The Best Operas
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- DirectorJean-Pierre PonnelleStarsRené KolloMatti SalminenJohanna MeierWagner's opera in 3 acts is set in legendary Brittany and Cornwall, with a tragic love story that revolves around the themes of love, night, and death. Isolde is being brought from Ireland to Cornwall by Tristan to be the bride of his uncle, King Mark. Isolde is angry at Tristan because he slew Morold, Isolde's betrothed, who came from Ireland to exact tribute from Cornwall. However, when she sees Tristan, her feelings begin to change. She plans to poison him, but when she and Tristan drink from the same cup, it turns out that Brangäne, her maid and confidante, has filled it with a love potion. At King Mark's castle, the young lovers meet at night for trysts, while Brangäne stands guard. Mark and his courtiers go off hunting one night, and Brangäne warns Isolde Melot, Tristan's supposed friend, has arranged the nocturnal hunt as a trap. Isolde and Tristan disregard this and sing love songs to each other. Then King Mark, Melot and the courtiers burst in on them as the sun begins to rise. Mark asks how they could do this; Tristan says he is willing to go into the realm of night, and Isolde says she will follow him there. Melot and Tristan have a swordfight, and Tristan allows himself to be wounded. In Act 3, Tristan is dying at his castle in Brittany. His servant and friend, Kurwenal, watches over him. They watch for a ship that will bring Isolde, and at last she comes. They share a last moment of love, then he dies in her arms. A second ship arrives with King Mark, who plans to let Tristan and Isolde remain together. Kurwenal attacks them and is slain; Isolde falls on to Tristan's body, dying of grief.
- DirectorFrançois RoussillonStarsAngela GheorghiuJonas KaufmannOlga BorodinaThe story of a real 18th-century French actress, leading lady of the Comédie-Française in Paris, who was believed to have been poisoned by a love rival.
- 2006– Not Rated8.7 (35)TV EpisodeDirectorGary HalvorsonStarsGianandrea NosedaMatthew PolenzaniSarah Joy MillerAn actress and a princess vie for the same man; a bouquet of poisoned violets ends the competition.
- DirectorHugo KächStarsÉva MartonLudmila SemtschukMargarita Lilova
- DirectorKirk BrowningStarsPlácido DomingoShirley VerrettWolfgang BrendelWhile the rest of the Hebrews bewail their fate, Samson alone trusts in God's promise of liberty. Abimelech, the Philistine satrap of Gaza, enters to mock the Hebrews' God, proclaiming the superiority of Dagon, and the Hebrews are afraid of him. But calls them to show some defiance, so Abimelech attacks Samson with his sword. Samson seizes the sword and strikes him dead. The Hebrews scatter and the High Priest of Dagon appears, cursing the Hebrews. When a messenger reports that the Hebrews are ravaging the harvest, the High Priest forms a plan to use Delilah to overcome Samson's strength. Delilah's beauty is such that Samson can't resist her for long. She begs to know the secret of his supernatural strength, but he refuses, though he says he loves her. Delilah betrays Samson by having some Philistine soldiers seize him and throw him into a prison in Gaza, where his hair is cut off.
- 1977–8.4 (46)TV EpisodeDirectorKirk BrowningStarsTatiana TroyanosPlácido DomingoIsola JonesA "Live from the Met" broadcast of the opera, on a double bill with its frequent "partner", Mascagni's "Cavalleria Rusticana".
- DirectorAndrew LordStarsRichard AlexanderJohn Bolton-WoodRoxane HislopA sailor falls for the daughter of his captain, while being unaware of the love a young country girl holds for him.
- DirectorBrian LargeStarsAprile MilloDolora ZajickPlácido DomingoPharaoh's daughter Amneris loves general Radames, but he loves slave Aida. Aida's father leads the Ethiopian army to invade Egypt. When he's captured, he wants Aida to gain military secrets from Radames.
- DirectorKirk BrowningStarsJames LevineÉva MartonPlácido Domingo
- DirectorErnst WildStarsHerbert von KarajanPiero CappuccilliRaina KabaivanskaThe Count of Luna loves Leonora and is jealous of his rival, the troubadour Manrico.
- DirectorToni BargallóStarsRoberto ScandiuzziMaria GuleghinaBegoña AlberdiMacbeth undoubtedly marked a turning point in Verdi's operatic writing, i.e., the foregrounding of the characters' introspective, psychological aspects.This DVD/Blu-ray captures the production staged at Novara's Teatro Coccia during the 2013-14 season, with thriller/horror filmmaker Dario Argento tackling opera direction for the first time.One could only expect a direction in line with his films, and from that point of view this Macbeth meets expectations, with the visualization of the opera's bloody, indeed gory scenes matching the dark, brutal character of Shakespeare work.
- DirectorBarbara Willis SweeteOtto SchenkStarsYannick Nézet-SéguinSusan GrahamDísella LárusdóttirThe original story of the little mermaid. She is in love with a human and makes a deal with a witch to be able to be human. The deal is she has to convince him that she is his love but she has to give up Her voice to become human.
- 1977– 2h 37mNot Rated9.0 (15)TV EpisodeDirectorBrian LargeStarsMarilyn HorneDouglas AhlstedtAllan MonkA typical rescue opera involves a kidnapped young woman who faces torture or death - until her heroic lover shows up. But in this one, the roles are reversed: it's a man in desperate trouble, and his clever girlfriend gets him out of it.
- DirectorBrian LargeStarsRenato BrusonMara ZampieriGoetz RoseMacbeth, the Thane of Glamis, receives a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will become King of Scotland. Consumed by ambition and spurred to action by his wife, Macbeth murders his king and takes the throne for himself.
- DirectorBrian LargeStarsJames LevineJuan PonsSamuel Ramey