Karajan, Herbert von

Herbert Von Karajan

First release in any format! Not just a biographical film,
Karajan uncovers the true, personal essence of the unique
artist behind the public figure, a portrait of a man who was
full of contradictions and remained a mystery until his death.
On the occasion of the 100th birthday of Herbert von
Karajan, Academy Award® nominee Robert Dornhelm
has mined the archives of Unitel, for more than two decades
the great conductor s production home, for previously
unreleased material including rehearsal footage, and
interviews with members of the Karajan family, plus such
music world luminaries and colleagues as Anne-Sophie
Mutter, Seiji Ozawa, Christian Thielemann, René Kollo,
Christa Ludwig, Brigitte Fassbaender, Gundula Janowitz,
Sir Simon Rattle, Mariss Jansons, Joachim Kaiser and
Helmut Schmidt.
The greater understanding of this legendary artist to be
experienced by seeing this film will certainly transfer to a
greater appreciation of his recordings, and is a must not only
for Karajan lovers, but for anyone who loves symphonic music.

Leoncavallo: Pagliacci / Mascagni: Cavalleria Rusticana

Opera's most popular double bill, fondly known as Cav and Pag, can be a tawdry mess or, as in this performance of Pagliacci, a searing experience. Its power derives from an all-star cast headed by tenor Jon Vickers in the double role of betrayed husband, Canio, and tragic clown, Pagliacci. He's a singer who blurred the division between reality and stage illusion in every role he assumed, thus taking an opera about that thin line between real life and stage artifice to heightened levels of intensity. Vickers is a force of nature, his big, brawny voice suffused with emotion. Here, his phrasing, textual precision, and timbral colorations expand the scope of the opera, making a moving tragedy out of Leoncavallo's verismo melodrama. It helps that his colleagues are also in good form: Soprano Raina Kabaivanska is an excellent Nedda, Canio's cheating wife, whose loyalty to her lover, Silvio, sends Canio into a murderous rage in the stage farce that parodies their real-life situation. She sings with refinement in the Act One love duet and with powerful desperation in Act Two. Baritone Rolando Panerai is a fine Silvio, and the double role of Peppe/Arlecchino is enhanced by the smooth tenor of Sergio Lorenzo. Peter Glossup is a convincing Tonio, the lascivious member of the troupe whose lust leads him to betray Nedda and set the tragedy in motion. Herbert von Karajan conducts the La Scala forces, guiding the mounting tension to perfection. He's also credited with directing the film, based on Paul Hager's stage production. Despite copious closeups, lip-synching to the prerecorded vocal performances is smoothly done. Like Pagliacci, this Cavelleria Rusticana was a La Scala production filmed in 1968. But the filming, directed by Ake Falck, disappoints. Another village melodrama of love, infidelity, and murder, it's well sung, with mezzo Fiorenza Cossoto in the role of Santuzza, the betrayed heroine and a little-known but capable tenor, Gianfranco Cecchele, in the role of Turridu, whose love for Lola, soprano Adriana Martino, leads to the violent response of her husband, Alfio, acted by baritone Giangiacomo Guelfi. Karajan shines in the expansive Prelude and the beautifully shaped Intermezzo but the opera is undercut by a film with too many irrelevant scenic shots and an excess of tight closeups that have the effect of creating emotional distance rather than involvement. But if Cav underachieves, this Pag, dominated by Jon Vickers, is an unforgettable operatic experience. --Dan Davis

This DVD is in 4:3 format. Sound options include PCM Stereo and DTS 5.1 Surround. Subtitles include English, French, German, Spanish, and Chinese.

Bruckner: Symphonies Nos. 8 & 9; Te Deum [DVD Video]

Indisputably one of the most important conductors of Anton Bruckner, Herbert von Karajan leads the Vienna Philharmonic with his Symphonies Nos. 8 & 9 and Te Deum. In addition to conducting Karajan also serves as director and artistic supervisor. Bruckner's Symphony No. 8, in an early version from 1887, was recorded live in the spring of 1979 at the splendid Baroque monastery church of St. Florian near Linz, where Bruckner spent many years as a student and teacher in his youth. Bruckner himself regarded the Adagio of his 8th Symphony as the greatest movement in any of his symphonies. The work was first performed by the Vienna Philharmonic in December 1892 under the direction of Hans Richter. Bruckner's last, unfinished symphonic masterpiece Symphony No. 9, and Te Deum were captured live from the Musikverein, in Vienna in 1978. Te Deum--one of Bruckner's most striking vocal works includes the superb cast of Anna Tomowa-Sintow, Agnes Baltsa, David Rendall, José van Dam and the Wiener Singverein.

Great Recordings of the Century - The DVD

Karajan in Concert

Truly a portrait of an artist: Over two hours devoted to classic
Karajan performances overtures, a Rachmaninov concerto,
showpieces by Debussy and Ravel and a documentary on
the occasion of his 70th birthday.

Verdi - Il Trovatore / Domingo, Kabaivanksa, Cossotto, Cappuccilli, van Dam, Zednik, von Karajan, Vienna Opera

Opera lovers worldwide will rejoice in, this first ever release of Karajan's final Trovatore, featuring Plácido Domingo on DVD. Herbert von Karajan (1908-1989) not only conducted the opera, but he was also responsible for the stage direction. The recording was very rarely broadcast and this DVD draws on the original tapes held by Austrian Television (ORF). These have been extensively restored using state of the art technology. Thus this gem from the archives can now be enjoyed on DVD with enhanced sound and picture quality and the opera stars of this production shine in renewed splendour. Picture Format: 16:9 • Sound Format: LPCM Stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1

Verdi - Requiem / Price, Pavarotti, Cossotto, Ghiaurov, von Karajan, Teatro alla Scala

Herbert von Karajan in Rehearsal and Performance

Great Conductors of the Third Reich: Art in the Service of Evil

GREAT CONDUCTORS OF THE THIRD REICH includes stunning newsreel footage showing that Böhm, Furtwängler, Karajan, Knappertsbusch and Krauss, among others, turned themselves and their art into Nazi propaganda. The Nazis wanted to be perceived as men of culture, so they crowned many of their victories with concerts, which they sometimes filmed. "We are bringing the world the greatest art," was their message.

On this DVD a newsreel presents panzers parading down the Champs-Elysées juxtaposed with Karajan conducting the Prussian Staatskapelle in occupied Paris. Other footage includes Furtwängler conducting in celebration of Hitler's birthday, also Hitler at Bayreuth. When women see Hitler they weep with joy. The performances are glorious, spiritual even--the greatest art in the service of the greatest evil.--Stefan Zucker

Vivaldi - The Four Seasons / Von Karajan, Mutter, Berlin Philharmonic