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Trans-Siberian Orchestra - The Ghost Of Christmas Eve
Release Date: 2001-11-13
Sales rank: 461
TOS's THE GHOST OF CHRISTMAS EVE - now available for the first time on VHS and DVD - is a unique fantasy trip through the magic of Christmas. Narrated by award-winning actor Ossie Davis, the production takes us on a journey of a runaway little girl's decision to return to her family after she enters a rundown theater for shelter and encounters an old caretaker who guides her on her journey. This magical story - which features appearances from Atlantic recording artists Jewel and Michael Crawford - was filmed entirely on location at the newly refurbished and historic Loews Jersey Theatre in Jersey City, New Jersey, and includes performances of such tracks as "O Come All Ye Faithful," "Good King Joy," "Christmas Canon," "Music Box Blues," "Promises To Keep," and "This Christmas Day,". Track Listing:
O' Come All Ye Faithful/O Holy Night
Good King Joy
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing -- Featuring Jewel
Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24)
Christmas Canon
O Holy Night -- Featuring Michael Crawford
Music Box Blues
Promises To Keep
This Christmas Day
First Snow |
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Fantasia (Special 60th Anniversary Edition)
Release Date: 2000-11-14
Sales rank: 1098
Groundbreaking on several counts, not the least of which was an innovative use of animation and stereophonic sound, this ambitious Disney feature has lost nothing to time since its release in 1940. Classical music was interpreted by Disney animators, resulting in surreal fantasy and playful escapism. Leopold Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra provided the music for eight segments by the composers Tchaikovsky, Moussorgsky, Stravinsky, Beethoven, Ponchielli, Bach, Dukas, and Schubert. Not all the sequences were created equally, but a few are simply glorious, such as "Night on Bald Mountain," "The Sorcerer's Apprentice," and "The Nutcracker Suite." The animation ranges from subtly delicate to fiercely bold. The screen bursts with color and action as creatures transmute and convention is thrust aside. The painstaking detail and saturated hues are unique to this film, unmatched even by more advanced technology. --Rochelle O'Gorman |
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The Nutcracker / Baryshnikov, Kirkland, Charmoli
Release Date: 2004-09-28
Sales rank: 766
The Nutcracker marked the initial choreographic effort of Baryshnikov, universally hailed as one of the world’s greatest dancers. Under Baryshnikov’s inventive direction, the traditionally lighthearted story of a small girl’s dream on Christmas Eve is transformed into a more complex theatrical experience. Broadcast regularly on PBS, this American Ballet Theatre performance (directed in the studio by Tony Charmoli) stars Gelsey Kirkland as Clara and Mikhail Baryshnikov at the peak of his artistic ability as the Prince/Nutcracker.The American Ballet Theater version of the Tchaikovsky classic, a 1977 studio rendition directed by Tony Charmoli, has become a holiday perennial on PBS stations and home video. It's a favorite of parents who want to give their kids the gift of culture--and with good reason. There's a loose fairy tale plot to keep dance neophytes interested, and Boris Aronson's eye-candy production design is a series of lavish dioramas. From an imperial-era Russian Christmas party out of Tolstoy, a young girl named Clara (Gelsey Kirkland) is whisked in dreams to an imaginary world populated by the animated creations of the wizard toy maker Drosselmeier (Alexander Minz), who prances on his stick-thin limbs like a Dickens illustration come to life. The main attraction is, of course, Mikhail Baryshnikov, one of the greatest classical dancers of the century, at his absolute peak of athleticism and precision. An opening slow-motion montage diagrams his fabled smoothness of execution, elegant airborne trajectories that have a feather-light perfection. Music lovers who know only "The Nutcracker Suite" will relish the chance to hear this great score all the way through, conducted with lilt and vigor by Kenneth Schermerhorn. --David Chute |
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Baby Einstein - Baby Mozart - Music Festival
Release Date: 2002-03-12
Sales rank: 1284
A trusted, award-winning musical banquet for little eyes and ears!
-- Exposes babies to the brilliance of Mozart's music
-- Provides captivating visual stimulation
As your baby grows, and the world beckons with amazing things to see, hear and do, every moment of every day provides a brand-new opportunity for discovery. It's an incredible journey you'll embark on together, and to accompany you along the way there's BABY MOZART™ MUSIC FESTIVAL. Acclaimed by parents, this vibrant, award-winning musical feast for little eyes and ears exposes babies to the splendor and delight of classical music. Treat yourself and your little one to mesmerizing, multi colored images accompanied by enchanting versions of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's most popular compositions. It's a fun way to share the joy of discovering music -- and the world -- together!
DVD Features
-- Repeat play
-- Language tracks (Spanish, French and English)
-- Discovery cards
-- Puppet shows
-- Toy chestIt's called "the Mozart Effect," the notion that exposing youngsters to the melodies of the maestro can improve verbal ability, spatial intelligence, creativity, and memory. It's a pretty big leap of faith to understand that effect unless you personally see a toddler react to the stimulation. The Baby Einstein folks have a series of tapes (Baby Einstein, Baby Bach) that add visual stimulation to the bouncy recordings (using vibraphone, Rhodes electric piano, and even a glockenspiel). The melodies are heard against colorful imagery of spinning tops, wave machines, soft baby toys, mobiles, and the like. Several parenting groups and magazines have heralded the tapes for children 1 to 36 months, but the Orwellian aspect of introducing babes in arms to the TV screen may cause many to just pick up the CD. --Doug Thomas |
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Adams: Doctor Atomic
Release Date: 2008-09-30
Sales rank: 2259
The longing to overcome human boundaries lead the physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer to begin an experiment that formed a threat to the whole of humanity, and whose scientific results still do today. The question of the moral implications of the atomic bomb is raised in John Adams opera, just as much as that of the influence on the private lives of the main characters. Doctor Atomic is the fifth work to result from almost twenty years of collaboration between the American composer and his fellow American director and Erasmus Prize-winner Peter Sellars. Doctor Atomic concerns itself with the work of J. Robert Oppenheimer and his team of scientists at the test site of the first atomic bomb outside Los Alamos, New Mexico during the lead-up to the first detonation. As Zero Hour relentlessly approaches and conditions become less and less favorable, individual tensions build feverishly and Oppenheimer and his staff struggle with the moral implications of their work on 'the Gadget', and the strong possibility of global annihilation. Recorded in high definition video and true surround sound, John Adams' fascinating, overwhelming score and Peter Sellars' forceful staging (and TV direction) portray Oppenheimer, exquisitely sung by Gerald Finley, as a profoundly troubled man, at odds with himself but moving inexorably forward, representative of the great ethical dilemmas of humanity itself. |
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Vivere Live in Tuscany [DVD/CD]
Release Date: 2008-01-29
Sales rank: 1602
Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli grew up in Lajatico, a rural village in Tuscany, where his family still farms nearby. Last July, on the slopes of his ancient hill town, a special theater was constructed for a one-night-only concert of his greatest popular hits along with new songs performed to honor the occasion. Some famous musical friends dropped by and the magical result is Andrea Bocelli - Vivere - Live in Tuscany, premiering this December on PBS.
Joining Andrea for the new songs are "grandissimo sassofonista" Kenny G, trumpeter Chris Botti, piano virtuoso Lang Lang, Italian pop star Eliza, and legendary musician, songwriter and producer David Foster. Helping with the hits: favorite divas Sarah Brightman, Heather Headley and Laura Pausini.
Surveying the breathtaking landscape that provides the backdrop for the festivities, Bocelli introduces the telecast with the passion of a true Toscano. "It's my land," he says, "a land that loves silence as much as I do. If I break this silence with my voice, it's because I want to pay tribute. Music penetrates this land; it flows across it and flies off far away. It's a message of love."
Musical highlights include the song that launched Bocelli's career, "Il Mare Calmo Della Sera"; the one that brought him international stardom, "Time to Say Goodbye," in duet with Sarah Brightman; Laura Pausini joining him for "Dare to Live" ("Vivere"); Bocelli and Heather Headley reprising the popular "Vivo Per Lei," plus several new selections from the just-released The Best of Andrea Bocelli - Vivere album (Sugar Music/Decca). Also featured is a meltingly romantic medley of songs from his 2006 collection, Amore: "Bésame Mucho," "Somos Novios" ("It's Impossible") and "I Can't Help Falling in Love with You."
Disc: 1 (Live CD)
1. ITALIA (Featuring Chris Botti on trumpet)
2. LA VOCE DEL SILENZIO (Duet with Elisa)
3. MEDLEY: Besame Mucho, Somos Novios (It's impossible), Can't Help Falling in Love
4. CANTO DELLA TERRA (Duet with Sarah Brightman)
5. MILLE LUNE MILLE ONDE
6. ROMANZA
7. SE LA GENTE USASSE IL CUORE (Studio Version)
8. DOMANI (Studio Version)
Disc: 2 (Live Concert DVD)
1. MELODRAMMA
2. ROMANZA
3. A TE (Featuring Kenny G on soprano saxophone)
4. VIVO PER LEI (Duet with Heather Headley)
5. IO CI SARÒ (Featuring Lang Lang on piano)
6. HUNGARIAN RHAPSODY no. 2 in C sharp minor (Performed by Lang Lang)
7. LA VOCE DEL SILENZIO (Duet with Elisa)
8. DANCING (Performed by Elisa)
9. CANTO DELLA TERRA (Duet with Sarah Brightman)
10. BELLISSIME STELLE
11. MEDLEY: Besame Mucho/Somos Novios (It's impossible)/ Can't Help Falling in Love
12. BECAUSE WE BELIEVE
13. THE PRAYER (Duet with Heather Headley)
14. ITALIA (Featuring Chris Botti on trumpet)
15. DARE TO LIVE (Vivere) (Duet with Laura Pausini)
16. SOGNO
17. IL MARE CALMO DELLA SERA
18. TIME TO SAY GOODBYE (Con te partirò) (Duet with Sarah Brightman)
DVD Bonus Material Includes: Photo gallery and behind the scenes interviews and more
Bocelli Vivere Live In Tuscany will be available in both digipak and amaray versions—-each with DVD and CD components. |
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Andre Rieu: Live in Vienna
Release Date: 2008-09-30
Sales rank: 888
Live In Vienna: A concert with Andre Rieu on the square in front of the imperial Hofburg Palace in the heart of Vienna. This DVD includes superb compositions from the most famous Viennese composers: Johann Strauss, Franz Lehar, Emmerich Kalman, W.A. Mozart, Robert Stolz and many others, set against the background of the most beautiful, stylish scenery imaginable. This DVD includes tracks not shown on the television special. |
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Menotti - Amahl and the Night Visitors
Release Date: 2007-10-09
Sales rank: 1262
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On the Waterfront (Special Edition)
Release Date: 2001-10-23
Sales rank: 3709
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Ent Release Date: 05/13/2008 Run time: 108 minutes Rating: NrMarlon Brando's famous "I coulda been a contenda" speech is such a warhorse by now that a lot of people probably feel they've seen this picture already, even if they haven't. And many of those who have seen it may have forgotten how flat-out thrilling it is. For all its great dramatic and cinematic qualities, and its fiery social criticism, Elia Kazan's On the Waterfront is also one of the most gripping melodramas of political corruption and individual heroism ever made in the United States, a five-star gut-grabber. Shot on location around the docks of Hoboken, New Jersey, in the mid-1950s, it tells the fact-based story of a longshoreman (Brando's Terry Malloy) who is blackballed and savagely beaten for informing against the mobsters who have taken over his union and sold it out to the bosses. (Karl Malden has a more conventional stalwart-hero role, as an idealistic priest who nurtures Terry's pangs of conscience.) Lee J. Cobb, who created the role of Willy Loman in Death of Salesman under Kazan's direction on Broadway, makes a formidable foe as a greedy union leader. --David Chute |
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Roy Orbison: Black & White Night [Blu-ray]
Release Date: 2008-09-30
Sales rank: 2849
Presented on Blu-Ray for the first time, a special one-time event documenting one of rock and roll's greatest and most unique performances. Recorded live at the Cocoanut Grove in Los Angeles, Roy Orbison is joined by an eclectic ensemble of rock and roll superstars. Highlighting this all-star line-up are Jackson Browne, Elvis Costello, T-Bone Burnett, J.D. Souther, Jennifer Warnes, k.d. lang, Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Springsteen and Tom Waits. Orbison and fellow performers spend a scintillating hour performing many of his greatest hits.Few early rockers were more gifted or less honored in their prime than the late Roy Orbison, whose vaulting tenor and vulnerable love songs conjured heartbreak and desire with operatic intensity. This 1987 concert special, originally broadcast on Showtime, came two decades after Orbison had retreated from pop's front lines, yet neither Orbison nor his music coasts on mere nostalgia: in every respect, A Black and White Night survives as a triumphant performance and a superb video production, as well as a first-rate retrospective of Orbison's hits. Filmed in black and white against the streamlined art deco stage of the since-demolished Coconut Grove in downtown Los Angeles, the concert is buoyed by a remarkable cast of A-list Orbison fans who signed on as his accompanists. Under the direction of producer T-Bone Burnett, the stage band thus includes Jackson Browne, Burnett, Elvis Costello, k.d. lang, Bonnie Raitt, J.D. Souther, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, and Jennifer Warnes, along with the rhythm section from Elvis Presley's fabled late '60s and early '70s touring band. That astonishing lineup is all the more noteworthy for the restraint with which they collaborate--it's evident that those superstars came to honor Orbison, not upstage him, resulting in a gratifying cohesion to the performances. Orbison himself sounds as powerful as ever, his soaring falsetto cresting as dramatically as it did on the studio versions of the hits that inevitably dominate. Those songs meanwhile confirm that his blue chip admiration society came as much for the caliber of his writing as for his ravishing voice: if he remains best known for the jaunty come-on of "Pretty Woman," Orbison was first and foremost a rock balladeer, capable of bringing lumps to our throats with such classics as "Crying" and "Only the Lonely," or conjuring romantic trances through such gentle charmers as "Dream Baby." On this night, he handled all of them with fervor and finesse. --Sam SutherlandFew early rockers were more gifted or less honored in their prime than the late Roy Orbison, whose vaulting tenor and vulnerable love songs conjured heartbreak and desire with operatic intensity. This 1987 concert special, originally broadcast on Showtime, came two decades after Orbison had retreated from pop's front lines, yet neither Orbison nor his music coasts on mere nostalgia: in every respect, A Black and White Night survives as a triumphant performance and a superb video production, as well as a first-rate retrospective of Orbison's hits.
Filmed in black and white against the streamlined art deco stage of the since-demolished Coconut Grove in downtown Los Angeles, the concert is buoyed by a remarkable cast of A-list Orbison fans who signed on as his accompanists. Under the direction of producer T-Bone Burnett, the stage band thus includes Jackson Browne, Burnett, Elvis Costello, k.d. lang, Bonnie Raitt, J.D. Souther, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, and Jennifer Warnes, along with the rhythm section from Elvis Presley's fabled late '60s and early '70s touring band. That astonishing lineup is all the more noteworthy for the restraint with which they collaborate--it's evident that those superstars came to honor Orbison, not upstage him, resulting in a gratifying cohesion to the performances.
Orbison himself sounds as powerful as ever, his soaring falsetto cresting as dramatically as it did on the studio versions of the hits that inevitably dominate. Those songs meanwhile confirm that his blue chip admiration society came as much for the caliber of his writing as for his ravishing voice: if he remains best known for the jaunty come-on of "Pretty Woman," Orbison was first and foremost a rock balladeer, capable of bringing lumps to our throats with such classics as "Crying" and "Only the Lonely," or conjuring romantic trances through such gentle charmers as "Dream Baby." On this night, he handled all of them with fervor and finesse. --Sam Sutherland |
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