Live From Red Square Moscow

This DVD was in a hard to find format. The vendor gave it a delivery window somewhat in the future. It arrived on the first day of the window. The gift's giver and recipient were both thrilled.

This certainly was the concert of a lifetime. I was in Moscow last summer and couldn't imagine my surprise when friends offered me a ticket to see Anna Netrebko and Dmitri Hvorostovsky my favorite Russian Opera stars performing on no less, Red Square. The Conductor, Constantine Orbelian led the wonderful State Symphony Orchestra of Russia with his requisite expertise. The sound quality was extraordinarily good for an outdoor event and the picture and sound quality DVD which I just purchased and watched is spectacular. The arias performed in the first half of the program showed Anna Netrebko and Dmitri Hvorostovsky in rare expressive form, performing Verdi in this most unusual setting. The atmosphere was that of a closely knit family which was there to show their love and appreciation for their favorite son and daughter! The weather was 'special ordered' for the event and couldn't have been more comfortable or inviting.Netrebko lavished the audience with arias from Vespri and Trovatore which have not yet been performed on the stage. She is definitely heading into the heavier and meatier roles with a passion and her own personal interpretive stamp. The second half of the concert showed Dmitri singing the Te Deum from Tosca (I hope that he will perform that role soon) with typical Hvorostovsky menace and tremendous vocal presence. Anna performed Giordano's La Mamma Morta with the kind of pathos and emotion that evokes memories of Maria Callas. Of course, a Red Square concert wouldn't be complete without Russian music and we were treated with an extraordinarily moving and touching final scene from Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin. Onegin is Dmitri's signature role, and I have seen Dmitri perform this role all over the world at the greatest opera houses but, never, have I seen Anya in a more heartfelt and personally expressive performance than this one. You could actually see the tears in her eyes and hear the anguish in her voice. It seemed as if everything stopped.. the air stopped moving, people stopped breathing and even though we all know how the piece was going to send- we had wished and hoped that miraculously something would happen and those two lost souls would be united and would live happily ever after. Netrebko's Tatiana from that evening will remain in my heart forever. Constantine Orbelian supported every emotion and nuance with traditional expertise as well as offering the public tremendous and personal interpretations of Verdi's Overture to Forza and Tchaikovsky's Polonaise from Onegin. The chorus added a wonderful touch and performed with precision and vitality. The Encores- Silva's aria from Kalman's Die Czardasfurstin sung in Russian was riveting, colorful and rousing with Netrebko performing with rare abandon, then Dmitri sang Otche Chronie (Dark Eyes) as only he can and then they teamed up for a final encore of Russia's most famous international hit… Moscow Nights with the entire audience of 10,000 people singing along with them. What an experience- never to repeated and never to be forgotten. If you weren't lucky enough to be there on June 19th, 2013, then you'll have the thrill of a lifetime when you watch this unique DVD performed by not only Russia's best, but, the world's BEST operatic artists on the stage today.

I am not a NETREBKO fan, having seen her many times at the MET. Often she struggles to maintain pitch and so often her performances are plain "BLAH" - totally lifeless, like she is singing NOTES and can't wait for the opera to end! Dmitri, on the other hand is always "ON!" I swear he could sing Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Stars and make it sound like an Operatic Master piece. This DVD of the two of them LIVE in RED SQUARE, however, is magical. Maybe it is because they are on their HOME SOIL, but it is a DVD I've watched a half dozen times already. Anna is relaxed, full of life, and when she gets to singing in her native tongue, she is like a comletely different person than I have ever seen on the stage of the MET or in the MET in HD. She is much more at home as a dramatic soprano than trying to be a Coloratura singing Donizetti, where she really can't sing those High D's and Eb'S without being flat and out of tune. She was wonderful singing Verdi and Puccini, and just off the wall doing things in Russian. Hvorvorsky ( or however one spells his name ), as I said, is always magnificent. I think he is the PREMIER Baritone in the world today. Nobody can go wrong by purchasing this DVD!

I know people take issue with Anna Netrebko (occasionally fairly, most often unfairly), but here she is in spectacular form, along with Dmitri Hvorostovky (who is rarely anything other than exceptional). They are both charismatic, attractive and talented stars. Here they seem to positively shine in their home setting.The conductor (Constantine Orbelian), orchestra (Russia's State Academic Symphony Orchestra) and choir (Academic Grand Choir) are all at the top of their game. The program itself is an entertaining mix of well-loved and dramatic pieces, mostly Verdi (celebrating Verdi's bicentenary) and Tchaikovsky, that are easy to connect with. The filming, while perhaps not revolutionary, is a good mix of close-ups and wide shots, that make you feel like you're there.Not sure if the reviewer who commented that "the sun was too bright for the orchestra and the artists" actually watched the whole performance, since the majority of the concert is performed at dusk and in the early evening. As to the "sound system seeming underpowered", the bluray comes with DTS-HD Master Audio and sounded fabulous through my sound system. I suggest the reviewer either crank up the volume, or maybe invest in a new sound system.This is definitely one DVD that will encourage repeated listening. I can think of few better ways to spend an evening in at home, maybe paired with some vodka and caviar.

I was thrilled when I found a DVD of LIV E from RED SQUARE Moscow. Thoough I had found it on UTUBE this is much better and I always have it to enjoy. Dmitri and Anna 's singing together and their solos from several operas are great. .I liked the chorus and the orchestra. I also loved the Russian songs. This was June 2013. Unfortunately Dmitri was lost to us a few years later.The way the world is now it was sort of pleasant to see all those people in Red Sqare on a summer evening enjoying it,

Two of Russia’s best known, modern era, artiste's Anna Netrebko and Dmitri Hvorostovsky together with the Academic Grand Choir and the State Academic Orchestra directed by Constantine Orbelian. This performance was recorded live in Moscow's Red Square, although it's clear that this must've been over a few days, as the wide angle shots seem to show the size of the crowd varying in numbers and seating arrangements!The video production is also disappointing in many ways, as the noise levels are high in many of the shots, and the constant shooting into the setting sun is also a major distraction, although the later evening shots are much more atmospheric.Both singers give a (near) perfect performance of opera classics, mostly from the Italian repertoire, but also including pieces from Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin, with popular Russian songs, as encores, to the obvious delight of the audience who had become much more animated by this time.Like another contributor has already mentioned, and I would concur, the choir and the orchestra were rather lacklustre when compared to the soloists. The singers’ performance though was absolutely perfect and their duos from Trovatore or Eugene Onegin are enthralling to watch and listen to. The sound quality on the Blue Ray Disk is very good and goes some way towards redeeming the other video production artifacts I've mentioned.Ultimately though, this is no 'Live in Berlin', and seems a little staid in comparison to that splendid "evening out" and, in the end, for me, the stand out memory was Red Square itself.In summary then, I give this three stars for Netrebko, Hvorostovsky and Red Square.

Anna Netrebko in her home Country with fabulous views of Red Square and the Kremlin as the sunny afternoon fades into a glorious sunset. She acts each song appropriately sometimes sad and imploringly sometimes humorous, and sometimes flirtatiouslyDimitri Hvorostovsky is magnificent as Scarpia in the rendering of the Te Deum from Tosca with the Orchestra and Chorus of the State Academic Symphony Orchestra conducted by Constantine Orbelian.Arias from Verdi Operas form a large part of the concert in honour of his bicentenary, but of course Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin is featured in this 101 minute delight of virtuosity.Dimitri Hvorostovsky cuts an authoritative figure dressed all in black, and the striking and colourful costume changes of Anna Netrebko mark the changes in the dramatic episodes.

Good bye, Hvorostovsky... But have left for us a wonderful souvenir.

Wonderful DVD!! Wonderful repertoire! They are both really stars! and they have a very good rapport between them also! Very very entertaining for all the fans!!!

DVD arrived very quickly. Great concert, great singers, great value for money.