Product Description

In 1920s Germany, Korngold, Erich Wolfgang's work was considered degenerate and banned. Eventually, in 1934, he left for Hollywood. There, he made a name for himself as a film composer and only rarely wrote great works for the stage. Many of his quite successful operas, composed between 1913 and 1927, stopped being performed after World War II. Among these was his perhaps most significant work, Die tote Stadt (The Dead City), which was performed again for the first time after a long hiatus in 1955 in Munich. Further productions followed. Nevertheless, Gtz Friedrich's version of 1983 for the Deutsche Oper Berlin was only the fifth new production of the opera after 1945. Thanks to it, the work became established in the repertoires of many other opera houses, if only as a curiosity.In the production at the Deutsche Oper Berlin in 1983, James King, who debuted at the Deutsche Oper Berlin in 1961 and had a great interest in the role, starred as Paul; the internationally renowned singer Karan Armstrong as Marietta; and William Murray as Frank.

Review

Taken as a whole, this is a vital collection for anyone interested in some of the more adventurous directions that have been taken in the creation and production of opera; and it should make a perfect holiday gift for any opera-lover. --Stephen Smoliar, National Examiner

• Aspect Ratio : 1.33:1
• Package Dimensions : 7.1 x 5.42 x 0.58 inches; 3.82 ounces
• Director : Gtz Friedrich, Brian Large
• Media Format : Color, NTSC
• Run time : 2 hours and 10 minutes
• Release date : October 30, 2012
• Actors : James King, Karan Armstrong, William Murray, Sylvia Greenberg, Heinrich Hollreiser
• Subtitles: : English, French, Italian, Spanish
• Producers : Deutsche Oper Berlin
• Language : German (PCM Stereo)
• Studio : Arthaus
• Writers : Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Paul Schott, Georges Rodenbach
• Number of discs : 1