The Music Pages | January 2009


	Cat. No.: 076 2707 Barcode: 0044007627075 Label: ABC Classics DVD Release Date: January			Various \| Operatunity Oz DVD ARTISTS Various Is it possible to find and train an unknown amateur to sing on the stage of the Sydney Opera House, and do it in under a year? When ABC TV joined forces with Opera Australia to scour the nation, almost two thousand Australians rose to the challenge, stepping out of their showers and garden sheds to live out their fantasies. At stake was a lead role for a night in Opera Australia’s production of Verdi’s Rigoletto. Operatunity Oz follows their journey in a delightful tribute to the joy of singing and the passion of opera. DVD includes all five episodes, plus exclusive special features including previously unseen highlights from the audition tapes. RETURN TO THE TOP

	Cat. No.: 179 0573 Barcode: 0602517905733 Label: Universal DVD Release Date: January			André Rieu \| Live in Maastricht II ARTISTS André Rieu TRACK LISTING 1 Seventy-six Trombones 2 Flieger March 3 Clavelitos 4 Irish Washerwoman 5 Chianti Lied 6 Nessun Dorma 7 Olé Guapa 8 Ave Maria 9 Amigos Para Siempre 10 Il Silenzio 11 Bugler's Holiday 12 Conquest of Paradise 13 Soldiers’ Chorus 14 Twelve Robbers 15 Huntsmen’s chorus 16 Funiculi, Funicula 17 La Vergine degli angeli 18 When I'm Sixty-Four 19 Oh Fortuna (Carmina Burana) 20 Radetzky March 21 Strauss & Co. 22 Maastricht Hymn 23 Maastricht, Stadt der fröhlichen Sänger 24 Die kleine Kneipe 25 La donna è mobile 26 Wie schön unser Limburg ist BONUS Music School: Violin Concerto in A minor André is home again! Back in his home town of Maastricht in time for the traditional summer evening concert on the Vrijthof. Once again the famous square has been transformed into a fabulous open-air temple to music. And this new live DVD will allow you to experience André Rieu at his best. It features the Johann Strauss Orchestra, 100 children from the music school, the Platinum Tenors, Mirusia, Carmen and Suzan and the 13-year-old musical talent Melissa Venema on the trumpet. A real high point is the performance with the world-famous Mastreechter Staar male voice choir. And the spectacular appearance of 150 choir members holding torches was a musical and visual delight that you simply cannot miss. So enjoy this fabulous summer evening concert on our new live DVD: André Rieu – Live in Maastricht 2. RETURN TO THE TOP

	Cat. No.: 074 3314 Barcode: 0044007433140 Label: Decca DVD Release Date: January			Luciano Pavarotti \| Pavarotti: A Life in Seven Arias ARTISTS Luciano Pavarotti, tenor Renata Scotto, soprano Joan Sutherland, soprano Placido Domingo, tenor José Carreras, tenor Juan Diego Flórez, tenor Ricky Martin, vocalist TRACK LISTING 1. Introduction 2. Debut: La Boheme – Che gelida manina 3. The Met Telecast 1977 with Renata Scotto 4. Caruso 5. Vesti la giubba 6. Singing with Joan: La Fille du Regiment – Pour mon ame 7. Juan Diego Florez sings Pour mon ame 8. Joan Sutherland and Richard Bonynge 9. Lucia di Lammermoor - Duet 10. L’Elisir d’Amore – Una furtiva lagrima 11. Recording for Decca 12. Home: Panis Angelicus 13. Singing with father in Modena 14. Chorale Rossini 15. Il Trovatore at Verona 16. Fame: Rigoletto – Questo o quella 17. Masterclass 18. The Three Tenors – O sole mio 19. Superstar: Turandot – Nessun dorma 20. The handkerchief 21. Marechiare 22. Pavarotti and Friends 23. Mamma with Ricky Martin 24. Last Years: Tosca – E lucevan le stelle 25. Tosca at The Met 1979 26. Last performance at The Met 27. Finale: Verdi Requiem - Ingemisco Extraordinary documentary by the BBC on the life of Pavarotti, telling the story of his remarkable career through the eyes of some of his colleagues who knew him the best, and through the arias that made him famous. This unique documentary looks back on the life of the legendary Luciano Pavarotti, with many of opera's greatest stars, including Placido Domingo, Renata Scotto, José Carreras, Joan Sutherland, Montserrat Caballé and Juan Diego Flórez, paying personal tribute to the great man and his music. Pavarotti sings no less than seven of his most celebrated arias, defining an astonishing career that spanned four decades and took the world by storm. There is also rarer footage of Pavarotti singing at home with his father in Modena and of master classes he conducted. RETURN TO THE TOP

	Cat. No.: 074 3317 Barcode: 00044007433171 Label: Decca DVD Release Date: January			DANIEL BARENBOIM \| New Year's Concert 2009 ARTISTS Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Daniel Barenboim TRACK LISTING J. STRAUSS II: A Night in Venice - Overture J. STRAUSS II: Fairy Tales from the Orient - Waltz op.444 J. STRAUSS II: Anna’s Polka, op.117 J. STRAUSS II: Express Mail - Polka, op.159 J. STRAUSS II: Roses from the South - Waltz, op.388 J. STRAUSS II: Magic Bullets - Polka op.326 J. STRAUSS II: The Gypsy Baron - Overture J. STRAUSS II: The Gypsy Baron - Entrance March J. STRAUSS II: Treasure Waltz op. 418 J. HELLMESBERGER II: Spanish Waltz J. STRAUSS I: Zampa-Galopp, op.62 J. STRAUSS II: Alexandrine’s Polka – French Polka op.198 J. STRAUSS II: Thunder and Lightning - Polka, op.324 JOSEF STRAUSS: Music of the Spheres – Waltz op. 235 J. STRAUSS II: Hurrah for Hungary! – Polka op. 332 J. HAYDN: Symphony No.45 in F sharp minor “Farewell” - IV. Finale J. STRAUSS II: We’re not that worried! - Polka, op. 413 J. STRAUSS II: Blue Danube - Waltz op.314 J. STRAUSS I: Radetzky-March, op.228 The first Viennese New Year for one of the world's greatest conductors, Daniel Barenboim. The New Year's Concert in Vienna has been a glorious tradition for over six decades. A best-selling classical event year on year, the concert has unique global appeal. It is broadcast on TV and radio to over 50 countries, and is viewed by tens of millions of people all over the world. The 2009 New Year's Day Concert will be conducted by the Argentinean-Israeli pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim for the first time. From 1991-2006 Barenboim was the principal conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and since 1992 has been the General Music Director of the State Opera Unter den Linden in Berlin. Barenboim's debut with the Vienna Philharmonic took place in 1989, and he has since been a regular guest. In 1999, Barenboim and the late Palestinian academic Edward Säid founded the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, in which young musicians from the Middle East and Israel perform together. Among the many awards Barenboim has received, was the Ernst von Siemens Music Prize in Vienna in 2006. In September 2007 Barenboim was named as United Nations Peace Envoy. The concert programme for 1st January 2009 will be the customary collection of Viennese delights, with six first time performances. The first part of the concert is inspired by the conductor’s biography. For example, the waltz Märchen aus dem Orient (Tales from the Orient), alludes to a modern “fairy tale” – the founding of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, a symbol of inter-cultural tolerance. Other first performances in the first half include J. Strauss II’s Schnellpost-Polka (Express Mail Polka) and J. Hellmesberger’s Valse Espagnole (Spanish Waltz). The second part of the concert makes constant allusions to the life and work of Joseph Haydn, culminating with the final movement of Haydn’s Symphony No.45 - 'Farewell Symphony'. This is the first time a work by Haydn has featured in the New Year’s Concert programme, and it will launch a year of events marking the bicentenary of the death of this great Austrian composerwho died in Vienna in May 1809. Other first appearances in the second half of the concert include J. Strauss I's Zampa-Galopp and J. Strauss II’s Alexandrine's Polka. RETURN TO THE TOP

	Cat. No.: 074 3329 Barcode: 00044007433294 Label: Decca DVD Release Date: January			Benjamin Britten; Peter Pears \| Gay/Britten: The Beggar's Opera ARTISTS Heather Harper, Soprano Dame Janet Baker, Mezzo-Soprano Kenneth McKellar, Tenor Bryan Drake, Bass Meredith Davies, Conductor English Chamber Orchestra TRACK LISTING GAY/BRITTEN: The Beggar’s Opera RETURN TO THE TOP

	Cat. No.: 074 3330 Barcode: 00044007433300 Label: Decca DVD Release Date: January			Benjamin Britten; Peter Pears \| Britten: Owen Wingrave ARTISTS Heather Harper, Soprano Dame Janet Baker, Mezzo-Soprano Sir Peter Pears, Tenor Nigel Douglas, Tenor Benjamin Luxon, Baritone John Shirley-Quirk, Baritone Sylvia Fisher, Benjamin Britten, Conductor English Chamber Orchestra TRACK LISTING BRITTEN: Owen Wingrave RETURN TO THE TOP

	Cat. No.: 073 4518 Barcode: 00044007345184 Label: DG 2DVD Release Date: January			Rolando Villazón \| GOUNOD: Roméo et Juliette ARTISTS ROLANDO VILLAZÓN, Roméo NINO MACHAIDZE, Juliette MIKHAIL PETRENKO, Frère Laurent RUSSELL BRAUN, Mercutio CORA BURGGRAAF, Stéphano FALK STRUCKMANN, Le Comte Capulet JUAN FRANCISCO GATELL, Tybalt Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg Yannick Nézet-Séguin Staged by Bartlett Sher Video Director: Brian Large TRACK LISTING GOUNOD: Roméo et Juliette EXTRAS • Introduction by Rolando Villazón • Salzburg Impressions – Behind the Scenes of Roméo et Juliette • Love and Death in Verona He came, he sang, he conquered! Rolando Villazón’s Roméo wins Juliette’s heart, and ours, with impassioned, refined singing of an emotionally and vocally demanding role Directed by Bartlett Sher, who telegenically captures the fantastic natural scenery of the famous Felsenreitschule, this first ever production of Gounod ‘s Roméo at the Salzburg Festival benefits from Québecois conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin’s innate understanding Only 25 and film star beautiful, soprano Nino Machaidze embodies Juliette with unforced girlish charm, gorgeous tone and emotional heat Bonus features: Villazón relates the Roméo story in his own words; a behind the scenes documentary; and a documentary on the traces of Romeo and Juliet in Italy Acclaim for the 2008 Salzburg Roméo: 'Bartlett Sher’s production delivered the success everyone was waiting for' - Die Presse (Vienna) 'Villazón expresses all of Romeo’s hot-blooded passion, his tender, erotic intimacy, and, finally, his deathly despair' (Süddeutsche Zeitung) 'With lovely, musical phrasing, Machaidze captures the full range of Juliet’s moods' – Tagesspiegel (Berlin) 'The young Canadian conductor’s “amazing dynamism...brings out all the drama’s phases, from sensuality to death' (Le Figaro) 'A triumph' – Kurier (Vienna) 'Villazón’s Romeo was touching and moving' – Tagesspiegel (Berlin) 'Machaidze's Juliette was pure, charming, and note-perfect' – Bloomberg News RETURN TO THE TOP

	Cat. No.: 073 4513 Barcode: 0044007345139 Label: DG DVD Release Date: January			Leonard Bernstein GERSHWIN: An American in Paris, Rhapsody in Blue; IVES: Symphony No.2, Unanswered Question ARTISTS New York Philharmonic Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks Leonard Bernstein* TRACK LISTING GERSHWIN: An American in Paris GERSHWIN: Rhapsody in Blue IVES: Symphony No. 2 IVES: The Unanswered Question Introduction: Bernstein on Ives' Symphony No. 2 Leonard Bernstein and George Gershwin - two musicians inseparably linked with America – form an exuberant and stimulating combination in this program with the New York Philharmonic The premiere of Ives´ Symphony no. 2 in 1951 had been given by Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic. This production from 1987 from Munich is performed by the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, and Maestro Bernstein gives a fascinating introduction in German and English “For some, Bernstein's accounts are not so much benchmark recordings as holy writ, for the conductor enjoyed deep associations with these composers” is how the New York Times described his connection with these giants of American music “Gershwin remains one of the greatest voices that have ever rung out in the history of American urban culture…Ives was our first really great composer” (Leonard Bernstein) In 5.1 DTS Surround Sound RETURN TO THE TOP

	Cat. No.: 073 4512 Barcode: 0044007345122 Label: DG DVD Release Date: January			Leonard Bernstein \| SCHUMANN: The Symphonies ARTISTS Wiener Philharmoniker Leonard Bernstein TRACK LISTING SCHUMANN Symphony No. 1 in B flat major, Op. 38 Symphony No. 2 in C major, Op. 61 Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, Op. 97 Symphony No. 4 in D minor, Op. 120 A sparkling interpretation of Schumann´s Symphonies by the Vienna Philharmonic under Maestro Leonard Bernstein from the 1980s, filmed and recorded in the Golden Hall of the Musikverein, Vienna The glowing, romantic sound of this orchestra and Leonard Bernstein´s expressive interpretations complement each other in an ideal way to produce a perfect rendering of Schumann´s symphonic oeuvre. “Bernstein catches the Romantic secret of this music in a way that most conductors have not.” (New York Times) “All the electricity and immediacy one expects of live music-making and ample evidence of the special rapport he has established with the Vienna Philharmonic” – Gramophone [on No.2] “Performances [that] recall his old ones in many respects, and offer some points of clear superiority. The orchestral playing is surer and more idiomatic – warm, full and Germanic. The recorded sound is fuller and more natural. The combination lends a truly symphonic weight to this music.” (New York Times) “Packed with distinctive touches…Where so many conductors find only notes, Bernstein creates a dramatic, wordless opera.” (Baltimore Sun) First release on DVD In 5.1 DTS Surround Sound RETURN TO THE TOP

	Cat. No.: 073 4511 Barcode: 0044007345115 Label: DG DVD Release Date: January			Leonard Bernstein TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 5, Violin Concerto, Andante Cantabile* ARTISTS Boris Belkin, violin New York Philharmonic Orchestra Boston Symphony Orchestra Leonard Bernstein* TRACK LISTING TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36 Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64* Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35 Andante cantabile Leonard Bernstein gives a rousing account of Tchaikovsky’s 4th Symphony with the New York Philharmonic and leads the Boston Symphony Orchestra in a performance of his 5th Symphony. Winner of the prestigious Emmy Award in 1976, Leonard Bernstein´s recording of Tchaikovsky’s 4th Symphony and Andante cantabile with the New York Philharmonic was filmed live at Avery Fisher Hall in 1975. Live from Tanglewood, Bernstein´s 1974 centenary tribute to his beloved mentor: “It was like Serge Koussevitzky’s signature, his theme song, one of his national hymns, and I felt his presence on stage” (Leonard Bernstein on Symphony 5) Russian violin virtuoso Boris Belkin gives his US debut as the sensitive soloist in Tchaikovsky´s Concerto for violin and orchestra “A stunning performance.” (New York Times on Symphony no.4) “He was out to get the drama out of the music (Symphony 4), and he did…without losing emotional control…The Bernstein electricity reaches into the orchestra as well as the audience” (New York Times) First release on DVD In 5.1 DTS Surround Sound RETURN TO THE TOP

	Cat. No.: 073 4514 Barcode: 0044007345146 Label: DG DVD Release Date: January			Leonard Bernstein BERNSTEIN: Divertimento for Orchestra; Serenade; Symphony No. 2; Documentary: Teachers and Teaching ARTISTS Gidon Kremer, violin Krystian Zimerman, piano Wiener Philharmoniker London Symphony Orchestra Leonard Bernstein TRACK LISTING BERNSTEIN Divertimento for Orchestra Serenade for Violin and Orchestra (after Plato's Symposium) Introduction by Leonard Bernstein Gidon Kremer, violin Symphony No. 2 “The Age of Anxiety" Introduction by Leonard Bernstein Krystian Zimerman, piano Documentary: Teachers and Teaching Bernstein, "the genius with the common touch" (Sunday Times) in concert conducting three of his finest orchestral works. The album includes The Age of Anxiety from the Royal Gala Concert during the 1986 Bernstein Festival at London’s Barbican, and Divertimento from Vienna’s Musikverein in 1985. “Teachers and Teaching” is an illuminating hour-long documentary in which Bernstein rehearses, reminisces about his mentors and interacts with pupils and colleagues (incuding Lukas Foss, Seiji Ozawa, Michael Tilson Thomas and Krystian Zimerman). To record his compositions, Leonard Bernstein invited the world-famous soloists GGidon Kremer for the Serenade and Krystian Zimerman for The Age of Anxiety. Leonard Bernstein was one of the greatest and most universal musical personalities of our time, and his music is marked by exceptionally expressive melodies and striking rhythms. First release on DVD In 5.1 DTS Surround Sound RETURN TO THE TOP

	Cat. No.: 073 4492 Barcode: 004400744927 Label: DG Blu-Ray DVD Release Date: January			Blu-Ray DVDs Nikolaus Harnoncourt \| MOZART: The Marriage of Figaro ARTISTS ILDEBRANDO D’ARCANGELO, Figaro BO SKOVHUS, Count Almaviva DOROTHEA RÖSCHMANN, Countess Almaviva ANNA NETREBKO, Susanna CHRISTINE SCHÄFER, Cherubino MARIE MCLAUGHLIN, Marcellina FRANZ-JOSEF SELIG, Bartolo PATRICK HENCKENS, Basilio EVA LIEBAU, Barbarina FLORIAN BÖSCH, Antonio OLIVER RINGELHAHN, Don Curzio ULI KIRSCH, Cherubim Wiener Philharmoniker Nikolaus Harnoncourt Staged by Claus Guth Directed by Brian Large From the House for Mozart, Salzburg Festival 2006 TRACK LISTING MOZART The Marriage of Figaro BONUS: A Documentary by Sylvia Griss & Alexander Hellbrügge RETURN TO THE TOP

	Cat. No.: 073 4490 Barcode: 0044007344903 Label: DG Blu-Ray DVD Release Date: January			Anna Netrebko \| The Opera Gala - Live from Baden Baden ARTISTS Anna Netrebko, soprano El?na Garan?a, mezzo-soprano Ramón Vargas, tenor Ludovic Tézier, baritone SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg Marco Armiliato TRACK LISTING BELLINI: Norma [1] Sinfonia [2] Mira, o Norma Anna Netrebko · El?na Garan?a GAETANO DONIZETTI: L'elisir d'amore [3] Una furtiva lagrima Ramón Vargas VINCENZO BELLINI: I puritani [4] Ah! per sempre...Bel sogno beato Ludovic Tézier VINCENZO BELLINI: Norma [5] Casta Diva Anna Netrebko GIOACCHINO ROSSINI: La Cenerentola [6] Nacqui all'affano El?na Garan?a GIUSEPPE VERDI: Don Carlo [7] È lui! desso! L’Infante! … Dio, che nell’alma infonderere Ramón Vargas · Ludovic Tézier CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS: Samson et Dalila [8] Danse Bacchanale LÉO DELIBES LAKMÉ [9] Viens, Mallika ... Dôme épais le jasmin Anna Netrebko · El?na Garan?a GEORGES BIZET: Les pêcheurs de perles [10] Au fond du temple saint Ramón Vargas · Ludovic Tézier CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS: Samson et Dalila [11] Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix El?na Garan?a GIUSEPPE VERDI: Luisa Miller [12] Oh! fede negar potessi … Quando le sere al placido Ramón Vargas GIUSEPPE VERDI: Don Carlo [13] Felice ancor io son … Per me giunto … Io morrò Ludovic Tézier GIACOMO PUCCINI: La Bohème [14] O soave fanciulla Anna Netrebko · Ramón Vargas GIUSEPPE VERDI: Rigoletto [15] Un dì, se ben rammentoni … Bella figlia dell'amore Anna Netrebko · El?na Garan?a · Ramón Vargas · Ludovic Tézier FRANZ LEHÁR: Giuditta [16] Ich weiß es selber nicht ...Meine Lippen sie küssen so heiss Anna Netrebko GIOACCHINO ROSSINI: [17]La Danza Ramón Vargas RUPERTO CHAPÍ: Las hijas del Zebedeo [18] Carceleras El?na Garan?a GEORGES BIZET: Carmen [19] Votre toast, je peux vous le rendre Ludovic Tézier GIUSEPPE VERDI: La traviata [20] Brindisi Anna Netrebko · El?na Garan?a · Ramón Vargas · Ludovic Tézier RETURN TO THE TOP

	Cat. No.: 073 4491 Barcode: 0044007344910 Label: DG Blu-Ray DVD Release Date: January			Plácido Domingo; Anna Netrebko; Rolando Villazón The Berlin Concert ARTISTS Plácido Domingo, tenor Anna Netrebko, soprano Rolando Villazón, tenor Orchester der Deutschen Oper Berlin Marco Armiliato TRACK LISTING 1. VERDI: Nabucco - Ouvertüre 2. CILEA: L'Arlesiana – ‘E la solita storia’ 3. PUCCINI: Gianni Schicchi - "O mio babbino caro" 4. MASSENET: Le Mage - 'Ah! Parais! Parais, astre de mon ciel' * 5. VERDI: Otello - 'Già nella notte densa' 6. BIZET: Carmen - Entr`acte Georges 7. BIZET: Les Pêcheurs de Perles - 'Au fond du temple saint' 8. ROSSINI: Semiramide - Ouvertüre 9. GREVER: 'Júrame' 10. Lehár: Giuditta - 'Meine Lippen, sie küssen so heiß' 11. DE CURTIS: 'Non ti scordar di me' 12. PUCCINI: La Bohème – ‘O soave fanciulla’ 13. MASCAGNI: Cavalleria Rusticana – Intermezzo 14. RENDINE: 'Vurría' 15. BERNSTEIN: West Side Story - 'Tonight' Encores ROSSINI: ‘La danza’ PUCCINI: La Bohème – ‘Quando m’en vo’ (Musettas Walzer) Sorozabál: La Taberna del Puerto – ‘No puede ser’ VERDI: La Traviata – ‘Brindisi’ Lehár: Das Land des Lächelns - ‘Dein ist mein ganzes Herz’ * by kind permission of EMI Records Ltd. LIVE from the Waldbühne, Berlin July 7th, 2006 RETURN TO THE TOP

	Cat. No.: 073 4489 Barcode: 0044007344897 Label: DG Blu-Ray DVD Release Date: January			Anna Netrebko \| BELLINI: I Puritani ARTISTS ANNA NETREBKO, Elvira ERIC CUTLER, Arturo (Lord Arthur Talbot) FRANCO VASSALLO, Riccardo (Sir Richard Forth) JOHN RELYEA, Giorgio (Sir George Walton) EDUARDO VALDES, Sir Bruno Robertson VALERIAN RUMINSKI, Gualtiero (Lord Walton) MARIA ZIFCHAK, Enrichetta (Queen Henrietta) The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus Patrick Summers From the MET, January 2007 TRACK LISTING BELLINI I Puritani Bonus: INTERMISSION I Anna Netrebko in Conversation with Renée Fleming INTERMISSION II Anna Netrebko in Conversation with Renée Fleming BELLINI’S “PURITANI” Margaret Juntwait in Conversation with Beverly Sills BACKSTAGE Renée Fleming interviews Met Technical Director Joe Clark RETURN TO THE TOP

	Cat. No.: 074 3298 Barcode: 0044007432983 Label: Decca Blu-Ray DVD Release Date: January			Renee Fleming; Dmitri Hvorostovsky TCHAIKOVSKY: Eugene Onegin ARTISTS Renee Fleming, Tatiana Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Eugene Onegin Ramon Vargas, Lenski Elena Zaramba, Olga The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Chorus and Ballet Valery Gergiev TRACK LISTING TCHAIKOVSKY: Eugene Onegin Renée Fleming, Dmitri Hvorostovsky and Valery Gergiev triumph in Tchaikovsky’s operatic masterpiece – filmed live at the Metropolitan Opera and first released by Decca in early 2008 on DVD. "...breathtakingly beautiful" New York Magazine "Miss Fleming’s sympathetic, exquisitely sung Tatiana was a major achievement" The New York Times "Hvorostovsky’s creamy baritone…purling legato, and elegant musical manners have seldom sounded more seductive." New York Magazine This is a star-led performance of one of the most popular romantic operas with the unrivalled pairing of Fleming and Hvorostovsky as the doomed lovers. Their onstage chemistry, emotional singing and outstanding acting make this a truly special and unique production. Thousands of movie-goers watched this production live in cinemas across Europe and the US in February 2007, when the production and the singing of the central characters met with great critical acclaim. Valery Gergiev, Russia's greatest living conductor, leads Russia's classic opera, with a thrilling account of Tchaikovsky’s most intense and passionate score. Robert Carsen, described in the International Herald Tribune as“one of the most sought-after stage directors on the operatic scene” creates an evocative and striking staging. Anne Midgette, reviewing this production in the New York Times, wrote, “this remains one of the most extraordinarily beautiful stagings I've seen”. BONUSES: Eugene Onegin in rehearsal and backstage at the Met with Beverley Sills RETURN TO THE TOP

	Cat. No.: 074 3299 Barcode: 0044007432990 Label: Decca Blu-Ray DVD Release Date: January			Juan Diego Florez; Maria Bayo \| ROSSINI: The Barber of Seville ARTISTS Juan Diego Florez, Il Conte Maria Bayo, Rosina Pietro Spagnoli, Figaro Ruggero Raimondi, Don Basilio Bruno Pratico, Bartolo Orchestra of the Teatro Real, Madrid Gianluigi Gelmetti TRACK LISTING ROSSINI: The Barber of Seville This Blu-ray captures perfectly the Teatro Real production as it progresses from an elegant silver and white to a kaleidoscope of colour for the boisterous finale. Barber of Seville showcasing Juan Diego Flórez, released in 2005 on DVD by Decca. This is Florez in one of his greatest stage roles. Cast includes celebrated Spanish soprano María Bayo and the great bass-baritone Ruggero Raimondi. Superb looking production, which was brand new when this was first released on DVD three years ago. FANTASTIC BONUSES! The Useless Precaution (58 minutes): The cast and director introduce Rossini's opera AND Backstage with the Barber (16 minutes): A look behind the scenes at the Teatro Real production. RETURN TO THE TOP

	Cat. No.: 074 3301 Barcode: 0044007433010 Label: Decca Blu-Ray DVD Release Date: January			Valery Gergiev \| TCHAIKOVSKY: Nutcracker ARTISTS Irina Golub, Masha Leonid Sarafanov, Nutcracker Prince Alexander Kulikov, Nutcracker Mariinsky Ballet Valery Gergiev TRACK LISTING TCHAIKOVSKY: Nutcracker A magical new version of a much loved classic Filmed in The Mariinsky Theatre St.Petersburg where it was first performed in 1892 Another outstanding production on Blu-ray from the Mariinsky, Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker, yet a Nutcracker with a twist. The 'adult' Nutcracker. Worlds away from the traditional and warm versions popular at Christmas, this unconventional production, reinterpreted by Russian emigre and world-renowned avant-garde artist Mikhail Shemiakin, is surreal and at times disturbing, making this DVD an unusual but essential part of any ballet lover's collection. Shemiakin also designs the eye-catching costumes and startling staging. Two of the Mariinsky's young stars, Leonid Sarafanov and Irina Golub, dance the main roles. Despite the startling aspects of this production, none of the spectacle and awe-inspiring quality of their dancing is lost. Valery Gergiev conducts a complete and un-cut version of Tchaikovsky's popular and much-loved score. BONUS: The acclaimed film The Nutcracker Story, re-examining the tale's history and revealing the troubled personal background to Tchaikovsky's final ballet. RETURN TO THE TOP

	Cat. No.: 074 3302 Barcode: 0044007433027 Label: Decca Blu-Ray DVD Release Date: January			Valery Gergiev \| TCHAIKOVSKY: Swan Lake ARTISTS Ulyana Lopatkina, Odette - Odile Danila Korsuntsev, Prince Siegfried Alexandra Gronskaya, The Queen Mariinsky Ballet Valery Gergiev TRACK LISTING TCHAIKOVSKY: Swan Lake The classic Mariinsky (Kirov) production of the greatest of all ballets... conducted by the great Russian maestro Valery Gergiev. 'The Kirov's production is breathtakingly gorgeous... The star, of course, is the inimitable Uliana Lopatkina, who has been the Kirov's hottest ticket for many years. She merits the hype... her technical facility is extraordinary. Her first act pas de deux is a jaw-dropping display of molten, luxurious control and suspension.' The Boston Globe Filmed in the Imperial Splendour of the Mariinsky Theatre, St Petersburg. This Blu-ray was first released as a DVD in the autumn of 2007. The Mariinsky (Kirov) Ballet dances the definitive Swan Lake BLU-RAY BONUS: English prima ballerina Darcey Bussell introduces The Magic of Swan Lake exploring the background and enduring appeal of the world's most famous ballet. RETURN TO THE TOP

	Cat. No.: 074 3304 Barcode: 0044007433041 Label: Decca Blu-Ray DVD Release Date: January			Carlos Acosta\| KHACHATURIAN: Spartacus ARTISTS Carlos Acosta, Spartacus Alexander Volchkov, Crassus Nina Kaptsova, Phrygia Maria Allash, Aegina The Bolshoi Theatre of Russia Pavel Klinichev TRACK LISTING KHACHATURIAN: Spartacus The world's greatest male dancer, Carlos Acosta, dances the greatest male ballet lead Spartacus, in Grigorovich's famous Soviet ballet, created for the Bolshoi to Khachaturian's famous score. Following sensational performances in Moscow and London in 2007, the Bolshoi's production was re-staged and filmed in January 2008 in the Paris Opera's Palais Garnier, especially for Carlos. Captured in HD widescreen, this is the first major video of Spartacus since the Bolshoi's own performances from the 70s. This is the first DVD / Blu-ray marking the signing of Carlos Acosta to the Decca label as an exclusive artist, and the next release is expected to be the Royal Ballet's production of Romeo & Juliet, starring Acosta and Tamara Rojo. Extras: The Blu-ray will also include a 30 min extra film, featuring interviews with Carlos and choreographer Yuri Grigorovich. RETURN TO THE TOP

	Cat. No.: 073 4521 Barcode: 00044007345214 Label: DG Blu-Ray DVD Release Date: January			Rolando Villazón \| GOUNOD: Roméo et Juliette ARTISTS ROLANDO VILLAZÓN, Roméo NINO MACHAIDZE, Juliette MIKHAIL PETRENKO, Frère Laurent RUSSELL BRAUN, Mercutio CORA BURGGRAAF, Stéphano FALK STRUCKMANN, Le Comte Capulet JUAN FRANCISCO GATELL, Tybalt Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg Yannick Nézet-Séguin Staged by Bartlett Sher Video Director: Brian Large TRACK LISTING GOUNOD: Roméo et Juliette EXTRAS • Introduction by Rolando Villazón • Salzburg Impressions – Behind the Scenes of Roméo et Juliette • Love and Death in Verona He came, he sang, he conquered! Rolando Villazón’s Roméo wins Juliette’s heart, and ours, with impassioned, refined singing of an emotionally and vocally demanding role Directed by Bartlett Sher, who telegenically captures the fantastic natural scenery of the famous Felsenreitschule, this first ever production of Gounod ‘s Roméo at the Salzburg Festival benefits from Québecois conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin’s innate understanding Only 25 and film star beautiful, soprano Nino Machaidze embodies Juliette with unforced girlish charm, gorgeous tone and emotional heat Bonus features: Villazón relates the Roméo story in his own words; a behind the scenes documentary; and a documentary on the traces of Romeo and Juliet in Italy Acclaim for the 2008 Salzburg Roméo: 'Bartlett Sher’s production delivered the success everyone was waiting for' - Die Presse (Vienna) 'Villazón expresses all of Romeo’s hot-blooded passion, his tender, erotic intimacy, and, finally, his deathly despair' (Süddeutsche Zeitung) 'With lovely, musical phrasing, Machaidze captures the full range of Juliet’s moods' – Tagesspiegel (Berlin) 'The young Canadian conductor’s “amazing dynamism...brings out all the drama’s phases, from sensuality to death' (Le Figaro) 'A triumph' – Kurier (Vienna) 'Villazón’s Romeo was touching and moving' – Tagesspiegel (Berlin) 'Machaidze's Juliette was pure, charming, and note-perfect' – Bloomberg News RETURN TO THE TOP

	Cat. No.: 073 4525 Barcode: 00044007345252 Label: DG Blu-Ray DVD Release Date: January			Anna Netrebko \| VERDI: La Traviata ARTISTS ANNA NETREBKO, Violetta Valéry HELENE SCHNEIDERMAN, Flora Bervoix DIANE PILCHER, Annina ROLANDO VILLAZÓN, Alfredo Germont THOMAS HAMPSON, Giorgio Germont SALVATORE CORDELLA, Gastone PAUL GAY, Barone Douphol HERMAN WALLÉN, Marchese d'Obigny LUIGI RONI, Dottore Grenvil WILHELM SCHWINGHAMMER, Dottore Grenvil in Acts I & II (musical part), DRITAN LUCA, Giuseppe WOLFRAM IGOR DERNTL, Domestico di Flora FRIEDRICH SPRINGER, Commissionario Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor Wiener Philharmoniker Carlo Rizzi Directed by: Willy Decker Video Director: Brian Large Libretto by Francesco Maria Piave From the Salzburger Festspiele 2005 TRACK LISTING VERDI: La Traviata Together with her ideal stage partner Rolando Villazón, Anna Netrebko captivated the world of opera with sensational performances in the Salzburg Festival's production of La Traviata. Anna was the hottest Salzburg ticket since the golden age of Karajan, enticing over 1.5 million viewers in Austria and Germany to watch the TV broadcast of La Traviata’s premiere in August 2005. The audio recording of La Traviata was the first-ever complete opera recording to enter the German Top 50 pop charts. RETURN TO THE TOP

	Cat. No.: 074 3300 Barcode: 0044007433003 Label: Decca Blu-Ray DVD Release Date: January			Violetta Urmana; Roberto Alagna \| VERDI: Aida ARTISTS Roberto Alagna, Radames Violeta Urmana, Aida Ildiko Komlosi, Amneris Marco Spotti, The King Orchestra of the Teatro Alla Scala, Milan Riccardo Chailly (conductor) Directed by Franco Zeffirelli TRACK LISTING VERDI: Aida Franco Zeffirelli's return to La Scala after more than 20 years was an operatic sensation. Under the baton of Riccardo Chailly, superb cast brings Verdi's Egyptian epic to life in a spectacular production hailed as "a breathtaking, jaw-dropping, ear- and eye-popping feast" (Daily Telegraph). The high profile production from La Scala, Milan, first released by Decca in 2007 on DVD, filmed before Roberto Alagna's sensational departure! The operatic event of late 2006, following Roberto Alagna's exit from the production during the second performance. This was a spectacular new production by veteran director/designer Franco Zeffirelli has all the luxury, theatricality and opulence one could wish for in this most grandest of operas, keeping to tradition and shying away from minimalist modern interpretation. French tenor Roberto Alagna was filmed in early performances before his high-profile departure from the production. Lithuanian soprano Violeta Urmana in the title role and the powerful Hungarian mezzo Ildiko Komlosi as her rival, Princess Amneris. Riccardo Chailly conducts a top cast at La Scala, 'the home of opera'. RETURN TO THE TOP