Rimsky-Korsakov The Snow Maiden (La Fille de Niege) opera to a libretto by the composer. Directed 2017 by Dmitri Tcherniakov at the Opéra national de Paris (Opéra Bastille). Stars Aida Garifullina (Snow Maiden), Yuriy Mynenko (Lel), Martina Serafin (Kupava), Maxim Paster (Tsar Berendey), Thomas Johannes Mayer (Mizguir), Elena Manistina (Spring Beauty), Vladimir Ognovenko (Father Frost), Franz Hawlata (Bermyata), and Vasily Gorshkov (Babyl Bakula). Mikhail Tatarnikov conducts the Orchestre de l’Opéra national de Paris (Musical Director Philippe Jordan), the Choers de l’Opéra national de Paris, Maîtrise des Hauts-de-Seine, and the Choeur d’Enfants de l’Opéra national de Paris (Chorus Master José Luis Basso). Set design by Dmitri Tcherniakov; costume design by Elena Zaytseva; lighting design by Gleb Filshtinsky; video by Tiena Burkhalter. Directed for TV by Andy Sommer; produced by François Duplat and Laurent Métivier. Sung in Russian. Released 2021, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: A+
Tcherniakov has long stated that he hopes to bring all the glories of Russian opera to ignorant western audiences. In 2017, the Paris Opera went all out to help him with this. Seems strange that it took 4 years to get this released in Blu-ray. It probably was shown a lot before 2021 on TV in Europe. Let’s start with a shot of the vertigo . . .
Read MoreHandel Ariodante opera to a libretto by an anonymous author. Directed 2017 by Christof Loy at the Haus für Mozart as part of the Salzburg Festival. Stars Cecilia Bartoli (Ariodante), Nathan Berg (King of Scotland), Kathryn Lewek (Ginevra), Rolando Villazón (Lurcanio), Christophe Dumaux (Polinesso), Sandrine Piau (Dalinda), and Kristofer Lundin (Odoardo). Also stars dancers William John Banks, Christopher Basile, Andrew Cummings, Chris Agius Darmanin, Rouven Pabst, Glauber Silva, Rory Stead, and Jack Widdowson. Gianluca Capuano conducts Les Musiciens du Prince - Monaco and the Salzburger Bachchor (Chorus Master Alois Glassner). Set design by Johannes Leiacker; costume design by Ursula Renzenbrink; lighting design by Roland Edrich; choreography by Andreas Heise; dramatic advisor was Klaus Bertisch. Directed for TV by Tiziano Mancini. Sung in Italian. Released 2021, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: A+
Read MoreOne of Giuseppe Verdi’s best operas is Simon Boccanegra. Inspired by a true crime story from the 14th Century, it has plenty of love, sex, power, and violence as well as a pleas for the unification of today’s Italy and for toleration and cooperation between the social classes. In August 2022, we have 5 Blu-rays to consider:
Zürich Opera. A+. Accentus. Recorded in 2020, this title has everything you want in a reserved and tasteful updating featuring great singing actors led by Christian Gerhaher. Our review of this also has a good synopsis to help you with the tricky parts of this complicated libretto.
La Scala. A. Arthaus. This imposing production features Plácido Domingo singing baritone in the role of Boccanegra. This is the best traditional Boccanegra we have in Blu-ray.
Regio di Parma. B+ . C Major. A close runner-up would be a traditional Boccanegra that is also a part of the Tutto Verdi project. It was staged by Giorgio Gallione in 2010. This would be best choice for viewers who crave the hot breath of big Italian opera in a small theater . . .
Read MoreJean-Baptiste Lully Atys opera to a libretto by Philippe Quinault. Directed 2011 at the Opéra Comique by Jean-Marie Villégier and associate stage director Christophe Galland. Stars Bernhard Richter (Atys), Stéphanie d'Oustrac (Cybèle), Emmanuelle de Negri (Sangaride), Nicolas Rivenq (Célénus), Marc Mauillon (Idas), Sophie Daneman (Doris), Jaël Azzaretti (Mélisse), Bernard Deletré (Le Temps/le fleuve [river] Sangar), Paul Agnew (Dieu du Sommeil), Cyril Auvity (Morphée), Callum Thorpe (Phobétor), Benjamin Alunni (Phantase), Arnaud Richard (Songe furneste), Jean-Charles di Zazzo (Maître des cérémonies/Alecton), Olivier Collin (L'impresario), Elodie Fonnard (Flore, suite de Sangar), Rachel Redmond (Iris), Anna Reinhold (Melpomène), Francisco Fernández-Rueda (Zéphir, suite de Sangar), and Reinoud Van Mechelen (Zéphir). Also stars the dancers of the Compagnie Fêtes galantes et Gil Isoart de l'Opéra national de Paris. William Christie conducts Les Arts Florissants. Choreography by the late Francine Lancelot and Béatrice Massin; set design by Carlo Tommasi; costumes by Patrice Cauchetier; lighting by Patrick Méeüs; wigs by Daniel Blanc; makeup by Suzanne Pisteur. Directed for TV by François Roussillon; produced by Toni Hajal. Sung in French. Released in 2021, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: A+
Read MoreDonizetti Le convenienze ed inconvenienze teatrali (Conventions and Inconveniences of the Stage) opera to a libretto by Domenico Gilardoni. Directed 2017 by Laurent Pelly. Stars Christophe Galland. Stars Laurent Naouri (Mamma Agata), Patrizia Ciofi (Daria), Charles Rice (Procolo), Clara Meloni (Luigia), Enea Scala (Guglielmo), Pietro di Bianco (Biscroma Strappaviscere), Enric Martinez-Castignani (Cesare Salsapariglia), Piotr Micinski (L’impresario), Katherine Aitken (Pippetto), and Dominique Beneforti (Le Directeur du Théâtre). Lorenzo Viotti conducts the Orchestra of Opéra de Lyon and the Chorus of Opéra de Lyon (Chorus Master Pierre Bleuse). Costume design by Laurent Pelly; set design by Chantal Thomas; lighting design by Joël Adam. Directed for TV by Vincent Massip. Sung in Italian. Released in 2021, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA
Read MoreMassenet Thaïs to a libretto by Louis Gallet. Directed 2021 by Peter Konwitschny at the Theater an der Wien. Stars Nicole Chevalier (Thaïs), Josef Wagner (Athanaël), Roberto Saccà (Nicias), Carolina Lippo (Crobyle), Sofia Vinnik (Myrtale/Albine), Güneş Gürle (Paléman), and Samuel Wegleitner (Amor). Leo Hussain conducts the ORF Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien and the Arnold Schoenberg Chor (Chorus Master Erwin Ortner). Set and costume design by Johannes Leiacker; lighting design by Guido Petzold. Directed for TV by Tiziano Mancini. Sung in French. Released 2021, disc has dts-HD Master Audio 5.1 sound. Grade NA
Read MoreRameau Platée opera to a libretto by Adrien-Joseph Le Valois d'Orville. Directed 2020 by Robert Carsen at the Theater an der Wien. Stars Marcel Beekman (Platée), Jeanine De Bique (La Folie), Cyril Auvity (Mercure/Thespis), Marc Mauillon (Momus /Cithéron), Edwin Crossley-Mercer (Jupiter), Emmanuelle de Negri (Amour/Clarine), Emile Renard (Junon), Ilona Revolskaya (Thalie), and Padraic Rowan (Mommuss/Satyre). William Christie conducts Les Arts Florissants and the Arnold Schoenberg Chor (Chorus Master Erwin Ortner). Set and costume design by Gideon Davey; lighting design by Robert Carsen and Peter van Praet; choreography by Nicholas Paul; dramatic advisor was Ian Burton. Directed for TV by Davide Mancini. Sung in French. Released 2021, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA
Read MoreHaydn Die Schöpfung (The Creation) oratorio. Performed 2020 at the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino. Stars Hanna-Elisabeth Müller (Gabriel/Eva), Marximillian Schmitt (Uriel), Michael Volle (Raphael/Adam), and Vela Pilipenko. Zubin Mehta conducts the Orchestra e Coro del Margio Musicale Fiorentio (Chorus Master Lorenzo Fratini). Directed for TV by Tiziano Mancini; video production by Metis. Sung in German. Released 2021, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA
Read MoreHugo von Hofmannsthal Jedermann play. Directed 2020 by Michael Sturminger on the Domplatz at the Salzburg Festival. Stars Peter Lohmeyer (Stimme des Herrn [Voice of God] / Tod [Death]/ Der Spielansager[Announcer]), Tobias Moretti (Jedermann [Everyman]), Edith Clever (Jedermann’s Mutter [Everyman’s mother]), Gregor Bloéb (Jedermann’s guter Gesell [Everyman’s good companion]), Markus Kofler (Der Koch [The cook]), Helmut Mooshammer (Ein armer Nachbar[A poor neighbor]), Michael Masula (Ein Schuldknecht [Debt servant]), Pauline Knof (Weib Des Schuldknechts [Debt servant’s wife]), Caroline Peters (Buhlschaft [Lover]), Gustav Peter Wohler (Dicker Vetter [Fat cousin]), Tino Hillebrand (Dünner Vetter [Thin cousin]), Christoph Franken (Mammon), Mavie Hörbiger (Werke [Good Deeds]), Falk Rockstroh (Glaube [Faith]), and actors from Ensemble 013. Set and costume design by Renate Martin and Andreas Donhauser; composition by Wolfgang Miterer; conductor was Jaime Wolfson; choreography by Andreas Heise and Joe Monaghan; lighting design by Stefan Ebelsberger and Hubert Schwaiger; video design by Jakob Barth; dramatic advisor was Angela Obst. Directed for TV by André Turnheim. Spoken in German, with subtitles in German and English only. Released 2021, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA
This the the first play published in Blu-ray other than Shakespeare. True, theater critics don’t hold Jedermann in particularly high regard—some consider it more of a pageant than a play. But we have been frustrated for years by the dearth of plays in Blu-ray, so this inspires us to review this Jedermann as a start!
Read MoreThe Cellist and Dances at a Gathering ballet program performed 2020 at the Royal Opera House:
The Cellist. Choreography by Cathy Marston. Music by Philip Feeney. Stars Lauren Cuthbertson (The Cellist), Marcelino Sambé (The Instrument), Matthew Ball (The Conductor), Emma Lucano (Cellist as Child), Lauren Godfrey (Sister as Child), Kirsten McNally (Mother), Thomas Whitehead (Father), Anna Rose O’Sullivan (Sister), Gary Avis, Nicol Edmonds and Benjamin Ella (Cello Teachers), Luca Acri, Paul Kay, and Joseph Sissens (Musical Friends). Scenario by Cathy Marston and Edward Kemp. Set by Hildegard Bechtler; costumes by Bregje van Balen; lighting by Jon Clark; dramaturgy by Edward Kemp.
Dances at a Gathering. Choreography by Jerome Robbins. Music by Chopin. Stars Marianela Nuñez, Francesca Hayward, Yasmine Naghdi, Laura Morera, Fumi Kaneko, Alexander Campbell, Federico Bonelli, William Bracewell, Luca Acri, and Valentino Zucchetti. Costumes by Joe Eula; lighting by Jennifer Tipton; staging by Ben Huys.
Andrea Molino conducts the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House . . .
Read MoreThe Beggar’s Opera is a ballad opera written in 1728 by John Gay and Johann Christoph Pepusch. This title is a new version by Ian Burton and Robert Carsen with musical conception by William Christie. Directed 2018 by Robert Carsen at the Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord in Paris. Stars Robert Burt (Mr. Peachum), Beverley Klein (Mrs. Peachum/Diana Trapes), Kate Batter (Polly Peachum), Benjamin Purkiss (Macheath), Kraig Thornber (Lockit), Olivia Brereton (Lucy Lockit), Emma Kate Nelson (Jenny Diver), Sean Lopeman (Filch/Manuel), Gavin Wilkinson (Matt), Taite-Elliot Drew (Jack, Prison Guard), Wayne Fitzsimmons (Robin), Dominic Owen (Harry), Natasha Leaver (Molly), Emily Dunn (Betty), Louise Dalton (Suky), and Jocelyn Prah (Dolly). William Christie conducts the Ensemble les Arts Florissants from his harpsichord. Sets by James Brandily; costumes by Petra Reinhardt; choreography by Rebecca Howell; lighting by Robert Carsen and Peter van Praet; dramaturgy by Ian Burton. Directed for TV by François Roussillon; Executive Producer was Toni Hajal; music producer was Mireille Faure. Sung in English. Released 2021, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: A+
Gay’s Beggar’s Opera was the first ballad opera. The ballad opera expropriates all kinds of familiar music to mock Italian opera. Gay’s creation survives as the only ballad opera performed today. It’s still popular, per Wikipedia, thanks to its savage satirical treatment of “politics, poverty, injustice, and corruption at all levels of society”. . .
Read MoreProkofiev The Fiery Angel opera to libretto by the composer. Directed 2019 by Emma Dante at the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma. Stars Leigh Melrose (Ruprecht), Ewa Vesin (Renata), Anna Victorova (The Landlady), Mairam Sokolova (Fortune-teller/Mother Superior), Sergey Radchenko (Agrippa of Nettesheim), Andrii Ganchuk (Johann Faust/The Servant), Maxim Paster (Mephistopheles), Goran Jurić (The Inquisitor), Domingo Pellicola (Jacob Glock), Petr Sokolov (Mathias Wiessman), Murat Can Güvem (The Doctor), Timofei Baranov (The Innkeeper), Arianna Morelli (First Nun), and Emanuela Luchetti (Second Nun). Alejo Pérez conducts the Orchestra del Teatro dell’Opera di Roma and the Coro del Teatro dell’Opera di Roma (Chorus Master Roberto Gabbiani). Set design by Carmine Maringola; costume design by Vanessa Sannino; choreography by Manuela lo Sicco; lighting design by Cristian Zucaro; fight direction by Sandro Maria Campagna. Directed for TV by Carlo Gallucci. Sung in Russian. Released 2021, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: A
The libretto of The Fiery Angel opera is based on the eponymous novel by Valery Bryusov (1873-1924), whose portrait is seen below left. Valery was in love with Nina Petrovskaya (1879-1928), also a writer, seen on the right. Nina was in love with Andrei Bely (1880-1934), yet another writer, seen below in the chair. Eventually Nina took up with Valery, but she remained in love with Andrei. Valery poured out his frustration about this . . .
Read MoreGhost Light ballet. Choreographed 2020 by John Neumeier to solo piano music by Franz Schubert. Recorded live October 2020 at the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden. Performed by all of Neumeier’s corps (55 or so members) under physical and casting restrictions required by Covid-19 health rules. Staging, lighting, and costumes by Neumeier with Jürgen Rose costumes from Neumier’s Lady of the Camellias and The Nutcracker. Directed for TV by Myriam Hoyer. A detailed and excellent keepcase booklet has lots of information about this unique project. Released 2021, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio 5.1 sound. Grade: A+ with both the ‽ and the 💓 designations.
Let’s jump right into screen shots. First, the ghost light . . .
Read MoreOffenbach Barbe-Bleue comic opera to a libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halävy. Directed 2019 by Laurent Pelly in collaboration with Christian Räth at Opéra de Lyon. Stars Yann Beuron (Barbe-Bleue), Héloïse Mas (Boulotte), Christophe Gay (Popolani), Christophe Mortagne (King Bobeche), Jennifer Courcier (Fleurette), Thibault de Damas (Count Oscar), Carl Ghazarossian (Prince Saphir), and Aline Martin (Queen Clemetine). Michele Spotti conducts the Orchestra and Chorus of Opéra de Lyon (Chorus Master Karine Locatelli). Dialogues rewritten by Agathe Mélinand; sets by Chantal Thomas; costumes by Laurent Pelly with Jean-Jacques Delmotte; lighting by Joël Adam. Directed for TV by Vincent Massip. Sung in French. Released 2021, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA
This is the comic version of Blue-Beard in which no wives are harmed. It’s a close call whether we should cover this as we don’t do operettas or musical comedies. Also, we haven’t found any print reviews or decent video trailers online. But something told us to give it a try. If you saw this live or on TV, please let us know if this is too silly for our website.
Read MoreMozart La finta giardiniera opera (composed at age 18) to a libretto possibly from Giuseppe Petrosellini. Directed by Frederic Wake-Walker at the Teatro alla Scala in 2018 (reviving his 2014 production at Glyndebourne). Stars Julia Martin du Theil (La Marchesa Violante or Sandra in disguise), Bernard Richter (Il Contino Belfiore), Krešimir Špicer (Don Anchise), Anett Fritsch (Arminda), Lucia Cirillo (Il Cavalier Ramiro), Giulia Semenzato (Serpetta), and Mattia Olivieri (Nardo). Diego Fasolis directs the Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala on period instruments; fortepiano by James Vaughan; harpsichord by Paolo Spadaro. Set and costume designs by Antony McDonald; lighting by Lucy Carter. Directed for TV by Daniela Vismara. Sung in Italian. Released 2001, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA
This is our third Finta in Blu-ray. It’s a 3 act work, but it seems to divide into two halves: the first half is set in the house of the town mayor, Don Anchise. The second half begins when all the characters find themselves lost in the woods. Our earliest Finta, from Opernhaus Zürich, has an hilarious first half, but the second half gets boring. Our second Finta, from Opéra de Lille, starts off weak, but is delightful in the second half. Let’s hope this Glyndebourne production revived in Milan is good all the way through . . .
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