"Actor: Anne Sofie von Otter"

• Gluck - Alceste (Gardiner, Monteverdi Choir) | DVD | (24/11/2008) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £11.99

  When the historic Theatre du Chatelet in Paris re-opened after a period of extensive refurbishment the first two productions mounted in the theatre were Gluck''s Alceste and Orph''e et Eurydice. Both operas were sung in their French versions and were mounted and designed by Robert Wilson and conducted by John Eliot Gardiner. This was the first time Wilson and Gardiner had collaborated and their individual credentials combined to produce an exceptional result. American polymath Wilson was responsible for some of the most ambitious avant-garde performance projects of the 1970s and 80s.Since the mid-1980s he has increasingly brought his prodigious creativity to works fiom the standard dramatic and operatic repertoire transforming them into his own unmistakably minimalist yet grandiose visions. His styled classical interpretations of Alceste and Orph''e bear his trademarks of an uncluttered stage and the arresting use of colour and light. They are not so much timeless as in Robert Wilson''s words ''full of time''. With their minutely rehearsed gestures at once formal and poetic the singers have the grace and elegance of Balanchine or Martha Graham dancers. A key figure in the revival of Early Music John Eliot Gardiner has long been a champion of Gluck''s French operas and is a great Gluck conductor. He received enormous critical acclaim for his musical direction of both Orph''e and Alceste at the Chatelet as did his orchestras and chorus. He sought to rid the operas of any vestiges of remoteness or venerable respectability and to release the huge emotional charge that lies behind the beauty of Gluck''s classical sobriety. The stories are after all he says not only poignant and deeply moving they have an immediate and contemporary relevance: they portray two married couples striving to protect their union and their love plumbing the very depths of their emotional strength and summoning the courage to make huge personal sacrifices. ''If presented in a way that''s immediate and with tremendous intensity and truth of expression then all the dross and superficiality of the stage action falls away and you''re left with what''s actually a very visceral connection between two living people.'' Television''s top opera director Brian Large worked closely with Robert Wilson and John Eliot Gardiner to ensure that the translation of live performance to the small screen is of the highest artistic and techcal standard. John Eliot Gardiner chose Gluck''s 1776 French version of Alceste for Robert Wilson''s production conducting the piece for the first time with his period-instrument ensemble the English Baroque Soloists. The excellent Monteverdi Choir provides the chorus and unusually they sing fiom the pit with dancers taking their place on stage. They give magnificently persuasive expression to the horror and compassion demanded by the drama. The 'Greek geometric perfection of Robert Wilson''s various tableaux is beautifully realised with his eye for striking theatrical symbol creating an intriguing visual arena for one of Gluck''s most elevated and sublime works. Soprano Anne Sofie von Otter one of the finest singers of her generation takes the title role of Alceste Queen of Thessaly who offers to die at the hands of the gods in place of her husband Admete (Paul Groves) so that the people will not lose their king. To universal astonishment she is saved from the Underworld by Hercule (Dietrich Henschel) whose action is sanctioned by Apollon (Ludovic T''zier) in a dramatic deus ex machina.

• Gluck: Iphigénie en Aulide/Iphigénie en Tauride | Blu Ray | (27/01/2013) from £32.12   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

• Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier -- Vienna/Kleiber | DVD | (03/09/2004) from £16.96   |  Saving you £-0.71 (N/A%)   |  RRP £14.99

  The epic grandeur of Der Rosenkavalier stems not just from its immense length (over three hours) but from the all-too-human complexity of its characters--each of whom is smitten with someone else--and the endless stream of graceful melodies the composer conjures. After the tonality-stretching dissonance of Salome and especially Elektra, Strauss moved onto a different musical path here: the music's sheer gorgeousness has given this most heartbreaking of 20th-century operas its pride of place in the repertory. For this 1994 performance at the Vienna Opera House, conductor Carlos Kleiber leads a committed reading of the buoyant score that savours every note. The three leads are superb singer-actresses who get full marks for embodying Strauss's most richly romantic creations: Felicity Lott (the Marschallin), Anne Sophie von Otter (Octavian) and Barbara Bonney (Sophie) also offer a truly entrancing final trio, one of the great scenes in all opera. The stereo sound mix is solid, as is the video transfer. --Kevin Filipski, Amazon.com

• Handel: Messiah - The 250th Anniversary Performance | DVD | (13/10/2003) from £10.41   |  Saving you £3.58 (34.39%)   |  RRP £13.99

  This 1992 performance of Handel's masterpiece was filmed at The Point Theatre Dublin. Conducted by Sir Neville Marriner.

• Gluck - Alceste / Robert Wilson, John Eliot Gardiner, Théâtre du Châtelet | DVD | (16/09/2015) from £14.98   |  Saving you £10.01 (66.82%)   |  RRP £24.99

  Rebelling against the increasingly formulaic operas of the time, Christoph Willibald Gluck's "reformist" opera Alceste (1767) was a successful attempt to return to a purer form of musical drama. It is highly appropriate that this 1999 production of the revised 1776 Paris version should be conducted by Sir John Eliot Gardiner, with the English Baroque Soloists and Monteverdi Choir, the same forces responsible for many fine Bach performances equally emphasising character and text. In setting the tragic story of the profound love between Queen Alceste and her husband King Admète, Gluck provided a score of austere, rending beauty. Principals Anne-Sofie Von Otter and Paul Groves dominate the production as much through the power of their acting as their musical prowess, the major scenes being electrifying in their emotional intensity. Contrasting with this psychological realism are the simple, Greek-inspired designs by Robert Wilson. Silhouetted geometric shapes glide gracefully through the slow-motion movements of the actors, bringing a hypnotic, dreamlike quality to the work. Near constant blue lighting adds a sense of late evening tranquillity, giving the stage a highly distinctive look and a feeling of dislocation in space and time. Both chilling and uplifting, this Alceste is a triumph. On the DVD: There are no special features other than a well-appointed booklet. The Dolby Digital 5.1 sound effectively re-creates a wide theatrical atmosphere and given the low lighting levels throughout, the anamorphically enhanced 16:9 picture makes the most of the striking imagery. The disc is encoded for regions 2 and 5. --Gary S Dalkin

• The Blu-ray Experience: Opera & Ballet Highlights | Blu Ray | (27/10/2008) from £5.40   |  Saving you £-0.41 (N/A%)   |  RRP £4.99

  Features performance extracts from Verdi's IL TROVATORE, Tchaikovsky's SWAN LAKE, Mozart's THE MAGIC FLUTE, Puccini's LA BOHEME and GIANNI SCHICCHI, Bizet's CARMEN, Mendelssohn's A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, Strauss' DIE FLEDERMAUS, Rameau's ZOROASTRE, Bellini's NORMA, and Balanchine's JEWELS.

• Bizet - Carmen (Mcvicar, Jordan, Lpo, Von Otter) | DVD | (12/02/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £29.99

  'Carmen' is here restored to the original Opera Comique in a production from Glyndebourne. Music is under the direction of Philippe Jordan.

• Essential Opera Collection | DVD | (11/10/2013) from £84.29   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

• Carmen | DVD | (12/02/2003) from £28.55   |  Saving you £1.44 (5.04%)   |  RRP £29.99

  All too often Bizet's great comic opera Carmen has been pared down to its basic bodice-ripping components, leaving its adored melodies with only torrid clichés to cling on to. Nothing of the sort happens here. David McVicar's 2002 production for Glyndebourne restores it to its rightful place as a stupendous musical entertainment. Bold, lusty, tightly directed and designed in sanguine shades of red and black, this Carmen spills and bustles across the stage and out of the screen like a living painting. At first glance, Anne Sofie von Otter is not an obvious choice for the title role, but just look at how she seizes and inhabits the character, wrenching her from the jaws of dark, sultry stereotype and rendering a complex modern woman. Her Carmen both revels in and is tormented by the ripe sexuality that fascinates her lovers and sets her apart from the other women. Von Otter's interpretation suggests it has its roots in a hinterland of wretched, bitter experience; the "Habanera", the "Gypsy Song" and the "Seguidilla" become multi-layered expressions of hope and desire: we never forget that for all its gusto, Carmen ends up a tragedy. And the men aren't ciphers. Laurent Naouri's proud Escamillo and Marcus Haddock's immature, damaged Don José are rounded, richly sung characters. So too, is Lisa Milne's touching Micaëla. All told, this Carmen is full-length, fibrous and, with conductor Philippe Jordan at the helm, a triumph. On the DVD: Carmen is spread over two discs, presented in anamorphic widescreen format that opens up the stage and capitalises on some refreshingly brisk camerawork. The sound quality (Digital Surround sound) is finely balanced. A rich set of extras includes fascinating short documentaries on various aspects of the production, from stage fights to characterisation and costume design. There's also a useful spoken synopsis and a stroll through the famous Glyndebourne Gardens. --Piers Ford

• Bizet - Carmen (Jordan, Mcvicar) | Blu Ray | (29/09/2008) from £25.89   |  Saving you £4.10 (15.84%)   |  RRP £29.99

  Carmen

• La Damnation De Faust - Berlioz | DVD | (03/01/2006) from £54.99   |  Saving you £-35.00 (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Hector Berlioz's (1803-1869) legende dramatique about a man named Faust who sells his soul to the devil in exchange for knowledge. Recorded live at the Royal Albert Hall in 1989. Georg Solti conducts.

• Great Voices Of Today | DVD | (12/12/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  This DVD features a fantastic array of classical and operatic performances from some of the most revered performers including Roberto Alagna singing Quanto E Bella Quanto E Cara' and 'Una Furtiva Lagrima' from 'Donizetti' David Daniels sings 'Cara Sposa' from Handel's opera 'Rinaldo' and much much more... Tracklist: 1.Roberto Alagna - 'Quanto E Bella' & 'Una Furtiva Lagrima' 2.Angela Gheorghiu - 'Prendi Per Me Sei Libero' 3.Thomas Hampson - Mi Si Affaccia Un Pugnal & Piet

• L'Incoronazione Di Poppea - Monteverdi | DVD | (06/06/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £22.99

  Opera in one prologue and three acts.

• Berlin Philharmonic - New Year's Gala 1997 - A Tribute To Carmen | DVD | (15/05/2000) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Not to be confused with the more famous Vienna New Year's Day concerts, this is a recording of the Berlin Philharmonic's New Year's Gala from 31st December 1997. The concert was billed as "Dances of Life, Love and Death", a homage to Carmen. Beginning with six of the most famous selections from Bizet's opera, the all-star cast features mezzo-soprano Anne Sophie Von Otter, baritone Bryn Terfel and tenor Robert Alagna. Other than being passionately romantic there is no direct link between Carmen and Rachmaninov's Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini, but a warm-hearted performance by pianist Mikhail Pletnev requires no excuse. Delivered with fiery virtuosity by violinist Gil Shaham, Pablo de Sarasate's Carmen Fantasy then transforms Bizet's melodies into a concentrated instrumental extravaganza. The mood continues with Ravel's Rhapsodie Espagnole and De Falla's Ritual Fire Dance, with the closing Hungarian Dance No. 5 by Brahms maintaining the theme by gypsy association. This is a wonderfully sultry concert for a cold winter's day, conductor Claudio Abbado delivering pure romance, winning uplifting performances from his fabulous gallery of musicians and stellar soloists. On the DVD: The packaging mistakenly states a picture format of 4:3. The DVD is actually presented at 16:9, anamorphically enhanced for widescreen TVs. There is no option for standard 4:3 viewing. When viewed on a "standard" television the programme is squeezed and distorted, making everyone too tall and thin. On a widescreen TV the picture, while vastly superior to VHS, shows grain and is not always well focused. The sound, in both PCM and Dolby Digital stereo, is excellent. Unless one counts the well-appointed booklet there are no bonus features. However, the disc is Region 0, and should work in any DVD player. --Gary S. Dalkin

• Capriccio - Richard Strauss | DVD | (06/10/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £29.99

  The new production in June 2004 was a huge success in Paris because of the illustrious cast especially Renee Fleming in the role of countess. She sung this part for the first time and impressed the audience with her exceptional voice and stage presence. She will sing the role also at the Met in 2006/07.The other singers Anne Sofie von Otter Rainer Trost Gerald Finley Dietrich Henschel and Franz Hawlata are all idiomatic and beautifully singing so that the performance was regarded as an ideal interpretation of Richard Strauss' last opera by the French press. Ulf Schirmer is a German conductor who is regularly appearing at the Paris Opera the Deutsche Oper Berlin or the Vienna State Opera and recorded the same opera with Kiri Te Kanawa on Decca. Stage director Robert Carsen created a luxurious stage with colourful costumes which links up the tradition with the modern chic.

• A Concert of Music by Offenbach / Les Musiciens du Louvre, Marc Minkowski, Théâtre du Châtelet | DVD | (02/12/2002) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Offenbach composed over 100 operettas, and yet is primarily remembered now only for The Tales of Hoffman and for having written the "Can-Can". This live Concert of Music by Offenbach aims to put the record straight and show that at least some of his other works deserve the chance to be staged. Fortunately the composer has found almost ideal advocates in conductor Marc Minkowski and mezzo Anne Sofie von Otter. The latter takes a respectful but unstuffy approach to the scores (the orchestral numbers Souvenirs d'Aix-les-Bains and the Barbe Bleue Ouverture are played with exquisite attention to detail, especially in some sighing woodwind solos) and von Otter shows that she is as great a comedienne as she is a singer. From the blowsy Grande Duchesse de Gerolstein declaring her love for soldiers in tight uniforms to the outrageous yodelling of the Colonel's Widow from La Vie Parisienne, she hits just the right note of inspired lunacy and frothiness. And there are some delicious costume changes too, including a grotesque bumpkin hat that's almost as big as the mezzo herself ("Duo des Alsaciens"). There's even more unintentional comedy in the English subtitles, which must be among the worst ever produced: "myself every night what I do coming here to seat" is one solipsistic oddity. Oliver Becker directs well for the small screen, capturing the fizz of a lively event. On the DVD: A Concert of Music by Offenbach is presented in 4:3 ratio, with LPCM Stereo, AC3 Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1 sound options. The picture quality is fine, although the foreground and background of the stage seem to be presented in one rather flat surface. There are subtitles in English, German, French, Spanish and Italian. --Warwick Thompson

• Voices Of Our Time - Anne Sofie Von Otter | DVD | (21/05/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Anne Sofie von Otter from the theatre Musical De Paris in the suburb of Chatelet. 1. A Tribute to Korngold - Erich Wolfgang Korngold 2. Suite for Two Violins Cello and Piano (Left Hand) Op. 23. 3. Piano Quintet in E Major Op. 15 4. Songs to Words by William Shakespeare Op. 31

• Offenbach Gala 2001 | DVD | (26/02/2007) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £14.99

  Recorded at the Theatre Musical de Paris - Chatelet, December 2001.Contains excerpts from:- La Grande-Duchesse de Gerolstein.- Fantasio.- Le Carnaval des revues.- Madame l'Archiduc.- Les Contes d'Hoffman.- La Belle Helene.- Barbe-Bleue.- Lischen et Fritzchen.- La Vie parisienne.- La Fille du tambour-major.- La Perichole.- Orphee aux enfers.- Souvenir d'Aix-les-Bains.- Ouverture a grand orchestre.

• Offenbach - Homage To Offenbach | DVD | (27/11/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £34.99

• Erich Wolfgang Korngold - The Adventures Of A Wunderkind - A Portrait And Concert | DVD | (03/03/2003) from £19.59   |  Saving you £5.40 (27.57%)   |  RRP £24.99

  A child prodigy in Habsburg Vienna Erich Wolfgang Korngold was the musical sensation of Europe's opera houses and concert hall in the 1920s. Later stranded in America by the rise of fascism in Europe he found new fame and won Oscars as the inventor of the lush Hollywood film score. Including extracts from many of the Warner Brothers productions he scored (among them the Errol Flynn swashbucklers Robin Hood and The Sea Hawk) this lavish award-winning film which includes previous