CD-Charts Position 1

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The Blu-ray Experience: Opera & Ballet Highlights [2008] (NTSC)

starring: Pamela Armstrong, Cecilia Bartoli, Alessandro Corbelli, Felicity Palmer, Anne Sofie Von Otter

Release Date October 27, 2008

CD-Charts Position 2
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Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky - Eugene Onegin / Fleming, Hvorostovsky, Vargas, Gergiev, Carsen [Metropolitan Opera 2007]

starring: Renee Fleming, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Ramon Vargas, Valery Gergiev, Elena Zaremba
directed by: Robert Carsen

Release Date February 04, 2008
It is hard to add much to what has already been written but after watching this dvd last night I felt that I had to say something. I was initially taken aback by the minmalist staging. I gradually got used to it but never really liked it. The singing was superb with not a weak performance anywhere and Horostovsky certainly had the arrogant presence but why he had to do a striptease I do not know as it seemed to add nothing to the plot. Does anyone know why Gergeiev played the polonaise at such an incredible pace, again I can't see how it helped the story. Having said all that it won't be long before I hire it again.

CD-Charts Position 3
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Verdi - Il Trovatore (Rizzi, Orch of Royal Opera House) [Blu-ray] [2002]

starring: José Cura (Manrico), Dmitri Hvorostovsky (Count di Luna), Yvonne Naef (Azucena), Verónica Villarroel (Leonora)
directed by: Elijah Moshinsky

Release Date June 30, 2008
It is hard to add much to what has already been written but after watching this dvd last night I felt that I had to say something. I was initially taken aback by the minmalist staging. I gradually got used to it but never really liked it. The singing was superb with not a weak performance anywhere and Horostovsky certainly had the arrogant presence but why he had to do a striptease I do not know as it seemed to add nothing to the plot. Does anyone know why Gergeiev played the polonaise at such an incredible pace, again I can't see how it helped the story. Having said all that it won't be long before I hire it again.

CD-Charts Position 4
Average Rating:

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Various Composers - to Russia With Love (Hvorostovsky) [2006] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

starring: Dmitri Hvorostovsky

Release Date November 17, 2008
It is hard to add much to what has already been written but after watching this dvd last night I felt that I had to say something. I was initially taken aback by the minmalist staging. I gradually got used to it but never really liked it. The singing was superb with not a weak performance anywhere and Horostovsky certainly had the arrogant presence but why he had to do a striptease I do not know as it seemed to add nothing to the plot. Does anyone know why Gergeiev played the polonaise at such an incredible pace, again I can't see how it helped the story. Having said all that it won't be long before I hire it again.

CD-Charts Position 5
Average Rating:

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Dmitri Hvorostovsky - Russian Songs From The War Years [2003]

starring: Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Moscow Chamber Orchestra, Constantine Orbelian, Dmitry Hvorostovsky

Release Date September 24, 2007
Breathtaking - moving - unforgettable - unique - very emotional - just few words to describe my feelings watching Dimitri and the audience. It's more about war time memories, than perfection of the performance, but Hvorostovsky delivered both: perfection and tears.

CD-Charts Position 6
Average Rating:

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Verdi: Il Trovatore -- Royal Opera House [2002]

starring: Jose Cura, Royal Opera House Orchestra, Dmitri Hvorostovsky
directed by: Elijah Moshinsky

Release Date September 30, 2002
Impressive if unusual sets and costumes made this an entertaining experience. Dmitri Hvorostovsky acted and sang everyone else off the stage,but then he always does. Azucena looked the same age as her son and lacked gravitas which added to the implausibility of the plot. Still a rewarding experience.

CD-Charts Position 7
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20 Years of BBC Singer of the World in Cardiff [NTSC] [2003] (NTSC)

starring: Bryn Terfel, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Karita Mattila

Release Date May 05, 2003
Impressive if unusual sets and costumes made this an entertaining experience. Dmitri Hvorostovsky acted and sang everyone else off the stage,but then he always does. Azucena looked the same age as her son and lacked gravitas which added to the implausibility of the plot. Still a rewarding experience.

CD-Charts Position 8
Average Rating:

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The Harvest of Sorrow [1998] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

starring: Valery Gergiev, John Gielgud, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Valentina Igoshina, Peter Jablonski
directed by: Tony Palmer

Release Date July 31, 2007
Impressive if unusual sets and costumes made this an entertaining experience. Dmitri Hvorostovsky acted and sang everyone else off the stage,but then he always does. Azucena looked the same age as her son and lacked gravitas which added to the implausibility of the plot. Still a rewarding experience.

CD-Charts Position 9
Average Rating:

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20 Years of BBC Singer of the World in Cardiff [2003]

starring: Bryn Terfel, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Karita Mattila

Release Date May 05, 2003
The Cardiff Singer of the World Competition first took place in 1983 in St. David's Hall in Cardiff. Singers from all over the world compete every other year for the title, performing a variety of classical music, accompanied by symphony orchestra or piano. To celebrate the competition's 20th anniversary, all performances of the winners up to 2001 have been recorded on the first DVD. No talking, no interviews, hardly any commentary, just 170 minutes of the good stuff.
The second disk includes a short documentary about the competition's history and background and the performances of the winners of the Lieder or Song Prize (introduced in 1989).
What's great about this DVD set is that there are so many different voices, styles and types of music. Certainly, ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 10
Average Rating:

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Il Trovatore [2002] (NTSC)

starring: Jose Cura, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Tomas Tomasson, Yvonne Naef, Verónica Villarroel
directed by: Brian Large, Elijah Moshinsky

Release Date November 19, 2002
Curious trend this, whereby italian operas in major centres are now commonly cast without a single italian singer, at least in the main roles. Whether that obeys to an acute scarcity of competent, world-class Italian singers remains to be seen, maybe globalisation arrived to the arts with its full impact. Any way, this release is typical of its source, very well produced and with interesting and pertinent supplementary material, a feature other publishers ought to imitate.
The end result is uneven, though, in spite of the stunning Moshinsky production for The Royal Opera, a significant improvement over his previous Australian effort which has been variously broadcast over world television and seen in many countries. The main problem lies with Cura's Manrico, caught ... Read More: