Off The Bookshelf Leaving Home: Orchestral Music in the 20th Century, Vol. 1 Search DVD

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1.Mozart Opera Glyndebourne Collection: Cosi fan Tutte, Don Giovanni, Le Nozze di Figaro, Die Entfuhhrung aus dem Serail, Idomeneo, Die Zauberflote (6 DVDs) starring: Kiri te Kanawa, Frederica von Stade, Felicity Lott, Valerie Masterson, Bernard Haitink January 17, 2006
Average Rating: >>More Details		List Price: $79.99 Off The Bookshelf's Price: $71.99 You Save: $8.00 (10%) Prices subject to change. Used Price: $67.57
Save your money. I believed the other reviews here and bought this, trusting that this was a good collection; what a mistake that was. All of the operas are recorded from 1970-1980, and the sound quality is HORRIBLE. Maybe I've just been spoiled by contemporary recordings, but this is pretty bad. I found myself snoozing through two of my favourite operas, Don Giovanni and The Magic Flute, which I absolutely LOVE. These recordings just aren't anywhere near up to par with others that are available. I haven't watched all of them yet (and I probably won't), but the performances I've seen thus far (Magic Flute, Don Giovanni, Seraglio, and Figaro) have all been mediocre at best. I guess all I'm trying to say is, don't be fooled by the good reviews, and buy this set at your own ... Read More

2.Stravinsky - The Rake's Progress / Lott, Goeke, Ramey, Elias, van Allan, Haitink, Glyndebourne Opera starring: Samuel Ramey, Leo Goeke, Felicity Lott, Richard van Allan, Bernard Haitink August 16, 2005
Average Rating: >>More Details		List Price: $19.99 Off The Bookshelf's Price: $17.99 You Save: $2.00 (10%) Prices subject to change. Used Price: $13.55
Maybe I should explain my headline. For anyone approaching this work for the first time, or wanting to really settle down and get to grips with it, this is surely the best possible way. First of all, the music making: it is superb. The London Philharmonic is spectacular. The many tricky solos in winds and brass are stunningly played, not only very accurately, but with beauty of tone and appropriate expression. The tuning of the strings in some tricky passages (the prelude to the Graveyard Scene for example) is pristine and the harpsichordist is simply a virtuoso (he accompanies the Graveyard Scene with exemplary clarity and point). Haitink's conducting is exceptional. He is very accurate, superb at pointing details and while he is aware of the composer's own rather dry manner in this ... Read More

3.Richard Strauss - Der Rosenkavalier / Carlos Kleiber, Otto Schenk - Lott, von Otter, Bonney - Wiener Staatsoper starring: Felicity Lott, Kurt Moll, Anne Sofie von Otter, Gottfried Hornik, Barbara Bonney directed by: Horant H. Hohlfeld June 19, 2001
Average Rating: >>More Details		List Price: $39.98 Off The Bookshelf's Price: $27.97 You Save: $12.01 (30%) Prices subject to change. Used Price: $21.50
Still, I am going to make them for those who need to choose between these two productions. Like a previous reviewer, I am going to suggest getting both. If you have to restrict yourself to one, get the earlier Munich production, it is marginally better. Both version opera have the same conductor and are based on the same stage director's work. The earlier production had Gwyneth Jones, Brigitte Fassbaender and Lucia Popp as the Marchellin, Octavian and Sophie. Here we have Felicity Lott, Anne Sophie von Otter and Barbarba Bonney and a chance to see how different singers interpret these roles. In almost every way the Munich performance is better. The stage settings are far superior to those used in this performance. The singers are more evenly matched, but while Ms. Lott and Ms. Bonney are excellent, ... Read More

4.Richard Strauss - Intermezzo / Felicity Lott, Glyndebourne Festival Opera starring: Felicity Lott, John Pringle, London Philharmonic, Gustav Kuhn directed by: John Cox June 24, 2008
Average Rating: >>More Details		List Price: $29.99 Off The Bookshelf's Price: $26.99 You Save: $3.00 (10%) Prices subject to change. Used Price: $17.64
I first met Intermezzo via this performance on tape. Intermezzo may be the most difficult Strauss to appreciate. First there is the story - an unflattering look at the Strauss family household. He the put upon, understanding spouse; she the nagging demanding wife. But there is more than that. Beneath the arguing Strauss is able to show the love on both their parts which make this testy marriage work. Then there is the music. No big tunes. Just "melodish." This isn't because Strauss has run out of inspiration. It is that he is after something different - a musical play. The music is totally at the service of the words. At no time does it call attention to itself. Don't fault him - this is what Strauss wanted. He is doing here what many after him would do. And they didn't even make their music "melodish." Which would ... Read More

5.Britten - A Midsummer Night's Dream / Bowman, Cotrubas, Lott, Buchanan, Davies, Duesing, Haitink, Glyndebourne Opera starring: Benjamin Britten, Felicity Lott, Ileana Cotrubas, James Bowman, Dale Duesing July 27, 2004
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I hate this opera. Don't get me wrong. This production is a glorious feast for the eyes as the faeries in their exotic costumes dance through an enchanted wood. The magical lighting suffuses each scene so that the moonlight appears mystically misty and the guests watching the "play within the play" are washed in a beery golden light. The singers are fabulous. The part of Oberon was written for countertenor James Bowman and he puts in a performance that is out of this world. Bottom in his donkey's head is so cute and fluffy one totally understands why Tytania just loves him. This is the 1981 Glyndebourne Festival production, and one has to take it as the standard for all others to follow. I want to emphasize: This is GREAT and deserves FIVE STARS. But I hate it. The pacing seems really ... Read More

6.Offenbach - La Grande-Duchesse de Gerolstein / Lott, Piau, Beuron, Le Roux, Les Musiciens du Louvre, Minkowski (Theatre du Chatelet) starring: Felicity Lott, Sandrine Piau, Yann Beuron, François Le Roux, Marc Minkowski directed by: Laurent Pelly, François Roussillon January 24, 2006
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Because I had enjoyed La Belle Helene so much and because I had the French CD version of Duchesse (with Crespin) I felt this had to be a winner. Many years ago I saw an English language version; surprisingly I found I enjoyed it immensely even though French operetta like its German and Austrian equivalent don't travel well when translated, Well, the version under consideration didn't travel well to this auditor. Aside from the production which looked "low rent", Pelly's direction was of the "wink wink nudge nudge" school. Everything was underlined, exaggerated, and grotesque. I adore Lott but she was directed to overdo all her gestures and schticks. When it came to simply singing, I have no criticism, but there is a lot of dialogue and little inspiration or imagination employed. I hate to be negative, but I frankly doubt ... Read More

7.Offenbach - La Belle Helene / Minkowski, Lott, Beuron, Senechal, Naouri, Le Roux, Torodovitch, Chatelet Opera starring: Felicity Lott, Yann Beuron, Michel Sénéchal, François Le Roux, Laurent Naouri June 29, 2004
Average Rating: >>More Details		List Price: $29.99 Off The Bookshelf's Price: $26.99 You Save: $3.00 (10%) Prices subject to change. Used Price: $15.39
I don't know why it took me so long to acquire "Helene" on DVD since I have had a CD of it for many years. Recollecting initial reviews were all positive, I can only chalk it up to inertia. Well, I was delighted with the whole performance and since France is unable to to come up with a qualified Helene, they could do no better than Flott. She is not a conventionally beautiful woman, she is, however, attractive, and skilled enough to convince you that she is beautiful. Besides a performance in the theatre is certainly not as invasive as a video camera. I only wish that in the near future there will be a production of Hoffman that is as good that this; and while Helene is not a substitute I can recommend it to those who enjoy French operetta, are not put off by spoken dialogue, and an updated production. Much of the satire remains trenchant, ... Read More

8.La Belle Hélène [Region 2] starring: Felicity Lott, Yann Beuron, Michel Sénéchal, Laurent Naouri, François Le Roux directed by: Ross MacGibbon
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This is a wonderful production. Please note this is available as a Region-1 DVD Offenbach - La Belle Helene / Minkowski, Lott, Beuron, Senechal, Naouri, Le Roux, Torodovitch, Chatelet Opera for a lot less money. I Sure wish that Orphee aux Enfers was available as well!

9.Mozart - Die Zauberflote / Lott, Luxon, Goeke, Sandoz, Conquet, Fryatt, Haitink, Glyndebourne Opera starring: Leo Goeke, Felicity Lott, Benjamin Luxon, Elisabeth Conquet, May Sandoz directed by: Dave Heather August 17, 2004
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I was amazed to find that there could be an edition of the Magic Flute that I simply wanted to turn off - and a Glyndebourne Opera edition, at that! I had bought it with high hopes at our local Stockholm music-shop - it was on sale, and now I think I understand why. The acting, especially Pamino's, is extraordinarily wooden - it is like seeing a high-school performer stumbling through his lines. Goeke's lack of schooling in how to pronounce German does not help, either - I have seldom had to actually cringe at how a recitative is pronounced. The sets, also, are inappropriate, overdone and silly-looking. Luxon tries to save the production by producing a wonderful, older, buffoon-like Papageno, but he is stranded amidst the other inadequate actors. And, finally, the orchestration is not to be recommended for those who tend to favour Harnancourt's or Gardner's interpretation ... Read More

10.Leaving Home: Orchestral Music in the 20th Century, Vol. 1 starring: Sir Simon Rattle, City of Birmingham Symphony Opera Orchestra, Gidon Kremer, Felicity Lott, Mahler Schonberg Wagner Isolde July 19, 2005
Average Rating: >>More Details		List Price: $24.99 Off The Bookshelf's Price: $22.49 You Save: $2.50 (10%) Prices subject to change. Used Price: $16.00
DANCING ON A VOLCANO is the first episode of Sir Simon Rattle's "Leaving Home", a television programme introducing 20th century orchestral music. We go between the brief lectures of Rattle, seated at a piano, and excepts from various pieces in performance by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra conducted by Rattle. This first volume starts at the very beginning: Vienna before World War I, when tonality was being pushed to the limit by Wagner, Mahler, and Schoenberg, and then broken entirely by the first twelve-tone serialists. For Rattle, Wagner's "Tristan" makes a convenient beginning, though some might want to contest the composer's intentions in its infamous atonal passage. Mahler (Symphony No. 7) comes along with some innovations so subtle that it took decades for people to recognise how original he was. Schoenberg ("Transfigured Night", "Five Orchestral Pieces") ... Read More

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