Costumes Movie Reviews

Finally a music-drama where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

But it is such a confusing opera -- i didn't know whether to laugh or cry or call a shrink. Anti-wagnerian to the point of being a spoof it would seem but i can't really tell.

Yet i cannot deny its charm.

I've always had a difficult time with this opera. After awhile it just becomes so beautifully boring. BUT, not so here. This production held my attention from beginning to end. It is probably the most perfect opera on DVD you will ever find. My only complaint is with the packaging. Why on earth did DGG spread it over 2 discs? The second one has only the short Act 5 which could have easily been on the first disc.

First of all, this is NOT 4:3 full screen version as it's written on the box. I was so glad when I played it and found out it was widescreen. The video transfer is superb, so is the sound. Only complain is that there is a glitch of video&sound in the middle of the romantic scene when Pelleas touchs Melisande's long hair. It's a technical thing of DVD-9, though, DG engneers could have chosen a right spot to put the glitch where there is no video or sound.
The singers act well and they all look their part. And beautiful voices with impeccable French diction from everyone, especially Melisande.
Musically, I think this DVD version is superior to any CD versions and it's visually wonderful to look at, too.

Not only have I seen this HBO Show, I was also in the audience for the taping of this, what can only be described as mesmerising, stand-up performance by Ellen. I travelled over form Belfast to see the show, got front row seats and was also fortunate enough to get to ask the lady a question at the end of the show.....wot a lady (I am hoping there may be extrs of audience questions....). This DVD testifies the irrepressible force that is Degeneres, and is a great catch-up opportunity for anyone not familiar with Ellen prior to her daytime talk show (I've seen about 10 shows of it and they're a riot!). This stand-up show digresses around the theme of procrastination, containing laff-out loud and painfully realistic observations of everyday human idiosyncranices....from the brilliant observation of brand new cds to the riotous observations of waving at someone you think you know, I was rolling in the aisles at this. My hat goes off to her, she has fought adversity in recent years and come out (metaphorically, lol) a true winner....Finding Nemo, an awesome talk-show and this truly original and entertaining fun show...the lady has it all. Worth putting in your loved ones' Xmas stocking....laughter the best therapy and Degeneres is the cure.

I went to see this BRILLIANT act by Ellen DeGeneres live Apirl 16, 2003 at GW's Lisner Auditorium in Washington D.C. And let me just say that it was the most hilarious thing. I had a blast! The rhythm, the timing, the pauses! EVERYTHING! Pure genius! How does she do it? Just how does she do it? I also watched this show on HBO and demanded that my aunt watch it too and she loved it! Ellen had us laughing until we were choking to death!!! I can not even wait until the release of this classic on DVD! I own it on tape now and it's just about ruined from me looking at it so much. I just about know everything that she says verbatim! I have a little bit of a problem.

I saw Here and Now on HBO and I laughed almost constantly! Her humor is clean and free of foul language ...a lost art by most of today's comedians. She is relevant and timely and will make you laugh about things I guarantee never occured to you. This would make an excellent Christmas present...it is going on my wish list right now!

This 90-minute film by Charles Atlas[ who also directed "Hail the New Puritan" (1986), "Put Blood in the Music" (1989) and "Son of Sam and Delilah" (1991) ] was created as a co-production of seventeen international television stations. It was conceived for the 16:9 aspect ratio format, but will appear in 'letterbox' on a standard 4:3 ratio television screen.

"A Lifetime of Dance" functions as an artistic biography of this now legendary choreographer. The first fifty minutes of the film detail Mr. Cunningham's life from his birth in Centralia, Washington in 1919 to the early 1950's and the founding of the Cunningham Dance Company, after a summer of experimentation at Black Mountain College.

Archival film and video footage provides documentation of approximately forty-five different dance works. The footage is shown in edit lengths of between 5 and 20 seconds duration. These excerpts are then intercut with the comments of friends, family members, dancers, composers, art critics and also of Merce himself, who provides anecdotes at each stage within the chronology of the biography.

The audio that accompanies these dance works, as an atmosphere or perhaps as a weather event enveloping the performances, was created by at least seventeen different avant-garde composers. These include founding Cunningham Dance Company member and musician John Cage, electronics guru David Tudor, the minimalist LaMonte Young and downtown NYC performance artist Meredith Monk.

In the film, we find that Mr. Cunningham draws his inspiration from movements of any kind, including those of animals, birds and the ordinary movements of people involved in a range of typical activities. He feels that dancers live not just to do these movements, but to 'exist' in performance and to come to realize their own unique identity through the act of dance.

The film closes with an extended discussion of the work "Biped"(1999), which describes the incorporation of three dimensional computer graphics into the context of a live electronic music and dance event.

This DVD does not contain any 'bonus' features, but it remains a wonderful media resource for fans of contemporary art.

i am a dance teacher who works with students at many different levels, and this video can be helpful for all sorts of classes... this is a great historical resource, and it does a good job of sampling cunningham's work. it also explains his significance to dance history and development. be warned that there is more talk and commentary than performance, so if you want choreography you may be disappointed. i recommend this dvd to dancers, dance teachers, dance historians, dance critics (who often know very little about the work upon which they are thrusting their commentary), and anyone else interested in modern dance history, collaborative processes, and avant garde music.

An Excellent resource for the dance teacher at any level. Of specific importance is old film and video footage translated to the DVD medium. Very Broad overview of his work and company-an excellent starting place to present his work and contributions to the field of dance and collaborative arts.

Thanks to this version of "la fanciulla del west" I found out that this opera is one of PucciniÂ's master works. Can be compared with Boheme or Tosca.
Domingo is in wonderful voice and acting.
Zampieri very good, and Pons almost as good as Domingo. Not to mention Maazel who does a wonderful work with the orchestra.
Take my word an try this version. You will end up loving "la fanciulla".

The editorial review on these pages doesn't do La Fanciulla Del West justice. This is an opera on the same scale of achievement as La Boheme or Tosca. In many ways it contains the best elements of both those operas: the tenderness and human frailty of Boheme, and the dramatic pulse of Tosca. Furthermore, it was Puccini's most innovative and daring score to date, and listening to it today one is struck by how "modern" this 1910 opera sounds.

The opera's Wild West setting is often sneered at, but it is no more ridiculous than the locale of the vast majority of operas. All that is required to enjoy this opera is a full-blooded sense of romanticism. Some listeners are disappointed at the lack of saccharine in Puccini's music (especially compared to the Big Three of Boheme, Tosca and Madama Butterfly), but in many ways La Fanciulla is all the more satisfying for its sparer melodic invention, and emphasis on music that underlines the dramatic goings-on rather than overdosing on the more "commercial tunes" of Puccini's earlier work. That's not to say there aren't crowd-pleasers in this opera - the tenor's Ch'ella Mi Creda is proof of that. But for the most part, the arias in this opera are so thoroughly integrated into the action that they don't stand out as discrete numbers to the first-time listener.

Don't get me wrong, though - this IS a highly melodic opera, with scenes and arias as memorable as anything Puccini ever wrote. Jack Rance's Minnie Dalla Mia Casa, and Dick Johnson's dramatic Or Son Sei Mesi (which brings down the house in this performance) represent Puccini at his best. But often it is a phrase or a reflective moment in the score that leaves the greatest impression, such as when Dick Johnson looks at Minnie and sings almost conversationally: "When I look at you, I realise what I might have been." In such moments Puccini achieves the kind of musical "truth" that makes the listener say: "Yes, this is real life, or at least, life as it should be." As always with Puccini, his characterisations are fully three-dimensional, and indeed, the only thing preventing this opera from enjoying wider acclaim is that so little of its music can be readily "lifted" from the score in excerpt form.

I have loved La Fanciulla since the age of 20, when I was lucky enough to see (and meet) Domingo at Covent Garden in November 1982. I saw two performances of the opera; on alternate nights Domingo was partnered by Carol Neblett and Marilyn Zschau. Unfortunately it was the lesser Neblett version that was first released on video - good though she was, her poor diction and whitish timbre grated, and the performance lacked fire in the orchestral and choral departments. This is an opera that requires in the role of Minnie a soprano with stentorian power, great top notes AND a beautiful timbre. A tall order, perhaps, but one which Mara Zampieri comes close to achieving in this 1991 production from La Scala.

Zampieri has an unusual voice. Her timbre will not be to all tastes, I suspect, but I enjoyed her singing very much, notwithstanding several moments of suspect intonation. She doesn't QUITE reach the standard set by Barbara Daniel in the latter's definitive 1992 portrayal at the Met (also with Domingo, and available on video), but this is pretty satisfying nonetheless.

Domingo, at the age of fifty, sounds almost as fresh as he did in the Covent Garden production, and if anything his high B Flats are freer in the celebrated Ch'ella Mi Creda than they were nine years earlier. He acts extremely well, and for my money this is his defining role (much more so than Otello), and his well-documented love for the role is abundantly obvious.

Juan Pons is the most sympathetic Sheriff Rance that I have yet seen. His voice lends itself towards sympathy with its warm timbre reminiscent of a well-aged port. It's not an overly resonant voice - nor even a particularly large and powerful instrument - but I found his Jack Rance a thoroughly believable characterisation. (Interested viewers will no doubt want to compare Pons' performance with the much more malevolent Sherill Milnes interpretation in the 1992 Met production. Both have a lot going for them.)

The chorus act well, but vocally need more cohesion and fire at several crucial moments - the capture of Dick Johnson's henchman in Act 1, and the capture of Johnson himself in Act 3, for example - and were noticeably off-key on a couple of occasions. Having said that, they certainly look the part of tough miners, and ultimately their lapses are relatively minor.

Among the supporting cast, special praise should go to Antonio Salvadori in the role of Sonora. His baritone voice gives Juan Pons a run for his money, and furthermore he acts brilliantly, giving an often overlooked role genuine significance and pathos. Great stuff.

Conductor Lorin Maazel employs unusually slow tempi throughout. I had mixed feelings about his approach, though he does bring out beautiful aspects of the score that I had never detected before. The card scene in Act 2 is riveting in its intensity, and Johnson's walk to the scaffold in Act 3 has never sounded more dramatic.

The DVD has excellent sound and visuals. True, Act 2 is rather dark, but this only adds to the atmosphere. Besides, log cabins in the Wild West should look dark!

Highly recommended.

"The Girl Of The Golden West" can often seem a rather silly opera, and it is generally regarded as one of Puccini's second tier works. But this production is so superb that one wonders why it isn't performed as often as Tosca or La Boheme! With terrific acting and singing, this is the best DVD I've seen in this series. Unmissable!

I am an active woman of 62 and stretching is vital in keeping my body able to do each activity I ask of it. The "a.m. & p.m. stretch" DVD of Madeleine Lewis has made this necessary stretching a pleasure. Her wonderfully soothing voice, her flowing movements, her obvious knowledge of the body encourages me never to miss my morning & evening routines. I feel no important muscle has been neglected and I feel confident that Madeleine is helping me do a really good thing for myself. I especially appreciate her gentle reminders to breathe, check my posture, and persevere. The beauty of the mountains surrounding her is a wonderful bonus and instills feelings of peace and tranquility that I take with me into my busy day. Nature is very important to me so I truly look forward to the visual aspect of this DVD. I'm looking forward to more of this kind of work from Madeleine Lewis. Thank you GAIAM and especially thank you, Madeleine!

This is definitely one of the most effective stretching videos I've ever used. It moves very quickly, but doesn't seem rushed. With 4 kids, I rarely get more than 25 minutes to myself, so I need something that provides a good head-to-toe stretch in a minimum amount of time.

The scenery is fantastic--especially the bright mountaintop sunrise for the a.m. program. Madeline Lewis is pleasant and very "down to earth" (no new age "yoga speak").

My only criticism (and not enough to give it less than 5 stars): There are one or two postures in each program that are uncomfortable if you have low back pain. I've practiced yoga long enough to know how to modify them, but instructions either aren't given or they aren't given until you're already in the posture.

This is a great program for all levels--easy enough for most beginners, but still worthwhile for those who are already pretty active.

This is a great DVD. The scenery is absolutely beautiful and the stretches are relaxing and invigorating at the same time. The instructor does an excellent job reminding you to keep proper form and proper breathing. I am an advanced exerciser and found that this DVD was a great addition to my routine. I really felt like the lower back, hamstrings, and the entire upper body were opened up and stretched. You even stretch the wrists in the PM Stretch, which is often a neglected part of the body. Very basic, but very effective. Beginners to advanced exercisers would benefit from using the DVD.

if you like dennis than buy this. this one is great quaility sound, film and content.well worth it.

Wow. Until his recent comments about the various states of the world at large on Jay Leno, the news and print, I knew him only from Saturday Night Live and Joe Dirt (I realize it's an abomination of a movie but it does have Christopher Walken). Upon reading about his various quips relating to the world today and various entertainers and celebrities constant whining, I knew I had to see his act.

Dennis Miller is a rare breed of entertainer. He talks to you, not at you. He doesn't espouse slogans and chants, he speaks with clarity, reason and incredible wit. Even when he's not particularly funny, he speaks with the mind of someone who; at the very least, is incredibly observant. He completely brushes aside the agendas of the whiny left and the argumentative right and breaks it all down the middle with common sense. He leans in neither direction but instead steps back and views the world from an objective stand point and even when you disagree with him, you still hang on every word because he speaks like someone who thinks constructively and free of the sheepishness of a good number of people. And, to top it all off, he is very funny.

What can I say... I'm sold.

This is one of Dennis's best HBO specials! It contains a lot of new funny material like carobou living in Alaska,Iraq,his kids,and going to church.The people in Chicago are very lucky that he came to their state to do this! But on September 7th Dennis finally came to my state and cracked us up with a lot of the material from this very funny HBO Special.So see this you wont be dissappointed!

A wonderful DVD!

This disc is a collection of short ballet vignettes that pays tribute to the Kirov dancers and the magnificent choreography they have been given to perform. The dances range from the traditional to more modern pieces and it is this variety that gives the entire presentation a well rounded, balanced feel ; there is something here for all tastes.

Although all the works on this disc have some special qualities, the following are some of my favorites:

-"Chopiniana" , featuring Altynai Asylmuratova, Konstantin Zaklinsky and the corps de ballet; I wonder if Chopin would have ever believed his music would be the accompaniment for this serene, beautiful dance.

-The surreal, starry setting for Samuel Barber's "Adagio for Strings" seemed a perfect backdrop for Yelena Yevteeva and Eldar Aliev to perform their sensual, almost contortionistic dance.

-"Le Corsaire" features Faroukh Ruzimatov with, as always, his unbelieveable leaps and expressive dancing.

However, to me, the highlight of this entire disc was "The Fairy Doll" with Larissa Lezhnina as the beautiful doll, pursued relentlessly by the two love struck mime-clowns.(performed by Dmitry Gruzdev and Yaroslav Fadayev) This is the comical side of ballet at it's best: the two guys are magnificent as they attempt to outdo each other as they vie for her affection. All three participants of this work show grace, balance, athleticism and an unbelieveable sense of timing that make this difficult performance look simplistically easy.

All in all, a DVD featuring great choreography and top quality dancing by the Kirov. Highly recommended!

This is an excellent mixed bill program of ballet performed by a strong stable of Kirov dancers who achieved their notariety and acclaim during the late eighties and nineties. The depth of skill and artistry displayed by principals, soloists and corp de ballet alike here on this DVD is quite remarkable and well showcased in a diverse program that ranges from Les Syphlides, Le Corsaire pas de deux and Maritenka pas de six. Also on the DVD are lesser well known but equally well performed ballets of The Fairy Doll and Petruska. The DVD is anchored by a phenomenal performance of Paquita, led by Yulia Mahklina and Igor Zalensky and enhanced by the precision and elegance of other company members as they dance the various solos, pas de trois and ensemble segments of this ballet. The DVD is worth adding to any home collection for this Paquita alone.

Each of the performances was not taped before a live audience so the applause and accolades that would otherwise be due to the dancers if they had performed live is absent from the recordings. The scenery for most of the ballets are by and large traditional (except for the Stravinsky piece) and did not detract from the dancers' performances. I find it a pity that there are no bonus materials on the DVD containing any company, ballet or dancer information. Its frustrating enough to only be given the opportunity to see the Kirov perform here in the States only once every few years, but to deny information on dancers or the company in a medium such as a DVD seems to be a wasted opportunity to elevate the Kirov to its rightful place as one of the world's premier ballet companies.

The performances portrayed on this DVD will only provide Kirov fans with further ammunition to claim the Kirov as the standard bearer for all other ballet companies. It is an enjoyable DVD that deserves to be watched over and over. Don't miss out and add this to your collection sooner rather than later.

This is a studio recording of the Kirov Ballet (or by now the Mariinsky Ballet) of St. Petersburg, Russia performing some of ballets greatest 'short-form' works along with full-length ballet excerpts. The dancers are the finest products of ballet training, and on this film it shows. The footage recorded here has also been released as 'The Maryinsky Ballet" (on another label I believe).

First, a perfomance of "Les Sylphides" (or "Chopanina" as it is called in Russia) choreographed to the music of Chopin by Mikhail Fokine, with the divine prima Altinai Assylmuotva leading the cast with her husband Konstantin Zaklinsky. We also have Yelena Pankova perfoming the mazurka with wonderful style. Assylmuratova is one of ballets greatest artists, and her precision in the waltz is ballet at its best. The corps is so wonderfully lyrical in the opening sequence that it might as well be some of the best work by a corps de ballet documented to film.

Then an excerpt(or short version of) of the ballet "Petrushka", a masterpeice from the old Ballet Russe and another work of Fokine. It is not done in the more or less traditional sence, for here we have choreography by the Kirov's then artistic director Oleg Vinogradov. He does not do a great job and over condenses the multi scene, one act ballet into one short sequence. The corps looks comical running around in wierd patterns, as if doing a parody of the ballet while insulting the Stravinsky score. The lead dancer, Sergei Vikharev gives it his all, but it is pretty much worth fast-forwarding through this annoying section. (Note- See the film "Paris Dances Diaghilev" for a far better and more authentic performance of this work)

"Barbers Adagio" is another annoyance on this video, although the leading female, Yelena Evteyeva (once a Kirov prima) turns out to be a pretty entertaining as she does strange stuff with herself via her partner, who on the other hand is merely just a person put in to lift her in weird ways.

The pas de deux from the ballet "Le Corsaire" (see my reviews of both the Kirov Ballet and American Ballet Theatre films of the full-length work) is perfomed here by Farukh Ruzimitov and Lubov Kunakova. I have seen both of these dancers do better on film, particularly Ruzimitov, whose flamboyance is a little to much in his variation. He has been recorded in this peice many times. Kunakovas costume is very tacky, looking like a cross between a Shade from the ballet "La Bayadere" and a flamingo, but she is still charming.

The most entertaining on the entire program: second to last is a pas de trois from the ballet "The Fairy Doll" (or "Die Pupenfee"). This excerpt is by the composer Riccardo Drigo and not Josef Bayer as credited, whose pas was added to the ballet at the turn of the century. Larissa Lezhnina and her two clowns for suitors are astounding! It is some of the best ballet dancing I have ever seen.

Next is the Pierre LaCotte restoration of the choreography of Perrot: the pas de six from "Markitenka" or "La Vivandare". It is charming and in the romantic style of ballet. Elenea Pankaova is a delight....as usual.

Finally, the grand pas and pas de trois from the ballet "Paquita". The choreography is by the great ballet master Marius Petipa (creator of "The Nutcrakcer", "The Sleeping Beauty", "Swan Lake", "La Bayadere", among others)to the music of Leon Minkus. The soloists and corps are superb, particularly Yulia Makhalina in the lead. Igor Zelensky dances the male lead, with a solo from the Leo Delibes ballet "Sylvia" instead of the Minkus one for some odd reason. This has the only film record of the famous 'Golden' pas de trois (or Minkus pas de trois) on film, sort of oddly stuck in the middle of the grand pas as the Kirov often does when performing this work.

All in all this film is superb, and has essential recordings in the performances of "Paquita", and "Les Sylphides" (or "Chopiniana") and also the only film of "The Fairy Doll" pas de trois. Along with the great dancing, the music of each work is well recorded and allows for great listening as well! Five stars!

This DVD has amazing action scenes in it. Wow not to mention cute guys hehe

The new Matrix DVD is reloaded with awesome bonus features and cool new scenes! The Matrix is the coolest action film ever!!!!!

if u did not own matrix dvd, get this boxset. for me, it is worth every single cent. the movie itself is also highly watchable although the story might be a bit blur. but sound and picture quality is great!!

I was a teenager when this program originally aired on television, and I thought that William Shatner was merely playing the same old wildly emoting Captain Kirk that has made him the butt of so many jokes. After a recent second screening, I see that I was probably wrong. Shatner's prosecutor is a little over the top, but it's because his justifiable moral outrage at the defendant has caught him in a terrible trap, and forces him to ask questions that were almost unthinkable in 1865; namely, is it ever justifiable for an officer to refuse to follow orders which he judges are immoral?
The defendant, Wirz, as excellently played by Richard Basehart, is an immigrant from the European school of miltary theory, and he is by turns hateful, confused at the sudden shift in the meaning of his duty, and pathetic (Wirz is still considered something of a hero in the local area outside the present-day National Cemetery near Andersonville). Jack Cassidy, as the defending attorney, is fully aware of the prosecutor's dilemma, and seems to be taking great pleasure in pointing up the US Army's hypocracy in trying a man for following malicious orders, yet refusing to allow that he would have been militarily justified in refusing them. Cameron Mitchell is the presiding officer, Gen. Lew Wallace (of "Ben-Hur" fame), and portrays a man who is about to lose control of the proceedings through the unsettling forays of the Army's own prosecutor. I gave the film four stars because it is a little too long and drags a bit in some places. However, the depth of the story, and the exploration of the ethical problems dealt with in the courtroom, make it superior to a very similar movie, "Judgment at Nuremburg."

Basehart, like many other television stars, was unfortunate to be associated with a long-running program (four years on "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea"). A prolific and skilled actor, Basehart is a sympathetic figure as the commandant of the infamous Georgia prison. He is allowed to show depth that the 60's Irwin Allen show of which he is associated never allowed him.

The production also features two other actors playing against type in pivotal and revealing roles, Buddy Ebsen and the late Jack Cassidy. The two match Basehart in the acting department and do justice to the George C. Scott-directed presentation.

"The Andersonville Trial" ranks as one of the best productions ever shown on PBS.

"Andersonville Trial" is special in more ways than one.

First and foremost, it is a damn fine production, and a very powerful stage play captured on video. Second, the play has many famous names among the cast, some of whom appear in early roles (Martin Sheen, for one). William Shatner, of course, is oddly Kirk-like, but does very well as Lt. Colonel Chipman. Richard Basehart? Wonderful, and the ultimate professional, as always. Buddy Ebsen plays a doctor. Even Alan Hale Sr., who blazed a trail of adventure in many of Errol Flynn's films, is on hand (though in a non-speaking role). None other than George C. Scott directed the enterprise, and introduces the feature in a short segment.

Another thing that makes this production unique is that it harkens back to the best of PBS, before they started worrying about ratings, hype, and marketing. Shows like "I, Claudius" and "Masterpiece Theater", among others, made their way to the network about the same time, and "Sesame Street" had yet to become the moneygrubbing exercise it is now (Elmo, this means YOU!). This was back when PBS really lived up to the ideals of being a Public Broadcaster, and shows like "Andersonville Trial" were an offshoot of those ideals. Like other PBS shows, it was the BEST the arts offered at the time; a famous cast in a dramatic play, coming right into our living rooms.

On the tape, we even get to see the old PBS logo, with "PBS" spelled out in that funky 60's-70's type they used to use (with the orange letter "P"). That alone is worth the purchase price.

Hopefully a DVD will someday be released. Until then, if you can latch on to a copy of the tape, you should by all means do so. It is a dramatic telling of a famous war crimes trial, with superb acting and a moral message about war that will stay with you for some time to come.

Angela Gheorghiu has obviously received great training in cultivating her natural talent, and the result is phenomenal. I can't get enough of this woman. I like the musical choices on this DVD. It's not the standard greatest hits material. It's all wonderful, but Casta Diva and the Romanian aria are particularly fantastic.

I personally don't believe Angela Gheorghiu is the "next Callas"--she's not neurotic enough. She has a beautiful voice, excellent control, wonderful accuracy of pitch and timing, and she sings from the depths of her heart, living the piece. Absolutely charming. But she's not a Callas. The Callas fire simply isn't there; no tempestuous wild animal quality to sear your soul. But that doesn't mean Angela Gheorghiu isn't great to watch and to listen to. And this concert is beautifully recorded--the Dolby Digital sound is fantastic, with a superb balance between the orchestra and the diva (although when we hear the applause, it sounds as though it's coming through a tunnel), but the concert sound is as close to perfect as we find these days. The concert itself is also well balanced with a good range of very beautiful music. It's a great addition to my collection, and I'll listen to it often. You won't be disappointed--unless you're expecting Callas.

Though she's very original and proud of it, Gheorghiu is really the new Callas; she can sing anything, with a superb sense of stage and style, a warm and beautiful voice with a strong technique based on the very Bel Canto italian school.
The highest results are obtained with Charpentier's Louise, Puccini's Liù and Bellini's Norma.
At least a true opera star, and also a Beauty. I'm looking forward to her next concert to be captured in dvd.
Buy it !!!!