2014 marks a year of celebration recognizing the 150th birthday year of the German late-Romantic orchestral, operatic and lied master composer, Richard Strauss (1864-1949). Arabella (premiered 1933, Dresden) was the last of the half dozen Strauss works to feature a libretto by the great Austrian writer Hugo von Hofmannsthal. This production, from the most recent Salzburg Easter Festival is, after Capriccio, the second of three Richard Strauss operas C Major is releasing in honor of the composers birth, life and work. The star-laden cast includes soprano Renèe Fleming, baritone Thomas Hampson, Albert Dohmen (Covent Garden, Wiener Staatsoper, MET) and Gabriela Beaková (Wiener Staatsoper, Covent Garden). With Christian Thielemann and the Staatskapelle Dresden, the music of Richard Strauss is in the best of hands. (ORF) Thielemann gets the best out of the cast...especially Renée Fleming with her luxurious soprano FAZ
Estrada, the chief government official of the region, has put a price on the head of José Savedra for causing the local people to rebel against his tax collectors. Dancer Rosario Montes also thinks that the tax levied against her "Fandango Café" is excessive and is not inclined to pay.
Following the success of his first feature "Django", Étienne Comar confronts with "Singing Jailbirds" the life in a prison for women with music and its capacity to unite people and a repertoire of international songs.
In an historic first for Bill and Gloria Gaither and their Homecoming Friends, Jerusalem -- the Holy City of God -- plays host for a moving videotaped visit to the cradle of Christianity. The concert was staged in David's Citadel, part of the original city of Jerusalem, and one of the most unique and sacred venues in the world. The entire countryside where Jesus lived, walked and died is showcased with stirring performances at the Garden Tomb, the Southern Steps and the Jordan River.
The setting of the opera is the enchantress Alcina's island: here by her magic powers she has created a magnificent palace in a beautiful landscape, to lure her many lovers into her power. One of these is Ruggiero, a warrior, who under Alcina's spell has forsaken his duty and his betrothed, Bradamante.
The last two decades have seen a striking decline in the quality of sound and listening experience. Compressed music, MP3s and streaming, have diminished the quality and flattened the emotion. Marketing gimmicks and convenience now take the place of excellence. The Distortion of Sound is an eye-opening exposé of the current state of sound starring Linkin Park, Slash, Quincy Jones and more. This documentary will open your ears and inspire you to reach for richer, more soul-stirring musical experiences.
A fiendish conductor takes over a school band. She eliminates five musicians who then form their own ensemble. With the help of their former conductor, the new band enters The Norwegian Championship against their old band.
The director of a detective agency discovers a jewellery thief likes to attends the theatre. So he hires two clumsy and bumbling detectives to guard all the theatres in the area. The two investigators now go from one venue to another attending various Italian magazine shows.
Long distance telephone calls save the day when Aunt Emily tries to sell the farm, and when Harriet tries to decide whose proposal to accept, Tom's or Dick's.
Live recording from Oper Zurich, 2008, DVD release 2014. Jonas Kaufmann, 'the Prince of Tenors', appears with international star Vesselina Kasarova in Zürich Opera's starkly palpable staging of Bizet's ever-popular Carmen. The production sees Don José (Kaufmann) abandon his teenage attitudes in pursuit of Kasarova's free and independent Carmen - realising too late that his self-control has vanished, along with his youth.
Recorded live at Rockpalast, Markthalle, Hamburg, Germany, 10th January 1980. Tracks include: "For Shame of Doing Wrong", "Crying in the Rain", "I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight" and more.