Christmas arrived early: Vienna State Opera is now live streaming!

December is still a week away but I'm getting so many goodies that the air is already smelling like Christmas! Here's a start, the Vienna State Opera is now in the video streaming business, offering opera and ballet performances in HD and sometimes even UHD.


There isn't a lot of videos on the Videotheque yet, but the selections are quite inviting (there's a Carmen with Nadia Krasteva and Anna Netrebko... and the Forza del Destino with Nina Stemme!). The live shows line up looks quite good especially for next February (Martina Serafin is doing Tosca, then the Edita Gruberova concert!!). They are letting you try it out for free when you register (use the VSO#4ONLINE promotional code). Don't know how long that's going to last, so you've better hurry, I gather.

The website: http://www.staatsoperlive.com/en/

Also... got a few new CDs for early Christmas. Too happy listening to review them yet (but will get to 'em in a bit).

La Belle Kasarova

Vesselina Kasarova, demonstrating how to sing a PG13 rated operetta with a full blown x-rated voice... This is from the 2nd act of Jacques Offenbach's La Belle Helene (The Beautiful Helen) from Zurich Opera.



Apologies for harbor blockage upon playing the clip, the lass does have a reputation for causing spontaneous ship launches!