Handel: Agrippina (2008) [Blu-ray]

Recorded live at the Saarbrücken State Theatre in 2008, this spectacular new production of the baroque masterpiece has received critical recognition, with reviewer Frank Herkommer of opernnetz.de commenting: ...Producer Peter Lund with his celebrated production of Agrippina demonstrates his love with detail, focused on directing the characters, with exuberant fantasy and creativity the Berlin director sparks brilliant Handel fireworks! He succeeds in unleashing an effervescent joy of playing, which puts an irresistible spell on the viewer...

Featuring a cast of renowned baroque specialists under the direction of Konrad Junghaenel, one of the leading conductors in the array of early music.

Susanne Geb lends her expressive Belcanto soprano voice to the role of Agrippina. Geb s musical studies at the Nuernberg Meistersinger conservatory, as well as with Josef Metternich in Munich and Rotraud Hansmann in Vienna, has lead to important guest performances in Leipzig, Trier, Linz and at the Handel Festival in Handel's birth place Halle. Starting with the season 2008, she became a permanent member of the ensemble of the Mainz State Theatre, and received the Bavarian Theatre Award for her interpretation of Magda in Puccini's ...La Rondine... in the same year. Hiroshi Matsui sings Claudio, and is the first Japanese bass to sing as a member of the Saarbruecken State Theatre ensemble since 1996. Engagements as guest singer led him to the New National Theatre Tokyo and to Salzburg where he performed in his critically acclaimed role as King Marke in Wagner's Tristand and Isolde . In 2012, he was appointed professor of voice at the College of Music in Osaka.

Elizabeth Wiles sings Poppea. The Texan had her debut as Micaela in Bizet's Carmen at the San Francisco Opera. Since the 2003 season, she has a firm engagement at the Saarbruecken State Theatre. Her lyric soprano has made Wiles one of the most sought after Interpreters for concerts and recitals, and the measure of al things in vocal culture. Judith Braun gives her warm alto voice to the role of Nerone. An award winner of the German competition ...Youth makes music... in 1993, she started her career at the prestigious opera workshop at Wiesbaden. After engagements at the Pfalz Theatre Kaiserslautern and the Baden State Theatre Karlsruhe, she joined the Saarbruecken State Theatre ensemble in 2007. David Cordier sings Ottone. The Britsh Counter Tenor is part of an elite group of the most in demand singers in this special tessitura style. He is particularly sought after for Handel operas such as Giulio Cesare , Ottone and Radamisto that seem to be custom tailored title roles for his vocal discipline. He has performed at the top opera houses across Europe, such as Stuttgart, Munich, Dusseldorf and Hamburg, as well as at the Semper Opera in Dresden, the Music Theatre Amsterdam, the Bastille Opera in Paris and the Royal Opera House Copenhagen. Steve Waechter sings Narciso. Also a Counter Tenor he is specialized in baroque opera and oratorio as well as contemporary operas that contain roles for his discipline. He was guest singer at the Frankfurt opera, the Prague State opera and at the Bach Festival in Leipzig. Guido Baehr sings Lesbo. After guest performances in Hannover, Karlsruhe, Cologne, Munich, Vevey, Montreux, Bern and Zurich, this baritone has been a permanent member of the Saarbruecken State Theatre ensemble since 1997.