Blu-ray
Verdi: La traviata (The Royal Opera)
Renée Fleming (Violetta); Joseph Calleja (Alfredo); Thomas Hampson (Germont);
"Antonio Pappano takes charge of this revival, searching out the meaning of Verdi's score in a supple, sentient reading that sweeps you along." (The Guardian)
Verdi: La traviata (The Royal Opera)
Ermonela Jaho (Violetta Valéry); Charles Castronovo (Alfredo Germont); Plácido Domingo (Giorgio Germont); Catherine Carby (Annina); Aigul Akhmetshina (Flora Bervoix); Germán E Alcántara (Baron Douphol); Simon Shibambu (Doctor Grenvil); Thomas Atkins (Gastone de Letorieres); Jeremy White (Marquis D'Obigny);
"Jaho gives everything she has, especially an exceptional diversity of soft singing, intimate, vulnerable, dreamy, apprehensive, intense and the result is a deeply moving portrayal." (The Financial Times ★★★★)
Verdi: Les vêpres siciliennes (De Nederlandse Opera)
Barbara Haveman (Hélène); Burkhard Fritz (Henri); Alejandro Marco-Buhrmester (Guy de Montfort); Balint Szabo (Jean Procida);
"Alejandro Marco-Buhrmeister succeeds in evoking our sympathy in 'Au sein de la puissance'. The lovers sing tenderly; but what stands out in their Act 2 duet is some exquisite phrasing in the strings...There are a few cuts, including the cabaletta of Procida's 'Et toi, Palerme', but it's a worthwhile addition to the modest number of French grand operas on DVD." (Gramophone)
Verdi: Macbeth (The Royal Opera)
Simon Keenlyside (Macbeth); Liudmyla Monastyrska (Lady Macbeth); Raymond Aceto (Banquo);
"...an impressive company showcase, full of moments when chorus and orchestra are at full throttle. Whipped up by Antonio Pappano's baton, they sound truly thrilling." (The Guardian)
Verdi: Otello (Gran Teatre del Liceu)
José Cura (Otello); Krassimira Stoyanova (Desdemona); Lado Ataneli (Jago); Vittorio Grigolo (Cassio); Ketevan Kemoklidze (Emilia);
"Verdis wise, passionate score was served with precision, gusto and a keen ear for drama by maestro Antoni Ros-Marbà and the solid, malleable Liceu orchestra." (Opera News)
Verdi: The Shakespeare Operas (The Royal Opera/Gran Teatro de Liceu/Glyndebourne)
Simon Keenlyside (Macbeth (Macbeth)); Liudmyla Monastryrska (Lady Macbeth (Macbeth)); Raymond Aceto (Banquo (Macbeth)); José Cura (Otello (Otello)); Krassimira Stoyanova (Desdemona (Otello)); Lado Ataneli (Jago (Otello)); Christopher Purves (Sir John Falstaff (Falstaff)); Tassis Christoyannis (Ford (Falstaff)); Dina Kuznetsova (Alice Ford (Falstaff));
"With strong conducting from Antoni Ros-Marbà, the whole cast collaborate to give us the truth of this desperately upsetting work, as no other DVD and few live performances I've seen of it ever have." (BBC Music Magazine - Otello)