Gounod - Romeo et Juliette / Mackerras, Alagna, Vaduva, Royal Opera Covent Garden
by Brian Large
from Kultur Video
Gounod's version of Shakespeare's tragedy about two "star-crossed lovers" has never been considered a first-class opera, but as this 1994 Royal Opera production movingly shows, with the right singers and conductor it can be a quite emotional experience. Tenor Roberto Alagna is all youthful ardor and aching romance as Romeo, while soprano Leontina Vaduva plays Juliet as a lover frightfully aware of the doom the pair is moving toward. Among an able supporting cast, Francois Le Roux stands out as Mercutio. Nicolas Joel's staging rarely strays from its focus on the lovers, and it even finds room for moments of true invention and wit. Conducting the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Charles Mackerras again proves his worth as an estimable interpreter of this kind of traditional French opera. --Kevin Filipski
Helmut Lotti Goes Classic: The Blue Album
from Xxl
Voices of Firestone: Jussi Bjorling
from Kultur Video
For more than thirty years, The Voice of Firestone brought the world's greatest artists into the homes of music lovers. Now, through a special arrangement with New England Conservatory in Boston, Kultur is proud to make these rare telecasts available to today's audience. Jussi Bjoerling (1911-1960) continues to be one of the most beloved singers that the 20th century ever produced. His appearances on the Voice of Firestone provide an exciting supplement to his well-known commercial recordings. The telecast of March 6, 1950 features the tenor's wife Anna-Lisa in arias and duets with her renowned husband. Telecast of March 6, 1950: Herbert: Neapolitan Love Song from Princess Pat. Puccini: O mio babbino caro from Gianni Schicchi. Gounod: Salut, demure chaste et pure from Faust. Puccini: O soave fanciulla from La Boheme with Anna-Lisa Bjoerling, Soprano. Telecast of November 19, 1951: Beach: Ah Love, But a Day. Strauss: Standchen. Leoncavallo: Vesti la giubba from Pagliacci. Brahms: Hungarian Dance #1 (Orchestra only).Krenzer: prayer of Thanksgiving. Telecast of November 20, 1950: Firestone: Introduction and If I Could Tell You. Krenzer: Prayer of Thanksgiving (Chorus and Orchestra only). Schubert: Was ist Sylvia? Glazunov: Autumn and Winter from The Seasons. (Orchestra only). Bizet: Flower Song from Carmen. Leoncavallo: Mattinata. Tschaikovsky: The Story of a Starry Night (Orchestra only). Herbert: Neapolitan Love Song from Princess Pat. Firestone: Closing and In My Garden.
Gounod - Faust / Kraus, Ghiuselev, Gonzalez, Guingal, Teatro Regio di Parma
from Hardy Classics DVD
Gounod - Faust
by Erich Binder
from Deutsche Grammophon
Our Favorite Things - Christmas in Vienna / Tony Bennett, Vanessa Williams, Placido Domingo, Charlotte Church
from Kultur Video
Four stars align in Vienna for an extraordinary Christmas concert starring jazz legend Tony Bennett, singer and actress Vanessa Williams, superstar tenor Plácido Domingo, and a special appearance by teen singing sensation Charlotte Church. Recorded live at the Konzerthaus in Vienna, Austria, on December 21, 2000, Our Favorite Things is a timeless holiday concert the whole family will enjoy.
Songs include:
Somewhere in My Memory
Winter Wonderland
Hijo de Dios
Through the Eyes of a Child
I ll Be Home for Christmas
O Holy Night
Silent Night
Jesús de Nazareth
My Favorite Things
Joy to the World
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
The First Noel
Do You Hear What I Hear?
Hacia Belén va un Burro
White Christmas
I Saw Three Ships
Angels We Have Heard on High
Silent Night
Pavarotti & Friends - For War Child
from Digital Sound
Gounod - Roméo et Juliette / Alagna · Gheorghiu · Anton Guadagno
by Barbara Willis Sweete
from Arthaus Musik
America The Beautiful: The National Forests of Utah
from View Video
America the Beautiful: The National Forests of Utah, is a wonderful montage of Utah's magnificant western terrain; from the dry desert ground to the grand peaks and mountaintops and the beautiful animals of the wild. A medley of spectacular footage featuring some of Utah's fifteen million acres of national forests that spread along the state's 53 million acres of land with inspiring views of many of the 48 species of trees that cover a third of the state.
While being entranced by the lovely images moving across the screen, the background is set to the superb sounds of classical music by Rachmaninov, Gounod, Adam and other distinguished and renowned composers. The breathtaking scenes and delightful classical sounds are a pleasure for the eyes and ears.
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