Benvenuto Cellini

Car Men(xx)

Car Men is a collaboration between the renowned choreographer Jíri Kylían and filmmaker Boris Paval Conen. Based on the opera 'CARMEN' by Georges Bizet they shot a hilarious and poetic short film in the destroyed landscape of a Czech brown coal mine. The actors in this film are older dancers from Kylían's troupe (around 50 years old) and the main prop is a 'TATRA 87', a famous car from 1937.

Benvenuto Cellini(en)

With his affinity for the 16th-century sculptor Benvenuto Cellini's advocacy of artistic and personal freedom, Hector Berlioz went straight for the grand gesture with his first completed opera. Returning to it years after initial production debacles, Berlioz stated that he would 'never again find such verve and Cellinian impetuosity, nor such a variety of ideas.' The plot revolves around Cellini's wooing of Teresa, a match frustrated at every opportunity by his rival, the cowardly Fieramosca. Benvenuto Cellini is a pithy work combining romance, excitement, violence, comedy and spectacle; the perfect stage for Terry Gilliam's stylishly colorful and larger than life directing.

Cosi Fan Tutte(en)

An excellent performance of this delightful opera. The principals are superb, especially the sisters. Bruscantini as Don Alfonso is past his prime, but he knows and understands the role inside out, so one does not even notice his vocal limitations. Araiza is in top form as Ferrando, and Morris makes virile Guglielmo. The only disappointment is Battle as Despina. Unlike her partners, she does not have feel for the Mozart ensemble, and her vocal mannerisms are totally unbecoming. How the producers allowed that to happen is a mystery. Muti's conducting is terrific, much better than on his La Scala video, where he is uninvolved.

Così fan tutte(it)

Who loves whom in Così fan tutte, Mozart’s and Da Ponte’s cruelly comic reflection on desire, fidelity and betrayal? Or have the confusions to which the main characters subject one another ensured that in spite of the heartfelt love duets and superficially fleetfooted comedy nothing will work any longer and that a sense of emotional erosion has replaced true feelings? Così fan tutte is a timeless work full of questions that affect us all. The Academy Award-winning director Michael Haneke once said that he was merely being precise and did not want to distort reality. In only his second opera production after Don Giovanni in 2006, he presents what ARTE described as a “disillusioned vision of love in an ice-cold, realistic interpretation”.

The Marriage of Figaro(it)

This is a good video of "Figaro", but there are a couple of better ones available. The Bohm and the Pappano are better still due to the female members of the casts. The reason for buying this one is the "Figaro", Bryn Terfel. No one can top him today in that role. John Eliot Gardiner also stands out. Many of us have voiced their opinion that If the Metropolitan Opera would release it's 1998 version, that would be the one to get.

Puccini: Manon Lescaut(it)

All the throbbing eroticism—and ultimate heartbreak—of Puccini’s youthful score is unleashed by James Levine and his top-flight cast. Plácido Domingo is Des Grieux, the handsome, headstrong young aristocrat who falls head over heels for the enticing, impetuous Manon Lescaut (Renata Scotto). Manon returns his love, but her obsession with luxury ruins them both. Gian Carlo Menotti’s opulent production, with sets and costumes by Desmond Heeley, superbly captures the colorful world of 18th century France.

Sea of Blood(ko)

Based on a revolutionary play supposedly written by the Eternal President of the Democratic People's Republic, Kim Il-sung, and rumored to have been co-directed by Kim Jong-il. This revolutionary work is also popular among the Chinese, especially those who lived through the Cultural Revolution, and have fond memories of revolutionary antics.

The Turn of the Screw(en)

The operatic version of the famous story about a governess who fears her two charges are possessed.

Elektra(en)

Strauss's opera adapted to the screen by Gotz Friedrich.

Billy Budd(en)

A version of Benjamin Britten's opera based on the Melville story. Will the virtuous young sailor Billy Budd be hanged for murder?

Amadeus(en)

Disciplined Italian composer Antonio Salieri becomes consumed by jealousy and resentment towards the hedonistic and remarkably talented young Salzburger composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert(en)

The award-winning show is re-imagined as a live concert event, featuring an all-star cast of recording artists, set during the last week of Jesus' life as he deals with betrayal, love and jealousy, and told from the perspective of Judas.

The Magic Flute(en)

During World War I, in an unnamed country, a soldier named Tamino is sent by the Queen of the Night to rescue her daughter Pamina from the clutches of the supposedly evil Sarastro. But all is not as it seems.

I Promessi Sposi - Opera Moderna(it)

Donizetti: Anna Bolena(it)

Gaetano Donizetti and his librettist Felice Romani kept the focus of their opera ANNA BOLENA on the personal rather than the political in this fictionalized Tudor tale: Henry VIII of England wants to get rid of his second wife, Anne Boleyn, so that he can marry her lady-in-waiting, Jane Seymour. He brings Lord Richard Percy, Anne's first love, back from exile so that he can find an excuse to accuse her of adultery. With the unwitting aid of Smeaton, a court musician, and Lord Rochefort, Anne's brother, the trap is easily sprung. This 2011 live recording from the Wiener Staatsoper showcases Anna Netrebko as she "scored a personal triumph" in her debut as the hapless Tudor Queen, while her stage partners - notably Elīna Garanča as Jane Seymour and Ildebrando D'Arcangelo as Henry VIII - were likewise showered with critical acclaim.

Tannhäuser and the Singers' Contest at Wartburg Castle(en)

TANNHÄUSER 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.

Così fan tutte(it)

Wiener Philharmoniker and Wiener Philharmonia Chor Conducted by Karl Böhm Directed by Vaclav Kaslik

Famous Scenes from Pagliacci(en)

Scenes from Ruggero Leoncavallo's opera with Canio, the clown, introducing actors who are seen in pantomime while the operatic voices are heard off-screen. Canio discovers his wife has been unfaithful but carries on with his performance.

Don Giovanni(it)

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.

Norma(en)

NORMA 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.

Chickenfoot - Get Your Buzz On(en)

Shot in HD with 16 cameras over 3 Sold-Out shows, "Chickenfoot Get Your Buzz On" offers the viewer a Once-In-A-Lifetime chance to see 4 Rock and Roll Legends share the stage and blow the fans away with their combined inordinate talents to one collective whole. The band, formed in 2008 consists of Sammy Hagar (Van Halen and Montrose), Michael Anthony (Van Halen), Chad Smith (The Red Hot Chilli Peppers) and Guitar Hero Joe Satriani. Shot the Summer of 2009, the shows are captured in crystal clear High Definition.

All About Mahmoud Darwish(ar)

Mahmoud Darwish was a Palestinian poet and author who was regarded as the Palestinian national poet. He won numerous awards for his works. Darwish used Palestine as a metaphor for the loss of Eden, birth and resurrection, and the anguish of dispossession and exile.

The Horse with the Flying Tail(en)

A palimino cow pony, through a series of owners and adventures becomes a champion mount for one of the US equestrian team.

Rock-A-Bye Pinky(en)

The little pointy-nosed man and his dog are out camping one night, not knowing that the Pink Panther is on a tree branch just above them. He can't sleep because of the man's snoring, so he cuts loose the man's hammock with a knife, sending him flying straight to the river. When the dog hears the man's scream for help, he grips the knife in his mouth, and seeing this, the man blames the dog for what's happened. Later, the panther attaches the little man's hammock above the campfire, and sends the tent with the man in it floating down the river towards a waterfall. Every time the dog gets the blame, making the man hate his pet.

Views on Trial(en)

The demonic Nicholas Diabolus is put on trial accused of interfering with people's lives.

Unchained: The Untold Story of Freestyle Motocross(en)

The definitive, adrenaline-soaked story of the birth and boom of the most extreme sport on the planet: Freestyle Motocross.

FIFO(fr)

First in first out (FIFO) is a shelving technique used in supermarkets. Stephan must place the freshest products behind the oldest ones. Products nearing their sell-by date must be destroyed. When going to the bins in the basement, Stephan will have to face those who could still benefit from them, but who are excluded by the system. He will also have to confront who he was before getting a job.

The Grain(pt)

The elderly Perpetua, feeling the approach of death, decides to prepare Zeca, her beloved grandson, to the inevitable. She tells him the story of a king and a queen, a wealthy and powerful couple who lost their only child but wishes to bring him back to life. Meanwhile, Damião e Josefa work hard to support their family and to prepare their daughter Fátima's wedding. At the end, the tale told by Perpétua and the destiny of that family will cross.

The Peasants(az)

A historical revolutionary film depicting the struggle of peasants and the Baku proletariat against landowners and Musavatists in 1919.

Launder Run(en)

Launder Run tells the story of Jake, a man returning to his gritty hometown after years away, carrying the weight of a troubled past. The film opens on a rainy Saturday afternoon as Jake trudges through a bleak estate, visibly exhausted and clutching a plastic bag. Arriving at his sister Sue’s chaotic, unkempt flat, he confronts the ruins of his old life—a dirty fridge, a cluttered bedroom reduced to storage, and the ghosts of a once-close family. Seeking solace, he revisits his old pub, a place teeming with memories. As he steps inside, the bartender recognizes him with shock, hinting at Jake’s mysterious past and the reasons for his long absence. “Lounder Run” explores themes of homecoming, redemption, and the unshakable grip of one’s origins.

Three Mothers(en)

Disconnected from her pregnant daughter by several time zones and her impetuous nature, Barbara longs to be a part of her grandchild’s birth in London, England. But is she wanted?

Nighthouse(es)

Shot in Havana and processed at Phil Hoffman's Film Farm, Marcel Beltrán Fernández's Casa de la noche explores those same histories from the point of view of an insider, as a lived experience that is evocatively mirrored through ripped and torn celluloid.

Cinque stanze(it)

Bill Nye's Global Meltdown(en)

Acclaimed educator and "Science Guy" Bill Nye realizes the reason he is feeling down is because he is in fact suffering from "climate change grief." With a little help from Hollywood action star and environmental advocate former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Nye delves into the various manifestations of denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance that represent not only the clinical stages of grief, but also the shared emotions that people exhibit in relation to the stark realities of climate change.

Where We Danced(en)

“Where We Danced” is the first in a three-part series that chronicles the evolution of American social dance. It tells the story of America’s dance through the lives of the dancers who shaped the art form as well as the places they danced. The story begins on the plantations where African and Western European culture collided to create America’s first truly indigenous social dance, the cakewalk. It continues through to 1930’s Harlem showing how dance helped shape popular culture in America and around the world. Over the decades dance has set trends in fashion and sexuality, giving the youth of the 20th century a voice to define itself from the rigidness of the Victorian era . It also gave African-Americans a means of expression when all others had been taken away.