Rossini: Ciro In Babilonia / Podles, Crutchfield

Ewa Podles (Ciro), Jessica Pratt (Amira), Michael Spyres (Baldassare), Mirco Palazzi (Zambri), Carmen Romeu (Argene), Robert McPherson (Arbace), Raffaele Costantini (Daniello) Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Will Crutchfield (conductor) & Davide Livermore (director)

The Biblical story of Belshazzar’s hubristic arrogance set against the valour of the young warrrior-leader Cyrus provided the 20-year-old Rossini with a dramatic story with West-Eastern resonances which still speak to us today. For the title role of Cyrus, Rossini wrote what would be his longest-ever contralto role, to which the great Rossini singer Ewa Podles is both naturally attracted and ideally suited. She is partnered by two young American stars of Rossini singing, Jessica Pratt and Michael Spyres, and a conductor-scholar, Will Crutchfield, of immense experience and sympathy. World-premiere filming of this Rossini masterpiece. Rossini was only 20 when he wrote Ciro in Babilonia. Stage director Davide Livermore sets the action in the 1920s, with period black-and-white film inserts. Features Ewa Podles as Ciro. From the Rossini Festival at Pesaro, Italy – the only festival devoted exclusively to the works of the composer. Extra features include: Cast gallery. Running time: 165 minutes Subtitles: EN/FR/DE/JP/KR Sound format: 2.0LPCM + 5.1(5.0) DTS

Price: $42.98