Re: [ARSCLIST] Opera on VHS

[Mike Richter <mrichter@xxxxxxx>]

David Lennick wrote:
> Well, there's a subject line guaranteed to lead to instant oblivion. But 
> I'll ask anyway..are there still sources for operas on VHS? A colleague 
> in Toronto has asked if I know where to find some, since he's delivering 
> a lecture next month in a locale that doesn't know from DVD (and 
> everybody concerned is past the point of being able to go to DVD or 
> transfer from same, even for temporary periods).
>
> He's looking for the following (I've also suggested that he try Amazon, 
> and I'll look when I go to the Kingston [Ont] Symphony Association Music 
> Sale later this week:
>
> Hansel and Gretel
> Pelleas et Melisande
> Bluebeard's Castle
> Elektra
> Ariadne et Barbe-Blue
>
> ..plus any other suggestions if they're moderately priced.

What an odd assortment! Try Amazon for VHS, but don't look for much 
particularly in those relatively obscure titles. (NOTE: It's Ariane, 
without the 'd'). Even easier, take a DVD player and the appropriate 
DVDs to the venue. Plug it in where the VHS player is now and then 
excellent choices of performance should be playable.

My choices for those titles (except the Dukas, which I've not found on 
video in any format) are:
Hansel und Gretel (in German): Solti
Pelleas et Melisande: Boulez
Bluebeard's Castle: Solti
Elektra: Boehm

I don't have a recommendation for Hansel and Gretel (in English) because 
the few I've found in video have severe limitations of production and/or 
performance.

Mike
--
mrichter@xxxxxxx
http://www.mrichter.com/