The Queen

The world lost one of the most important, influential, and iconic voices of all time this summer when Aretha Franklin passed away. To celebrate this legendary artist’s irreplaceable musical legacy, a new collection will be released that features her biggest hits with Atlantic Records as they were originally recorded, paired with stunning symphonic versions with orchestration from The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Also featured on this new compilation are two unreleased recordings: a moving version of “Silent Night” and a newly produced duet with Beverley Knight.

This Edition presents the “Magnificent Seven” and the “encore” in optimum technical quality. In the mid-Fifties of the last century, with the Cold War freezing relations between East and West, the English record label Decca decided to record a series of Russian operas with the Belgrade National Opera. Belgrade in the Yugoslavia of those days under Josip Tito was more open to “the West” than the Warsaw Pact countries gathered under the wing of the Soviet Union. The deal had been struck by former Decca manager and successful promoter of east European folklore in the USA, record executive Gerald Severn.

The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead (2008) [DVD5 NTSC] {Sexy Intellectual}
DVD5 -> 4.06 Gb | All Regions | NTSC 4:3 | Stereo Sound Mix | ~ 115m | ISO Image | Full Artwork | 5% repair rar
© 2008 Sexy Intellectual | SIDVD538
Documentary / Rock / Alternative

If The Smiths had called it a day after Meat Is Murder, and never released The Queen Is Dead, they would surely still be seen as one of the finest British bands ever - a perpetual legacy was assured soon after their second album. But on June 16th 1986, when the band released their third record proper, they entered an exclusive league that grants new membership once a decade at best. This DVD is a visual review of this groundbreaking record, it's writing, recording, production, release and legacy.

It is rare when four of the Bolshoi’s greatest stars appear together in their home theatre in one of Russian opera’s masterpieces. The opera was Tchaikovsky’s, The Queen Of Spades, (Pique Dream), and Kultur is proud to present it here, complete, for the first time on DVD. With a libretto written by the composer’s brother, Modest, this tale of terror, with a plot involving obsessive love and gambling, hallucinations and descent into madness never fails to have a profound effect on its audience. The Bolshoi’s production is riveting, with sumptuous sets and costumes, and the famed Bolshoi chorus and corps de ballet are at their most elegant and spectacular.

This version of The Queen of Spades was originally recorded in 1974 and made available as a special import; it was then generally released by Philips in 1988. Reviewing it at the time, AB gave a level account of its strengths, but had little difficulty in preferring the Tchakarov set when it was issued in 1990. Deleted by Philips, the Ermler performance has now been restored to the Melodiya catalogue. I cannot see anyone dissenting from AB's view: certainly I do not, except perhaps to regard him as being over-generous in his account of Atlantov's Herman in calling it ''loud and unsubtle''. Stronger words would also be appropriate, especially when Atlantov is compared with the sensitive Wieslaw Ochman on the Tchakarov set. Valentina Levko is a good Countess in what is a well-established Russian tradition of responses to the role: AB thought the old lady's reminiscences not so pointedly delivered as by some other singers, and I would add that she would certainly have acquired a better French accent during her long sojourn as the Venus of Paris.

It is rare when four of the Bolshoi's greatest stars appear together in their home theatre in one of Russian opera's masterpieces. The opera was Tchaikovsky's, The Queen Of Spades, (Pique Dame). With a libretto written by the composer's brother, Modest, this tale of terror, with a plot involving obsessive love and gambling, hallucinations and descent into madness never fails to have a profound effect on its audience. The Bolshoi's production is riveting, with sumptuous sets and costumes, and the famed Bolshoi chorus and corps de ballet are at their most elegant and spectacular. Written by G. Forman