Academician and piano expert David Dubal narrates this absorbing documentary chronicling the instrument's history and featuring some of the 20th century's finest pianists via archival film clips. Among the keyboard virtuosos are Vladimir Horowitz, Claudio Arrau, Van Cliburn and Glenn Gould. Extras include Arrau's 1983 performance of Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Concerto no. 4, accompanied by the Philadelphia Orchestra under maestro Riccardo Muti.
Modest Mussorgsky's opera in prologue and four acts is performed by the Kirov Opera with performances from Olga Borodina, Alexei Steblianko and Sergei Leiferkust. Boris Godunov has obtained the throne of Russia by murdering the rightful heir Dmitry. An old monk, Pimen, witnessed this, and convinces his apprentice Grigory to avenge Dmitry's death. In the following years Grigory poses as Dmitry, raising an army against Boris, who is now convinced that he is being punished for the murder. Filmed in Russia during the collapse of the Soviet Union, this particular production of Mussorgsky's 1872 tale of political upheaval is considered a highly unique and historical moment in opera. Robert Lloyd stars in the title role of Boris Godunov.
Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka's magical masterpiece in its entirety, inspired by Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin's poem of a Russian tale. An evil sorcerer Chernomor casts a spell over wedding celebrations for Ruslan and Lyudmila at the court of Svetozar, the Prince of Kiev. Lyudmila vanishes and her father promises her hand and half his kingdom to the knight who rescues her. Ruslan on this quest of rescue encounters the knights Ratmir and Farlaf, the wise wizard Finn, the slave of Ratmir, Gorislava and sorceress Naina before confronting Chernomor in his magic garden. After all the challenges for Ruslan, true love prevails.
A look behind the scenes at the 1994 recording sessions for the acclaimed album of Julie Andrews singing the great songs of Richard Rodgers. Musical highlights in the film include: "This Can't Be Love," "I Wish I Were in Love Again," "The Sound of Music," "I Have Dreamed," and "A 'Waltz' Carousel."
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's dazzling opera by-line in seven tableaux. The epic journey of Sadko a sea-faring minstrel from Novgorod, his wife Libava and their encounters with Volkhova, a sea Princess and the court of her parents the Tsar and Tsarina of the Sea. Sadko traveling on his ship "Falcon" also meets visiting foreign merchants from India (a Hindu), Scandinavia (a Varangian) and Italy (a Venetian) singing of the magic of their own lands to try and lure him. In the seventh tableaux Sadko is reunited with his wife, thinking his journey a dream, until he sees his fleet of ships coming up the newly created river Volkhova and realizes his sea Princess has transformed herself into the river in order to create the gateway to the ocean for Novgorod. In conclusion Sadko leads the hymn of praise and everyone rejoices their good fortune.
Commissioned by Philips, Europa Radio celebrates the company’s experimental PCJJ shortwave radio station in Eindhoven that went on air in 1927 and broadcasted to Europe as well as the rest of the world in various languages. Hans Richter’s film covers one day from morning to night, showing the range and scope of the daily radio programs – from stock market news and sports events to live concerts and a speech by Albert Einstein. (via: impakt.nl)
The celebrated Italian vocal artist returns home to Tuscany, where he performs tracks from his albums "Romanza" and "Viaggio Italiano" and reunites with his family in candid personal footage. A NIGHT IN TUSCANY intersperses exclusive interviews, emotional performances, and gorgeous travel photography of Tuscany, creating a fully realized world which helps to the man behind the performer. Highlights of the video include moving duets with renowned vocalist Sarah Brightman and Italian pop star Zucchero.
The 30-year-old Xiao Ma is the lead guitarist of the "cold avoidance" band. On the stage, he is full of energy, cool and heroic, and invincible; in life, he is a smiling, sunny, and loves the Tiger New good youth. In his spare time, the Xiao Ma is not indulging in the entanglement between flesh and skin, but actively learning various knowledge. In the English tuition class, he fell in love with the beautiful tutor teacher Jiang Ting. Under the circumstances of concealing identity, Xiao Ma and Jiang Ting began to fall in love. However, there is an unspeakable secret in Xiao Ma's heart, that is, his bed wetting, which has also become the biggest obstacle in his love process ...
