Der Zwerg 2019

Based on Oscar Wildes story The Birthday of the Infanta, Zemlinskys single-act opera Der Zwerg is the tragic tale of a dwarf who is presented at court, falls in love with the beautiful Donna Clara, but is ultimately forced to see himself as others see him and to die of a broken heart. Preceded by Schoenbergs Accompaniment to a Cinematographic Scene, Op. 34, Zemlinskys Romantic score is full of psychological intrigue. Is Der Zwerg a critique of societys superficiality? Is it the composers self-portrait in his doomed affair with Alma Schindler? Director Tobias Kratzers stunning, transparent production creates a space in which each character is thrown into sharp relief in this fine, noble and melancholy work.

Ariadne auf Naxos 2012

Starring Jonas Kaufmann as Bacchus and featuring Emily Magee with Daniel Harding conducting the Vienna Philharmonic, Ariadne auf Naxos was filmed at the acclaimed Salzburg Festival in 2012. This release also includes "Le Bourgeois gentilhomme."

Lohengrin 2006

This production of Wagner's mythic opera LOHENGRIN was recorded at Barcelona's Gran Teatre del Liceu in 2006 with Sebastian Weigle conducting Liceu Grand Theatre Symphony Orchestra and Chorus.

Otello 2001

One of the chief pleasures of this live production of Otello from the Berlin Staatsoper Unter den Linden is Daniel Barenboim's conducting. From the opening gale-force blast of storm music, through the crunching and stabbing accompaniment of Iago's "Credo" to the shimmering strings of Desdemona's "Willow Song", he doesn't miss a trick. Everything works at the highest pitch of intensity and the orchestra sticks to his beat like glue. It's a necessary compensation for the shortcomings of the staging: the stolid chorus remains unperturbed by the storm and is directed to perform with unison movements; the acting (apart from Valeri Alexejev) is non-committal, and Alexandre Tarta's video direction somewhat flat-footed. She doesn't manage to make much small-screen sense of an impenetrably murky opening scene, for example, and doesn't seem fond of reaction shots.

Le nozze di Figaro 1999