Witty and wonderful songs help tell the story of the trying times leading to the writing and signing of the Declaration of Independence. Definitely helps explain how America's founders could want independence, while still tolerating slavery.

The sound quality is far superior to earlier releases. This is an opportunity to see "Cool, Cool, Considerate Men," the production number which President Richard Nixon had Jack Warner cut from the original production. It certainly adds to the impact, and should NOT have been cut!

Includes Screen Tests and Trailers. Best of all, it also includes an option to hear a full Director and Screenwriter Commentary on the production.

Why were'nt our history classes this informative AND FUN?!

With six soloists and a double chorus, Bach relates with great passion and devotion St. Matthew's story of the Passion.

I was pleasantly surprised by the virtuosity and emotional involvement of nearly all the orchestra's players and the conductor.

The music itself, reminded me of Mozart's genius, because likewise, Johann Sebastian Bach was able to include so many exquisite and movingly beautiful musical passages.

English sub-titles make this easier to follow than any CD recording.

Hermann Prey and Margaret Marshall lead the other very able soloists in an unforgettable performance. The Klosterkirche Alpirsbach provides a perfect setting.

If you enjoy Bach, this will be a delight for your eyes, your ears, and your soul.

After a struggle with the gloomy preoccupation with mortality in the first two parts, the symphony bursts forth into a celebration of life.

Daniel Barenboim's conducting is graceful and elegant--he's there for every phrase of music, and is completely involved with it.

If you're a fan of audio versions of this symphony, you'll really appreciate SEEING what's going on. Kudos to Video Director Bob Coles who has the cameras right there at the right time to catch specific players at their key moments.

This is definitely not a static view of a symphony performance. It moves and flows as individuals work together in inspired unison.

Reviews of symphony performances tend to be pretty subjective, so I'll just tell you what I can see that you might like about this DVD.

Simon Rattle does a fine interpretation of Mahler's 5th, and the Berlin Philharmonic sounds beautiful. The horn solo is so striking, that it seems appropriate that Rattle had the soloist come to the front by the podium. It added emphasis to the solo playing.

If you're new to Mahler, you can expect pathos and supernaturally beautiful music. If you've watched a lot of movies, you'll recognize here Mahler themes used in "Somewhere in Time," and "Death in Venice." You'll also find, in Mahler symphonies, wonderful little folksongs and dances.

It really helps to SEE the conductor expressing just the way he wants the music played--that's one of the big values to a DVD performance, and this one has excellent camerawork. This also includes an interview with Simon Rattle, which shows you a bit of his personality and his "take" on Mahler. (They've also even thrown in a CD of this performance for your audio delight.) We need more DVD performances of Mahler's music!

(sung in German, with subtitles in English, German, and French)

Der Rosenkavalier (the Cavalier of the Rose) can entertain you on various levels.

There is the heavenly, ethereal music which is almost too beautiful. There's a delightful sense of humor with surprises for nearly all of the main characters.

There's plenty of romance, with the scene of "the presentation of the rose" as one of the best examples of capturing the very moment of love-at-first-sight.

As if all the great entertainment were not enough, Richard Strauss has given us a moral lesson: While the Field Marshall's wife has justifiable contempt for her cousin, the lecherous Baron, she realizes that she has been little better as she has used her imperial position to take advantage of more than one young officer. She sees herself in the mirror, and decides to start doing the right (loving) thing--she gives up her current lover so that he can be happy. She finally loves him enough (a sort of motherly love?) to let go of him.

Der Rosenkavalier is basically a love story, with some "growing up" by several of the characters. The music is so beautiful, it's almost unearthly at times.

This performance brings together the great conducter, Herbert von Karajan, the Vienna State Opera, and magnificent singers, such as Kurt Moll, Agnes Baltsa, Anna Tomowa-Sintow, and Janet Perry.

For my taste, this production does not have the warmth of Carlos Kleiber's performance. But it is excellently-done, in every aspect, and you may very well prefer it over others. It may be simply a matter that the stage of the Vienna State Opera seems so large that I felt more removed from the action. That's just my impression.

If you have enjoyed Rosenkavalier, this performance will not disappoint you. It is the performance of an opera which examines many aspects of what we call love, performed by a great conductor, great orchestra, great singers--a grand opera!

(sung in German, with subtitles in English)

Der Rosenkavalier (the Cavalier of the Rose) can entertain you on various levels.

There is the heavenly, ethereal music which is almost too beautiful. There's a delightful sense of humor with surprises for nearly all of the main characters.

There's plenty of romance, with the scene of "the presentation of the rose" as one of the best examples of capturing the very moment of love-at-first-sight.

As if all the great entertainment were not enough, Richard Strauss has given us a moral lesson: While the Field Marshall's wife has justifiable contempt for her cousin, the lecherous Baron, she realizes that she has been little better as she has used her imperial position to take advantage of more than one young officer. She sees herself in the mirror, and decides to start doing the right (loving) thing--she gives up her current lover so that he can be happy. She finally loves him enough (a sort of motherly love?) to let go of him.

Der Rosenkavalier is basically a love story, with some "growing up" by several of the characters. The music is so beautiful, it's almost unearthly at times.

The singing in this production is excellent--somewhat surprising considering the very youthful Sophie. The only reason I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars, is that it just didn't seem to have the dramatic impact of other available performances. All the same, it's very well-sung, and will not leave you disappointed.

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(sung in German, with subtitles in English, French, German, Spanish, and Japanese)

Der Rosenkavalier (the Cavalier of the Rose) can entertain you on various levels.

There is the heavenly, ethereal music which is almost too beautiful. There's a delightful sense of humor with surprises for nearly all of the main characters.

There's plenty of romance, with the scene of "the presentation of the rose" as one of the best examples of capturing the very moment of love-at-first-sight.

As if all the great entertainment were not enough, Richard Strauss has given us a moral lesson: While the Field Marshall's wife has justifiable contempt for her cousin, the lecherous Baron, she realizes that she has been little better as she has used her imperial position to take advantage of more than one young officer. She sees herself in the mirror, and decides to start doing the right (loving) thing--she gives up her current lover so that he can be happy. She finally loves him enough (a sort of motherly love?) to let go of him.

Der Rosenkavalier is basically a love story, with some "growing up" by several of the characters. The music is so beautiful, it's almost unearthly at times.

Georg Solti conducts the Royal Opera, Covent Garden, and Kiri te Kanawa sings the role she has made her own--the Marschallin.

You may well gasp in amazement (tears come to my eyes) that such beautiful music has been written. Staging and costumes are splendid also..

(sung in German, with subtitles in German, English, French, and Chinese)

Der Rosenkavalier (the Cavalier of the Rose) can entertain you on various levels.

First, there is the heavenly, ethereal music which is almost too beautiful.

Second, there is a delightful sense of humor--a bag of tricks with surprises for nearly all of the main characters.

Third, there is romance. Although several of the characters are "in love," on different levels, the musical capture of the exquisite moment of "love at first sight" between Sophie and Octavian is one of those magical moments to cherish.

Fourth, the camera-work is the best ever recorded. You can see & feel Sophie's and Octavian's moment of falliing in love.

Fifth, as if all the great entertainment were not enough, Richard Strauss has given us a moral lesson: While the Field Marshall's wife has contempt for her cousin, the lecherous Baron, she realizes that she has been little better, as she has used her imperial position to take advantage of more than one young officer. She sees herself in the mirror, and decides to start doing the right (truly loving) thing--she gives up her current lover so that he can be happy (an almost motherly love?). She has finally learned to love him enough to let go of him.

If you're an old friend of Der Rosenkavalier, you'll enjoy Carlos Kleiber's loving touch. Barbara Bonney is a perfect, naive, sweet Sophie. Kurt Moll is the quintessential Baron Ochs auf Lerchenau.

If you're new to Rosenkavalier, prepare yourself for a sumptuous feast of musical and theatrical delights!

This is the best recording of Richard Strauss' Alpine Symphony.
Here's why:
It is a stunning piece of music--an auditory journey up an alpine mountain, complete with sunrise and sunset, and even an impressive, powerful mountain storm.
Herbert von Karajan shaped the Berlin Philharmonic into perhaps the best orchestra ever. Von Karajan shows how, like a musician, a great conductor "plays" an orchestra as if it were his instrument.
This DVD allows you to see, up close, the conducting details and nuances of body language which get so much more out of the orchestra.
The DVD format also allows you to check back with the program titles to verify what the music is describing.
The photography and sound recording could not be better.
You will have a better seat, a better view, than anyone at any concert.
This is an opportunity to see a great conductor perform a great musical work on his personal instrument, the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

These comments refer to the performance of Strauss' Die Fledermaus done by the Royal Opera, Covent Garden, conducted by Placido Domingo, starring Kiri Te Kanawa and Hermann Prey as the Eisensteins. (sung mostly in German, with subtitles in English, German, Spanish, and Japanese.)

This performance is a good introduction to Strauss' Fledermaus because Dr. Falke explains to Prince Orlofsky IN ENGLISH! the plot of his complicated prank on his old friend Gabriel Eisenstein.

As if the cast of excellent singers and the beautiful costuming were not enough, Prince Orlofsky's celebrity guests make this an evening to remember. In addition to an appearance by French crooner, Charles Aznavour, there is a ballet vignette with such superb dancing that it will leave breathless even those (like me!) who usually eschew ballet--it's dazzling!

Recorded in 1984, this is a New Year's Eve performance that you'll want to enjoy again and again with family and friends.