Michael Hampe

Salieri: Falstaff

Conductor Arnold Östmann leads the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Choir of Theater im Pfalzbau Ludwigshafen in this production of Antonio Salieri's comic opera "Falstaff," filmed live at Germany's Schwetzinger Festspiele in 1995. John Del Carlo portrays the fat, licentious knight; the supporting cast includes Teresa Ringholz, Richard Croft, Darla Brooks, Carlos Feller, Jake Gardner and Delores Ziegler.

Rossini La cambiale di matrimonio

La cambiale di matrimonio, farsa comica in two acts to a libretto by Gaetano Rossi, was first produced at the Teatro San Moisè, Venice, on 3 novembre 1810. The singers at the first performances were Domenico Remolini (Norton), Clementina Lanari (Clarina), Luigi Raffanelli (Tobia Mill), Tommaso Ricci (Edoardo), Rosa Morandi (Fanny), Nicola de Grecis (Slook).

George Frideric Handel - SERSE

This production comes from the Dresden Music Festival of 2000. The stage director is Michael Hampe, who was behind the similarly excellent Schwetzingen Agrippina from 1985, also released on a EuroArts DVD (2054538). Hampe makes no attempt to put a miniature Persia on the stage of Dresden's Semperoper, nor does he imitate what Serse might have looked like in 1738. Instead, this is a fantasy Persia as it might have been imagined by 18th-century Europeans, but as it could have been realized only through modern stagecraft. The costuming is handsome, and the splendid sets are fluid and adaptable. As in his Agrippina, Hampe doesn't shortchange the opera's potential for comedy, but he shows restraint and resists the temptation to yuck it up or make it silly. It's really the best of both worlds.

Britten: The Turn of the Screw

In Benjamin Britten's operatic adaptation of Henry James' masterwork, a naive governess (Helen Field) arrives at a country manor and soon discovers that it holds a murky secret involving her charges and two ghostly servants who wield a sinister influence on them. The taut, atmospheric production also stars Sam Linay, Machiko Obata, Menai Davies and Phyllis Cannan, with the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra providing accompaniment.

Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg

Michael Hampe’s acclaimed production of Wagner’s comic opera tells a charming, human, romantic love story. And yet, at the same time, registers his protest against the narrow-minded critics and the prejudiced public who for so long refused him recognition.

Don Giovanni

Live performance from Salzburger Festspiele in 1987. Herbert von Karajan conducting the Wiener Philharmoniker and Wiener Staatsopernchor. Stage director Michael Hampe. Starring Samuel Ramey and Anna Tomowa-Sintow.

Cosi Fan Tutte

Officers Ferrando and Guglielmo are certain that their lovers Dorabella and Fiordiligi are faithful to them, but the cynical Don Alfonso challenges them to a bet that the women will be unfaithful given the chance. The officers thus pretend to go off to war, and return in disguise as Albanian strangers, to woo Dorabella and Fiordiligi incognito. The ladies are initially frosty, but soon warm to their new suitors, spurred on by their maid Despina. Performed at the La Scala Theatre in Milan.

La Cenerentola

Gioacchino Rossini's sparkling version of the Cinderella story comes live from the Salzburg Festival with Ann Murray and Francisco Araiza as Cinderella and the Prince. Director Michael Hampe envisions La Cenerentola less as a fairy tale and more as a gently satirical comment on the nature of society and the relationship between people. Conductor Riccardo Chailly's masterly display of the Rossini style is visually matched by the opulent and elegant set designs by Mauro Pagano. 162 minutes.