Lorin Maazel - Vida Breve - BLU-RAY

Presented here for the first time on DVD and Blu-ray Disc, Manuel de Falla's InchLa vida breveInch is arguably the greatest opera in the entire Spanish repertoire, a tragic Zarzuela, a mix of Verismo, local Andalusian color and French Impressionism. Staged by the brilliant Giancarlo del Monaco (Metropolitan Opera, La Scala) with legendary music director Lorin Maazel and a cast of Zarzuela specialists of the highest order, this performance from Valencia was hailed triumphant. InchSimply a stroke of genius,Inch wrote Spain's Opera Viva about del Monaco's austere, minimalist staging at the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia. Maestro Maazel, whom El Pais hailed as the InchtriunfadorInch of the evening, led an exquisite array of soloists headed by Chilean soprano Cristina Gallardo-Domas, Jorge de Leon and Maria Luisa Corbacho.

The performance of Verdi's famous Messa da Requiem celebrating Toscanini's fiftieth anniversary of death in 2007 took place at the beautiful basilica of St Mark's in Venice where it was first performed on 22 May 1874 to mark the first anniversary of the death of the Italian poet Alessandro Manzoni.

These live performances from Snape Maltings Concert Hall present some of the most popular classical works for younger audiences. Their perennial appeal is a result of vivid melodies, witty instrumental characterisation, and in three works, the use of spoken texts to illuminate the narrative. Whether composed to amuse, entertain or educate, each possesses marvellous vitality, lyricism and bravura. The performances are conducted and narrated by Marin Alsop, one of the world's most inspirational musical communicators.