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South African pianist Steven de Groote was a stunningly talented musician who never got to enjoy all of the fruits of his labor; he died tragically after a plane crash at age 36. Still, in his short life, de Groote made a mark on the international classical music scene, winning the coveted Gold Metal at the the 1977 Van Cliburn Competition. This performance, filmed in 1983, captures the sensitivity and complexity of de Groote's playing. Backed by the consistently stellar Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana, he performs 3 major works by Chopin, Schubert, and Schumann. Milan Horvat, the famed Croatian, conducts.DVD Features:Region 0Keep CaseFull Frame - 1.33Single SideSingle LayerAudio: Dolby Digital 2.0 Dolby Digital 5.1Tracks:1. Schumann, Hermann und Dorothea Overture op.1362. Chopin, Piano Concerto No.2 op.213. Schubert, Symphony No.6
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Gaetano Donizetti's cynically humorous take on love, marriage and romance is a classic opera buffa from Italy. This 2002 production features the Chorus and Orchestra of Teatro Lirico, conducted by Gerard Korsten, and the voices of Evan Mei, Alessandro Corbelli and Roberto de Candia.
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RENT: Director Christopher Columbus (MRS. DOUBTFIRE, HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER S STONE) adapts the hit Broadway musical of the same name to the big screen in RENT. A modern spin on the opera LA BOHEME, RENT tells the story of eight friends dealing with life and love in Manhattan`s Alphabet City in 1989. Wannabe filmmaker Mark (Anthony Rapp) and singer/songwriter Roger (Adam Pascal) are facing eviction at the hands of their former roommate and current landlord, Benny (Taye Diggs). Benny has married rich, moved out of the neighborhood, and wants to build a state-of-the-art studio where the local tent city stands. Their downstairs neighbor, vivacious Mimi (Rosario Dawson), who strips at a local club to feed her heroin habit, takes a shine to Roger, a self-imposed recluse and former junkie whose last girlfriend died of AIDS. Their friend, Collins (Jesse L. Martin), returns to town and quickly falls for Angel (Wilson Jermaine Heredia), a glamorous, gracious, HIV-positive transvestite. Finally, there is the fiery Maureen (Idina Menzel), a performance artist who is planning a protest against Benny s plans and has dumped Mark for cerebral Joanne (Tracie Thoms), a lawyer.Over the course of a year, the friends face poverty, drug addiction, break-ups, reconciliations, eviction, and AIDS. Despite these challenges, they find support, hope, and acceptance in each other, all the while embracing the bohemian lifestyle that was so much a part of the Lower East Side. Newcomers Dawson and Thoms mix seamlessly with the original cast members, and Columbus introduces some interesting staging locations. With a concept, music, and lyrics by the late Jonathan Larson, RENT is an exuberant rock-&-roll musical with the underlying message that love can prevail despite all odds and that, ultimately, there really is no day but today. GODSPELL: The gospel according to `60s hippie counterculture in a film version of the stage musical. Jesus` life and teachings are illustrated in
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Guiseppe Verdi`s AIDA, arguably the most popular opera ever composed, has also been one of the most-performed works of the Arena di Verona. Commissioned in 1869 by the Khedive of Egypt, who requested a spectacular opera of a patriotic nature, the work continues to enchant and enthrall audiences worldwide. The compelling story, atmosphere, and unforgettable melodies give it a universal appeal, and the roles of Aida and Amneris are some of the most sought-after in opera. This staging features soprano Maria Chiara as the title character, as well as one of the best interpreters of Amneris, Fiorenza Cossotto; Nicola Martinucci appears as Radames, and Giuseppe Scandola plays Amonasro.
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Recorded in 2000, this live performance from New York's Metropolitan Opera features an inspirational interpretation of Beethoven's Fidelio. James Levine directs the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, with superb support from soprano Karita Mattila, Ben Heppener, and many other outstanding cast members.DVD Features:Region 1Keep CaseFull Frame - 1.33Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1 - EnglishText/Photo Galleries: Stills/PhotosDVD-ROM Content: Weblinks
Copyright (C) Muze Inc. 2005.
For personal use only.
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