I Puritani

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Bellini I Puritani opera to libretto by Carlo Pepoli. Directed 2016 by Emilio Sagi at the Teatro Real de Madrid. Stars Miklós Sebestyén (Lord Gualtiero Valton), Nicolas Testé (Sir Giorgio), Javier Camarena (Lord Arturo Talbo), Ludovic Tézier (Sir Riccardo Forth), Antonio Lozano (Sir Bruno Robertson), Annalisa Stroppa (Enrichetta di Francia), and Diana Damrau (Lady Elvira Valton). Evelino Pidò conducts the Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro Real de Madrid (Chorus Master Andrés Máspero). Stage design by Daniel Bianco; costume design by Peppispoo; lighting design by Eduardo Bravo; filmed and edited by Jérémie Cuvillier. Producer Xavier Dubois; Executive Producer François Duplat. Released 2017, disc has 5.1 dts HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA

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Ernani

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Verdi Ernani opera to a libretto by Francesco Maria Piave. Directed 2017 by Jean-Louis Grinda at the Opéra Monte-Carlo. Stars Ramón Vargas (Ernani), Ludovic Tézier (Don Carlo), Alexander Vinogradov (Don Ruy Gomez de Silva), Svetla Vassilieva (Elvira), Karine Ohanyan (Giovanna), Maurizio Pace (Don Riccardo), and Gabriele Ribis (Jago). Daniele Callegari conducts the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra and the Monte-Carlo Opera Chorus (Chorus Master Stefano Visconti). Set design by Isabelle Partiot-Pieri; costumes by Teresa Acone; lights by Laurent Castaingt; film direction by Stéphan Aubé; produced by Frederic Allain (Wahoo). Released 2017, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA

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Dvořák Requiem

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Dvořák Requiem. In 2014 Philipe Herreweghe conducts the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra and the Collegium Vocale Gent in a performance of Dvořák's Requiem.  Features soprano Ilse Eerens, alto Bernarda Fink, tenor Maximilian Schmitt, and bass Nathan Berg. Directed for video by Leonid Adamopoulos. Released 2017, disc has dts-HD Master Audio. Grade: NA

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Lucia di Lammermoor

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Donizetti Lucia di Lammermoor opera to libretto by Salvadore Cammarano. Directed 2016 by Katie Mitchell at the Royal Opera House. Stars Diana Damrau (Lucia), Charles Castronovo (Edgardo), Ludovic Tézier (Enrico), Taylor Stayton (Arturo), Kwangchul Youn (Raimondo), Rachael Lloyd (Alisa), and Peter Hoare (Normanno). Daniel Oren conducts the Orchestra (Associate Concert Master Ania Safonova) and Chorus of the Royal Opera House (Chorus Director Renato Balsadonna). Designs by Vicki Mortimer; lighting design by Jon Clark; Movement Director and Associate Director Joseph Alford; Fight Directors Rachel Bown-Williams and Ruth Cooper-Brown. Directed for screen by Margaret Williams. Released 2017, disc has 5.1 Dobly Digital sound. Grade: NA

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Winterreise

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Schubert Winterreise song cycle performed 2015 by bartione Matthias Goerne and pianist Markus Hinterhäuser as part of the Aix-de-Provence Festival. Also features visuals by graphic artist William Kentridge. Includes documentary, A Trio for Schubert, with interviews with all three featured artists.Directed for TV by Christian Leblé. Released 2017, disc has PCM stereo sound. Grade: NA

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Midori Plays Bach

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Midori Plays Bach Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin (BWV 1001-1006), recorded 2016 at the German Castle in Köthen (Anhalt) where Bach composed this cornerstone music. These are all the Bach sonatas and partitas for violin, called by famous violinist Georges Enescu "The Himalayas of violinists":

  1. Sonata No. 1 in G minor BWV 1001
  2. Partita No. 1 in B minor BWV 1002
  3. Sonata No. 2 in A minor BWV 1003
  4. Partita No. 2 in D minor BWV 1004
  5. Sonata No. 3 in C major BWV 1005
  6. Partita No. 3 in E major BWV 1006 

Directed for TV by Andreas Morell; produced by Paul Smaczny. Released 2017, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA

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The Art of Svetlana Zakharova

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The Art of Svetlana Zakharova 4 Disc Set released 2017. Below are the discs for four ballets featuring Svetlana Zakarova at the Bolshoi. Each of these has already been reported on this website, and you can get more details by using the links provided:

  1. Swan Lake. Tchaikovsky. 2015. (Grade: D+)

  2. La Bayadère Minkus. 2013. (Grade: A+)

  3. The Sleeping Beauty. Tchaikovsky. 2012. (Grade: A+)

  4. La fille du pharaon. Pugni. 2010. (Grade: A)

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The Art of David Hallberg

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The Art of David Hallberg 2 Disc Set released 2017. Below are the discs for two ballets featuring David Hallberg at the Bolshoi. Both have already been reported on this website, and you can get more details by using the links provided:

  1. Marco Spada. Daniel-François-Esprit Auber. 2014. (Grade: A+)

  2. 💓 The Sleeping Beauty. Tchaikovsky. 2012. (Grade: A+)

Hard to image a more delightful 2-disc combo than this one. We have compelling reviews up for each of these titles. With any sort of discount this combo pack becomes irresistible.

But note this title is similar to the Art of Svetlasa Zakharova box in that both boxes have the same The Sleeping Beauty disc.

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Lucio Silla

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Mozart Lucio Silla opera to libretto by Giovanni de Gamerra. Directed 2016 by Marshall Pynkoski at the Teatro alla Scala. Stars Kresimir Spicer (Lucio Silla), Lenneke Ruiten (Giunia), Marianne Crebassa (Cecilio), Inga Kalna (Lucio Cinna), and Giulia Semenzato (Celia). Makhar Vaziev directs the Ballet Company of Teatro alla Scala. Also features basso continuo by Francesco Corti (Cembalo), Simone Groppo (Violoncello), and Pino Ettorre (Contrabasso). Marc Minkowski conducts the Chorus and Orchestra of the Teatro alla Scala (Chorus Master Bruno Casoni). Choreography by Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg; stage and costume design by Antoine Fontaine; lighting design by Hervé Gary; video direction by Arnalda Canali. Released 2017, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA

This was Mozart's 8th opera, written when he was 18. Hugo Shirley, writing in the March 2018 Gramophone (page 88), praises and recommends this as "an effective video version" of the work. He comments that director Pynkoski  directs "each singer with an impressive, engaging eye for detail . . .  and creates his own aesthetic of artful, flowing theatricality, which is underlined by Antoine Fontaine's designs."

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The Royal Opera Collection

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The Royal Opera Collection Box Set released 2017. Below are the discs for 15 productions of The Royal Opera. Each of them has already been reported on this website, and you can get more details by using the links provided:

  1. Le nozze di Figaro. Mozart. 2009. (Grade: A+)
  2. Don Giovanni. Mozart. 2014. (Grade: A)
  3. Die Zauberflöte. Mozart. 2008. (Grade A)
  4. Macbeth. Verdi. 2012. (Grade A-)
  5. La traviata. Verdi. 2011. (Grade A)
  6. Carmen. Bizet. 2008. (Grade A+)
  7. Parsifal. Wagner. 2014. (Grade N/A)
  8. Cavalleria Rusticana & Pagliacci. Mascagni/Leoncavallo. 2016. (Grade N/A)
  9. La Bohème. Puccini. 2010. (Grade C+)
  10. Turandot. Puccini. 2014. (Grade N/A)
  11. Il trittico (Il tabarro, Suor Angelica, Gianni Schicchi). Puccini. 2012. (Grade A)
  12. Salome. Strauss. 2010. (Grade A+)
  13. Król Roger. Syzmanowski. 2015. (Grade N/A)
  14. Gloriana. Britten. 2013. (Grade N/A)
  15. Written on Skin. Benjamin. 2014. (Grade B+)
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Dvořák Symphony No. 8

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2017 Europakonzert. Mariss Jansons conducts the Berliner Philharmoniker this year in its traditional "Europakonzert" on May 1 celebrating the founding of the orchestra on May Day. Normally, this event occurs in a different European city in a beautiful venue of historical significance. Performed 2017 at Paphos, Cyprus. The concert was held outdoors in front of the main Byzantine castle at Paphos, Cyprus. Features clarinetist Andreas Ottensamer. Directed for TV by Henning Kasten. Here's the program:

  • Weber, Overture to Oberon

  • Weber, Clarinet Concerto No. 1 (Andreas Ottensamer)

  • Koncz, Hungarian Fantasy on Themes by Carl Maria von Weber

  • Dvořák, Symphony No. 8

  • Brahms, Hungarian Dance No. 5

Released 2017, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound, with "high resolution" audio, i.e. 96kHz/24-bit sound sampling. Grade: NA

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Cymbeline

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Shakespeare Cymbeline play. Directed 2016 by Melly Still at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. Stars (in alphabetical order) Hiran Abeysekera (Posthumus), Romayne Andrews (First Lord/Dutchman), Gillian Bevan (Cymbeline), Doreene Blackstock (Cornelia/Soldier), Eke Chukwu (Caius Lucius/Spaniard), James Clyde (The Duke), James Cooney (Arviragus), Bethan Cullinane (Innogen), Marième Diouf (Helen/British Officer), Jenny Fennessy (Gentlewoman/Jailer), Kevin N. Golding (British Officer/Messenger), Marcus Griffiths (Cloten), Oliver Johnstone (Iachimo), Byron Mondahl (Philario/Soldier), Theo Ogundipe (Second Lord/Frenchman/Roman Captain), Natalie Simpson (Guideria), Graham Turner (Belarius), Temi Wilkey (Philharmonia), and Kelly Williams (Pisania). Designs by Anna Fleischle; lighting design by Philip Gladwell; music by Dave Price; sound by Jonathan Ruddick; movement by Emily Mytton; fights by Terry King; video by Dick Straker. Directed for screen  by Matthew Woodward; produced by John Wyver. Has a director's commentary. Released 2017, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA

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Lulu

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Alban Berg Lulu opera to libretto by the composer (3-act version completed by Friedrich Cerha in 1979). Directed 2015 by Dmitri Tcherniakov at the Bayerische Staatsoper. Stars Marlis Petersen (Lulu), Bo Skovhus (Dr. Schön/Jack the Ripper), Daniela Sindram (Gräfin Geschwitz), Matthias Klink (Alwa), Rainer Trost (Der Maler (Painter)/Ein Neger (Negro)), Martin Winkler (Ein Tierbändiger(Animal Trainer)/Ein Athlet), Pavlo Hunka (Schigolch), Christian Rieger (Der Medizinalrat/Der Bankier/Der Professor), Rachel Wilson (Eine Theater-Garderobiere/Ein Gymnasiast/Ein Groom), Wolfgang Ablinger-Sperrhacke (Der Marquis), Christoph Stephinger (Der Theaterdirektor), Elsa Benoit (Eine Fünfzehnjährige (15 year-old girl)), Cornelia Wulkopf (Ihre Mutter (Mother of the Girl )), Heike Grötzinger (Eine Kunstgewerblerin (Gallery Owner)), John Carpenter (Ein Journalist), Leonard Bernad (Ein Diener (Servant)), and Nicholas Reinke (Der Polizeikommissär). Kirill Petrenko conducts the Bayerisches Staatsorchester. Costume designs by Elena Zaytseva; choreography by Tatiana Baganova; set design by Dmitri Tcherniakov; lighting design by Gleb Filshtinksy; video direction by Andy Sommer; produced by François Duplat. Released 2017, disc has 5.1 dts HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA

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La Favorite

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Donizetti La Favorite opera to a libretto by Alphonse Royer and Gustave Vaëz. Directed 2016 by Amélie Niermeyer at the Bayerische Staatsoper. Stars Elīna Garanča (Léonor de Guzmán), Matthew Polenzani (Fernand), Mariusz Kwiecień (Alphonse XI, King of Castile), Mika Kares (Balthazar), Joshua Owen Mills (Don Gaspar), and Elsa Benoit (Inès). Karel Mark Chichon conducts the Bayerisches Staatsorchester and the Chor der Bayerischen Staatsoper (Chorus Master Sören Eckhoff). Set design by Alexander Müller-Elmau; costume design by Kirsten Dephoff; lighting design by Michael Baueri. Directed for video by Tiziano Mancini. Released 2017, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA

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