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)

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)

a new international industry at the dawn of the twentieth century, live performances alone forged the connection between music and listeners. The principal public settings were churches, concert halls, and opera theaters, as well as ramshackle opry houses that welcomed touring artists to boomtowns of the American westward expansion. Chief among audience-building venues, however, was the family gathering place in days when a household s most elegant room typically was furnished with a chord-playing instrument. Pianoforte, pump organ, guitar, banjo, and also the elegant harp, were among the crown jewels of parlors from Boston and New York to New Orleans, San Francisco and places in between. Often a harpist s pa...  (less)

of life, love and revelry set in a busy Spanish apartment block had instantaneous and huge success when first premiered in 1894, and it has since been performed countless times across the Spanishspeaking world. Filmed at Madrid's new Festival de San Lorenzo de El Escorial, this version was based on a successful production originally mounted in 2002 by the Hebbel Theater in Berlin. DVD Extra: Making of...documentary, including interviews with director Marina Bollaín and conductor Miguel Roa.  (less)

Dutch National Ballet to perform some of van Manen's most celebrated ballets. This gala event includes stunning performances from internationally renowned ballerinas Uliana Lopatkina, Lucia Lacarra and the brightest stars of Dutch dance including Larissa Lezhnina and Igone de Jongh of Dutch National Ballet and the young talent of Nederlands Dans Theater. Recorded at Het Muziektheater, Amsterdam, with behind the scenes footage and interviews. Choreography by Hans van Manen ADAGIO HAMMERKLAVIER Performed by Dutch National Ballet: Natalia Hoffmann, Larissa Lezhnina, Tamás Nagy, Anna Tsygankova, Jozef Varga, Artem Yachmennikov Music by Beethoven SIMPLE THINGS Performed by Nederlands Dans Theater II :Celia Amade, Nina Botkay, Javier Monzon, ...  (less)