"Actor: Ruggero Raimondi"

• Carmen: The Restored Edition (2 discs) | DVD | (18/07/2011) from £19.51   |  Saving you £0.48 (2.46%)   |  RRP £19.99

  This movie version of Bizet's popular opera Carmen was filmed on location, conveying a kind of atmosphere, a sense of space, movement, and presence that's hard to achieve in a staged performance. It takes the action out of doors for many scenes, with the opening titles superimposed on the bloody conclusion of a bullfight. Elsewhere the changing of the guard, the crowd scenes, the dance number that opens Act 2, and the panoramic scenery of the smugglers' mountain hideout all benefit from the freedom granted by movie cameras. It's an exciting Carmen, too, with a young-looking Placido Domingo in top form for a role he has sung hundreds of times. For Julia Migenes, though, it was her first performance in a role she would have trouble performing in an opera house. Her voice does not fit easily into Carmen's range, and she spent months training it, very successfully, before singing the role in a recording studio where the soundtrack was taped before the film was shot. Casting her in the role was a gamble, but it worked; she is a convincing actress. Unlike most opera-house performances this movie version uses the opera's original opera comique form with some spoken dialogue rather than recitatives.--Joe McLellan, Amazon.com

• Bizet: Carmen -- film version | DVD | (13/03/2000) from £17.89   |  Saving you £2.10 (11.74%)   |  RRP £19.99

  This movie version of Bizet's popular opera Carmen was filmed on location, conveying a kind of atmosphere, a sense of space, movement, and presence that's hard to achieve in a staged performance. It takes the action out of doors for many scenes, with the opening titles superimposed on the bloody conclusion of a bullfight. Elsewhere the changing of the guard, the crowd scenes, the dance number that opens Act 2, and the panoramic scenery of the smugglers' mountain hideout all benefit from the freedom granted by movie cameras. It's an exciting Carmen, too, with a young-looking Placido Domingo in top form for a role he has sung hundreds of times. For Julia Migenes, though, it was her first performance in a role she would have trouble performing in an opera house. Her voice does not fit easily into Carmen's range, and she spent months training it, very successfully, before singing the role in a recording studio where the soundtrack was taped before the film was shot. Casting her in the role was a gamble, but it worked; she is a convincing actress. Unlike most opera-house performances this movie version uses the opera's original opera comique form with some spoken dialogue rather than recitatives.--Joe McLellan, Amazon.com

• Mozart - Cosi Fan Tutte | DVD | (07/08/2006) from £13.55   |  Saving you £0.44 (3.25%)   |  RRP £13.99

  Recorded live at the Aix-en-Provence Festival July 2005

• Don Giovanni | DVD | (18/02/2008) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £24.99

  Infamous womanizer Don Giovanni makes conquest after conquest leaving seduced and abandoned women in his wake. When the ghost of the Commendatore he has killed appears he is given a final chance to change his philandering ways or face the terrors of hell. Joseph Loseys hugely successful adaptation of Mozarts greatest opera features wonderful performances from an excellent cast and stunning cinematography. Following a painstaking restoration including a newly remastered DTS 5.1 soundtrack this deluxe edition presents the film as never before.

• Carmen: The Restored Edition (Blu Ray) | Blu Ray | (18/07/2011) from £14.59   |  Saving you £5.40 (37.01%)   |  RRP £19.99

  The heat and passion of Bizet’s Carmen is brought to life as never before in Francesco Rosi’s definitive, highly-acclaimed version starring Placido Domingo, Julia Migenes and Ruggero Raimondi.In Seville, 1820, a naive soldier Don Jose falls under the spell of sensual temptress Carmen. He deserts from the army, gives up everything to be with her, only to be spurned in favour of the toreador Escamillo. His desperate pleas for her to return are met with further humiliation and Carmen’s taunts lead to a dramatic finale.

• Puccini: Tosca -- 2002 Film Version | DVD | (23/06/2003) from £15.98   |  Saving you £9.01 (36.10%)   |  RRP £24.99

  Benoit Jacquot's filmed Tosca treads a fine line between operatic staginess and cinematic contrivance. As per the libretto, each act takes place in a single setting, but with the singers here miming to a pre-recorded soundtrack. Jacquot freely reminds us of the conceit with cutaways to the recording session itself--revealing conductor, orchestra and soloists at work--thus a bridge is made between the on-screen action and the music-making itself, and the inherent duality of any opera production is laid refreshingly bare. The same cannot be said for the director's decision to interpolate spoken dialogue over the music in key places--a distraction not an enhancement. Angela Gheorghiu and Roberto Alagna are glamorous and attractive enough to make the most of their Hollywood-style close-ups; their singing easily bears similar close scrutiny--as anyone who owns the CD soundtrack album will surely already know. If Alagna lacks a little power as Cavaradossi on record, his charismatic screen presence happily compensates; Gheorghiu is both vocally and physically almost ideal as Tosca. Ruggero Raimondi's Scarpia completes an outstanding trio, and in the pit (or, rather, in the studio) conductor Antonio Pappano handles the drama of Puccini's score without missing a single nuance. Both musically and visually, then, this is a Tosca to treasure. On the DVD: Tosca on disc looks vibrant in this warm, widescreen picture accompanied by a DTS 5.1 soundtrack. Three filmed interviews--with Gheorghiu, Pappano and Jacquot--provide some insight into the making of this production. --Mark Walker

• Rossini: Il Barbiere Di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville) - Madrid Teatro Real | DVD | (14/11/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £21.99

  This sparkling new production of Rossini's comedy is led by two of today's greatest opera stars - Maria Bayo as the young ward Rosina and Juan Diego Florez as her handsome suitor Count Almaviva. The wily Figaro (the Barber) is Pietro Spagnoli Bruno Practico is the hapless guardian Don Bartolo and the cunning singing teacher Basilio is the renowned Ruggero Raimondi.

• Puccini: Tosca- In the Settings and at the Times of Tosca | Blu Ray | (03/06/2013) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

• Luciano Pavarotti - Verdi: Ernani | DVD | (05/11/2007) from £16.79   |  Saving you £3.20 (19.06%)   |  RRP £19.99

  This version of Verdi's Ernani was a new Metropolitan Opera production filmed in 1983 and brought together an all-star billing of singers including Luciano Pavarotti in his absolute operatic prime. He was joined on stage by Leona Mitchell as the female heroine and the great baritone Sherrill Milnes and bass-baritone Ruggero Raimondi. James Levine conducts the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus on this DVD which has the wonderful atmosphere that only comes with live recordings. Tracklisting: 1. Verdi: Ernani - Opening Credits 2. Preludio 3. Evviva! Beviam! 4. Merc'' Diletti Amici 5. Come Rugiada Al Cespite 6. Oh Tu Che L'alma Adora 7. Surta ''ˆ La Notte 8. Ernani! Ernani Involami 9. Tutto Sprezzo Che D'ernani 10. Fa Che A Me Venga 11. Da Quel Di Che T'ho Veduta 12. Non T'ascolto Mia Sarai 13. Tu Se' Ernani 14. Che Mai Vegg'io! 15. Infelice! E Tuo Credevi 16. Infin Che Un Brando Vindice 17. Uscite ... Ma Signore 18. Mio Signor Dolente I Sono 19. Esultiamo! Letizia Ne Inondi! 20. Jago Qui Tosto Il Pellegrin Adduci 21. Oro Quant'oro Ogn'avido 22. Tu Perfida! 23. Ah Morir Potessi Adesso! 24. Scellerati Il Mio Furore 25. Cugino A Che Munito Il Tuo Castel Ritrovo? 26. Lo Vedremo Veglio Audace 27. Fu Esplorata El Castello Ogni Latebra Pi'' Occulta 28. Vieni Meco Sol Di Rose 29. Vigili Pure I Ciel Sempre Su Te 30. D'ernani I Fidi Chiedono 31. Odi Il Voto 32. E Questo Il Loco? 33. Gran Dio! Costor Sui Sepolcrali Marmi 34. Oh De'verd'anni Miei 35. Ad Augusta! 36. Si Ridesti Il Leon Di Castiglia 37. Qual Rumore? Che Sar'' 38. Io Son Conte Duca Sono 39. O Sommo Carlo Pi'' Del Tuo Nome 40. Oh Come Felici Gioiscon Gli Sposi! 41. Cessaro I Suoni Dispari Ogni Face 42. Ecco Il Pegno 43. Ferma Crudele Estinguere Perch'' Vuoi Tu Due Vite?

• Verdi: Requiem | DVD | (04/01/2001) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Produced by the BBC in association with RM ARTS from the Usher Hall, Verdi's 'REQUIEM'.

• Offenbach - Les Contes D'hoffmann (La Scola, Rancatore) | DVD | (03/10/2005) from £18.48   |  Saving you £9.50 (61.33%)   |  RRP £24.99

  A vibrant and dazzling production.

• Il Turco In Italia - Rossini | DVD | (21/01/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £24.99

  A performance of Rossini's opera performed by the Zurich Opera House Chorus and Orchestra and the Supernumerary Association; conducted by Franz Welser-Most.

• Rossini - Il Barbiere Di Siviglia (Weikert, Met. Opera Orch) | Blu Ray | (06/10/2008) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  This sparkling new production of Rossini's comedy is led by two of today's greatest opera stars - Maria Bayo as the young ward Rosina and Juan Diego Florez as her handsome suitor, Count Almaviva. The wily Figaro (the Barber) is Pietro Spagnoli, Bruno Practico is the hapless guardian Don Bartolo, and the cunning singing teacher Basilio is the renowned Ruggero Raimondi. Filmed in widescreen High Definition, this blu-ray captures brilliantly the Teatro Real production as it progresses from an elegant silver and white to a kaleidoscope of colour for the boisterous finale.

• Don Pasquale - Donizetti | DVD | (10/09/2007) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £16.99

  Donizetti: Don Pasquale - Juan Diego Florez

• Puccini: Tosca (AXIOM FILMS - DVD AXM637) | DVD | (28/11/2011) from £7.99   |  Saving you £17.00 (212.77%)   |  RRP £24.99

  Official Selection Venice Film Festival, Beno�t Jacquot's acclaimed 2002 film of Puccini's opera stars Angela Gheorghiu in the title role with Roberto Alagna, Ruggero Raimondi and the Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, under Antonio Pappano. Region: 0 (Region free)

• A Gala Evening - In The Presence Of HRH The Prince Of Wales From The Glyndebourne Festival Opera | DVD | (11/01/2004) from £21.38   |  Saving you £3.61 (16.88%)   |  RRP £24.99

  From the Glyndebourne Festival Opera a host of leading opera stars perform for HRH The Prince Of Wales. Works include Mozart's Le Nozze Di Figaro - 'Voi Che Sapete' and Rossini's Il Barbiere Di Siviglia - 'Un Voce Poco Fa'.

• Donizetti - La Favorita (Cossott) | DVD | (04/11/2008) from £25.70   |  Saving you £-0.71 (N/A%)   |  RRP £24.99

• Pizzetti - Assassinio Nella Cattedrale | DVD | (10/03/2008) from £24.28   |  Saving you £-10.29 (-73.60%)   |  RRP £13.99

  Based on T.S. Eliot's play, Pizzetti's setting of the murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral in the twelfth century is one of the most powerful of twentieth-century operas. This special performance, with the great bass Ruggero Raimondi in the leading role, was filmed live in the evocative Basilica di San Nicola, Bari, which dates from the time of the historical events on which this compelling music-drama is based.

• Puccini-Tosca | DVD | (27/08/2007) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £24.99

• Opera Exclusive: Arena Di Verona | DVD | (01/06/2009) from £40.48   |  Saving you £-10.49 (-35.00%)   |  RRP £29.99

  These three legendary outstanding operas from the Arena di Verona Festival feature star conductors such as Nello Santi and Daniel Oren. Zeffirelli's interpretation of 'Madama Butterfly' shows us a masterpiece of traditional Italian opera. The 'Aida' staging by Gianfranco De Bosio was seen and loved by thousands of opera lovers throughout the world. Star singers as the Italian soprano Fiorenza Cedolins, Marcelo �lvarez, Ruggero Raimondi or Maria Chiara show us the highest performance quality o...