Brahms:
The Complete Symphonies/Hengelbrok
(2016/Unitel)/Beethoven/Blomdstedt (2016/Accentus
Music)/Mahler 8: Lucerne Festival Orchestra - Riccardo
Chailly/Feudel (2016/Accentus Music)/Rimsky-Korsakov: The
Golden Cockerel - Matison
(2016/Marinnsky Blu-ray w/DVD)/Gustavo Dudamel - Los
Angeles Philharmonic: Tango Under the Stars (2016/C Major)/Verdi:
Otello (2015/Dynamic)/Verdi: Otello (2016/Unitel/C
Major/all Naxos Blu-ray releases)
Picture:
B Sound: B+/B+/B+/B+/B/B/B+ Extras: C+/C/C/C/C+/D/D Main
Programs: B
Brahms:
The Complete Symphonies
Brahms
fans will want to check out this new Blu-ray with an amazing
performance by Thomas Hengelbrok and The NDR Elbphilarmonie
Orchester. Recorded in Hamburg Germany in 2016, this is a great way
to save a ton of money on a plane ticket to see them in person or to
relive it again if you were fortunate enough to see them. This disc
continues in Unitel's tradition of delivering nicely photographed
performances in high definition with great sound mixes as well.
The
disc features:
Symphony
No. 1 Op.68
Symphony
No. 2 Op.73
Symphony
No. 3 Op. 90
Symphony
No. 4 Op. 98
Presented
in 1080i with a 1.78:1 widescreen aspect ratio and a nice sounding
PCM Stereo & DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1 lossless sound mixes,
the audio is a bit stronger than some of the visual moments here, but
both are passable. Some moments have a slight motion blur that
wouldn't have been as apparent if the transfer was in 1080p, alas
most viewing at home won't notice too much. There's an array of
subtitles on the disc as well depending on your territory.
Special
Features...
Discovering
Brahms with Thomas Hengelbrok (43 minutes)
Color
insert booklet
Beethoven/Blomdstedt
Ludwig
Von Beethoven's classic sixth symphony is one of the iconic
composer's most notable works and is captured here brilliantly by
Herbert Blomstedt. Recorded live at the Gewandhaus zu Leipzig in
2016, this HD performance is on par with the previous disc in terms
of home video presentation and up to standards. The feature is
directed by Ute Feudel and produced by Paul Smaczny.
The
disc features...
Symphony
No. 6
F
major op. 68 ''Pastoral''
Symphony
No. 7
A
major Op. 92
Presented
in full HD 1080ip and a standard 1.78:1 widescreen aspect ratio, the
performance looks fine but sounds better with a DTS-HD MA (Master
Audio) 5.1 lossless mix and a vivid, lossless PCM 2.0 Stereo track
that brings the orchestra to life in your living room.
The
only extra is an insert booklet that serves as a program to the
performance.
Mahler
8: Lucerne Festival Orchestra - Riccardo Chailly
This
feature length 8th symphony by Gustav Mahler lands on Blu-ray disc
courtesy of Lucerne Festival and highlights this inaugural
performance that was captured at the Lucerne Festival in 2016.
Conducted by Riccardo Chailly, some of the magnificent musicians
behind this performance include Ricarda Merbeth, Juliane Banse, Anna
Lucia Richter, Sara Mingardo, Mihoko Fujimura, Andreas Schager, Peter
Mattei, and Samuel Youn. They are accompanied by Chor des
Bayerischen Rundfunks, Latvian Radio Choir, Orfeon Donostiarra, and
Tolzer Knabenchor.
The
program consists of solelt of Symphony No. 8 in E-flat major.
This
region 0 disc features a 1080i high definition transfer and a 1.78:1
widescreen presentation similar to the other titles listed. The sound
mix is magnificent, and obviously best if played loudly, in DTS-HD MA
(Master Audio) lossless 5.1 and lossless PCM 2.0 Stereo tracks.
The
only Special Feature is a thick insert booklet that serves as a
program to the performance.
Rimsky-Korsakov:
The Golden Cockerel
This
new production of Rimsky-Korsakov's final opera and has both live
action and CGI elements in this production and is a very interesting
opera to say the least. Directed by Anna Matison, the opera tells
the story of Tsar Doyon, who receives a mystical Golden Cockerel from
an Astrologer. This is soon found by his love for a Queen who joins
with the Astrologer in making Tsar's life anything but easy.
Filmed
at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, the show is a production
by State Academic Mariinsky Theatre and features Vladimir Feliaurer,
Andrei Ilyusknikov, Vladislav Sulimsky, and others.
The
HD transfer on the disc is mastered in 1080i high definition transfer
with a 1.78:1 widescreen aspect ratio and a 24-bit lossless PCM 2.0
Stereo track on the Blu-ray. A DVD version is also included in
standard definition with a more compressed image that isn't as pretty
as the Blu-ray, though it could have been bested by a 1080p transfer.
The PCM stereo mix is compressed on the DVD as well. Still, it is
nice to have both versions in this set. The program clocks in around
112 minutes in length.
The
only Special Feature is a collectible booklet.
Gustavo
Dudamel Los Angeles Philharmonic: Tango Under the Stars
For
decades, The Hollywood Bowl has been one of the greatest venues in
America to view live music and has been home to many different genres
and some of the most popular performers of all time. This Blu-ray
gets you a front row set at the bowl to witness this incredible
orchestral showcase that isn't to be missed. Featuring Gustavo
Dudamel and the LA Philharmonic Orchestra, the show features...
Astor
Piazzolla (Tangazo, La Muerte Del Angel, Adios Nonino, Oblivion,
and Libertango)
Lalo
Schifrin (Concerto For Guitar and Orchestra No. 2 - Concierto de
la Amistad World Premiere)
Alberto
Ginastera (Four Dances From Estancia)
Some
featured performers include Angel Romero (Guitar), Seth Asarnow
(Bandoneon), and Tango Burenos Aires. The show is directed by
Michael Beyer and produced by Bernhard Fleischer.
The
show is presented, like the others, in 1080i high definition with a
1.78:1 widescreen aspect ratio and a nice sounding DTS-HD MA (Master
Audio) 5.1 lossless track, the presentation here is up to standards
and not bad. Some of the musicians are wearing whites, while one is
wearing a particularly horrid looking colored shirt. Still the
fidelity on the sound mix is fine and the overall image isn't
terrible, save some purple tints that are due to the stage lighting.
Special
Features...
Interviews
with Gustavo Dudamel, Lalo Schifrin, and Angel Romero
Collectible
Booklet
and
we conclude with two different performances of a classic issued at
the same time...
Verdi:
Otello/Dynamic
A
co-production of the Festival Castell de Peralada and the Macerata
Opera Festival, Otello (Giuseppe Verdi) is an Opera presented in four
acts and features a libretto by Arrigo Boito and an edition by Casa
Ricordi and Milano.
The
opera is highly cinematic with very cool lighting and sets that mimic
the look of a thunderstorm. The reflections of waves in the ocean
reflect off the set and behind it as well, as the superb cast lend
their voices to his moving and grand vision.
The
Opera stars Stuart Neill (Otello), Jessica Nuccio (Desdemonda),
Roberto Frontali (Jago), and Davide Giusti. The show was the winner
of the Campoamor Prize for the best production of 2015. Also on the
crew is talented set designer Paco Azorin and conductor Riccardo
Frizza, who has been acknowledged by many as one of today's finest
interpreters of Italian opera.
Presented
in 1080i/60 with a 1.78:1 widescreen aspect ratio and a PCM Stereo
2.0/DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1 lossless track, the opera
presentation on Blu-ray is fine looking, save a little bit of motion
blur here and there. The opera is sang in beautiful Italian with
subtitles on the disc in English, Italian, French, and more. The
total running time is 145 minutes.
The
only Special Feature is a color insert booklet with linear notes and
a program
Verdi:
Otello/Unitel
A
similar performance of Otello, this time in C Major, is also
landing on disc courtesy of Unitel. Performing at the Salzburg
Easter Festival, this eye-opening performance doesn't as sets or
costumes quite as impressive as the former Blu-ray release covered
above, but is still beautiful to watch and listen to.
The
cast includes Jose Cura (Otello), Dorothea Roschmann (Desdemona),
Carlos Álvarez (Iago), Benjamin Bernheim (Cassio), Christa Mayer
(Emilia), Georg Zeppenfeld (Lodovico), Csaba Szegedi (Montano), and
Gordon Bintner (Herald).
Presented
in 1080i with a widescreen aspect ratio of 1.78:1 and a PCM 2.0
Stereo track and a DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1 lossless track, the
opera sounds a bit better than it looks on Blu-ray, but is by no
means bad. Directed by Tiziano Mancini, the disc features subtitles
in various languages and a total running time of 147 minutes.
The
only Special Feature is a color insert booklet with linear notes and
a program.
Two
great performances that are both similar and different, Opera fans
won't want to miss these.
-
James Lockhart
https://www.facebook.com/jamesharlandlockhartv/