Opus Arte - Celibidache Symphonic Series: Prokofiev & Strauss (DVD)

UPC: 809478009795

Product Features

• Title: Celibidache Symphonic Series: Prokofiev Symphony No. 5 & Strauss Death and Transfiguration
• Orchestra: Orchestra Sinfonica di Torino della RAI
• Conductor: Sergiu Celibidache
• Composers: Sergei Prokofiev, Richard Strauss
• Format: DVD Video, Black & White, LPCM Mono
• Audio: LPCM Mono, digitally re-mastered
• Duration: Not specified
• Release Date: 2007
• Label: Opus Arte
• Recording: RAI, 1970 Turin, Italy
• Subtitles: English, French, German (booklet)
• Region Code: Not specified
• Restoration: Black-and-white footage digitally restored for optimal video and sound quality
• Documentary: Misha Donat's essay on Celibidache and the works featured in the concert

Overview

The Celibidache Symphonic Series features legendary conductor Sergiu Celibidache leading the Orchestra Sinfonica di Torino della RAI in a historic 1970 performance of Prokofiev's Symphony No. 5 in B flat, Op. 100 and Richard Strauss's Death and Transfiguration. Recorded for television by RAI and restored for this release, this concert captures Celibidache’s mesmerizing intensity and meticulous interpretations, conducted entirely from memory.

The symphonic pairing includes Prokofiev’s most important wartime composition, reflecting the resilience and grandeur of the human spirit, alongside Strauss's profound musical journey through death and spiritual transfiguration. This DVD, part of a rare series of Celibidache’s filmed performances, is a treasure for classical music collectors and historians.

Interesting Facts

• Sergiu Celibidache (1912–1996): Known for his extraordinary attention to detail and deep understanding of musical structure, Celibidache rarely allowed his performances to be recorded. His intense focus on live, ephemeral music-making made recorded performances like this one even more valuable to his admirers.
• Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5: Composed during World War II, this symphony is often regarded as a tribute to the triumph of the human spirit amid hardship and suffering. Its bold, expansive nature contrasts with the reflective depth of Strauss’s Death and Transfiguration.
• Richard Strauss’s Death and Transfiguration: A tone poem that depicts the journey of a dying artist, reflecting on life and preparing for the peace of death. Its emotional power complements Prokofiev’s grand symphony.
• RAI Recording: The concert was originally filmed by RAI in black and white, and for this DVD release, the footage was meticulously restored, preserving the historical significance and Celibidache’s legacy.

Track Listing

1. Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5 in B flat major, Op. 100
2. Strauss: Death and Transfiguration (Tod und Verklärung), Op. 24

Publishers

• Opus Arte
• RAI Trade

Hashtags

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