Claudio Abbado Movies

Renowned tenor Placido Domingo leads the cast of this 1972 production of Giuseppe Verdi's grand opera Aida, staged by the La Scala Opera Company. Released as an audio-only DVD, this recording captures Domingo at the height of his abilities in Verdi's tale of love and war in ancient Egypt. The supporting cast includes Piero Cappuccilli, Martina Arroyo, and Fiorenza Cossotto; Claudio Abbado leads the orchestra. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Rossini's frothy comic opera The Barber of Seville is superbly realized in this French-German co-production. The hectic life of Figaro the barber is proffered full-force, with precious few cuts in the original score. But this is no mere filmed stage play: director Ernst Wild brings a fine, fluid cinematic sense to the proceedings. The principal characters are acted and sung by Terese Berganza, Hermann Prey, Luigi Alva, Enzo Dara and Polo Montarsolo. One wishes that all filmed operas were as delightful--and visually stimulating--as the 1973 Barber of Seville. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This musical documentary on the great Bulgarian opera singer Nikolai Ghiaurov celebrates his 50th birthday by recording excerpts from his performances at all the major opera houses Europe, and a few far outside Europe as well, for the length of one full year. Other than a celebration of Ghiaurov, the film is one of several in 1981 that commemorate Bulgaria's 1300 years as a nation. Ghiaurov roles include Don Basilio in Rossini's "The Barber of Seville," Mephistopheles in Gounod's "Faust," Leporello in Mozart's "Don Giovanni," and many others. Ghiaurov's interpretive vocal ranges are captured by good camera work, and along with the dramatic presentation of his various operatic performances, the filmmakers include shots of the cities he visited, scenes in-between venues, footage on an award-winning performance from the 1950s, and interviews with operatic stars as well as an introductory narrative by Ghiaurov himself. By the time the documentary has ended, the viewer has a well-rounded view of Ghiaurov's talent and his impact on the world of opera. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

Based upon Georg Büchner's 1837 play, Alban Berg's Wozzeck details the harsh existence of the title character, a former soldier in the German army who has to struggle mightily to make a living, even as others around him prosper. Wozzeck (Franz Grundheber) is living with Marie (Hildegard Behrens), a former prostitute and the mother of his young son. Somewhat simple in the head, Wozzeck's mental state seems to be increasingly unsettled, and he begins to see visions. Marie worries about him but does not know what she can do. Meanwhile, Wozzeck has agreed to be part of a dietary experiment by a doctor (Aage Haugland), who seems pleased with his patient's increasing instability. While Wozzeck is out, Marie allows herself to be seduced by a flirtatious drum major (Walter Raffeiner). Wozzeck suspects that something has occurred, a suspicion that is inflamed when the doctor and a captain for whom Wozzeck works taunt him with hints about Marie's faithlessness. His visions growing wilder, Wozzeck stabs and kills Marie, then drowns himself, leaving his son alone in the cruel world. ~ Craig Butler, Rovi

Considered one of Mussorgsky's greatest pieces, this production of Khovanshchina was conducted under the baton of Claudio Abbado and performed by the world-renowned Vienna State Opera. Set in 17th century Russia, Khovanshchina follows the conflict between orthodox Russian conservatives and the more progressive reformers led by Peter the Great. Among the singers is renowned basso Nicolai Ghiaurov and Paata Burchuladze, as well as Anatoly Kocherga, Ludmila Semtchuk, and Heinz Zednik. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi

Sergei Profokiev's 1936 composition Peter and the Wolf incorporates orchestral music accompanied by dramatic narration of the classic Russian folk tale. Rocker Sting, of The Police, narrates this particular version, with musical accompaniment by the Chamber Orchestra of Europe under the baton of Claudio Abbado. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

Richard Wagner's opera Lohengrin is interpreted by the Chorus and Orchestra of the Vienna State Opera, under the direction of Claudio Abbado. Cheryl Studer plays Elsa of Brabant, who is accused of murder by Frederick of Telramund (Hartmut Welker). Lohengrin (Placido Domingo) saves her and asks her to marry him. Meanwhile, Frederick and his wife, Ortrud (Dunja Vejzovic), plot against their union, leading up to the performance of the famous composition "Wedding March." Robert Lloyd also stars as King Henry. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi

Sergei Prokofiev's classic tone poem which uses a story to teach children the different parts of the orchestra gets a whole new look in this video. the new version of Peter and the Wolf features conductor Claudio Abbado leading the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, with pop star Sting providing the narration and the puppeteers of the British satirical show Spitting Image adding over-the-top visual accompaniment. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

A young boy attends a concert and is captivated by the conductor. He uses sounds from all over his house as his orchestra as he fantasizes about becoming a conductor. This charming video teaches children that even the ordinary sounds around their house can be interesting. And as the boy in the story finds out, they are only limited by their imaginations. Raul Julia narrates this story by Claudio Abbado. ~ Amy Lewis, Rovi

Berlin's Waldbühne Theater is one of Germany's premiere concert venues, lending an aura of opulence to any classical-music performance. This program finds conductor Claudio Abbado leading the Berlin Philharmonic and soloists Angela Gheorghiu, Sergei Larin, and Bryn Terfel in a selection of Italian music, including pieces from Verdi's Don Carlo, Rossini's William Tell, and Bellini's The Capulets and the Montagues. ~ Robert Silva, Rovi

This video captures a 1996 New Year's concert by the Berlin Philharmonic. The group presents materials from Berloiz, Brahms, and Ravel. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi