"Actor: Karita Mattila"

• Die Meistersinger Von Nurnberg - Wagner | DVD | (17/01/2005) from £10.44   |  Saving you £12.81 (139.54%)   |  RRP £21.99

  A performance of Wagner's opera 'Die Meistersinger Von Nurnberg'.

• Fidelio - Beethoven | DVD | (19/01/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £16.99

  A performance of the Beethoven's Fidelio. James Levine conducts the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus.

• Verdi: Don Carlos | DVD | (20/11/2000) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  This is a 1996 all-star-cast version from Paris of the original French version of Verdi's epic five-act opera, Don Carlos. First produced in 1867, only Wagner would write musical drama on a grander scale, and due to the three-and-a-half-hour running time most subsequent productions have made substantial cuts. This is therefore a rare opportunity to witness Verdi's tragedy in its entirety.Set in the 16th century in the aftermath of war between Spain and France, Don Carlo (Roberto Alagna), the heir to the Spanish throne comes to France to meet with his beloved Elizabeth de Valois (Karita Mattila). Inevitably politics divide the lovers, and while Rodrigue (Thomas Hampson) falls in with Flemish rebels, the Inquisition is determined to be the power behind the peace. This is certainly not Verdi's greatest work, but it contains great music and the stars are allowed to shine with strong characterisations in an elegantly designed production. There are no gimmicks or attempts at spurious contemporary relevance here, simply singers of the calibre of Alagna, Mattila, Hampson, plus the outstanding Eric Halfvarson as the Grand Inquisitor. This is a production that continues in the 19th-century tradition, and in the process delivers the frisson of world-class opera. --Gary S. DalkinOn the DVD: While the running time precludes much in the way of special features, via DVD-ROM the libretto can be printed in French, together with an article and biographies. The picture is presented at approximately 1.7:1 and while far superior to video could still benefit from anamorphic enhancement. The sound is stereo or excellent Dolby Digital 5.0. The booklet offers a detailed synopsis in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish and there are subtitles in the same languages. The disc is encoded for regions two to six. --Gary S. Dalkin

• Various Composers - Metropolitan Opera Gala (Levine) | DVD | (07/11/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £24.99

  Metropolitan Opera Gala Live Recording (selections): Metropolitan Opera House New York 27 April 1996.Highlights from: Les Pecheurs de perles - Louise - The Ghosts of Versailles - Don Pasquale - Rusalka - Andrea Chenier - Faust - Romeo et Juliette - Giuditta - L'amico Fritz - Cosi fan tutte - Le nozze di Figaro - Don Giovanni - Les Contes d'Hoffmann - La Perichole - Die Fledermaus - Der Rosenkavalier - Samson et Dalila - Eugene Onegin - Un ballo in maschera - Don Carlo - Ernani - I lombardi - Luisa Miller - Rienzi Tannhauser - Tristan und Isolde - Die Walkure - Gotterdammerung - Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg.

• 20 Years of BBC Singer of the World in Cardiff | DVD | (05/05/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £24.99

  Highlights from the first twenty years of the BBC 'Singer Of The World' competition.

• BBC - Singer Of The World - Cardiff (Wide Screen) | DVD | (19/05/2003) from £26.98   |  Saving you £-1.99 (N/A%)   |  RRP £24.99

  SINGER OF THE WORLD began in 1983 to celebrate the opening of St David's Hall in Cardiff. Watched by eight million viewers worldwide it is generally regarded as the world's leading vocal competition having launched a host of stars in their opera career. In 1989 a Lieder Prize (now called the Song Prize) was introduced the same year that featured the legendary 'Battle of the Baritones' with Bryn Terfel winning the Lieder Prize and Dmitri Hvorostovsky taking the overall title. This DVD celebrates the rich harvest of talent in the first 20 years of BBC SINGER OF THE WORLD in Cardiff from the fist winner Karita Mattila to 2001 winner of both prizes Marius Brenciu.DVD1 - Performances of all ten competition winnersDVD 2 - 10 Years BBC Singer of the World in Cardiff - Lieder Prize Winners - The Battle of the Baritones

• 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

• Beethoven: Symphonies 3 & 9 -- Berlin PO/Abbado | DVD | (31/03/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  The celebrated Claudio Abbado conducts the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in performances of Beethoven's Third and Ninth Symphonies. No. 9 comes first, in a performance given in the Berlin Philharmonie hall for the year 2000 Europe Concert; the finale of Beethoven's masterpiece having been coopted as the anthem of the European Union, this tenth annual concert emphasised unification in an international broadcast seen by millions worldwide. Abbado is as qualified to conduct this music as anyone alive and brings a deeply sympathetic reading from the BPO, eliciting a particularly spirited and uplifting second movement Molto vivace and eloquently moving Adagio. The epic choral finale features the combined forces of the Swedish Radio Choir and Eric Ericson Chamber Choir together with top international soloists, including the soprano Karita Mattila. The result is exhilarating, rapturous music-making which is never overwhelming but which truly captures the joy of Schiller's text. Recorded in February 2001 at the National Academy of St. Cecilia in Rome, a fine performance of Beethoven's Third Symphony, "Eroica" completes the programme. The two venues ensure some visual contrast in both pieces, with Abbado a compelling figure to watch as he delivers this incomparable music. On the DVD: Beethoven Symphonies 3 amp; 9 is presented anamorphically enhanced at 16:9 ratio with a strong, clear picture and sound options covering PCM stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1. The last of these is the best, the surround speakers being used subtly to give a real sense of live concert-hall ambience and an enveloping spread of the choirs in the Ninth. Other than a reasonably informative booklet the only significant extra is a multi-angle option for No. 3. With this selected the camera remains on Abbado throughout, offering a useful orchestra's eye view for musicians and conducting students. Finally there is a sound-check to test for the correct connection of surround speakers. --Gary S Dalkin

• Beethoven: Symphonies 1-9 | Blu Ray | (03/06/2013) from £43.79   |  Saving you £46.20 (105.50%)   |  RRP £89.99

  EURA 2057374; EURARTS - Germania; Classica Orchestrale

• The Metropolitan Opera: Manon Lescaut - NCM Event | DVD | (15/09/2008) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £11.99

  Karita Mattila gives a career high performance in Puccini's passionate opera Manon Lescaut conducted by James Levine - filmed live at the Metropolitan Opera in Hi-Definition. Continuing its collaboration with the Metropolitan Opera and its Metropolitan Opera : Live in High-Definition series EMI Classics is proud to release the METs classic 28 year old production of Puccini's Manon Lescaut on EMI Classics DVD. This release marks a special moment in the Metropolitan Opera's history. It is the first time in 18 years since Puccini's Manon Lescaut was last performed on its great stage. Manon Lescaut a French tale telling of a beautiful young woman destroyed by her conflicting needs for love and luxury was Puccini's first successful opera and the work that thrust him onto the international stage as Italy's foremost opera composer. Finnish soprano Karita Mattila as Manon Lescaut is the star of the performance. Her interpretation of the first of Puccini's many archetypal heroines is riveting - New York Times. Interestingly Mattila waited until her voice had gained maturity and richness before when she was nearly 40 she first portrayed her Manon Lescaut in 1999. She now returns - enticing James Levine to conduct the work for the first time since 1981. After 35 highly successful years as Music director of the Metropolitan Opera a relationship unparalleled and unique in the musical world today James Levine leads a fresh and intelligent performance.

• TDK DVD Opera Sampler 2006 | DVD | (30/01/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £4.99

  A compilation of opera excerpts from the 2006 TDK catalogue.

• Beethoven: Europakonzert Berlin 2000 | Blu Ray | (03/02/2014) from £20.82   |  Saving you £4.17 (16.70%)   |  RRP £24.99

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