Royal Opera Collection

This 18-opera collection displays the scope of The Royal Opera's work. From the sumptuous beauty of Richard Eyre's La traviata and the picturesque realism of John Copley's La boheme to the psychological intensity of David McVicar's Salome and Kasper Holten's Krol Roger, the impressive collection spans more than two hundred years of great operatic works from the classical period to the present day. Featuring some of the Company's most popular guest artists, including Renee Fleming, Jonas Kaufmann, Joseph Calleja and Diana Damrau, and conductors including The Royal Opera's Music Director Antonio Pappano, The Royal Opera Collection is a dazzling tour of operatic treasures by Mozart, Verdi, Bizet, Wagner, Mascagni, Leoncavallo, Puccini, Richard Strauss, Szymanowski, Britten and George Benjamin. "This production's slow journey from darkness into the light...works well on the small screen, not least thanks to high-definition camera work and Sue Judd's inspired direction for television. The real magic, though, is supplied by the onstage cast...In Dorothea Roschmann's hands, Pamina emerges not so much a powerless victim of Fate but more as a passionate woman prepared to suffer in the nameof love. Her natural command of the stage is sagely employed by McVicar...Diana Damrau's supremely sung Queen of the Night oozes class, while Simon Keenlyside's profoundly human, touchingly sympathetic view of Papageno deserves an Olivier Award." (Die Zauberflote - Classic fM) "This sexy, raunchy, romp of an opera is a triumph. Director David McVicar has searched for the essence of the composer and found it; fun filled, sensitive, romantic and serious by turns, all reflected in this production.This is a 'Must See' opera! ... You'll regret it if you don't!" (Le Nozze di Figaro - Musical Opinion) "Kwiecien's eloquently sung Giovanni heads a strong cast. Particularly impressive is Malin Bystrom's Donna Anna, whose moving Non mi dir is addressed not to Don Ottavio but first to her dead father (via his bust) and then to Giovanni himself. Veronique Gens offers a sympathetic Donna Elvira, impassioned rather than hysterical in her inability to give up on Giovanni. Even in Leporello's Catalogue Aria she embraces Giovanni, willing it not to be true. Alex Esposito's resourceful Leporello also seems to be smitten by Giovanni, as is Elizabeth Watts's lively, engaging Zerlina. Nicola Luisotti draws sensuous playing from the ROH orchestra, he and Paul Wingfield generating daring and witty dissonances in their keyboard continuo" (Don Giovanni - The Independent - 4 Stars) "Philippe Jordan seems to have balanced his orchestra extremely well for both house and cast and is especially alert to the most modern twists of Strauss's harmonies. The filming (Jonathan Haswell) is sensitive to David McVicar's work while being much more than merely a static record." (Salome - Gramophone) "you know that Keenlyside is an accomplished lieder-singer by the dramatic precision in this phrase readings... ...