A 4K premiere for an evergreen Puccini masterpiece that features excellent vocals and a directorial approach that may not please traditional operagoers.
Beethoven: Fidelio [Zurich Opera/Harnoncourt] (TheaterByte Blu-ray Review)
An uneven performance from Zurich of Beethoven’s only opera is offered up by Arthaus Musik on Blu-ray.
Pepusch: The Beggar’s Opera [The English Baroque Soloists/Gardner] (TheaterByte Blu-ray Review)
Arthaus Musik resurrects this 1983 performance of the 18th Century English music hall classic ‘The Beggar’s Opera,’ out on Blu-ray now.
Gesualdo: Death for Five Voices (TheaterByte Blu-ray Review)
Werner Herzog’s compelling 1995 documentary on enigmatic Renaissance composer Carlo Gesualdo, ‘Death for Five Voices,’ is out on Blu-ray from Arthaus Musik.
Dame Joan Sutherland’s Farewell Gala featuring Strauss: Die Fledermaus [Royal Opera House/Bonynge] Blu-ray Review
A most delightful rendition of Strauss’s whipped cream operetta that is augmented by an interpolated recital by opera legends Pavarotti, Horne, and Dame Joan Sutherland on the occasion of her retirement.
Klassik und Kalter Krieg: Musiker in Der DDR Blu-ray Review
A well-crafted documentary of how politics shaped the classical music scene in post-WW II East Germany
Orpheus: Choreography for 9 dancers and 7 musicians [ [Theatre National de Chaillot] Blu-ray Review
The energy and enthusiasm of the cast and the seamless coordination of the varied numbers culminates in an exciting show that defies categorization.
Ekman: A Swan Lake [Norwegian National Ballet/Skalstad] Blu-ray Review
A quirky rethinking of a classic ballet story more akin to Cirque du Soleil than to traditional dance that remains a provocative and often humorous production.
Kylián: Sinfonietta/Symphony in D/Stamping Ground [Nederlands Dans Theater] Blu-ray Review
Dated sights and sounds aside, this three ballet collection gives us Czech choreographer Kylián at his best.
Kylián: Forgotten Memories [Nederlands Dance Theater/Kylian] Blu-ray Review
The definitive film biography of Czech choreographer, Jiří Kylián, that combines archival and high-definition footage quite successfully and provides a bonus performance of the ballet, Wings of Wax.
