Nijinsky ballet. Choreographed by John Neumeier. Music by Frédéric Chopin, Robert Schumann, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, and Dmitri Shostakovich. Staged 2017 at the Hamburg State Opera. Stars Alexandre Riabko (Vaslav Nijinsky), Carolina Agüero (Romola Nijinsky/The Woman), Patricia Friza (Bronislava Nijinska/The Sister), Aleix Martínez (Stanislav Nijinsky/The Brother), Ivan Urban (Serge Diaghilev/The Impresario & Mentor), Anna Laudere (Eleonora Bereda/The Mother), Carsten Jung (Thomas Nijinsky/The Father), Silvia Azzoni (Tamara Karsavina/The Ballerina), Alexandr Trusch (Nijinsky as "Harlequin" and "Le Spectre de la Rose"), Marc Jubete (Nijinsky as "The Golden Slave" and "The Faun"), Lloyd Riggins (Nijinsky as "Petrushka"), and Jacopo Bellussi (Leonid Massine/The New Dancer).
Read MoreHaydn Die Schöpfung (The Creation) oratorio. Directed 2017 by Carlus Padrissa and La Fura dels Baus at La Seine Musicale, Île Seguin, France. Stars Mari Eriksmoen (Gabriel/Eva), Daniel Schmutzhard (Raphael/Adam), and Martin Mitterrutzner (Uriel). Laurence Equilbey conducts the Insula Orchestra and the accentus (sic) choir (Chorus Master Marc Korovitch). Directed for TV by Isabelle Soulard. Released 2018, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA
Read MoreAlban Berg Wozzeck opera to libretto by the composer after Woyzeck by Georg Büchner. Directed 2017 by Krzysztof Warlikowski at the Dutch National Opera. Stars Christopher Maltman (Wozzeck), Eva-Maria Westbroek (Marie), Frank van Aken (Drum Major), Marcel Beekman (Captain/Madman), Sir Willard White (Doctor), Jason Bridges (Andres), Ursula Hesse von den Steinen (Margret), Scott Wilde (First Apprentice), Morschi Franz (Second Apprentice), Jacob Jutte (Marie’s Son), and Richard Prada (A Soldier). Matt Albrecht conducts the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, the Chorus of the Dutch National Opera (Chorus Master Ching-Lien Wu), and the New Amsterdam Children’s Choir (Chorus Master Eline Welle). Set and costume design by Małgorzata Szczęśniak; lighting design by Felice Ross; video design by Denis Guéguin; choreography by Claude Bardouil; dramaturgy by Christian Longchamp. Directed for TV by François Roussillon. Sung in German. Released 2018, disc has 5.0 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA
Read MoreMozart Le nozze di Figaro opera to libretto by Lorenza da Ponte. Directed 2015 by Jürgen Flimm (with Gudrun Hartmann) at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden im Schiller Theater. Stars Ildebrando D’Arcangelo (Count Almaviva), Dorothea Röschmann (Countess Almaviva), Anna Prohaska (Susanna), Lauri Vasar (Figaro), Mariane Crebassa (Cherubino), Katharina Kammerloher (Marcellina), Florian Hoffmann (Basilio), Peter Maus (Don Curzio), Otto Katzameier (Bartolo), Olaf Bär (Antonio), and Sónia Grané (Barbarina). Gustavo Dudamel conducts the Staatskapelle Berlin and Staatsopernchor (Chorus Master Frank Flade). Sets by Magdelena Gut; costumes by Ursala Kudrna; choreography by Catharina Lühr; lighting by Olaf Freese; dramaturgy by Detlef Giese. Directed for TV by Hannes Rossacher; produced by Paul Smaczny. Released 2017, has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA
Read MoreGreat Ballets from the Bolshoi box set. This box has four ballets from the Bolshoi. All have been released individually, and we already have done reviews with screenshots and grades for all of them. Following are links to more information and our grade for each title:
💓 Minkus La Bayadère A+
Auber Marco Spada A+
Tchaikovsky Swan Lake D+
Shostakovich The Golden Age B+
Released 2018. Combined Grade: B+
Read MoreTchaikovsky---The Classic Ballets is a box set with 3 titles previously issued by Opus Arte as individual HDVDs. We have previously reviewed all of them, and all are available at full price. So follow our links here to learn more about each title:
Swan Lake with Natalia Osipova and Matthew Golding, which we graded B-.
The Sleeping Beauty with Marianela Nuñez and Vadim Muntagirov, which we graded A+.
The Nutcracker with Lauren Cuthbertson and Federico Bonelli, which we graded B.
Combined Grade: B+
Read MoreShakespeare Coriolanus play. Directed 2017 by Angus Jackson. Stars Charles Aitken (Cominus), Tony Boncza (Second Volscian Senator/Volscian Servant/Roman Citizen), James Corrigan (Tullus Aufidius), Sope Dirisu (Coriolanus), Bally Gill (Roman Citizen/Aedile/Roman Soldier), Robert Ginty (Nicanor/Roman Citizen), Haydn Gwynne (Volumnia), Ben Hall (Titus Lartius), Sean Hart (Adrian/Roman Citizen/Aedile), Paul Jesson (Menenius), Martina Laird (Junius Brutus), Geoffrey Lumb (First Citizen/Volscian Soldier), Justine Marriott (Second Citizen/Volscian Soldier), Hector Magraw (Young Martius), Christopher Middleton (Volscian Soldier), Hannah Morrish (Virgilia), Jackie Morrison (Sicinius Veletus), Esther Niles (Gentlewoman/Roman Soldier/Volscian Citizen/Volscian Watch), Katherine Toy (Valeria, Volscian Servant, Roman Citizen), Rebecca Wingate (First Volscian Senator/Aedile/Roman Citizen), Simon Yadoo (Herald/Aedile/Volscian Servant), and Assad Zaman (Volscian Watch).
Read MoreShakespeare Titus Andronicus. Directed 2017 by Blanche McIntyre at Stratford-upon-Avon. Stars Stefan Adegbola (Aaron), Joseph Adelakun (Mutius), Kristin Atherton (Nurse), Will Bliss (Clown), David Burnett (Quintus), Paul Dodds (Returning Officer/Goth), Patrick Drury (Marcus Andronicus), Nia Gwynne (Tamora), Sean Hart (Demetrius), Martin Hutson (Saturnius), Amber James (Goth), Tom Lorcan (Martius), Luke MacGregor (Chiron), Tom McCall (Lucius), Hannah Morrish (Lavinia), Anthony Ofoegbu (Emilius), Dharmesh Patel (Bassianus), Jon Tarcy (Alarbus), David Troughton (Titus Andronicus), Marcello Walton (Publius), and Luca Saraceni-Gunner (Young Lucius).
Read MoreManuel de Falla La vida breve opera to a libretto by Carlos Fernández-Shaw. Directed 2011 by Giancarlo del Monaco at the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia, Valencia. Stars Cristina Gallardo-Domâs (Salud), Jorge de León (Paco), María Luisa Corbacho (La abuela), Felipe Bou (El tío Sarvaor), Sandra Ferrández (Carmela/1st and 3rd street-seller), Natalia Lunar (2nd street-seller), Isaac Galán (Manuel), and Antonio Lozano (Voice in the forge/Distant voice/Voice of a street-seller). Features flamenco performers Esperanza Fernández and Juan Carlos Gómez Pastor. Also features dancers Alberto Ferrero, Alejandra Garcia, Sara Gil, Yolanda López, Iván Martin, Antonio Martínez, Lara Pla, Carolina Pozuelo, Alexis Maximiliano Rebman, and Cristhian Sandvoal. Also features mimes Juan José Dalmau and Zvonimir Ostoic. Lorin Maazel conducts the Orchestra de la Comunitat Valenciana and the Cor de la Comunitat Valenciana (Chorus Master Francesc Perales). Set design by Giancarlo del Monaco; costume design by Jesús Ruiz; lighting design by Wolfgang von Zoubeck; choreography by Goyo Montero. Directed for TV by Tiziano Mancini. Sung in Spanish. Released 2012, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: B-
Although the music to La vida breve is fairly well-known, the short, one-dimensional opera is rarely produced. The center of attention is the Gypsy girl Salud
Read MoreThe Sleeping Beauty ballet. Music by Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky. Directed by Kevin O'Hare. Choreography by Frederick Ashton, Anthony Dowell, and Christopher Wheeldon (based on tradition of Marius Petipa). This is a revival production (based on the original Oliver Messel 1946 production at Royal Opera House) by Monica Mason and Christopher Newton after Ninette de Valois and Nicholas Sergeyev. Stars Marianela Nuñez (Princess Aurora), Vadim Muntagirov (Prince Florimund), Kristen McNally (Carabosse), Claire Calvert (Lilac Fairy), Christopher Saunders (King Florestan XXIV), Elizabeth McGorian (The Queen), and Alastair Marriott (Cattalabutte). A huge number of other dancers from the ROB are credited in the the nice keepcase booklet.
Read MoreMauricio Sotelo El público (The Audience) opera to a libreto by Andrès Albáñez based on a play by Fredrico García Lorca. Directed 2015 by Robert Castro. Stars José Antonio Lópes (Director (Enrique) / Vine Leaves Figure), Thomas Tatzl (First Man (Gonzalo))/Bells Figure/Red Nude), Arcángel (First Horse), Jesús Méndez (Second Horse), Rubén Olmo (Third Horse), Josep Miquel Ramón (Second Man/First White Horse/Centurion), Antonio Lozano (Third Man/Black Horse/Idiot Shepherd), Gun-Brit Barkmin (Helen/Lady), Erin Caves (Emperor/Magician), Isabella Gaudí (Juliet/Boy), José San Antonio (Manservant/Male Nurse), Harold Torres and Antonio Magno (Two Students), Haizam Fathy (Pierrot Costume and Shadow), Leonardo Tremaschi (Ballerina Costume and Shadow), Carlos Rodas (Pajamas Costume and Shadow), and Daniel Kone & Samuel Echardour (Two Elves). Pablo Heras-Canado conducts the Klangforum Wien and the Coro Titular of the Teatro Real (Andrés Máspero Chorus Master). Special instrumental guests are guitar soloist Cañizares and percussionist Agustín Daissera. Sets by Alexander Polzin; costumes by Wojciech Dziedzic; lighting by Urs Schönebaum; choreography by Darrel Grand Moultrie. Directed for TV by Jérémie Cuvillier; produced by François Duplat and Xavier Dubois. Sung in Spanish. Released 2016, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: B- with the ‽ designation.
Lorca (1898 to 1936), perhaps Spain's most celebrated 20th century poet and dramatist, was from wealthy, conservative roots. But he was also gay. So he fell in with the Spanish avant-garde and surrealists who gave him a platform to criticize bourgeois conventions. In 1936 he was murdered, it seems, by a Falangist death squad.
Read MoreBeethoven Mass in C major concert performed 2018 at the Philharmonie im Gasteig, Munich. Also features Stravinksy Symphony in Three Movements and Hummel Trumpet Concerto in E major. Mariss Jansons conducts the Chor und Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks (Chorus Master Howard Arman). Features soloists Martin Angerer (trumpet), Genia Kühmeier (soprano), Gerhild Romberger (mezzo-soprano), Maximilian Schmitt (tenor) and Luca Pisaroni (bass-baritone). Directed for TV by Elisabeth Malzer. Released 2018, disc has 5.0 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA
Read MoreRomeo and Juliet ballet. Music by Prokofiev. Libretto by Leonid Lavrovsky, Adrian Piotrovsky, Sergei Prokofiev, and Sergei Radlov. Choreography by Vyacheslav Samodurov (assisted by Klara Dovzhik) in 2019 at the Ural Opera Ballet at the Ural Opera Theater in Ekaterinburg. Stars Ekaterina Sapogova (Juliet), Alexandr Merkushev (Romeo); Igor Bulytsyn (Mercutio); Gleb Sageev (Benvolio), Vadim Eremin (Tybalt), Victor Mekhanoshin (Lord Capulet), Elena Safonova (Lady Capulet), Nadezhda Shamshurina (Nurse), Rafaela Hernandes Morel (Rosaline), Andrei Veshkurtsev (Rosaline’s Suitor), Maxim Kletkovkin (Paris), Ivan Sobrovin (Friar Lawrence), Anton Guzeev (The Duke), and Sofiya Tyupa (he Duke’s companion). Additional dancers are:
Molls: Anastasia Bagaeva, Anna Domke, and Anastasia Rakitina
Folk dance soloists: Miki Nishiguchi, Kyonsun Pak, Alexei Seliverstov, and Tomoha Terada
Gavotte: Anna Kamchatnaya, Yulia Kruminsh, Renata Nizamutdinov; Anastasia Kerzhemankina, Gleb Alferov, Alexei Seliverstov, Mikhail Husutin, Tomoha Terada
Pavel Klinichev conducts the Ural Opera Ballet Orchestra. Sets by Anthony MacIlwaine; costumes by Irena Belousova; lighting by Simon Bennison. Directed for TV by Denis Caïozzi; produced by François Duplat. Released 2020, disc has PCM stereo sound. Grade: C
Russia is the second most important opera market in the world (after Germany), and they love ballet there too. The Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow is the biggest ballet operation of all, and we have 2 extraordinary Blu-ray ballet discs from Bolshoi published by Bel Air. The Ural Opera Ballet is located in Ekaterinburg, the 4th largest city in Russia, and it is one of 4 ballet companies in Russia that gets special “federal” support.
Read MoreVerdi Macbeth opera to a libretto by Francesco Maria Piave. Directed 2017 by Emma Dante at the Teatro Massimo di Palermo. Stars Roberto Frontali (Macbeth), Marko Mimica (Banco), Anna Pirozzi (Lady Macbeth), Federica Alfano (Dama di Lady Macbeth), Vincenzo Costanzo (Macduff), Manuel Pierattelli (Malcolm), Nicolò Ceriani (Doctor), Antonio Barbagallo (Servant), Francesco Cusumano (Duncano), Nunziatina Lo Presti (Fleanzio), and Actors of the Emma Dante Company and Students of the School of Performing Arts at the Teatro Biondo, Palermo. Gabriele Ferro conducts the Orchestra, Coro e Corpo di ballo del Teatro Massimo. Set design by Carmine Maringola; costume design by Vanessa Sannino; choreography by Manuela Lo Sicco; lighting design by Cristian Zucaro. Directed for film by Matteo Ricchetti. Released 2018, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA
Read MoreBritten Death in Venice opera to a libretto by Myfanwy Piper. Directed 2014 by Willy Decker at the Teatro Real. Stars John Daszak (Gustav von Aschenbach), Leigh Melrose (The Traveller/Elderly Fop/Old Gondolier/Hotel Manager/Hotel Barber/Leader of the Players/Voice of Dionysus), Tomasz Borczyk (Tadzio), Anthony Roth Costanzo (The Voice of Apollo), Duncan Rock (English Clerk/Venice Guide), Itxaro Mentxaka (Cadging), Vicente Ombuena (Concierge), Antonio Lozano (Crystal Merchant), Damián del Castillo (Waiter), Nuria García Arrés (Vendedora de Encaje), and Ruth Iniesta (Strawberry Seller/Newspaper Seller). Alejo Pérez conducts the Teatro Real Chorus and Orchestra (Chorus Master Andrés Máspero). Set design by Wolfgang Gussmann; costume design by Wolfgang Gussmann and Susana Mendoza; lighting design by Hans Toelstede; choreography by Athol Farmer; dramaturge by Klaus Bertisch. Directed for TV by François Roussillon. Released 2018, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA
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