"Actor: Bryn Terfel"

• Cecilia And Bryn At Glyndebourne - Arias And Duets | HD DVD | (31/12/2007) from £11.53   |  Saving you £18.46 (61.60%)   |  RRP £29.99

  Cecilia And Bryn At Glyndebourne.Arias And Duets.

• Mozart: Requiem | DVD | (05/04/2000) from £26.98   |  Saving you £-6.99 (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  The packaging labels this disc Mozart Requiem, but the actual programme on the DVD bears the title "Herbert Von Karajan Memorial Concert", a document of a concert given on July 16, 1999 in Salzburg Cathedral to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the death of the conductor. Mozart's unfinished Requiem, as completed by Süssmayr, is obviously the main work. We are told that other works were performed, but not what they were, the only additional pieces being two short arias for soprano, Betrachte dies mien Herz un Frage Mich, KV42 and Laudate Dominum, KV339 beautifully sung by Rachel Harnisch. In the Requiem Claudio Abbado summons a deeply atmospheric performance from the Berlin Philharmonic and Swedish Radio Choir, and equally expressive singing from his finely matched soloists. Bass Bryn Terfel is powerfully communicative, soprano Karita Mattila hauntingly resigned. If not as fiery as if Karajan himself were conducting, this is still a memorable and rewarding tribute.On the DVD: There is a wonderfully three-dimensional Dolby-Digital 5.1 sound mix which brings the Salzburg Cathedral ambience alive, and a stunningly detailed and clear anamorphically enhanced picture. Documentation is minimal; no texts, subtitles or information about either Von Karajan or Rachel Harnish is given. There is only one special feature, which is not documented on the disc: by default the disc offers a standard multi-camera view, but at a press of the "angle" button it switches to a second set of cameras focused entirely on Abbado. --Gary S. Dalkin

• Brahms: Eine Deutsches Requiem | DVD | (04/02/2002) from £22.98   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

• 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

• Les Contes D'Hoffmann | DVD | (31/05/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £29.99

  Hoffmann a poet and composer is in love with the prima donna Stella. As the opera begins she is appearing in her most famous role: Donna Anna in Mozart's Don Giovanni. Hoffmann's Muse declares that she will win back the artist and protect him from any further amorous obsessions. In order to do so she will assume the identity of Hoffmann's friend Nicklausse.Councillor Lindorf also desires the diva Stella and he bribes her servant Andres into giving him a letter addressed to Hoffmann which contains the key to her dressing room. As the curtain falls on Act I of Don Giovanni Luther and his waiters hurriedly prepare for the arrival of Hoffmann and his friends.Hoffmann is in an agitated state of mind but is soon persuaded to sing the ballad of Kleinzack. While doing so he is distracted and recalls his first love. His friends bring him back to reality and he finishes the song. Suddenly Hoffmann sees Lindorf and a heated argument develops between them. Hoffmann reveals that Lindorf has always brought him bad luck. When three of the poet's friends boast about their mistresses Hoffmann declares that Stella embodies three types of woman: the young girl the artist and the courtesan. Hoffman asks his friends if they would like to hear about three of his past loves. Despite Luther's warning that the curtain is about to rise on Act II of Don Giovanni the crowd fill their glasses and prepare to listen to Hoffmann's tales.

• Cecilia and Bryn - at Glyndebourne | Blu Ray | (02/06/2008) from £25.45   |  Saving you £4.54 (15.10%)   |  RRP £29.99

  Cecilia Bartoli and Bryn Terfel perform various works by various Composers.Also performing are The London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Myung-Whun Chung.

• Waldbuhne 1996 Italian Night | DVD | (05/06/2000) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

• Arthaus Musik DVD Video Sampler 3 | DVD | (30/05/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  Sampler IIIIncludes the following operas ballet and concert: Operas; Alcina Die lustige Witwe Falstaff - Salieri Falstaff - Verdi Les Huguenots Nina Il Ritorno d'Ulisse in Patria Il Turco in Italia Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg Romeo & Juliette Tamerlano Die tote Stadt Peter Grimes Il Barbiere di Siviglia L'Italiana in Algeri. Ballet; Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan - Moon Water Bamboo Dream. Concert; G. Verdi - Requiem J.S. Bach - Motetten J. Brahms - Ein Deutsches Requiem G. Bizet - Carmen Prelude R. Wagner - Tannhauser Overture E.W. Korngold - Cello Concert.

• Verdi - Il Trovatore, Rigoletto, Falstaff (Haitink, Rizzi) | DVD | (21/05/2007) from £41.49   |  Saving you £8.50 (20.49%)   |  RRP £49.99

  Contains the operas:- Falstaff.- Il Trovatore.- Rigoletto.

• Various: Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Waldbuhne: Italian Night | DVD | (28/06/2010) from £20.23   |  Saving you £-5.24 (N/A%)   |  RRP £14.99

  As one of the most beautiful open-air venues in Europe, the Berlin Waldb�hne draws more than twenty thousand people per year to enjoy popular classical music performed by the world-renowned Berlin Philharmonic under the beguiling canopy of a summer night's sky. While some of the most famous conductors have already taken the podium at these concerts, repeated performances have most notably been given by the Italian maestro Claudio Abbado. The programme of Abbado's 1996 ''Italian Night'' at the...

• Various Composers - Opera Highlights Vol. III (Te Kanawa) | DVD | (28/05/2007) from £6.14   |  Saving you £8.85 (59.00%)   |  RRP £14.99

  This DVD marks the end of the Arthaus Opera Highlights series. Opera Highlights is both a visually exciting introduction for new viewers to opera as well as a unique opportunity to see great singers talking to camera and then performing roles for which they are famous. Highlights on this disc include Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and Welsh legend Bryn Terfel singing Strauss Christine Schfer and Paul Groves singing Mozart and Waltraud Meier singing Wagner. Tracklist: Franz Hawlata : 'Solche hergelaufne Laffen' and 'O wie will ich triumphieren' Christine Schfer: 'Martern aller Arten' Paul Groves: 'Wenn der Freude Trnen flieen!' from Mozart's Die Entfhrung aus dem Serail (From Francois Abou Salem's production for the Salzburg Festival 1999 conducted by Marc Minkowski Brigitte Fassbaender and Eva Marton: 'Ich habe keine guten Nchte' from Strauss' Elektra (From Harry Kupfer's production for The Vienna State Opera conducted by Claudio Abbado) Waltraud Meier: 'Geliebter komm! Sieh dort die Grotte!' from Wagner's Tannhuser (From a National Theatre Munich production by David Alden conducted by Zubin Metha) Rene Kollo: 'Inbrunst im Herzen!' from Wagner's Tannhuser (From a National Theatre Munich production by David Alden conducted by Zubin Metha) Bryn Terfel: 'Wo ist er dessen Sndenbecher jetzt voll ist?' from Strauss' Salome (From Luc Bondy's production for The Royal Opera House Covent Garden conducted by Christoph Von Dohnanyi) Dame Kiri Te Kanawa: Final Scene from Strauss's Capriccio (From Stephen Lawless production for The San Fransisco Opera conducted by Donald Runnicles) Yvonne Kenny: 'Per piet ben mio perdona' from Mozart's Cos fan tutte (From an Australian Opera production by Goran Jarvefelt conducted by Peter Robinson)