René Kollo

Christian Thielemann conducts this Staatskapelle Dresden production of Richard Strauss' chamber opera. The opera follows events at the home of the wealthiest man in Vienna, who has booked both a comedy burlesque act and a serious opera group for entertainment. When the dinner runs long he declares that both forms of entertainment must take place at the same time - much to the chagrin of the opera's proud young composer. Filmed live in Baden-Baden on Feb. 25 by the veteran director Brian Large, Renée Fleming makes her debut in the role of Ariadne together with fellow key Strauss interpreters Sophie Koch and Christian Thielemann, following on from their Rosenkavalier triumph. Thielemann conducts the Staatskapelle Dresden, the orchestra to whom Strauss dedicated his Alpine Symphony and which premiered Feuersnot, Salome, Elektra, Der Rosenkavalier and Daphne.

The richness and intensity of Richard Strauss's masterful one-act opera, in Herbert Wernicke's compelling production, vividly portrays the relentless pursuit and ecstatic realization of vengeance. Featuring Linda Watson, Jane Henschel, Manuela Uhl, Rene Kollo, and Albert Dohmen. The Philharmonia Chor Wien and Münchner Philharmoniker are conducted by Christian Thielemann

Sir Georg Solti leads the Wiener Philharmoniker in this intimate film of Strauss's comedy of manners. Using traditional sets and costumes, this is the only film version available of this opera. A talented cast includes Gundula Janowitz, Edita Gruberova, Bernd Weikl and Rene Kollo.

Wagner's erotic opera in a production by the German Opera of Berlin under the direction of Gotz Friedrich, with music conducted by Jiri Kout. Recorded at the Deutsche Oper Berlin.

Take a perfect cast, a great conductor and a groundbreaking staging in-out makes a 'Tristan' for eternity. The 1983 performance in Bayreuth was a great moment for the world of opera. The ensemble performance of René Kollo, Johanna Meier and Matti Salminen with, then as now the Wagner admirer, Daniel Barenboim conducting the Bayreuth orchestra inspired singers and instrumentalists to peak performance. Jean-Pierre Ponnelle created a dream-beautiful stage.

This production is a gala affair; the sets are traditional (evocative of 18th-19th century Spain); the lighting is bright, so colors are good and one can see all of the action. Singers are generally well chosen and perform admirably. However, at this point, slight reservations creep in; although Janowitz (Fidelio/Leonore) and Kollo (Florestan) look "good" and act well, the singing parts tax them a bit when pushed to the limit. Most of the time that doesn't matter, and an argument can be made that a little vocal strain is in character with their dire plight. Ideally, for me, Vickers as Florestan would have added extra vocal heft and more sensitive acting than Kollo.

The annual New Year’s Eve Concert is one of the highlights in the calendar of every classical music fan in Berlin and beyond. On New Year‘s Eve, the Berliner Philharmoniker invite an exceptional soloist for a festive gala. Together, the musicians bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new. The 1977 concert was conducted by Herbert von Karajan and featured Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 and the Chor der Deutschen Oper Berlin.

Karajan's very best video Beethoven 9th Symphony, recorded December 31, 1977. The Quartet of vocal soloists and Chorus in IV are superb. This is much better than Karajan's 1968 Berlin Philharmonic Beethoven 9 video (DG), filmed in the Philharmonie with no live audience present.

"Four Ways to Say Farewell" is a personal introduction to Mahler and his Ninth Symphony, during which Leonard Bernstein is seen and heard rehearsing the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Filmed in 1971, this rehearsal was directed by Humphrey Burton,

Lisa, a filha mimada do Conde Lichtenfels, apaixona-se pelo príncipe chinês Sou-Chong numa festa na casa do pai. O Príncipe Sou-Chong responde aos seus sentimentos e, apesar dos avisos do pai, Lisa segue o seu amor para a China. Na China, no entanto, o casal apaixonado é logo atirado de volta para a realidade social. Tornam-se cada vez mais conscientes da incompatibilidade dos seus personagens. O antigo admirador de Lisa, o Conde Gustav von Pottenstein (Gustl), que viajou para a China, dá-lhe conforto. Sou-Chong é questionado pelo um tio, de seguir o velho costume de se casar com quatro meninas Manchu. Quando Sou-Chong decide seguir esta tradição, Lisa mergulha num profundo desespero. Impulsionada pela saudade da sua antiga vida, ela e Gustl planejam fugir do palácio. Sou-Chong frustra o seu plano, mas percebe que não pode segurar Lisa e deixa-a ir com um sorriso triste.

A história dessa opereta de Johan Strauss se passa nos anos de 1814 e 1815 quando os paises da Europa se reunem em Viena para criar uma nova ordem, após a queda de Napoleão. Mas o Conde Zedlau, representante do Principado de Reuss-Greiz-Schleiz, está mais preocupado em administrar seus conflitos amorosos com a esposa, a amante oficial e a sua nova conquista, do que com os assuntos políticos de seu país.

Sylva Varescu, uma conhecida cantora de cabaré, está apaixonada pelo príncipe Edwin von und zu Lippert-Weylersheim, que tem uma outra pretendente, arranjada por sua família reprovadora. As questões se resolvem quando se verifica que a mãe do príncipe também já foi uma cantora de cabaré.

A music comedy by Franz Marischka.

Opera in one act with prologue. Based on the production of the Vienna State Opera by Filippo Sanjust. Libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal

After the end of civilization, an aged man undergoes a mysterious journey through space and time that takes him through memories, visions, and historical events, ultimately transcending the limitations of the senses and into a new cosmic rebirth.