libretto Archive
RAMEAU: Dardanus (complete opera), Blu-ray (2016)
Rameau is always worth seeing as well as hearing, even in a piece as whacky as this. [This is our free drawing for October!] RAMEAU: Dardanus (complete opera), Blu-ray (2016) Performers: Reinoud Van Mechelen (Dardanus)/ Gaëlle Arquez (Iphise)/ Karina Gauvin (Venus)/ Florian Sempey (Anténor)/ Nahuel Di Pierro (Teucer, Isménor)/ Katherine Watson (Un Songe/ Amour)/ Etienne Bazola (Berger)/ Virgile Ancely (Un Songe)/ Guillaume Gutiérrez (Un Songe)/ Ensemble Pygmalion/ Raphaël Pichon Producer: Michel Fau Studio: Harmonia mundi/PIAS 9859051.52 2015 Video: 16:9 HD 1080i fir 16:9 Audio: PCM stereo 2.0, DTS-HD MA 5.1 Subtitles: German, English, French No region code Length: 3 hr. 12 min. 24 sec. Bonus: Dardanus: Behind the Scene (Blu-ray only), 20 min. Rating: **** Dardanus is opera number six out of the composer’s 30-odd creations in the genre. The court of Louis XV was a gaudy, irascible time for spectacular productions—the kitsch present in this age is something that many directors have attempted to avoid or at least soften. Not here. This production embraces it as a legitimate and even beautiful expression of style that so marked the transitional time between Rameau and Lully, rivals at the time, but more exacerbated by their followers. In fact, after the 1739 […]
LEWIS SPRATLAN: Hesperus is Phosphorus – The Crossing and The Network for New Music – Innova
A fascinating new composition for mixed chorus and chamber ensemble.
SASHA MATSON: Cooperstown (Jazz Opera in Nine Innings) – Julie Adams, Daniel Favela, Carin Gilfry, Rod Gilfry, Daniel Montenegro; vocals/jazz ens./ Sasha Matson – Albany (2 CDs)
‘Just a bit outside’ – but clever.
HANDEL: Joshua – Soloists/ NDR Choir/ Göttingen Festival Orch./ Laurence Cummings – Accent ACC (2 CDs)
Only six recordings of Joshua are available at this time, so this one is more than welcome.
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh (complete opera), Blu-ray (2014)
Only the second video, and we are fortunate to have such a committed production in Blu-ray.
BEETHOVEN: Christus am Olberge – Soloists/ Bach-Collegium Stuttgart/ Helmuth Rilling – Hänssler Classic
Not the best Beethoven, but much worthier than time has allotted it.
JOHN ADAMS: The Gospel According to the Other Mary – Los Angeles Philharmonic/ LA Master Chorale/ Kelley O’Connor (Mary Magdalene) and other soloists/ Gustavo Dudamel – Deutsche Grammaphon (2 CDs)
This is essential Adams and quite moving.
RICHARD STRAUSS: Elektra (complete opera) – Jeanne-Michèl Charbonnet (Elektra)/ Angela Denoke (Chrysothemis)/ London Sym. Orch. and Chorus/ Valery Gergiev – LSO Live
Sound is slightly problematic, but the performance rocks.