
Shortly after WWII, the DEFA Studios produced a series of operas and operettas which belonged to the classical German musical heritage. This enchanting film, the very first opera production of DEFA, stands out because of its lavish decor and costumes, its outstanding actors and their masterful voices of that time.

Don Curzio

Shortly after WWII, the DEFA Studios produced a series of operas and operettas which belonged to the classical German musical heritage. This enchanting film, the very first opera production of DEFA, stands out because of its lavish decor and costumes, its outstanding actors and their masterful voices of that time.
1949-11-25
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6.0A group of talented young people are dismissed from an ice dancing troupe as a result of the intrigues of Alida, the wife of impresario Gordon. Outraged, the young people leave Gordon's troupe and, having organized their own group, soon achieve success with audiences. Gordon, deprived of his talented performers, suffers a collapse and goes bankrupt.
8.0TANNHÄUSER UND DER SÄNGERKRIEG AUF WARTBURG is a grand opera by Richard Wagner in three acts. After experiencing boundless sensuality and freedom with the fun-loving Venus (soprano), the singer Tannhäuser (Tenor) finds it impossible to conform to the cultured setting of his betrothed Elizabeth (soprano), who loves him. During a singing contest, Tannhäuser describes the affair with Venus as the ultimate love experience and because of that, he is cast out from the established society. Thanks to Elizabeth's intervention, he is allowed to undertake a pilgrimage to the Pope to ask for the Holy Father's pardon. If the Pope accepts to forgive him, he would be allowed to take back his place in society. Tannhäuser accepts. But fate will not allow him to meet with his beloved Elizabeth again in this life. This is a recording of the legendary staging by Götz Friedrich for the 1978 Bayreuth Festival conducted by Sir Colin Davis.
8.1In County Durham, England, 1984, a talented young dancer, Billy Elliot, stumbles out of the boxing ring and onto the ballet floor. He faces many trials and triumphs as he strives to conquer his family’s set ways, inner conflict, and standing on his toes in a musical that questions masculinity, gender norms and conformity.
6.0Crazy For You is a romantic comedy musical with a book by Ken Ludwig, lyrics by Ira Gershwin, and music by George Gershwin. Billed as "The New Gershwin Musical Comedy", it is largely based on the songwriting team's 1930 musical Girl Crazy, but incorporates songs from several other productions as well. Crazy For You won the 1992 Tony Award (Broadway), 1993 Olivier Award (London), and 1994 Dora Award (Toronto) for Best Musical. Originally aired on the PBS series "Great Performances" (season 28, episode 2).
5.1Left behind by her friends on a boat trip, contemporary teen Mabel takes pursuit but is knocked unconscious on an island, where she has a dream involving pirates, sisters, a modern major-general, romance, and adventure.
0.0Harry Williams, member of the rhythm & blues band, Bloodstone, is about to go onstage for a concert when he is hit on the head. The rest that follows is his dream. The four band members become conductors on a train filled with characters and (impersonated) actors from the 1930s, such as W.C. Fields, Dracula, and Scarlett O'Hara. Various songs are featured. The singing conductors are obliged to solve a mystery; Marlon Brando is murdering Nelson Eddy, Jeanette McDonald and others by suffocating them in his armpits. A wacky funeral, a fight with a gorilla, and the threat of being turned into a wax museum figure are all part of Harry's dream.
8.2An aspiring actress from Kansas comes to New York and meets a host of zany characters.
7.9A man called “The Devil” makes a living in cock-fights. He falls for a girl who's about to enter the monastery.
Every woman wants him, every man wants to be him: Mozart’s version of the irresistible rogue who brings excitement with him and leaves destruction it his wake has always attracted top singing actors, as in this performance brilliantly led by James Levine. Samuel Ramey is Don Giovanni, pursued by the incandescent Karita Mattila (Donna Elvira) in her Met debut season and role, and by the white-hot avenging fury of Carol Vaness (Donna Anna.) Ferruccio Furlanetto delivers a masterful comic turn as the Don’s servant, Leporello.
9.0NORMA tells the tragic story of a supposedly chaste druidic priestess, who is driven to murderous jealousy by her lover's inconstancy. But she forgoes vengeance, protects innocence, and sees to it that the guilty atone for their crimes. Fiorenza Cedolins, Sonia Ganassi, Vincenzo La Scola, and Andrea Papi star in this 2007 Gran Theatre Del Liceu/Grand Theatre de Geneve co-production of the Bellini opera.
3.0A young bank clerk is transferred, in view of his special way of being, to a branch for misfits, where he will meet a whole series of very strange characters.
6.0The story of a music band from the sixties who wants to succeed in music in the style of Richard Lester films. There are two parallel plots: one is the love story between the singer Juan Erasmo 'Mochi' and Elena, a middle-class girl who has studied in Madrid and moved to Paris to work and to learn French. The other half of the film corresponds to 'Micky y Los Tonys', and especially to the wild Micky.
5.0Timmy and his friends go to the beach, but there is just one problem: Timmy cannot swim, and neither can Waxie! Timmy then imagines himself as a lifeguard, and his friends are competing in a surfing competition against the notorious cheater Goon Doggy.
7.0The Cavity Goon and Miss Sweety plot to capture Brushbrush in order to bait Timmy and hand him over to the Tooth Fairy.
6.0Timmy gets a case of the itchy polka dots on the day of the Flossmore Valley Fair. It's up to Mr. Wisdom to read Timmy a medieval story about the origins of the childhood disease.
6.0Young Sidney Cyclops wants nothing more than to be the greatest paperboy in the world. Unfortunately, he cannot see. It's up to Timmy, Brushbrush and Bubbles to help Sidney.
7.0During a rainy day, Timmy imagines that he is Captain Good Guy, and Brushbrush is his first mate. They work to save Sunny the Sun from The Cavity Goon and Miss Sweety.
7.0Nick Laine's wife is suffering from dementia. Their daughter Marianne has a guarded secret that no one can explain, she will start a relationship with a convict that will change everything for everyone forever in a timeless love story.