Off The Bookshelf Alban Berg - Wozzeck - Claudio Abbado Search VHS

Bookmark the site

Return to Homepage

US Shopping
UK Shopping

Best Selling > VHS > Operetta

Search VHS - select a category

1.The Pirates of Penzance starring: Kevin Kline, Angela Lansbury, Linda Ronstadt, George Rose, Rex Smith directed by: Wilford Leach March 01, 1992
Average Rating: >>More Details		Used Price: $22.95
Potential buyers should be warned that this is not a DVD version of the made-for-film production that includes Angela Landsbury in the cast, though her name certainly appears on the box cover in the advertisement, the product description, and the reviews. It appears that none of the reviewers actually own a DVD copy of this film, and are therefore commenting on a different production than the one being sold (which I already own). As I remember, the production being sold here has sound issues, and the volume fades in and out. Nonetheless, "Hyacinth Bucket" gives a very strong performance as the foolish nursery maid, and the production has other appealing features to collectors.

2.Naughty Marietta starring: Jeanette MacDonald, Nelson Eddy, Frank Morgan, Elsa Lanchester, Douglass Dumbrille directed by: Robert Z. Leonard, W.S. Van Dyke September 01, 1998
Average Rating: >>More Details		Used Price: $9.94
This is one of the best of the movies made by Nelson and Jeanette. It has adventure, music, humor and love. The songs are great and this movie can be seen multiple time, getting better everytime. Enjoy

3.Verdi - La Traviata / Levine, Stratas, Domingo starring: Teresa Stratas, Plácido Domingo, Cornell MacNeil, Allan Monk, Axelle Gall directed by: Franco Zeffirelli March 01, 1992
Average Rating: >>More Details		Used Price: $9.74
Verdi - La Traviata / Levine, Stratas, DomingoI saw this production in 1986 and I was so impressed with this performance that I always want to have this particular version of la Traviata. I saw this DVD when I received this one a couple of weeks ago and my opinion didn't change.

4.Poulenc - Dialogues of the Carmelites / Bonynge, Sutherland, Buchanan, Begg, Opera Australia starring: Anthony Warlow, Isobel Buchanan, Geoffrey Chard, Lone Koppel, Paul Ferris (III) directed by: Henry Prokop October 29, 1999
Average Rating: >>More Details		List Price: $29.95 Off The Bookshelf's Price: $28.45 You Save: $1.50 ( 5%) Prices subject to change. Used Price: $5.99
Musical conception by R. Bonynge is excellent, considering M. Rosenthal (a good friend of Poulenc) and M. Plasson have probably done the definitive versions from the orchestral standpoint. All singers were excellent in their roles; Blanche de la Force was sung in a full-bodied manner by a full-bodied woman, a contrast to the way it has been cast in the past, and it worked because the singer (Imogene Buchanan) got to the heart of the part. The delightful surprise was the great lyrico-coloratura Joan Sutherland in the rather understated part of Madame Lidoine, a true heroine by any measure. Despite some moments when enunciation (sung in English) was a problem, she nevertheless presented a loving portrait of this marvellous courageous woman. I did notice the translation was different from the one the ... Read More

5.Ponchielli - La Gioconda / Fischer, Sanjust, Wiener Staatsoper starring: Eva Marton, Plácido Domingo, Ludmila Semtschuk, Kurt Rydl, Margarita Lilova directed by: Hugo Käch April 29, 1997
Average Rating: >>More Details		Used Price: $4.95
This is a solid performance with a very good cast and orchestra throughout. But there is one curiosity: At the very end of Enzo's aria in the 2d act ("Cielo e mar") the music and the video do not fit together - in the video Domingo's phrasing is different from what you hear, the last note is also shorter than he actually seems to be singing it on stage. When I saw it the DVD the first time I was surprised by the seemingly delayed applause of the audience but it seems that the end of the aria was edited for the DVD, it is even possible to hear where the editing starts (a little clicking sound). I can only assume that the artist was not satisfied. But was editing really necessary, especially if it is so obvious? It seems somehow not honest on a DVD, showing a "live" opera performance. It would be interesting ... Read More

6.Verdi - La Traviata / Patane, Moffo, Bonisolli, Rome Opera House starring: Anna Moffo, Gino Bechi, Franco Bonisolli, Glauco Scarlini, Athos Cesarini directed by: Mario Lanfranchi March 30, 1999
Average Rating: >>More Details		Used Price: $6.00
Anna Moffo is superb. The filming is excellent. However I prefer a production of a live performance on stage.

7.Julius Caesar starring: Theo Adam August 01, 1996
Average Rating: >>More Details		Off The Bookshelf's Price: $7.99 Prices subject to change. Used Price: $5.98
"Giulio Cesare in Egitto" dates from Handel's greatest period as an opera composer. For those of you who are used to hearing it sung in Italian with male or female altos in some of the key roles, e.g. Julius Caesar and Ptolemy, this 1979 Berlin State Opera version may come as a bit of surprise since the alto roles are sung by base-baritones, as is the bass role of Achillas. Sextus, the son of Pompey and Cornelia is sung by the tenor Eberhard Buchner rather than the usual soprano. The opera is sung in German with no subtitles. There has also been some extensive cutting, especially to the roles of Cornelia and her son Sextus. However, it is an interesting and enjoyable production - much more so than the only other "Giulio Cesare" video that I have seen, i.e. the Peter Sellars modern dress version ... Read More

8.Lehar - The Merry Widow / Bonynge, Sutherland, Stevens, Opera Australia starring: Joan Sutherland, Ron Stevens, Anne Maree McDonald, Anson Austin, Gordon Wilcock directed by: Virginia Lumsden April 29, 1997
Average Rating: >>More Details		Used Price: $2.97
I didn't like it, but the audience in Australia certainly did. Sutherland sang only one thing (in my opinion) poorly, and that was I think the last number in the show, what is commonly called The Merry Widow Waltz. She sang it in her "low voice" (to take an expression from Kiri Te Kanawa) and I didn't like it. The rest of it (what there WAS of it!) was wonderful. Too much dialogue. Too much farce (it was stupid). I've heard several different versions of this score, and except a few tunes, they all seem to have different songs in them. Which reminds me, my preference (even over Sutherland) is Studer's CD of this show. Glorious! I may be mistaken, but I think, in fact am almost positive, that some of the songs were cut (to make room for that boring, idiotic dialogue? And what was the point of all the dancing, the ... Read More

9.Mozart's Magic Flute Story starring: Gewandhaus Orchestra August 01, 1996
Average Rating: >>More Details		Used Price: $1.07
I purchased this video to supplement a composer lesson about Mozart. The video is an abridged version of the Mozart opera, The Magic Flute. I was disappointed by the poor video quality and poor production values. One of the reasons I purchased an abridged version is that the full opera would be much to lengthy for elementary school audiences and I thought I would be able to show this in its entirity due to its abbreviated length, but the video is so poor, it failed to capture even my interest as an ADULT with two music degrees (one in vocal music performance, no less). I DO NOT recommend this video. It is useful to be shown in short excerpts only. It is definitely not worth using the precious little funds you may already receive for equipment/supplies.

10.Alban Berg - Wozzeck - Claudio Abbado starring: Franz Grundheber, Walter Raffeiner, Philip Langridge, Heinz Zednik, Aage Haugland directed by: Brian Large July 29, 1997
Average Rating: >>More Details		Used Price: $32.68
Wozzeck is one of my favourites operas, a work which I know in some of the most important performances: Bohm (DG), Boulez (CBS/Sony), Dohnanyi (Decca), Barenboim (Teldec), Abbado (DG)... I'm sorry about this is not, from the musical point of view, one of the best available. The stage direction is good, a very objective work, in a high correspondence with Berg's words, very appropriate for a first watching of this opera, because you can know exactly what's happening, it's not the typical modern stage in which the action take place in a different context than the work and words talk about. So, from the visual point of view is a very clear, interesting and well designed version. It's well shot in video, putting together different takes of faces, full bodies, the full stage and even some takes of Claudio Abbado and the ... Read More

page 1 of 17
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Off The Bookshelf gives you a unique shopping experience, you can find all the products you like within a few minutes online, locate the latest charting CD's, DVD's & Games, read user reviews on the bestselling Books and Household products. All items are available to buy Used (at a greater saving) or New (at a great discounted RRP). Add the items to your shopping basket, pay securely online and we send these products to be delivered to your door. We take great pride in being able to offer you the great savings partnering with Amazon, offering you cheaper prices than the high street retailers, we have thousands of discounts on all the the items you can buy off the shelf and hope you find the website easy to use.

Thanks for visiting and browsing Off The Bookshelf

In association with Amazon.com

SME-WS
HolidayHavens - Holiday Rental Accommodation