"Actor: Tito Gobbi"

• Maria Callas - At Covent Garden 1962 And 1964 | DVD | (15/07/2002) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £29.99

  Maria Calla at Convent Garden 1962 and 1964.

• Maria Callas - La Callas... Toujours - Paris, 1958 | DVD | (26/03/2001) from £5.02   |  Saving you £10.97 (218.53%)   |  RRP £15.99

  La Callas... Toujours is a black-and-white televised recital (Callas' Paris debut) that took place at the Paris Opera on December 19, 1958 when television was still in its infancy. We might wish that it had happened earlier, when her voice was in better condition, or later, when video recording technology was more advanced--so that, for example, we would not have to take the narrator's word that Callas is wearing a red dress. After all, visual elements were as important as the vocal dimensions in her art but her fans will welcome this warmly. The material, carefully chosen to show Callas at her best and most versatile, includes "Casta Diva" from Bellini's Norma (a Callas speciality), the haunting "Miserere" scene from Verdi's Il trovatore, and the mischievous "Una voce poco fa" from Rossini's Barber of Seville, a fine series of stylistic contrasts in which the essential point is not pure tonal beauty but characterisation and subtle expressive nuances. Others have made this music sound prettier; nobody has presented it with more impact. But the climax of this programme is its second half, a staged performance of Act II of Puccini's Tosca. This is a study in police brutality, sexual harassment and sheer violence, psychological and physical, that has some of opera's most extreme moments--including the great aria "Vissi d'arte", the murder of the villain Scarpia and the contemptuous dismissal flung at his corpse--"and all Rome trembled before him". In this segment, Callas goes mano a mano with Tito Gobbi, her only equal as a singing actor during her career. They savour this material in a virtuoso performance. --Joe McLellan, Amazon.com

• Great Opera Singers | DVD | (01/11/2004) from £29.99   |  Saving you £-14.00 (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Featuring great performances from legendary artist of the golden age classic archive offers a unique historical glimpse into our classical heritage presented on DVD for the very first time. Lovingly restored using the finest state-of-the-art technology these generous full-length programmes include complete musical performances comprehensive booklets on DVD- ROM.Great Opera SingersWeber - Der Freischutz: 'Wie nahte mir der Schlummer- Leise leise'Filmed at the

• Joan Sutherland - The Complete Bell Telephone Hour Performances 1961-1968 | DVD | (30/11/2001) from £21.39   |  Saving you £3.60 (16.83%)   |  RRP £24.99

• Verdi - Otello | DVD | (04/11/2008) from £21.03   |  Saving you £3.96 (15.80%)   |  RRP £24.99

• Leoncavallo - Pagliacci and Operatic Arias (Corelli) | DVD | (31/10/2005) from £21.89   |  Saving you £1.10 (4.80%)   |  RRP £22.99

  Leoncavallo - Pagliacci And Operatic Arias (Corelli)

• Various Composers - Mad About Opera | DVD | (06/02/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £24.99

  In this screwball comedy a group of Italians presents an opera concert in London with Scipa Gigli Caniglia Gobbi and Bechi. The singers play themselves with Bechi and Gobbi getting the most singing and screen time. The arias are fully staged vividly filmed with lots of closeups. With few exceptions the camera stays directly on the singers. The print is superb.