Bruckner Symphony No. 5

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Bruckner Symphony No. 5. Claudio Abbado conducts the Lucerne Festival Orchestra at the 2011 Lucerne Festival. Unusual contemporary artwork on the package by Michael Triegel. Directed for TV by Michael Beyer; Andrej Nicolay was Director of Photography; produced by Paul Smaczny. Released 2012, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: C+

In its 2012 Awards Special Issue, Gramophone called this the year's best DVD (page 55). The awards article doesn't even mention that a Blu-ray was available, so we surmise that the Gramophone critic watched the DVD. We bought the Blu-ray to review long ago, but it never got to the top of our “to do” list. We always agreed that the musical performance and sound recording are excellent. But we had reservations about video content. Some time has passed since we last talked about DVDitis in symphony recordings, so we think it’s timely to bring this up again for our new readers.

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Gianni Schicchi & The Miserly Knight

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Two short operas directed as a double feature by Annabel Arden at Glyndebourne in 2004.

1. The disc starts with  the Puccini Gianni Schicchi to a libretto by Giovacchino Forzano. Stars Matilda Leyser (Buoso Donati, the deceased, a mute and motionless role), Alessandro Corbelli (Gianni Schicchi, an upstart newcomer to Florence), Sally Matthews (Lauretta, Schicchi's sexy daughter), Massimo Giordano (Rinuccio, Lauretta's boyfriend and member of the Donati family), Felicity Palmer (Zita, head of the Donati family), Marie McLaughlin, Ricardo Novaro, Massimo Giordano, Luigi Roni, Olga Schalaewa, Adrian Thompson, and Maxim Mikhailov (other Donati family members), Viacheslav Voynarovskiy (the Doctor), Richard Mosley-Evans (the Notary), as well as James Gower and Robert Davies (witnesses to the will).

2. Next comes Sergei Rachmaninov's The Miserly Knight to a libretto by the composer. This libretto was taken wholesale with minor changes from a poem by Alexander Pushkin by the same name. Stars Matilda Leyser (mute role), Sergei Leiferkus (The Baron, an old knight, the miser), Richard Berkeley-Steele (Albert, son of the Baron), Maxim Mikhailov (a Servant), Viacheslav Voynarovskiy (Money Lender), and Albert Schagidullin (the Duke).

I list Matilda Leyer first in the casts above because she is the only character to appear in both operas. She is an aerialist. In Gianni Schicchi her only action is to take a bow. In The Miserly Knight, she loots the show.

Vladimir Jurowski conducts the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Set designs by Vicki Mortimer; costumes by Nicky Gillibran; lighting by Paule Constable; TV direction by Francesca Kemp. Released 2008, disc has 5.1 PCM sound. Grade: A-

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Lohengrin

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Wagner Lohengrin opera to libretto by the composer. Directed 2006 by Nikolaus Lehnhoff at the Baden-Baden Festspielhaus. Stars Klaus Florian Vogt (Lohengrin, Knight of the Grail, son of Parsifal), Solveig Kringelborn (Elsa von Brabant, daughter of the ruler of Brabant), Hans-Peter König (Heinrich der Vogler, King of Germany), Tom Fox (Friedrich von Telramund, Count of Telramund), Waltraud Meier (Ortrud, a pagan sorceress, wife of Friedrich), Roman Trekel (King's Herald), Markus Ahme, Volker Neitmann, Dominik Hosefelder, Michael Dries (Brabantine nobels), Pei-Min Yu, Sharona Applebaum, Marie-Lys Langlois, Corinne Marquet (Pages) and Thore Vogt (Duke Gottfried, Elsa's brother). Kent Nagano conducts The Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester of Berlin, the EuropaChorAkademie Mainz (rehearsed by Joshard Daus), and the Chorus of the Opéra national de Lyon (rehearsed by Alan Woodbridge). Sets by Stephan Baunfels; costumes by Bettina Walter; lightiing by Duane Schuler; choreography by Denni Sayers; TV direction by Thomas Grimm; produced for TV and BD  by Ferenc van Damme with executive producer Hans Petri. Released 2009, this 4-hour show on 2 discs has PCM 5.1 sound. Grade: A+

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La Bohème (Mula)

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Giacomo Puccini La Bohème opera to libretto by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica. Directed 2006 by Giancarlo del Monaco at the Madrid Teatro Real. Stars Inva Mula (Mimì), Aquiles Machado (Rodolfo), Laura Giordano (Musetta), Fabio Maria Capitanucci (Marcello), David Menéndez (Schaunard), Felipe Bou (Colline), Gonzalo Fernández de Terán (Parpignol), Juan Tomás Martínez (Benoit), Alfredo Mariotti (Alcindoro), Federico Gallar (Customs Seargent), Mario Villoria (Customs Officer), and Francisco Pardo (Street Seller). Jesús López Cobos conducts the Chorus and Orchestra of the Teatro Real (Chorus Master Jordi Casas Bayer) and the Children's Chorus of the Comunidad de Madrid (Chorus Master José de Felipe).  Design of set and costumes by Michael Scott; lighting by Wolfgang von Zoubek; directed for TV by Robin Lough. Disc has 5.0 PCM sound. Grade: A

Starving artists share a cold garret in Paris. Spurning work and creature comforts, they, and the women who love them, are called "Bohemians." From left to right, our four Bs are the musician Schaunard (David Menéndez), the painter Marcello (Fabio Maria Capitanucci), the philosopher Colline (Felipe Dou), and the poet Rodolfo (Aquiles Machado). It's Christmas. Schaunard has stumbled into a bit of money and the 4 plan a rare treat, dinner at cafe Momus in The Latin Quarter!

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Hänsel und Gretel

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Engelbert Humperdinck Hänsel und Gretel opera with revised libretto by Hans-Josef Irmen (based on, but different from the traditional poetry of Adelheid Wette, the composer's sister). Directed 2007 by Johannes Felsenstein at the Anhalt Theatre Dessau. Stars Ludmil Kuntschew (Peter, the broom maker/the Witch), Alexandra Petersamer (Gertrud, Peter's wife), Sabine Noack (Hänsel, the son), Cornelia Marschall (Gretel, the daughter), and Viktorija Kaminskaite (Sandman/Dewman). Markus L. Frank conducts the Dessau Anhalt Philharmonic and the Anhalt Theatre Children's Choir (Chorus Master Dorislava Kuntscheva). Set and costumes by Steghen Rieckhoff; dramaturgy by Susanne Schulz; directed for TV by Brooks Riley. Released  2009, disc has 7.1 dts-HD Master Audio. Grade: A

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Dolce Vita

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Dolce Vita concert. Jonas Kaufmann performs songs in Italian. Jochen Rieder conducts the RAI National Symphony Orchestra Torino at Teatro Carignano. Released 2016, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Video is directed by Andy Sommer.  Grade: NA

The setlist is:

  1. Mattinata (Ruggero Leoncavallo)
  2. Parla più piano (Nino Rota, Gianni Boncompagni)
  3. Torna a Surriento (Ernesto de Curtis, Giambattista de Curtis)
  4. Musica proibita (Stanislao Gastaldon)
  5. Ti voglio tanto bene (Ernesto de Curtis, Domenico Furnò)
  6. Fenesta ca lucive (Guillaume Louis Cottrau)
  7. Rondine al nido (Vincenzo de Crescenzo, Luigi Sica)
  8. Il canto (Romano Musumarra, Luca Barbarossa)
  9. Catari', Catari' (Core 'ngrato) (Salvatore Cardillo, Riccardo Cordiferro)
  10. Caruso (Lucio Dalla)
  11. Passione (Ernesto Tagliaferri, Nicola Valente, Libero Bovio)
  12. Voglio vivere così (Giovanni d'Anzi, Tito Manlio)
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Opera Gala 2016

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The 2016 Opera Gala recital concert from Baden-Baden. Anja Harteros (soprano), Ekaterina Gubanova (mezzo-soprano), Jonas Kaufmann (tenor), and Bryn Terfel (base-baritone) sing opera favorites. Marco Armiliato conducts the Badisische Staatskapelle.  Released 2016, disc has 5.1 PCM and 5.1 dts-HD sound. Grade: NA

The program includes:

  1. Wagner Tannhäuser: "Dich, teure Halle, grüß’ ich wieder" Anja Harteros
  2. Gounod Faust: "Le veau d’or est toujours debout" Bryn Terfel
  3. Mascagni Cavalleria rusticana: "Voi lo sapete, o mamma" Ekaterina Gubanova
  4. Puccini Tosca: "E lucevan la stelle" Jonas Kaufmann
  5. BoitoMefistofele: "Son lo spirito che nega" Bryn Terfel
  6. Verdi Un ballo in maschera: "Morrò, ma prima in grazia" Anja Harteros
  7. Mascagni Cavalleria rusticana: "Tu qui, Santuzza?" Ekaterina Gubanova and Jonas Kaufmann
  8. Cilea Adriana Lecouvreur: "Acerba voluttà … L’anima ho stanca" Ekaterina Gubanova and Jonas Kaufmann
  9. Puccini Tosca: "Vissi d’arte" Anja Harteros and Bryn Terfel
  10. Verdi Don Carlo: "Ella giammai m’amò" Bryn Terfel
  11. Verdi Don Carlo: "Ah! Più mai non vedrò la regina ... O don fatale" Ekaterina Gubanova
  12. Verdi Don Carlo: "Tu che le vanità conoscesti del mondo" Anja Harteros
  13. Verdi Otello: "Già nella notte densa"   Jonas Kaufmann and Anja Harteros
  14. Bizet Carmen: "L'amour est un oiseau rebelle" (Habanera) Ekaterina Gubanova
  15. Mascagni L'amico Fritz: "Son pochi fiori" Anja Harteros
  16. Bock Fiddler on the Roof: "If I were a rich man" Bryn Terfel
  17. Rota: "Parla più piano" Jonas Kaufmann
  18. Lehár Das Land des Lächelns: "Dein ist mein ganzes Herz" Quartet
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Roberto Devereux

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Donizetti Roberto Devereuxopera to libretto by Salvadore Cammarano. Directed 2016 by Alfonso Antoniozzi at the Teatro Carlo Felice. Stars Mariella Devia (Elisabetta, Queen of England), Sonia Ganassi (Sara, Duchess of Nottingham), Stefan Pop (Roberto Devereux), Mansoo Kim (Lord Duke of Nottingham), Alessandro Fantoni (Sir Gualtiero [Walter] Raleigh), Matteo Armanino (a page), and Loris Purpura (a servant of Nottingham). Francesco Lanzillotta conducts the Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro Carlo Felice (Chorus Master Pablo Assante). Set design by Monica Manganelli; lighting design by Luciano Novelli; costumes by Gianluca Falaschi; directed for video by Matteo Ricchetti. Released 2016, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA

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La Bayadère

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💓 La Bayadère ("The Temple Dancer") ballet. Music by Ludwig Minkus. Libretto by Marius Petipa and Sergei Khudekov redacted by Yuri Grigorovich. Choreographed by Marius Petipa with new scenic version by Yuri Grigorovich and also with scenes from productions by Vakhtang Chabukiani, Nikolai Zubkovsky, and Konstantin Sergeyev. Recorded January 2013 at the Bolshoi. Stars Svetlana Zakharova (Nikiya), Vladislav Lantratov (Solor), Maria Alexandrova (Gamzatti), Alexey Loparevich (Rajah Dugmanta), Andrey Sitnikov (High Brahmin), Denis Medvedev (The Golden Idol), Alexander Voytyuk (Warrior Toloragva), Denis Rodkin (a Slave), Anton Savichev (Magadaveya, a fakir) Anastasia Vinokur (Aya, a Slave), Yulia Lunkina, Svetlana Pavlova (Gumpe), Karim Abdulin, Ivan Alexeyev, Anna Leonova, Yanina Parienko, Anna Okuneva, Maria Vinogradova,Svetlana Pavlova, Yulia Lunkina, Anastasya Gubanova, Elizaveta Kruteleva (Grand Pas), Anna Antropova, Vitaly Biktimirov, Igor Tsvirko (Drum dance), Anna Rebetskaya, Polina Dyachkova, Irina Chuvakina (Manu dance), Anastasia Stashkevich (First Shade), Anna Tikhomirova (Second Shade), and Chinara Alizade (Third Shade). Pavel Sorokin conducts the Bolshoi Theater Orchestra. Set and costume designs by Nikolay Sharonov with advice from Valery Levental; lighting by Mikhail Sokolov; filmed by Vincent Bataillon; produced by François Duplat. Released 2013, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: A+

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Mefistofele

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Arrigo Boito Mefistofele opera to a libretto by the author. Directed 2015 by Roland Schwab at the Bayerische Staatsoper (Bavarian State Opera). Stars René Pape (Mefistofele), Joseph Calleja (Faust), Kristine Opolais (Margherita), Heike Grötzinger (Marta), Andrea Borghini (Wagner), Karine Babajanyan (Elena), Rachael Wilson (Pantalis), and Joshua Owen Mills (Nerèo). Omar Meir Wellber conducts the Bayerisches Staatsorchester, Chor (Choir Master Sören Eckhoff), and Kinderchor (Choir Master Stellario Fagone). Sets by Piero Vinciguerra; costumes by Renée Listerdal; lighting by Michael Bauer; videos by Lea Heutelbeck; coreography by Stefano Giannetti; dramaturgy by Daniel Menne. Directed for TV by Tiziano Mancini. Released 2016, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA

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Elgar Cello Concerto

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Elgar Cello Concerto concert recital in 2014 at the Festpielhaus Baden-Baden with Sir Simon Rattle conducting the Berliner Philharmoniker.  Features celloist Sol Gabetta. Sir Simon Rattle conducts the Berliner Philharmoniker. The concert also includes the following pieces:

  1. Ligeti Atmosphères
  2. Stravinsky The Rite of Spring
  3. Wagner Lohengrin: Prelude to Act 1.

Directed for TV by Torben Schmidt Jacobsen. Released 2016, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA

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Swan Lake

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Swan Lake ballet. Music by Tchaikovsky. Book by V. P. Begitchev and Vasily Geltzer. Tragic choreography by Rudolf Nureyev in the tradition of Lev Ivanov and Marius Petipa. Directed 2014 by Manuel Legris at the Vienna State Opera. Stars Vladimir Shishov (Prince Siegfried); Olga Esina (Odette/Odile); Dagmar Kronberger (the Queen); and Eno Peci (Rothbart). Other dancers are  Alice Ferenze, Kiyoka Hashimoto, Masayu Kimoto, and Greig Matthews (the Prince's Friends); Gala Jovanovic, Oxana Kiyanenko, Laura Nistor, and Prisca Zeisel (The Big Swans); Maria Alati, Ioanna Avraam, Eszter Ledán, and Rui Tamai (The Cygnets); Oxana Kyanenko, Flavia Soares, Alexandru Tcacenco, and Andrey Teterin (Spanish Dancers); Kiyoka Hashimoto and Richard Szabó (Neapolitan Dancers); Alena Klochkova and Alexis Forabosco (Polish Dancers); Alice Firenze and Mihail Sosnovschi (Hungarian Dancers); Maria Alati, Ioanna Avraam, Eszter Ledán, Reina Sawai, Rui Tamai, and Nina Tonoli (The Young Noble Ladies); Christoph Wenzel (The Prince's Tutor); Gabor Oberegger (The Majordomo); and the Corps de ballet plus Students of the Ballet Academy of the Wiener Staatsoper. Alexander Ingram conducts the Orchestra of the Vienna State Opera. Sets and costumes designed by Luisa Spinatelli assisted by Monia Torchia; lighting by Marion Hewlett; staging by Manuel Legris, Alice Necsea, Lukas Gaudernak, and Jean Christophe Lesage; directed for TV by Michael Beyer. Released 2014, this Blu-ray disc has 5.0 dts-HD Master Audio sound.Grade: A+

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Vespro della beata vergine

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Monteverdi 💓 Vespro della beata vergine (Vespers for the Blessed Virgin). Recorded 2014 at the Versailles Chapelle Royale. Sir John Eliot Gardiner conducts the Monteverdi Choir and The English Baroque Soloists. Olivier Schneebeli conducts the Juvenal Choir of the Versailles Center for Baroque Music. Directed for TV by Stéphan Aubé; produced by Frédérick Allain. Sung in Latin. Released 2015, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound output. Grade: A

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