Alban Berg Wozzeck opera to libretto by the composer after Woyzeck by Georg Büchner. Directed 2015 by Andreas Homoki at the Opernhaus Zürich. Stars Christian Gerhaher (Wozzeck), Brandon Jovanovich (Drum Major), Mauro Peter (Andres), Wolfgang Ablinger-Sperrhacke (Captain), Lars Woldt (Doctor), Gun-Brit Barkmin (Marie), Pavel Daniluk (First Apprentice), Cheyne Davidson (Second Apprentice), Martin Zysset (Madman), Irène Friedli (Margret), and Alessandro Reinhart (Marie’s Child). Fabio Luisi conducts the Philharmonia Zürich and the Chor der Oper Zürich (Chorus Master Jürg Hämmerli). Set and costume design by Michael Levine; costume assistance by Meta Bronski; lighting design by Franck Evin; dramaturgy by Kathrin Brunner. Directed for TV by Michael Beyer; produced by Paul Smaczny. Sung in German. Released 2016, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: A+
Read MoreHandel Theodora oratorio to libretto by Thomas Morell. Directed 2009 by Christof Loy at the Salzburg Festival. Stars Christine Schäfer (Theodora), Bejun Mehta (Didymus), Joseph Kaiser (Septimius), Johannes Martin Kränzle (Valens), Bernarda Fink (Irene), and Ryland Davies (Messenger). Ivor Bolton conducts the Freiburger Barockorchester and the Salzburger Bachchor (Chorus Master Alois Glaßner). Organ solo by James McVinnie. Sets by Annette Kurz; costumes by Ursula Renzenbrink; lighting by Stefan Bolliger; dramatic advice by Thomas Jonigk; choreographic assistance by Thomas Wilhelm. Directed for TV by Hannes Rossacher. Released 2011, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: B
Handel wrote Theodora as an oratorio that would normally be formed by a large chorus standing in rows with the soloists in front and all singers using sheet music. Opera director Christof Loy was hired to semi-stage the oratorio. Loy was a good choice for this since his style as opera director generally is to vastly simplify sets, props, and dramaturgy to the point that even operas become semi-staged. With Loy on board you can save money on the frills and pay bigger fees to get the best singers.
Read MoreCinderella dance show. Music by Sergei Prokofiev especially arranged, conducted by Brett Morris, and recorded for this production. New/Adventures Dance Company was choreographed and directed by Matthew Bourne with video recorded 2017 at Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London. Stars Ashley Shaw (Cinderella), Andrew Monaghan (The Pilot), Liam Mower (The Angel), Michela Meazza (The Stepmother), Alan Vincent (The Father), Stephanie Billers (A Stepsister), Nicole Kabera (A Stepsister), Jackson Fisch (A Stepbrother), Daniel Wright (A Stepbrother), and Stephen Murray (A Stepbrother). Also features dancers Reece Causton, Danny Reubens, Sophia Hurdley, Katie Webb, Dominic North, Glenn Graham, Jack Jones, Jamie McDonald, João Carolino, and Kate Lyons. Set and costume design by Lez Brotherston; lighting design by Neil Austin; sound design (music plus ambient sounds from WW II events) by Paul Groothuis; production design by Duncan McLean; lighting direction by Bernie Davis; sound by Mike Hatch; associate artistic director was Etta Murfitt; resident director was Neil Westmoreland. Directed for TV by Ross MacGibbon; produced by Lucie Conrad. There is no keepcase booklet, but the bonus extras are interesting and heartfelt. Released 2018, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: A
Read MoreHandel Alcina opera to a libretto by an unknown author. Directed 2015 by Katie Mitchell (assisted by Dan Ayling and Robin Tebbutt) at the Aix-en-Provence Festival. Stars Patricia Petibon (Alcina, a sorceress), Philippe Jaroussky (Ruggiero, a warrior enchanted by Alcina), Anna Prohaska (Morgana, Alcina’s younger sister), Katarina Bradić (Bradamante, Ruggiero’s former sweetheart), Anthony Gregory (Oronte, Alcina’s general), Krzysztof Baczyk (Melisso, Ruggiero’s former comrade), and Elias Mädler (Oberto, a boy seeking his missing father). Actors are Juliet Alderdice (the real Alcina), Jane Thorne (the real Morgana), Ian Hallard (Oberto's father/servant), plus Zoé Aldrich, Josephine Arden, Sarah Northgraves, and Anna Martine (more servants of Alcina). Andrea Marcon conducts the Freiburger Barockorchester and Chœur MusicAeterna (Chœur de l'Opéra de Perm under Chorus Master Vitaly Polonsky). Continuo: theorbos Daniele Ciminiti and Maria Ferré; cello Guido Larisch; harpsichords Andrea Marcon and Johannes Keller. Set design by Chloe Lamford; costume design by Laura Hopkins assisted by Blanca Anon Garcia and Clémence Pernoud; lighting design by James Farncombe; choreography by Joseph W. Alford; musical assistant was Johannes Keller; piano répétiteur was Jean-Paul Pruna. Directed for TV by Corentin Leconte; produced by François Duplat. Sung in Italian. Released 2016, disc has 5.1 Dolby Digital sound output. Grade: A+
Read MoreHandel Alcina opera to a libretto by an unknown author. Directed 2010 by Adrian Noble at the Wiener Staatsoper. Stars Anja Harteros (Alcina), Vesselina Kasarova (Ruggiero), Veronica Cangemi (Morgana), Kristina Hammarström (Bradamante), Alois Mühlbacher (Oberto), Benjamin Bruns (Oronte), and Adam Plachetka (Melisso). Marc Minkowski conducts Les Musiciens du Louvre - Grenoble (Chorus Director Thomas Lang). Stage musicians are Thibault Noally (Violin), Nils Wieboldt (Cello), Florian Cousin (Flute), Gilberto Caserio (Recorder), Toshinori Ozaki (Theorbo), Francesco Corti and Johannes Maria Bogner (Harpsichord). Chorus members are Hannelore Auer, Gilles Combecave, Arina Holecek, Christian Jung, Jens Musger, Richard Neugebauer, Martina Reder, Barbara Reiter, Barbara Sommerbauer, Cornelia Sonnleithner, Ion Tibrea, and Oleg Zalytskiy. Dancers provided by the Wiener Staatsballett. Set and costumes by Anthony Ward; lighting by Jean Kalman; choreography by Sue Lefton. Directed for TV by Matthias Leutzendorff. Zoltan Glied corrected pointed out that the sound for this title was recorded using 96kHz/24-bit sound sampling. This makes this the first opera recording published (we think) in state-of-the-art sound and HD video. Sung in Italian. Released 2011, disc has 5.0 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: C+
Read MorePuccini Tosca opera to libretto by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica. Directed 2018 by Michael Sturminger at the Osterfestspiele Salzburg. Stars Anja Harteros (Floria Tosca), Aleksandrs Antonenko (Mario Cavaradossi), Ludovic Tézier (Baron Scarpia), Andrea Mastroni (Cesare Angelotti), Matteo Peirone (The Sacristan), Mikeldi Atxalandabaso (Spoletta), Rupert Grössinger (Sciarrone), Levente Páll (A Jailer), and Benjamin Aster (A Shepherd Boy). Christian Thielemann conducts the Staatskapelle Dresden, the Salzburger Bachchor (Chorus Master Alois Glaßner), and the Salzburger Festspiele und Theater Kinderchor (Chorus Master Wolfgang Götz). Costume and set design by Renate Martin and Andreas Donhauser; lighting design by Urs Schönebaum. Directed for TV by Tiziano Mancini. Sung in Italian. Released 2019, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: B-
Here’s yet another attempt at a contemporary “thriller” version of Tosca. The curtain opens on Act 1, and in 2 seconds we have 6 corpses:
Read MoreBeethoven Symphonies 1-9 and Missa solemnis box set. Christian Thielemann conducts the Wiener Philharmoniker in all nine Beethoven symphonies and the Staatskapelle Dresden for the Missa solemnis. Also features the Coriolan Overture and the Egmont Overture. Includes the “Discovering Symphonies” series of hour-long documentaries on each symphony with Joachim Kaiser and Christian Thielemann.
Featured performers are Annette Dasch (soprano), Mihoko Fujimura (mezzo-soprano), Piotr Beczala (tenor), Georg Zeppenfeld (bass), Elīna Garanča (mezzo-soprano), Krassimira Stoyanova (soprano), Michael Schade (tenor), and Franz-Josef Selig (bass).
Released 2020, symphony discs have 5.0 dts-HD Master Audio sound and Missa solemnis disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio Sound. Grade: NA
Read MoreTchaikovsky Violin Concerto and Shostakovich Symphony No. 5 concert in 2017 at the Concert Hall of KKL Luzen. Long Yu conducts the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra. Features violinist Maxim Vengerov. The concert includes the following pieces:
Aaron Avshalamov Hutongs of Peking (A Symphonic Poem about the sounds and voices of Chinese streets.)
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto
Shostakovich Symphony No. 5
Directed for TV by Michael Beyer. Released 2019, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA
Read MoreNino Rota opera double feature directed 2017 by Cesare Scarton at the Reate Festival.
La notte di un nevrastenico (The Night of a Neurotic) to a libretto by Riccardo Bacchelli. Stars Giorgio Celenza (The Neurotic); Carlo Feola (The Consierge); Daniele Adriani (The Commendatore); Sabrina Cortese (She); Antonio Sapio (He); Vincenzo Carni (A Floor Boy/Hotel Staff); Maria Rita Combatteli, Lucia Filaci, Siri Kval Ødegård; Mariangela De Vita, and Giacomo Nanni (Hotel Staff).
I due timidi (The Two Timid Ones) to a libretto by Suso Cecchi D’Amico. Stars Giorgio Celenza (Narrator), Sabrina Cortese (Mariuccia), Daniele Adriani (Raimondo), Chiara Osella (Mrs. Guidotti), Antonio Sapio
Read MorePuccini Turandot opera to a libretto by Giuseppe Adami and Renato Simoni. Directed 2018 by Stefano Poda at the Teatro Regio Torino. Stars Rebeka Lokar (Turandot), Jorge de León (Calaf), Erika Grimaldi (Liù), In-Sung Sim (Timur), Antonello Ceron (The Emperor Altoum), Marco Filippo Romano (Ping, Lord Chancellor), Luca Casalin (Pang, Majordomo), Mikeldi Atxalandabaso (Pong, Head Chef of the Imperial Kitchen), Roberto Abbondanza (A Mandarin), Joshua Sanders (The Prince of Persia [silent role]), Sabrina Amè (First Handmaid), Manuela Giacomini (Second Handmaid), and Nicoletta Cabassi (Pu-Tin-Pao, the Executioner[silent role]). Gianandrea Noseda conducts the Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro Regio Torino (Chorus Master Claudio Fenoglio). Set design, costume design, lighting design, and choreography by Stefano Poda; collaborator director and assistant was Paolo Giani Cei. Directed for TV by Tiziano Mancini; Audio Producer Claudio Speranzini; Recording Engineer Antonio Martino; Audio Recording, Editing, and Mix by MASClassica. Sung in Italian. Released 2018, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio surround sound. Grade: A+
Read MoreVerdi i due Foscari opera to a libretto by Francesco Maria Piave. Directed by Alvis Hermanis in 2016 at the Teatro alla Scala, Milan. Stars Plácido Domingo (Francesco Foscari), Francesco Meli (Jacopo Foscari), Anna Pirozzi (Lucrezia Contarini), Andrea Concetti (Jacopo Loredano), Edoardo Miletti (Barbarigo), Chiara Isotton (Pisana), Azer Rza-Fade (Fante), and Modestas Sedlevičius (Servant of the Dodge). Michelle Mariotti conducts the Coro e Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala (Chorus Master Bruno Casoni). Frédéric Olivieri directs soloists of the Academy and students of the Ballet Academy of Teatro alla Scala. Stage and set designs by Alvis Hermanis; costume design by Kristīne Jurjāne; lighting by Gleb Filshtinksy; choreography by Alla Sigalova; video designs by Ineta Sipunova; dramatic advisor was Olivier Lexa. Directed for TV by Tiziano Manchini. A 2K standard Blu-ray was released in 2017. A 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray was released in 2019. Both discs have 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA
Read MoreThis John Neumeier Collection box set has four Neumeier ballets previously published by C Major. Each disc has already been reported on this website, and you can get more details by using the links provided:
Nijinsky. 2018. (Grade B)
Bach Christmas Oratorio. 2015. (Grade A+)
Tatiana. 2016. (Grade: A-)
The Little Mermaid. 2011. (Grade A+)
All the titles in this box are magnificent dance productions from the finest story-telling choreographer working today. We graded two of these down some for what we consider to be excessive video pace (two many clips too fast). But don’t let this slow you down. With an appropriate price, this would be one of the very best Blu-ray ballet boxes on the market and a must buy for every ballet fan. We are so fortunate to have material of this quality coming out in a money-saving package.
Released 2019. Box Set Grade: A
Read MoreOperas from Opernhaus Zürich box set. You can get more details for each title by using the links provided:
Read MoreLehár Das Land des Lächelns operetta to libretto by Ludwig Herzer. Directed 2017 by Andreas Homoki at the Opernhaus Zürich. Stars Piotr Beczala (Prince Sou-Chong), Julia Kleiter (Lisa), Rebeca Olvera (Mi), Spencer Long (Count Gustav von Pottenstein), Cheyne Davidson (Tschang), and Martin Zysset (Chief Eunuch). Fabio Luisi conducts the Philharmonia Zürich and the Chor der Oper Zürich (Chorus Master Ernst Raffelsberger). Set and lighting design by Klaus Grüberg; costume design by Silke Willrett; dramaturgy by Kathrin Brunner. Directed for TV by Michael Beyer; produced by Paul Smaczny. Sung in German. Released 2018, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA
Read MoreThe Grand Organ of Westminster Abbey concert. Daniel Cook plays the following selections on the grand organ of Westminster Abbey:
Purcell “Rondeau” from Abdelazar
Charles-Marie Widor “Toccata” from Organ Symphony No. 5
Herbert Howells Psalm-Prelude Set 1 No. 3
J. S. Bach Prelude & Fugue in E Flat
Prokofiev “Montagues And Capulets” from Romeo and Juliet
Percy Whitlock “Dignity and Impudence” (March)
Parry “Choral Prelude” on Eventide
Walton Spitfire Prelude & Fugue
Alfred Hollins Concert Overture in C Minor
Handel Variations on The Harmonious Blacksmith
Louis Vierne Final Movement from Organ Symphony No. 6
Priory specializes in church and organ music. This package has a Blu-ray, a DVD, and a CD!
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