most of our albums are,' Mike Portnoy says of Black Clouds & Silver Linings, Dream Theater's tenth studio album and second Roadrunner release. Black Clouds & Silver Linings marks another milestone on Dream Theater's iconoclastic musical journey, which began two and a half decades ago and now encompasses a hugely impressive body of music that's established the durable progressive metal outfit as a one-of-a-kind creative force with a fiercely devoted international fan base. The new album - produced by band members Mike Portnoy and John Petrucci, who also serve as the group's main lyricists - offers a vibrant manifestation of the world-class musicianship, vivid lyrical scenarios and ambitious, multi-leveled compositions that have established Dream Theater as a...  (less)

legend Mary Martin, that went on to win 6 Tony Awards®, including Best Musical. The last musical in the incomparable collaboration of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, The Sounds of Music introduced a spectacular array of songs that immediately became standards - "My Favorite Things," "Climb Ev'ry Mountain," "Maria," "Do-Re-Mi," "Edelweiss" and the soaring title song. The definitive original cast recording returns in this commemorative edition with new liner notes, new photos and rare bonus tracks.  (less)

Dream Theater's iconoclastic musical journey, which began two and a half decades ago and now encompasses a hugely impressive body of music that's established the durable progressive metal outfit as a one-of-a-kind creative force with a fiercely devoted international fan base. The new album - produced by band members Mike Portnoy and John Petrucci, who also serve as the group's main lyricists - offers a vibrant manifestation of the world-class musicianship, vivid lyrical scenarios and ambitious, multi-leveled compositions that have established Dream Theater as a uniquely compelling creative force.  (less)

Strauss is rarely described as a neoclassical composer, but for Moliére’s play he immersed himself in the style of the baroque, as well as studying the editions of Lully then available. The Kammerorchester Basel (KOB) is one of the leading chamber orchestras of Europe and is in international demand. The KOB is an orchestra without a permanent conductor. The musicians themselves create the unique artistic profile of the orchestra by participating in the selection of conductors, soloists and repertoire. Christopher Hogwood, pioneer of historical performance practice, is the KOB’s Principal Guest Conductor, and it was he who started the acclaimed recording project on Arte Nova a few years ago. Since founding the Academy of Ancie...  (less)

the exuberant world of baroque opera, with its range of pyrotechnic demands--both vocal and emotional. Bartoli's show-stopping virtuosity in a Vivaldi aria from her Live in Italy recital gave a tantalizing sample of her finesse in that style. For The Vivaldi Album , Bartoli conducted extensive research into the composer's manuscripts, (a documentary tracing her quest is planned for subsequent international screening). Although he's best known for his concertos--in typically baroque fashion, two of the arias in fact recycle material from The Four Seasons --Vivaldi was a ferociously prolific composer of operas for the cutting-edge theaters of his time, and the arias gathered here demonstrate the word-painting magic of his music, from ...  (less)

His weave of cuts such as the Dope Smugglaz' dark and tense "The Word (PMT Remix)," Lemon Jelly's sunrise chill-out "Kneel Before Your God," and his own retro-electro collaboration with Afrika Bambaataa and the Soul Sonic Force, "Planet Rock (Swordfish Mix)," is smart and evocative, a glistening picture of L.A.'s high-tech underbelly in 2001. Indeed, it's hard not to hear beautiful, wealthy people at gorgeous raves in bathroom stalls somewhere off the Sunset Strip as Oakenfold segues the sleazy "Stanley's Tune" into the neon techno of "Password." Headphones could well be the way to go on initial spins, simply because Oakenfold's mix is spiced with the sort of celluloid nuances and attentions that a...  (less)

with a real bright tenorial `ping' to his high notes ... Nicolai Ghiaurov offers a dignified, dark-hued Silva, and unknown baritone Carlo Meliciani handles Carlo's high-lying music well." --CLASSICS TODAY Ernani had its premiere in 1844 and went on swiftly to conquer the world's theaters, remaining one of Verdi's most popular operas for many decades. This performance was taped on opening night at La Scala in 1969, a historic treasure withi Domingo at the beginning of his international career. Raina Kabaivanska was born in Bulgaria in 1934 but moved to Italy to pursue her vocal career. Renowned for her interpretations of the roles of Tosca, Manon, Francesca da Rimini, and Madame Butterfly, the fiery soprano earned the nickname "...  (less)

Arbor, he earned his DMA from University of Texas at Austin. He studied privately with John Corigliano and was the first American to win the Sir Arthur Bliss Memorial award, for outstanding postgraduate composer at London’s Royal College of Music. Knight is a “fresh, original voice” with “an inventive sense of humor” (Bernard Holland, The New York Times) who creates music that is “visceral in its excitement” (John von Rheim, Chicago Tribune). Wayne Lee Gay of Knight-Ridder News Service calls Knight’s music “inventive and melodic.” Timothy Mangan of the Los Angeles Times cites “the composer’s canny combination of steady meter with atonal lyricism, a waltz-like lilt with expressionist angst.” Mangan notes that Knight’s...  (less)

commission to write incidental music for Daudet's melodrama L'Arlésienne before he began work on Carmen . The music was poorly received at the premiere in 1872, and after only a few performances the play was discontinued. Later, Bizet revised parts of his theatre music and formed them into the Suite No. 1, which was received ecstatically at its premiere. The Suite No. 2 was put together by Ernest Guiraud after Bizet's death. Samuel Friedmann was born in Kharkov in 1940. He graduated from the Kharkov Conservatory as a violinist in 1964, and from the Leningrad Conservatory as a conductor in 1966. Until 1973, Friedmann performed throughout the Soviet Union. In 1973 he immigrated to Israel and began his international career. His concert activi...  (less)

at Opera Music Theater International, performing and studying under Jerome Hines, and was a Fulbright Senior Scholar in Moscow. Known to his colleagues as Ode, the bass-baritone has performed internationally in recitals of art songs.  (less)

family. Released to theaters immediately after the network series left the air in 1966, Flintstone reunites the vocal cast from its final two seasons--Alan Reed as Fred, Mel Blanc as Barney, Jean VanderPyl as Wilma, and Gerry Johnson, who replaced Bea Bernadet as Betty--for this tale of mistaken identities and international intrigue. Veteran voice actor Paul Frees is secret agent Rock Slag, who is injured in his pursuit of the villainous Green Goose (Harvey Korman). His identical twin (Fred Flintstone, natch) is recruited to impersonate Slag and continue the chase in "Eurock," with Wilma, Barney and Betty in tow under the pretense of a joint family vacation. Flintstone has its moments, most notably a musical number featuring t...  (less)

her first ever performance in the city which means so much to her. She responded magnificently to the occasion, presenting a rousing program of songs chosen to welcome the New Year. Among the hits she performed were "I Couldn't Live Without Your Love", "The Other Man's Grass" and "Who Am I?", and she included two of her own compositions -"Don't Stop The Music" and "On With The Show" --plus favorites from her films "Goodbye Mr. Chips" and "Finian's Rainbow" It was stunning concert on an emotional occasion -truly a night to remember with warmth and affection throughout the year  (less)