A Night at the Opera (Transcriptions for Brass)

Starring:Hakan Hardenberger, Christian Lindberg
Studio: Image Entertainment
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
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On the back of this package, Håkan Hardenberger is described as "the world's greatest trumpeter," a claim that his performance does a lot to justify. Christian Lindberg gets a slightly more modest description as a "sensational virtuoso trombonist," and has no trouble living up to it. The "Night at the Opera" in the title turns out to be a concert at the Royal Academy of Arts in London devoted to transcriptions for trumpet, trombone, and piano, mostly from opera but also including a bit of ballet (a suite from Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet), a transcription from Orlando di Lasso, who lived before opera was invented, Rossini's hilarious "Duet for Two Cats," and (on piano) Liszt's tribute to a sonnet of Petrarch.

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When it comes to long-awaited treats like The Marx Brothers Collection, you can never get too much of a good thing. These seven comedies can't compare to the sheer lunacy of the five classics (The Cocoanuts, Animal Crackers, Monkey Business, Horse Feathers, and Duck Soup) that the Marx Bros. made for Paramount between 1929 and 1933 (available in The Marx Brothers Silver Screen Collection), but when uber-producer Irving Thalberg signed Groucho, Harpo, and Chico to an MGM contract in 1935 (by which time sibling costar Zeppo had become the team's off-screen manager), he knew just how to cure their box-office blues. As a result, A Night at the Opera and A Day at the Races were critical and commercial hits, lavishly produced according to the "Tiffany" studio's golden-age formula of glamorous set pieces and musical numbers combined with sensible plots that smoothly integrated snappy, well-written Marxian antics. Opera is the jewel of this set, with timeless scenes (the Stateroom, the Groucho-Chico contract negotiation, etc.) that rank among the greatest bits of silver-screen comedy... not to mention Groucho's flirtatious insults at Margaret Dumont's upper-crust expense.

A Day at the Races deserves near-equal acclaim ("Get-a your tootsie-fruitsie ice cream!"), but Thalberg's death in 1937 dealt a devastating blow, and the Marxes suffered from studio indifference, resulting in a succession of comedies that are timelessly enjoyable even as they fall prey to diminishing returns. By the time they made Go West and The Big Store, the Marxes were out of their element, and a few of the musical interludes indulge racial stereotypes that were common in the studio era. Despite this, these movies remain fresh and frantic, and Warner Bros. (holder of the RKO and MGM libraries) has done a marvelous job of packaging The Marx Brothers Collection to nostalgically approximate the filmgoing experience of the 1930s and '40s, with vintage shorts (Our Gang, Robert Benchley comedies, MGM cartoons, etc.) from the time of each feature's original release. Archival materials are slim but worthwhile (especially Groucho's 1961 interview with TV talk-show host Hy Gardner), and while Glenn Mitchell's commentary on Races is sparse and superficial, Leonard Maltin brings his usual superfan's enthusiasm and encyclopedic knowledge to bear on a full-length Opera commentary track. The new documentaries are somewhat redundant, but essential viewing for Marx Bros. neophytes. With all seven films presented in pristine condition, this is definitely a Marx Brothers Collection worth having. --Jeff Shannon

Description

This set includes seven of only thirteen Marx Brothers films ever made! Collection includes: "A Night at the Opera" (1935) - The Marx Brothers turn Mrs. Claypool's opera into chaos in their efforts to help two young hopefuls get a break. It contains the famous scene where Groucho, Chico and Harpo cram a ship's stateroom with wall-to-wall people, gags, one-liners, musical riffs and two hard-boiled eggs. "A Day at the Races" (1937) - Groucho stars as Hugo Z. Hackenbush, a horse veterinarian dispensing horse pills and quips with equal glee. Chico selling racing tips, Harpo destroying a piano to turn it into a harp and favorite foil actress Margaret Dumont make this thoroughbred comedy wall-to-wall hilarity. "A Night in Casablanca" (1946) - This parody of the Bogart/Bergman 1943 classic features the Nazis vs. the "nutsies" as the Marx Brothers foil Axis criminals when they find stolen jewels and paintings Nazis have hidden in a hotel. "Room Service"/"At the Circus" - These two films are combined on one disc to provide double doses of laughter. In "Room Service" (1938), Lucille Ball and Ann Miller provide comic co-star support while the Marx Brothers play producers trying to keep their show above water and a hotel room over their head. In "At the Circus" (1939) Groucho stars as professional shyster lawyer J. Cheever Loophole in the middle of big-top bedlam as the boys try to save the circus and look to Margaret Dumont for the money to do so. Groucho sings one of his famous songs, "Lydia the Tattooed Lady." "Go West"/"The Big Store" - Another Marx Brothers twin bill makes this a hilarious comedy "two-fer." In the first, the Marxmen "Go West" (1940) to the land of outlaws and Indians where the fun never stops and where they outwit a land grabber. In "The Big Store" (1941), Groucho plays Attorney Wolf J. Flywheel who with sidekick Wacky (Harpo) and bodyguard Ravelli (Chico) are investigating the shady dealings of a crooked department store owner. Bonus extras include commentary by Leonard Maltin.

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A Night at the Opera
Starring: Groucho Marx , Chico Marx , Harpo Marx , Kitty Carlisle , and Allan Jones
Director: Sam Wood , and Edmund Goulding
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0001HAINQ
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Absolutely one of the most hilarious movies ever made, this classic farce featuring the outrageous genius of the Marx Brothers is a chance to see some of their best bits woven together seamlessly in a story of high society, matchmaking, and chaos. In order to bring two young lovers together, brothers Groucho, Chico, and Harpo must sabotage an opera performance even as they try to pass themselves off as stuffed shirts. Featuring the classic sequence where Groucho piles as many people as possible into a ship's stateroom, A Night at the Opera is a deliciously zany romp worth watching again and again. --Robert Lane

Description

A near riot on a ship, a New York scandal and an evening of insanity in a concert hall are just some of the fall out from Groucho's outrageous business schemes to bring Milan's finest opera stars to Manhattan. Year: 1935 Director: Sam Wood Starring: Groucho Marx, Chico Marx, Harpo Marx, Kitty Carlisle, Allan Jones

Classic Albums - Queen: The Making of A Night at the Opera

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Classic Albums - Queen: The Making of A Night at the Opera
Starring: Ian Hunter (IV) , Brian May (II) , Rosie Horide , Joe Smith (III) , and Freddie Mercury
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ASIN: B000EHSVP0
Release Date: 2006-03-21

Description

If ever there was an album worthy of inclusion in Eagle Vision's Classic Albums series it is Queen's breakout release A Night At The Opera. Released in 1975, this was not only the band's first platinum album, but also the one that catapulted them into the spotlight as one of the biggest rock acts in the world.

Now for the first time, fans are offered an in-depth look at one of rock music's seminal records with the Classic Albums DVD Queen — The Making Of A Night At The Opera.

Description

Enjoy a front row seat at the comedy event of the year as Jackie Mason, the undisputed King of stand-up comedy, entertains a capacity audience in the stunning surroundings of The Royal Opera House, London.

Opera Night at Cologne - AIDS Benefit Gala / Thomas Quasthoff, Neil Shicoff, Carlos Alvarez, Isabel Bayrakdarian, Vivica Genaux, Michele Crider, Edda Moser, Tamar Iveri, et al

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Opera Night at Cologne - AIDS Benefit Gala / Thomas Quasthoff, Neil Shicoff, Carlos Alvarez, Isabel Bayrakdarian, Vivica Genaux, Michele Crider, Edda Moser, Tamar Iveri, et al
Starring: Koln Opera Markus Stenz , Regina Richter , Claudia Rohrbach Saimir Pirgu , and Janos Darvas
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ASIN: B000H4VZ3U
Release Date: 2006-09-26

Night At The Opera / A Day At The Races (Two-Pack)

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An Affordable Introduction To The Marx Brothers
Two classic MGM era films

Night At The Opera / A Day At The Races (Two-Pack)
Starring: Warner 2pak
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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The Marx Brothers Silver Screen Collection (The Cocoanuts / Animal Crackers / Monkey Business / Horse Feathers / Duck Soup)
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Laura (Fox Film Noir)
Duck Soup
Bringing Up Baby (Two-Disc Special Edition)

ASIN: B0002QO3NC
Release Date: 2004-10-12

Customer Reviews:

An Affordable Introduction To The Marx Brothers.......2005-01-18

If case you didn't know, the rock group Queen named two of their albums after these films. Zeppo had quit performing with his brothers and the studio replaced him with Allan Jones to keep the same balance of music and comedy that their other successful films had. Typically, Jones will sing a corny, sentimental song to the female love interest while the Marx Brothers aren't on the screen. Fortunately, their comedic talent more than makes up for these boring parts. Groucho's one-liners are still undated and Chico's and Harpo's musical performances are quite impressive.

Two classic MGM era films.......2004-11-22

"Duck Soup" nearly did them in. The Marx Brothers' last film for Paramount bombed at the box office. Why? It was ahead of its time. Audiences were used to a structured and coherent story and "Duck Soup" featured the brothers at their most anarchic and insane. Thinking their career was over, Zeppo left the brothers (he wasn't happy playing straight man anyway), Groucho almost quit for radio and Chico & Harpo planned to try and carry on. Then Chico ended up playing cards with the wunderkind Irving Thalberg and, suddenly, they had a career again. Thalberg knew that the brothers' humor would reach audiences within the context of a more conventional formula and story. He helped craft "A Night at The Opera" with that in mind. His midas touch helped relaunch their career.

Both of these films receive sharp and clear transfers with numerous extras about the making of the films. "Remarks on Marx" provides a neat summary of their vaudeville career (including how they got their nicknames)and includes a discussion of why "Duck Soup" failed to reach an audience. There's also a discussion with Kitty Carlisle, irving Brecher one of the writers the Marx Brothers worked with, film historian Robert Osborne, Dom DeLuise and others about their comic style, the making of the film and working with Thalberg. There's also an excerpt from "The Hy Gardner Show" where Groucho discusses his then current book (this is 1961)and working with Thalberg. Leonard Maltin provides an enthusastic commentary track on the making of the film packed with trivia.

"A Day at The Races" continued the winning streak for the brothers. While viewed as inferior by many fans because it repeats the formula of "Opera", in some respects "Races" is superior because it hones the formula of the first film. The commentary by author Glenn Mitchell is exceptionally good filled with a number of witty and interesting stories. "On Your Marx, Get Set, Go" discusses some of the difficulties the Marx Brothers encountered while making the film including the death of savior Thalberg. There's also a discussion hot/cold relationship the trio experienced working with director Sam Wood. The audio only outtake of Allan Jones, MGM radio promos and trailer round out this terrific film. "Races" looks and sounds stellar here as well.

If you're only going to pick up a handful of Marx films, I'd recommend both these classics. While the boxed set from Universal featuring "Duck Soup" and all their early Paramount films is essential, the lack of extras and so-so transfers make them a bit more promblematic at best. I'd recommend waiting a bit and picking up "Duck Soup" and "Horse Feathers" when they're released individually. If you can't wait, you'd do far worse than picking up the "Marx Brothers Silver Screen Collection" despite the indifference showed by Universal in their release (although the design of the set is nice).

A Night at the Opera (Transcriptions for Brass)

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A Night at the Opera (Transcriptions for Brass)
Starring: Hakan Hardenberger , and Christian Lindberg
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Amazon.com

On the back of this package, Håkan Hardenberger is described as "the world's greatest trumpeter," a claim that his performance does a lot to justify. Christian Lindberg gets a slightly more modest description as a "sensational virtuoso trombonist," and has no trouble living up to it. The "Night at the Opera" in the title turns out to be a concert at the Royal Academy of Arts in London devoted to transcriptions for trumpet, trombone, and piano, mostly from opera but also including a bit of ballet (a suite from Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet), a transcription from Orlando di Lasso, who lived before opera was invented, Rossini's hilarious "Duet for Two Cats," and (on piano) Liszt's tribute to a sonnet of Petrarch.

Operatic material includes the overtures to Verdi's La Forza del Destino and Rossini's The Barber of Seville, a suite from Carmen, a brilliant transcription of the "Papageno... Papagena" duet from The Magic Flute, and a set of variations on a theme from Bellini's Norma. The performances are phenomenal, the musical material instantly and deeply appealing. The music would be enjoyable (and cheaper) in a CD without the video element, but the visuals add significantly to the value of this production. Brass players will be interested in seeing how these experts handle their instruments; others will pick up a sense of atmosphere from the striking surroundings, with paintings in the background and a highly reactive audience. --Joe McLellan

Description

A dazzling and witty concert of music with the world's greatest trumpeter, Hakan Hardenberger, the sensational virtuoso trombonist Christian Lindberg and pianist Love Derwinger playing transcribed instrumental versions of opera favorites. The musicians have themselves made some of the transcriptions; the program also includes two pieces from Prokofiev's "Romeo and Juliet" and Liszt's "Sonetto 104 del Petrarca," originally written as a song for a tenor voice and played here as a piano solo. The musicians' brilliant playing and sense of fun make this a unique musical event. Set list: Overture from The Force of Destiny (Verdi), Variations on a Theme from Norma (Bellini/Arban), Suite from Romeo and Juliet (Prokofiev), Papageno...Papagena from The Magic Flute (Mozart), Suite from Carmen (Bizet), Sonnet 104: Petrarch (Liszt), Duet for Two Cats (Rossini), Song Without Words (Di Lasso), Overture from The Barber of Seville (Rossini). 54 minutes.

Classic Album: The Making of A Night at the Opera

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Classic Album: The Making of A Night at the Opera
Starring: Queen
Manufacturer: Eagle Vision USA
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: UMD for PSP

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Classic Albums - Queen: The Making of A Night at the Opera

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Sony PSP I.Sound Theatre With Wireless Remote
Sony Intec PSP 18-In-1 Pro Starter Kit
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ASIN: B000EHSVPA
Release Date: 2006-03-21

Description

Now for the first time, fans are offered an in-depth look at one of rock music's seminal records with the Classic Albums DVD Queen — The Making Of A Night At The Opera.

HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:
• BRAND NEW INTERVIEWS with guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor.
• COMMENTARY by original producer Roy Thomas Baker.
• ARCHIVAL PERFORMANCE and INTERVIEW FOOTAGE with late lead singer Freddie Mercury.
• INTERVIEWS and GUEST COMMENTARY by guitarists Joe Perry (Aerosmith), Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme), Ian Hunter (Mott The Hoople) and many more.
• NEW ACOUSTIC PERFORMANCES of '39 and Love Of My Life by Brian May.
• DRUM and ACOUSTIC DEMONSTRATIONS of I 'm In Love With My Car from Roger Taylor.
• ANALYSIS OF THE RECORDING PROCESS of all12 tracks on the album.

Tracklisting: Featuring excerpts from: Death on Two Legs (Dedicated to...) • Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon • I'm In Love With My Car • You're My Best Friend • '39 • Sweet Lady • Seaside Rendezvous • The Prophet's Song • Love Of My Life • Good Company • Bohemian Rhapsody • God Save The Queen

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