fyglia

Macbeth is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi, with an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave and additions by Andrea Maffei, based on William Shakespeare's play of the same name. Shirley Verrett, Leo Nucci, Samuel Ramey, Veriano Luchetti, and Antonio Barasorda star in this Verdi opera with Riccardo Chailly conducting the Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna. This 2 DVD set includes over 1 hour of backstage footage and interview.

Sliding marble walls, a mosaic-like floor, a leafless tree centre-stage, elegant costumes with its young cast and a superlative performance by Roberto Frontali as Simon Boccanegra, this production has all the ingredients to leave a lasting impression. The Italian baritone is a regular guest at the world's major opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala Milan, the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Zurich Opera House, the Staatsoper Berlin and Dresden's Semperoper. Born in 1979 and already principal conductor in Bologna, Michele Mariotti directs the ensemble in a bravura performance. Simon Boccanegra is perhaps not one of Verdi's best-known operas. The composer himself returned to revise the work on several occasions. The original opera was premiered in Venice in 1857, this revised version not until 1881. Although never considered one of Verdi's crowd pullers, it remains one of the composer's most beautiful creations. Verdi's music underpins this human drama in all its surprising twists and turns ... This captivating performance of the opera is now available on Blu-ray.

The Biblical story of Belshazzar's hubristic arrogance set against the valour of the young warrrior-leader Cyrus provided the 20-year-old Rossini with a dramatic story with West-Eastern resonances which still speak to us today. For the title role of Cyrus, Rossini wrote what would be his longest-ever contralto role, to which the great Rossini singer Ewa Podles is both naturally attracted and ideally suited. She is partnered by two young stars of Rossini singing, Jessica Pratt and Michael Spyres, and a conductor-scholar, Will Crutchfield, of immense experience and sympathy.

‘It can be truly said of Adelaide di Borgogna that, like a rose, it bloomed but a day - l’espace d’un matin.’ First performed in Rome on 27 December 1817, it enjoyed very few revivals. In 2011 the Rossini Festival in Pesaro presented the second staged performance of Adelaide di Borgogna since 1825. It stars sought-after mezzo Daniela Barcellona as Ottone, young Australian soprano Jessica Pratt, who possesses a natural-born bel canto voice, in the role of Adelaide, and Bogdan Mihai gives proof of his versatile coloratura-tenor. Director Pier’ Alli devised a modern, stylish look for his production, which interweaves medieval aspects with ironically used elements from the time of the opera’s genesis. His video installations create a beautifully abstract world for Rossini’s colourful music.

This is an opera that few tenors dare sing and which Florez has made his own throughout his career. There are a lot of high Cs and more than a few elaborate rages. Corradino is head-strong and not too smart (well, he is a tenor). Though of course Juan Diego is nothing if not smart, and very famous for his high Cs. This combination of character and singer is exploited to perfection by Mr. Florez in minimal moves and maximal voice and musicianship.” – Opera Today