Opera on DVD

[Fëanor]

Christmas is coming!!!  Relatives are asking me what I want, and I'd like to suggest they give me Opera-on-DVD.

My current collection is minute, so I'm very much interesting in getting some of the popular staples.  In particular any of the following:

• MOZART:  Don Giovanni
• MOZART:  Marriage of Figaro
• PUCCINI:  La Boheme
• PUCCINI:  Madame Butterfly
• STRAUSS:  Der Rosenkavalier
• WAGNER:  Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg

I'd love to hear recommendations on any of these from you erudite aficianados.  My priorities are these:

• Music and singing (... dah!)
• Acting and production
• Sound, ideally 5.1 multi-channel;  (I'm an audiophile ... so bite me )

Any and all suggestions welcome.

(Happy Thanksgiving to U.S. members  )

[Anne]

Christmas is coming!!!  Relatives are asking me what I want, and I'd like to suggest they give me Opera-on-DVD.

My currently collection is minute, so I'm very much interesting in getting some of the popular staples.  In particular any of the following:

• MOZART:  Don Giovanni
• MOZART:  Marriage of Figaro
• PUCCINI:  La Boheme
• PUCCINI:  Madame Butterfly
• STRAUSS:  Der Rosenkavalier
• WAGNER:  Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg

I'd love to hear recommendations on any of these from you erudite aficianados.  My priorities are these:

• Music and singing (... dah!)
• Acting and production
• Sound, ideally 5.1 multi-channel;  (I'm an audiophile ... so bite me )

Any and all suggestions welcome.

(Happy Thanksgiving to U.S. members  )

For Madama Butterfly I recommend Mirella Freni with von Karajan conducting

[marvinbrown]

Christmas is coming!!!  Relatives are asking me what I want, and I'd like to suggest they give me Opera-on-DVD.

My currently collection is minute, so I'm very much interesting in getting some of the popular staples.  In particular any of the following:

• MOZART:  Don Giovanni
• MOZART:  Marriage of Figaro
• PUCCINI:  La Boheme
• PUCCINI:  Madame Butterfly
• STRAUSS:  Der Rosenkavalier
• WAGNER:  Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg

I'd love to hear recommendations on any of these from you erudite aficianados.  My priorities are these:

• Music and singing (... dah!)
• Acting and production
• Sound, ideally 5.1 multi-channel;  (I'm an audiophile ... so bite me )

Any and all suggestions welcome.

(Happy Thanksgiving to U.S. members  )

  Feanor:

  For Wagner's Meistersingers, I  definitely recommend the MET Levine production.  This has got to be one of my all time favorite productions (I have recommended it so many times on so many threads)- I don't know what it is but the chemistry between the singers, Levine's conducting, the stage design the costumes all come together so perfectly its unbelieveable- pure magic!

  For Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier, Lethe and I along with Bruce I think, had a long discussion over which Kleiber DVD to get and like Lethe I settled for the Munich production.  You definitely want one of the Kleiber DVDs as this Strauss opera is very much in Kleiber's blood.

  Hope this helps...

  marvin

[Fëanor]

  Feanor:

  For Wagner's Meistersingers, I  definitely recommend the MET Levine production.  This has got to be one of my all time favorite productions (I have recommended it so many times on so many threads)- I don't know what it is but the chemistry between the singers, Levine's conducting, the stage design the costumes all come together so perfectly its unbelieveable- pure magic!

  For Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier, Lethe and I along with Bruce I think, had a long discussion over which Kleiber DVD to get and like Lethe I settled for the Munich production.  You definitely want one of the Kleiber DVDs as this Strauss opera is very much in Kleiber's blood.

  Hope this helps...

  marvin

Thanks indeed, Marvin!!

That helps a lot.  I'll definitely go with the Levine/Met for Meistersinger.  As for Rosenkavalier, I can't seem to locate the Kleiber/Munich copy.  How about the Klieber/Bavarian State, below

Also, thanks to Anne for her suggestion for Madama Butterfly.

[Lethevich]

As for Rosenkavalier, I can't seem to locate the Kleiber/Munich copy.  How about the Klieber/Bavarian State, below

That's the one - it's the theatre that is in Munich. I've recommended it, I think twice within the past few weeks, so it seems overkill (), but this is a very good modern Bohème.

[Anne]

feanor,

I just noticed I had not spelled the conductor's name correctly.  I corrected it.  Hope it did not cause you any trouble.

[Fëanor]

feanor,

I just noticed I had not spelled the conductor's name correctly.  I corrected it.  Hope it did not cause you any trouble.

No prob!!    I found it with no difficulty.  Thanks a lot ...

[marvinbrown]

Thanks indeed, Marvin!!

That helps a lot.  I'll definitely go with the Levine/Met for Meistersinger.  As for Rosenkavalier, I can't seem to locate the Kleiber/Munich copy.  How about the Klieber/Bavarian State, below

Also, thanks to Anne for her suggestion for Madama Butterfly.

  That Klieber/Bavarian State you posted below is  the one I was refering to- for some reason we kept calling it the Munich DVD recording. 

  marvin

[yashin]

These are my opinions:

1. Don Giovanni - get the Glyndebourne one.  I enjoyed it very much. A modern production with very good singing, controversial setting. Cast: Gilles Cachemaille, Steven Page, Hillevi Martinpelto, and Adrianne Pieczonka.  There have been plenty more since this 2000 release but i always turn back to this one.

2.  Der Rosenkavalier - the Zurich DVD with Nina Stemme, and Kasarova.  Conductor is Welser-Most.  Modern production, excellent singing.

3. La Boheme.  Either the Australian one with Hobson and Barker.  Nice production with a young cast.  Very touching.  Or the Marcello Alvarez (la scala) production. Cristina Gallardo-Domas is Mimi.  I like to be moved with the great arias and neither of these 2 disappoints.

4. Le nozze di Figaro - either the Berlin/Barenboim DVD or the Bel Air Classique DVD with Annette Dasch and Pietro Spagnoli.  Renee Jacobs conducts this production from Paris.  I find these 2 similar in production.

5.  Madame Butterfly - no out right winner here but i would recommend the Mitterand Film with Ying Huang, Richard Troxell as Butterly and Pinkerton.  I really have not seen anything better than this on DVD -yet.

You have picked some great operas for your 'wish list'. I am sure there will be plenty of debate!

[Fëanor]

These are my opinions:

1. Don Giovanni - get the Glyndebourne one.  I enjoyed it very much. A modern production with very good singing, controversial setting. Cast: Gilles Cachemaille, Steven Page, Hillevi Martinpelto, and Adrianne Pieczonka.  There have been plenty more since this 2000 release but i always turn back to this one.

2.  Der Rosenkavalier - the Zurich DVD with Nina Stemme, and Kasarova.  Conductor is Welser-Most.  Modern production, excellent singing.

3. La Boheme.  Either the Australian one with Hobson and Barker.  Nice production with a young cast.  Very touching.  Or the Marcello Alvarez (la scala) production. Cristina Gallardo-Domas is Mimi.  I like to be moved with the great arias and neither of these 2 disappoints.

4. Le nozze di Figaro - either the Berlin/Barenboim DVD or the Bel Air Classique DVD with Annette Dasch and Pietro Spagnoli.  Renee Jacobs conducts this production from Paris.  I find these 2 similar in production.

5.  Madame Butterfly - no out right winner here but i would recommend the Mitterand Film with Ying Huang, Richard Troxell as Butterly and Pinkerton.  I really have not seen anything better than this on DVD -yet.

You have picked some great operas for your 'wish list'. I am sure there will be plenty of debate!

Wow!! Thanks a lot;  that's great coverage.

I will consider your suggestions very carerfully.  A small caveat is that my elderly mother will be giving me at least one of my choices, and will be watching all of them with me.  On account of that, I would prefer to avoid the more far-fetched productions that are out there.

[yashin]

Only the Don Giovanni might cause offense.  The others are modern productions but in good taste.  I have one or two 'old Met' productions and to be honest i get bored of the stand and deliver fat singer style where they have big ego's, big shoulderpads and even bigger waistlines.

Give me Eurotrash anyday!

[marvinbrown]

Only the Don Giovanni might cause offense.  The others are modern productions but in good taste.  I have one or two 'old Met' productions and to be honest i get bored of the stand and deliver fat singer style where they have big ego's, big shoulderpads and even bigger waistlines.

Give me Eurotrash anyday!

  Everything in moderation Yashin....everything in moderation  . 

  marvin

[uffeviking]

Please, can't we have just one, a singularly beautiful opera DVD I wrote about but has been ignored: Michael Tippet's King Priam from the Kent Opera with Roger Norrington conducting a stellar star, stars in singing and acting and not one big waistline in sight! 

[Keemun]

  If you want to start with Wagner (a composer whose operas are very dear to my heart) I would like to recommend this recording:

 

I've decided to put this one on my Christmas wish list. 

EDIT:  I forgot to mention, the other recommendations kindly provided have been added to my Amazon.com wishlist for use at a later date.  I decided to only ask for one opera DVD for Christmas to ease into the genre.   

[uffeviking]

So delighted we are back to the fat waistlines! Heppner's that is. 

He can't even sing, misses one high not after the other. Sheeeeesh! 

[Keemun]

So delighted we are back to the fat waistlines! Heppner's that is. 

He can't even sing, misses one high not after the other. Sheeeeesh! 

Do you have a better recommendation in response to my inquiry?

[uffeviking]

We have had page after page of discussions on this subject, but to make it easy, without having to scroll - and of course to keep our dear marvinbrown happy,  - try this one. It's as historical as they come, a tenor who can sing like an angel, and looks like the knight he plays: Siegfried Jerusalem, in one of his very early Wagner performances:

http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=135855&album_group=2

[marvinbrown]

We have had page after page of discussions on this subject, but to make it easy, without having to scroll - and of course to keep our dear marvinbrown happy,  - try this one. It's as historical as they come, a tenor who can sing like an angel, and looks like the knight he plays: Siegfried Jerusalem, in one of his very early Wagner performances:

http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=135855&album_group=2

  No worries Lis I always welcome a difference of opinion  .  So long as Keemun ends up with just one Die Meistersinger (whichever one Keemun decides to get is Keemun's choice)  I am happy  .  We need more Wagner fans in GMG, and as I always say .....the more the merrier.  Finally, I suppose Lis is right Heppner is well,  "rotund" to say the least....... but I love him anyway.

  marvin

[yashin]

What about the L'amour des trois Oranges- is this a good opera?  Have seen the DVDs recently-think there are now 3 on the market.  The Amsterdam one on Opus Arte, the new TDK one from Paris and the even newer (released yet?) Bel Air classique one from Aix. 

[Keemun]

We have had page after page of discussions on this subject, but to make it easy, without having to scroll - and of course to keep our dear marvinbrown happy,  - try this one. It's as historical as they come, a tenor who can sing like an angel, and looks like the knight he plays: Siegfried Jerusalem, in one of his very early Wagner performances:

http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=135855&album_group=2

Thanks, I'll check that one out.  Maybe it will end up on my Christmas list instead.