Notes and Editorial Reviews
"Musically, if this is truly an unedited live performance as claimed, it is stunningly good... The orchestra plays brilliantly (well, what did I expect from the Vienna Philharmonic’s pit version?) and the chorus sings with rich tone and solid intonation... The Don Giovanni scenes show, and not for the first time, that Zubin Mehta has been an undervalued Mozart conductor. His reading is clean, rhythmically taut, and with perfectly judged tempos... [Gruberova's] 'Non mi dir' is beautifully spun... The Aida excerpts may well be the best-conducted set of the evening. Gatti...sculpts phrases with a natural freedom, the music flows inevitably forward, his dynamic shading is very subtle, and when dramatic intensity is needed, he supplies it
Read more
in spades... [Urmana's] C in 'O Patria Mia' is dead on... How it is that Domingo can still make sparks fly and sing with such an evenly produced and burnished tone, in his sixties, is something that defies explanation. And Baltsa, too, simply lets it all hang out—this is full-throttle singing and thrilling conducting, and it is a scene I’ll go back to many times... Falk Struckman is a standout as Barak [in Frau] and all of the singing, including the voices of the unborn children, is fine... This is an enjoyable feast for opera-lovers." -- Henry Fogel, FANFARE [reviewing DVD 1, also available individually as
Gala Concert from the Vienna State Opera]
"This concert was given on the evening before the hundredth anniversary year of Verdi’s death... The Ballo extracts have Abbado’s characteristic rhythmic verve allied to his consideration and support for his singers... Vargas is a vocally appealing Duke of Mantua, singing with verve in Questa o quella and élan in La donna e mobile. In the act one scene from La Traviata, he sings Alfredo with good tone whilst Andrea Rost assays her true fach with coloratura flexibility in Sempre libera... [T]he Falstaff sequences...are acted out to the full, with the help of a couple of stage props in the form of a laundry basket and screen for Fenton and Nannetta, both roles superbly sung... The picture quality has clarity and depth throughout. The video director lets us share the enjoyment of the orchestral players from time to time as well as the conductor and singers. The playing of the Berlin Philharmonic is of the highest standard and their luxuriant sound is well caught. An excellent balance is maintained between orchestra and singers." -- Robert J. Farr, MusicWeb International [reviewing DVD 2,
A Verdi Gala from Berlin]
Region code: 0
Booklet notes: English, German, French
Subtitles: DVD1: English, German, French, Spanish; DVD2: English, German, French, Italian, Spanish; DVD3: English, German, French
Running time: DVD1: 188 mins (disc1: 74 mins, disc2: 114 mins); DVD2: 94 mins; DVD3: 103 mins
Great names in opera take to the stage for these galas from three musical centres that have come to stand as symbols of rebirth – Vienna, Berlin and Dresden. Vienna celebrates the 50th anniversary of the reopening of the State Opera House with music of humanity and rejoicing from Rosenkavalier to Fidelio, international stars fill the Dresden night with the sounds of operatic favourites, and Claudio Abbado conducts a New Year’s Eve tribute to Verdi in Berlin, closing with the life-affirming fugue the brings that curtain down on the master’s last opera, Falstaff.
Read less
Works on This Recording
1.
Leonore Overture no 3 in C major, Op. 72a by Ludwig van Beethoven
Conductor:
Seiji Ozawa
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Vienna State Opera Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: 1805-1806; Vienna, Austria
2.
Fidelio, Op. 72: Act 2 Finale by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Thomas Hampson (Baritone),
Johan Botha (Tenor),
Deborah Polaski (Soprano),
Falk Struckmann (Baritone)
Conductor:
Seiji Ozawa
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Vienna State Opera Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: 1805/1814; Vienna, Austria
3.
Don Giovanni, K 527: Excerpt(s) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Soile Isokoski (Soprano),
Michael Schade (Tenor),
Edita Gruberova (Soprano),
Ferruccio Furlanetto (Bass),
Thomas Hampson (Baritone)
Conductor:
Zubin Mehta
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Vienna State Opera Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: 1787; Prague, Czech Republ
4.
Der Rosenkavalier, Op. 59: Final scene by Richard Strauss
Performer:
Soile Isokoski (Soprano),
Angelika Kirchschlager (Mezzo Soprano),
Genia Kühmeier (Soprano)
Conductor:
Christian Thielemann
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Vienna State Opera Orchestra
5.
Die Frau ohne Schatten, Op. 65: Excerpt(s) by Richard Strauss
Performer:
Ricarda Merbeth (Soprano),
Johan Botha (Tenor),
Deborah Polaski (Soprano),
Falk Struckmann (Baritone)
Conductor:
Franz Welser-Möst
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Vienna State Opera Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1914-1918; Germany
6.
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg: Act 1 Prelude by Richard Wagner
Conductor:
Christian Thielemann
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Vienna State Opera Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1867; Germany
7.
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg: Excerpt(s) by Richard Wagner
Performer:
Bryn Terfel (Bass Baritone)
Conductor:
Christian Thielemann
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Vienna State Opera Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1867; Germany
8.
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg: Wach' auf, es nahet gen den Tag by Richard Wagner
Conductor:
Christian Thielemann
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Vienna State Opera Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1862-1867; Germany
9.
Aida: Excerpt(s) by Giuseppe Verdi
Performer:
Johan Botha (Tenor),
Franz Grundheber (Baritone),
Violeta Urmana (Soprano),
Agnes Baltsa (Mezzo Soprano),
Placido Domingo (Tenor)
Conductor:
Daniele Gatti
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Vienna State Opera Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1871; Italy
10.
Un ballo in maschera: Excerpt(s) by Giuseppe Verdi
Performer:
Ramón Vargas (Tenor)
Conductor:
Claudio Abbado
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1859; Italy
11.
Falstaff: Excerpt(s) by Giuseppe Verdi
Performer:
Stella Doufexis (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Claudio Abbado
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1893; Italy
12.
Un ballo in maschera: Saper vorreste di che si veste by Giuseppe Verdi
Performer:
Andrea Rost (Soprano)
Conductor:
Claudio Abbado
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1859; Italy
13.
Rigoletto: Questa o quella by Giuseppe Verdi
Performer:
Ramón Vargas (Tenor)
Conductor:
Claudio Abbado
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1851; Italy
14.
Rigoletto: La donna č mobile by Giuseppe Verdi
Performer:
Ramón Vargas (Tenor)
Conductor:
Claudio Abbado
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1851; Italy
15.
La traviata: Excerpt(s) by Giuseppe Verdi
Performer:
Ramón Vargas (Tenor)
Conductor:
Claudio Abbado
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1853; Italy
16.
La traviata: Sempre libera by Giuseppe Verdi
Performer:
Andrea Rost (Soprano)
Conductor:
Claudio Abbado
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1853; Italy
17.
Don Carlos: Excerpt(s) by Giuseppe Verdi
Performer:
Stella Doufexis (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Claudio Abbado
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1867/1884; Italy
18.
Carmen: Finale by Georges Bizet
Performer:
Neil Shicoff (Tenor),
Agnes Baltsa (Mezzo Soprano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1873-1874; France
19.
Adriana Lecouvreur: Aria(s) by Francesco Cilča
Performer:
Anna Tomowa-Sintow (Soprano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1902; Italy
20.
Work(s) by Various
Performer:
Sandra Schwarzhaupt (Soprano),
Deborah Sasson (Soprano),
Kurt Rydl (Bass),
Vincenzo La Scola (Tenor),
Gunter Emmerlich (Bass),
Lucia Aliberti (Soprano),
Daniela Barcellona (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Oleg Caetani,
Roland Seiffarth
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Prague Symphony Orchestra,
Penderecki Festival Orchestra,
Deutsches Filmorchester Babelsberg
Customer Reviews
Be the first to review this title
Review This Title
