This production of Bach’s “Christmas Oratorio” was recorded at two highly exceptional places: Palestine and Israel, the authentic, historical locations of the Christmas story. The recording of the work’s first three cantatas took place in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem on Christmas Eve, and the second set of cantatas at the Evangelical Church in Jerusalem on Christmas Day. Conductor Riccardo Chailly leads the Zurich Opera’s acclaimed early-music ensemble along with a roster of top soloists. The program is interspersed with shots of various historical sites of Israel and Palestine.
Bregenz Festival 2009: Aida
Stage director Graham Vick and set designer Paul Brown conjure up an ‘open-air spectacle of superlatives’ (Die Zeit) that throws a bridge between ancient Egypt and today’s U.S. Under Carlo Rizzi, the Wiener Symphoniker brilliantly support the chorus and soloists, among whom Iano Tamar (Amneris) and Tatiana Serjan (Aida) stand out.
Portrait Edita Gruberova – The Art of Belcanto
Edita Gruberova turned the bel canto style – as exemplified primarily by the early 19th-century operas of Bellini and Donizetti – into her own, unmistakable specialty. But what is the nature of bel canto? What is the secret of her vocal gift? These are a couple of the questions the film addresses. In addition to rehearsal excerpts from ‘Lucrezia Borgia,’ the film shows Gruberova in the title role of ‘Norma’ and as Elisabetta in ‘Roberto Devereux’. Archival recordings allow us to admire her in ‘Rigoletto’ with Luciano Pavarotti, the legendary ‘Ariadne auf Naxos’ under Karl Böhm, and Jean-Pierre Ponnelle’s film adaptation of ‘Così fan tutte’ under Nikolaus Harnoncourt.
Portrait Fritz Wunderlich – Life and Legend
“Fritz Wunderlich is one of those singers whom I’ve never felt were historical. In his recordings he sounds so much of the present, that it’s as though he were still among us.” These comments by Rolando Villazón make it clear that the book of Fritz Wunderlich’s life is by no means closed. Forty years after his tragic death, he is a far more potent presence through his recordings than he was during his lifetime. He continues to reach his public, whether they be fans who know his recordings inside-out or people hearing his voice for the first time.
Karajan or Beauty As I See It
Who was Herbert von Karajan? What lurks behind the enigmatic face of this man, on whom more has been written than on any other member of his profession? For many, he was the epitome of classical music, for others the embodiment of the music market. He was the last dictator among orchestral conductors, and the first successful large-scale music entrepreneur. And in everything he did, he was ahead of his time. This documentary is the first to truly penetrate behind Karajan’s regal façade. The program is structured along the personal recollections and interviews, the rehearsals and concerts of the maestro. Much of the material has been drawn from the archives of Unitel, the firm that produced his music films for 12 years. This footage is supplemented by many candid and revealing comments by some of the men and women who accompanied him on his path to legendary status. The result is a multi-faceted, multi-layered portrait of the artist – a portrait that ultimately deepens the mystery of one of the greatest conductors of the 20th century.