yuhui Choe, Lauren Cuthbertson, Mara Galeazzi, Melissa Hamilton, Ryoichi Hirano, Paul Kay, Marianela Nuñez, Eric Underwood, Jonathan Watkins, and Edward Watson. Music played by Max Richter Quintet with violins Lousia Fuller, Natalia Bonner, viola Nick Barr, and cellos Helen Rathbone and Chris Worsey. Solo piano by Robert Clark. Sets by Julian Opie; costumes by Moritz Junge; lighting by Lucy Carter; sound design by Chris Ekers.

Limen. Music is Notes on Light by Kaija Saariaho. Stars Leanne Benjamin, Yuhui Choe, Tristan Dyer, Mara Galeazzi, Melissa Hamilton, Paul Kay, Sarah Lamb, Brian Maloney, Steven McRae, Marianela Nuñez, Ludovic Ondiviela, Leticia Stock, Akane Takada, Eric Underwood, and Edward Watson. Barry Wordsworth conducts the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House (Concert Master Peter Manning). Solo cello by Anssi Karttunen. Sets and video designs by Tatsuo Miyajima; costumes by Moritz Junge; lighting by Lucy Carter.

Chroma and Limen directed for TV by Margaret Williams; Infra directed for TV by Jonathan Haswell. Released 2011, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: A+

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Orpheus und Eurydike

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Christoph Gluck 💓 Orpheus und Eurydike dance-opera. Unusual choreography and stage directions by Pina Bausch with singers and dancers simultaneously on stage for each main character. Filmed at the Palais Garnier Opera in February 2008. Gluck wrote Italian and French versions of his opera; this dance-opera version is heavily reworked by Bausch and sung in German. Choreographer assistants are Malou Airaudo, Mariko Aoyama, Bénédicte Billiet, Josephine Ann Endicott, and Dominique Mercy. Orpheus is danced by Yann Bridard and sung by mezzo soprano Maria Riccarda Wesseling; Eurydike is danced by Marie-Agès Gillot and sung by soprano Julia Kleiter; Amor is danced by Miteki Kudo and sung by soprano Sunhae Im. Also stars dancers Yong Geol Kim, Nicolas Paul, Vincent Cordier, Emilie Cozette, Eleonora Abbagnato, Eve Grinsztajn, Muriel Zusperreguy, Caroline Bance, Christelle Garnier, Alice Renavand, Amélie Lamoureux, Charlotte Ranson, Séverine Westermann, Natacha Gilles, Marie-Isabelle Peracchi, Bruno Bouché, Vincent Chaillet, Sébastien Bertaud, Alexis Renaud, and Erwan Le Roux. Thomas Hengelbrock directs the Balthasar-Neumann Ensemble and Choir. Set, costume, and lighting designs by Rolf Borzik (Pina's husband who died in 1980). Costumes made by Marion Cito; lighting by Johan Delaere; lighting engineers were Michel Susini and Madjid Hakimi; produced by François Duplat; filmed by Vincent Bataillon. Released 2009, this disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: A+

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Alcina and Tamerlano

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Handel Alcina opera to a libretto by an unknown author and Handel Tamerlano opera to libretto by Nicola Francesco Haym. Both operas directed 2015 by Pierre Audi at la Monnaie using (we think) the same support staff for a coordinated package. Christophe Rousset directs Les Talens Lyriques (Concert Master Gilone Gaubert-Jacques). Costumes by Patrick Kinmonth.

  • Alcina stars Sandrine Piau (Alcina), Maite Beaumont (Ruggiero), Angélique Noldus (Bradamante), Sabina Puértolas (Morgana), Chloé Briot (Oberto), Daneil Behle (Oronte), Giovanni Furnaletto (Melisso), and Éduoard Higuet (Astolfo). Alcina directed for film by Stéphan Aubé.

  • Tamerlano stars Christophe Dumaux (Tamerlano), Jeremy Ovenden (Bajazete), Sophie Karthäuser (Asteria), Delphine Galou (Andronico), Ann Hallenberg (Irene), Nathan Berg (Leone), and Caroline D'Haese (Zaida). Tamerlano directed for film by Myriam Hoyer.

Released 2016, disc has 5.1 sound output. Grade: NA

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Hamlet

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Shakespeare Hamlet play. Directed 2016 by Simon Godwin at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. Stars Hiran Abeysekera (Horatio), Romayne Andrews (Osric/Sailor); Doreene Blackstock (Player Queen), Eke Chukwu (Voltemand), James Clooney (Rosencrantz), Bethan Cullinane (Guildenstern), Marième Diouf (Player/Cornelia), Paapa Essiedu (Hamlet), Kevin N. Golding (Bernardo/Player King/Captain/Priest), Marcus Griffiths (Laertes), Byron Mondahl (Professor of Wittenberg/English Ambassador), Tanya Moodie (Gertrude), Cyril Nri (Polonius), Theo Ogundipe (Marcellus/Lucianus/Fortinbras), Natalie Simpson (Ophelia), Clarence Smith (Claudius) Ewart James Walters (Ghost/Gravedigger), and Temi Wilkey (Francisca/Player/Gravedigger's Assistant). Set design by Paul Wills; lighting design by Paul Anderson; music by Sola Akingbola; music associate was Jon Nicholls; sound by Christopher Shutt; movement by Mbulelo Ndabeni; fights by Kevin McCurdy. Screen direction by Robin Lough; produced by John Wyver. Has a director's commentary. Released 2016, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA

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