Documentaries available in both NTSC VHS
and PAL VHS video formats, or in DVD:

For availability, please go to the Bel Canto Society Store

Jussi Björling's Saga (1977). Documentary in Swedish; occasionally, English. Musical scenes from his two films. Recordings of Jussi and his brothers as boys. Interviews with Barbieri, Merrill, others. No subtitles #578  Originally US$14.95, NOW US$12.95

Callas: A Documentary (1978). Ardoin, writer; Zeffirelli, narrator. Bonus (1978): never seen before—more on Callas from Ardoin, Gobbi, Menotti, Rescigno and Scotto. VHS #194  Regularly US$24.95, SALE US$18.95  | DVD: #D194  US$18.95
         “Not to be missed.”—John Steane, Gramophone

Callas Reveals Herself. The extraordinary, suppressed 1974 interview. #197  Regularly US$19.95, SALE US$12.95

Conversations with Callas with Lord Harewood + bonus: Callas in Paris, 1965: Manon, Sonnambula, Schicchi and interview in French + second bonus: Norma (highlights)  #199  Originally US$19.95, NOW US$12.95  LIMITED SUPPLY! WHILE THEY LAST!

Caruso: A Documentary (As seen on A&E,1998). + Caruso in My Cousin: a 1918 silent feature with an added soundtrack. #186  Regularly US$24.95, CLOSEOUT US$12.95

Interviews with Corelli (1990-1993 ), by Stefan Zucker, on “Opera Fanatic” radio program and in the theater. Video cassettes with audio tracks only, no picture. Seven different sets—26 hours total—each originally US$16.95 to US$29.95, NOW US$12.95 to US$19.95
    These programs reveal Corelli as intelligent and analytical. They give the lie to the idea that he was a stud with a fabulous larynx but no brains.

Opera Fanatic: Stefan and the Divas (1998). Adami Corradetti, Barbieri, Cerquetti, Cigna, Frazzoni, Gavazzi, Gencer, Olivero, Pobbe, Simionato; Zucker; Schmidt-Garre, dir. In English and in Italian with English subtitles. #700  US$19.95      
          “What are the various aspects of expressive singing?” is one of the questions I put to the divas. They discuss and demonstrate their interpretations, singing brief excerpts from Norma, Butterfly, Trovatore, Traviata, Tosca, Fanciulla and Adriana  (Olivero, age 86, performs the “Monologo”). They take opposing positions about chest voice and the voce infantile.” —Stefan Zucker
            This web site entry includes many pages of essays, biographies—and dish. A PDF file may also be downloaded.

Jan Peerce in If I Were a Rich Man (1990). A Documentary Hosted by Isaac Stern, with Toscanini, Antonioni. Songs & arias. #198  Regularly US$19.95, SALE US$12.95

Great Conductors, Vol. 1. Performances with Walter, Klemperer, Blech, Busch, Keilberth, Elmendorff (Götterdämmerung excerpt with Leider and Lorenz from Bayreuth), Fricsay, Knappertsbusch (w. Berger and Ralf), Schurich, E. Kleiber. #51 Originally US$16.95, NOW US$9.95

Great Conductors of the Third Reich: Art in the Service of Evil. Blech, Böhm, Furtwängler, Karajan, Knappertsbusch, Krauss, Schillings with Hitler, Goebbels, Berger, Ralf, Rode, Rosvaenge and the Berlin Philharmonic. Performance footage plus newsreels: excerpts from Tell, Meistersinger, the Beethoven Ninth and the Schubert “Unfinished” Symphonies. Includes a booklet with exposés and biographies by Frederic Spotts VHS: #52  Regularly US$24.95,  SALE US$19.95 DVD: #D52  US$18.95

Gigli Documentaries. Musical excerpts from films. Narration in German. #518 Originally US$19.95, NOW US$12.95

Feature Films:

Casta diva. A romanticized biography of Bellini (1954). M. Ronet, A. Lusualdi, N. Gray. Voices of Mancini, G. Poggi, Neri, Matera, Formichi, De Fabritiis; Chor. & Orch. of the Rome Opera; Gallone, dir. Pirata, Sonnambula, Norma, Lucia. In English. Beautiful print. Technicolor VHS: #410  Regularly US$19.95, SALE US$16.95  | DVD: #D410  US$18.95

Life and Loves of Mozart (1955). Oskar Werner, Gueden, Köth, Dermota, Kunz, Frick; Swarowsky, cond. Features the renowned Vienna Mozart ensemble of the 50s. In English. VHS: #411  Regularly US$19.95, SALE US$16.95  DVD: #D411 US$18.95

Paderewski in Moonlight Sonata (1937). Tempest, Portman. English. VHS: #24  Regularly US$19.95, SALE US$14.95
     DVD: #D24 US$18.95

Puccini (1953). Gray, Sinimberghi, Corradi, Stoppa. The voices of Gigli, Stella, Carteri, Neri. Conductors: Previtali, Molinari Pradelli; Gallone, dir. In English. #663  Regularly US$19.95, SALE US$12.95

Rossini (1943) Biography featuring Pederzini, Pasero, G. Gatti, Stabile, De Muro Lomanto, P. Pauli, De Taranto; Gui. Italian, English subtitles VHS: #656 Regularly US$19.95, SALE US$12.95  DVD: #D656 US$18.95
            Five star review (highest rating) from Classical CD
               The only footage of some of these artists. An engrossing, accurate dramatization of the composer’s life from Elisabetta  to Tell.—Stefan Zucker

The Dybbuk (1937). Feature film with cantorial selection by Sirota + songs. Yiddish, English subtitles.VHS: #305  US$18.95  | DVD: #D305  US$18.95 

Giuseppe Verdi: Divine armonie (1938). Gigli, Cebotari (as Strepponi), Tassinari, Gatti, Granforte, Gobbi, Domenici, Mazziotti, Ungaro; Serafin, Rome Opera Orch. & Chor.  Italian, no subtitles. #519 Originally US$16.95, NOW US$12.95

Carnegie Hall (1947). Feature film starring Marsha Hunt, with Walter Damrosch and Olin Downes. Performances by Heifetz, Rubinstein, Pinza, Lily Pons, Risë Stevens, Peerce, Piatigorsky, Stokowski, Bruno Walter, Fritz Reiner, Harry James, Vaughn Monroe, and the New York Philharmonic. English. VHS: #791  Regularly US$24.95, SALE US$18.95 | DVD: #D791 US$18.95

Macbeth, Shakespeare. (1954, live TV performance of play). Judith Anderson, Maurice Evans. #352 Originally US$16.95, NOW US$12.95

Mayerling (1937). Film with Charles Boyer, Danielle Darrieux. French, English subtitles. #A11 Originally US$14.95, NOW US$12.95
     The film that made Boyer a star.

Phèdre. Racine. (1968). Film with Marie Bell. French, English subtitles. #840 Originally US$14.95, NOW US$12.95

CD

Goldberg Variations (2001). John Kamitsuka, piano. #5016  US$9.95 

Rossini's Rivals (Elinor Amlen, soprano) Music by Then-Famous, Now-Obscure, Italian Composers—Vaccai, Valentino Fioravanti, Mercadante, Pacini, Federico Ricci. Includes 32-page booklet with composer biographies by Stefan Zucker + translations. #5017 US$9.95

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