In this column I highlight a number of music-minded titles from several different genres that would make great gifts for a favorite music lover.
Artist: Def Leppard
Title: Diamond Star Heroes: Live From Sheffield (Mercury Studios)
You might like if you enjoy: Def Leppard, Queen
Tell me more: On May 22, 2023, British rockers Def Leppard returned to their hometown to perform their second-ever stadium concert at Bramall Lane in Sheffield, England. Diamond Star Heroes: Live From Sheffield is available on Blu-ray+2CD, 4K UHD, 2CD and 2LP. The 4K UHD version of the title marks Def Leppard's first-ever 4K release and includes "One Night Only Live At The Leadmill," a 13-track concert staged in front of an intimate crowd of 900 die-hard fans in 2023. Diamond Star Heroes: Live From Sheffield features a parade of Def Leppard's classics including "Let's Get Rocked," "Foolin'," Bringin' On The Heartbreak," "Pour Some Sugar On Me," "Rock Of Ages" and "Photograph." Information: mercurystudios.co.
You might like if you enjoy: Def Leppard, Queen
Tell me more: On May 22, 2023, British rockers Def Leppard returned to their hometown to perform their second-ever stadium concert at Bramall Lane in Sheffield, England. Diamond Star Heroes: Live From Sheffield is available on Blu-ray+2CD, 4K UHD, 2CD and 2LP. The 4K UHD version of the title marks Def Leppard's first-ever 4K release and includes "One Night Only Live At The Leadmill," a 13-track concert staged in front of an intimate crowd of 900 die-hard fans in 2023. Diamond Star Heroes: Live From Sheffield features a parade of Def Leppard's classics including "Let's Get Rocked," "Foolin'," Bringin' On The Heartbreak," "Pour Some Sugar On Me," "Rock Of Ages" and "Photograph." Information: mercurystudios.co.
Artist: The Rolling Stones
Title: Black and Blue (Interscope/UMe)
You might like if you enjoy: The Rolling Stones, Jeff Beck, classic rock
Tell me more: Nov. 14, 2025 marked the highly-anticipated reissue of The Rolling Stones' 1976 album Black and Blue. Available as a 5LP vinyl box set and a 4CD box set, both editions include a Blu-ray Disc, a 100-page hardback book and a replica tour poster. Black and Blue is The Rolling Stones' 13th studio album and features classic cuts including "Hot Stuff," "Hands of Fate" and "Fool To Cry." Among the bonus tracks featured on the collection are the rowdy "Shame, Shame, Shame" and several tracks featuring Jeff Beck. There is also a full live concert recording from the English band's six night residency at London's Earls Court Exhibition Centre as well as a previously unreleased TV broadcast of the Stones' 1976 show at Les Abattoirs in Paris, plus Dolby Atmos surround sound mixes of both the studio album and the live Earls Court concert. Information: rollingstones.com.
You might like if you enjoy: The Rolling Stones, Jeff Beck, classic rock
Tell me more: Nov. 14, 2025 marked the highly-anticipated reissue of The Rolling Stones' 1976 album Black and Blue. Available as a 5LP vinyl box set and a 4CD box set, both editions include a Blu-ray Disc, a 100-page hardback book and a replica tour poster. Black and Blue is The Rolling Stones' 13th studio album and features classic cuts including "Hot Stuff," "Hands of Fate" and "Fool To Cry." Among the bonus tracks featured on the collection are the rowdy "Shame, Shame, Shame" and several tracks featuring Jeff Beck. There is also a full live concert recording from the English band's six night residency at London's Earls Court Exhibition Centre as well as a previously unreleased TV broadcast of the Stones' 1976 show at Les Abattoirs in Paris, plus Dolby Atmos surround sound mixes of both the studio album and the live Earls Court concert. Information: rollingstones.com.
Artist: Peter Gabriel
Title: Taking The Pulse (Mercury Studios)
You might like if you enjoy: Peter Gabriel, Radiohead, elbowTell me more: Peter Gabriel's "Taking The Pulse" is an ambitious concert film that finds the groundbreaking English. artist and the New Blood Orchestra reworking 16 selections sans guitars, bass and drums. Working with arranger John Metcalfe, the concert filmed on Sept. 26, 2010 captured Gabriel, several backing singers and a full orchestra under the baton of Ben Foster performing at the legendary Arena di Verona in Italy. Directed by Anna Gabriel, "Taking The Pulse" fuses dazzling concert footage with dramatic lighting and artful graphics to deliver Peter Gabriel's theatrical vision across the 97-minute performance. Information: mercurystudios.co.
Opera & Classical
Artist: Andrea Bocelli
Title: The Celebration: 30th Anniversary (Mercury Studios)
You might like if you enjoy: Andrea Bocelli, Jon Batiste, Brian May
Tell me more: Marking three decades as a celebrated performer, Italian singer Andrea Bocelli's The Celebration: 30th Anniversary features the artist performing at the open air amphitheater Teatro del Silenzio (Theatre of Silence) in 2024 in his hometown of Tuscany with a star-studded lineup of stellar guests. The two-disc 4K UHD package features two shows — "The Celebration" and "30 Years of Musical Inspiration" collectively featuring more than 4 and a half hours of performances! Bocelli is joined by an 80-member orchestra along with a cast of more than 200 musicians including Ed Sheeran, Jon Batiste, Shania Twain, Brian May and others. In addition to the aforementioned 4K version, the title is also available via several other two-disc and four-disc deluxe formats. Information: mercurystudios.co.
You might like if you enjoy: Andrea Bocelli, Jon Batiste, Brian May
Tell me more: Marking three decades as a celebrated performer, Italian singer Andrea Bocelli's The Celebration: 30th Anniversary features the artist performing at the open air amphitheater Teatro del Silenzio (Theatre of Silence) in 2024 in his hometown of Tuscany with a star-studded lineup of stellar guests. The two-disc 4K UHD package features two shows — "The Celebration" and "30 Years of Musical Inspiration" collectively featuring more than 4 and a half hours of performances! Bocelli is joined by an 80-member orchestra along with a cast of more than 200 musicians including Ed Sheeran, Jon Batiste, Shania Twain, Brian May and others. In addition to the aforementioned 4K version, the title is also available via several other two-disc and four-disc deluxe formats. Information: mercurystudios.co.
Artist: Luciano Pavarotti
Title: The Lost Concert — Live at Llangollen 1995 (Mercury Studios)
You might like if you enjoy: Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, opera
Tell me more: The aptly-titled "The Lost Concert — Live at Llangollen 1995" is a previously-unavailable concert performance featuring the late Luciano Pavarotti recorded at the prestigious Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod in North Wales in 1995. The historic concert event features Pavarotti performing with the BBC Philharmonic as well as soprano Atzuko Kawahara and Corale Gioachino Rossini. The winning concert event combines popular operatic arias and choruses as well as Neapolitan songs, one of Pavarotti's own compositions and orchestral interludes. The essential new title (set for release on Friday, Nov. 21) will be available on Blu-ray, TVOD and digital platforms. Information: mercurystudios.co.
Tell me more: The aptly-titled "The Lost Concert — Live at Llangollen 1995" is a previously-unavailable concert performance featuring the late Luciano Pavarotti recorded at the prestigious Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod in North Wales in 1995. The historic concert event features Pavarotti performing with the BBC Philharmonic as well as soprano Atzuko Kawahara and Corale Gioachino Rossini. The winning concert event combines popular operatic arias and choruses as well as Neapolitan songs, one of Pavarotti's own compositions and orchestral interludes. The essential new title (set for release on Friday, Nov. 21) will be available on Blu-ray, TVOD and digital platforms. Information: mercurystudios.co.
Title: Tristan Und Isolde (Arthaus Musik)
You might like if you enjoy: German Opera, composer Richard Wagner
Tell me more: German composer Richard Wagner once called love "the most beautiful of all dreams" and that observation likely fueled the creation of his 1865 masterwork "Tristan and Isolde." Now a production of the three-act opera starring tenor Bryan Register as Tristan and the Bayreuth-celebrated soprano Catherine Foster as Isolde is out on DVD. The filmed production also features singers Annika Schlicht, Andreas Jรคpel and Dimitry Ivashchenko. The production was created for the stage of the State Theater in Cottbus, Germany. Running nearly four hours in German, the filmed version on the DVD has English subtitles provided. Information: mvdshop.com.
You might like if you enjoy: German Opera, composer Richard Wagner
Tell me more: German composer Richard Wagner once called love "the most beautiful of all dreams" and that observation likely fueled the creation of his 1865 masterwork "Tristan and Isolde." Now a production of the three-act opera starring tenor Bryan Register as Tristan and the Bayreuth-celebrated soprano Catherine Foster as Isolde is out on DVD. The filmed production also features singers Annika Schlicht, Andreas Jรคpel and Dimitry Ivashchenko. The production was created for the stage of the State Theater in Cottbus, Germany. Running nearly four hours in German, the filmed version on the DVD has English subtitles provided. Information: mvdshop.com.
Title: Carmen (Monad Music)
You might like if you enjoy: Placido Domingo, French opera
Tell me more: Fans of composer Georges Bizet's beloved "Carmen" are in luck. A historic 1978 production of the 154-minute opera conducted by Carlos Kleiber and starring then-young lyric tenor Placido Domingo (as Don Jose) and soprano Elena Obraztsova in the title role is now available on Blu-ray. The staging was completed by director Franco Zeffirelli (who also directed the production for TV) and the performance was captured at Vienna State Opera. This is a groundbreaking filmed version of Bizet's 1875 French opera. Information: monarda-music.com.
You might like if you enjoy: Placido Domingo, French opera
Tell me more: Fans of composer Georges Bizet's beloved "Carmen" are in luck. A historic 1978 production of the 154-minute opera conducted by Carlos Kleiber and starring then-young lyric tenor Placido Domingo (as Don Jose) and soprano Elena Obraztsova in the title role is now available on Blu-ray. The staging was completed by director Franco Zeffirelli (who also directed the production for TV) and the performance was captured at Vienna State Opera. This is a groundbreaking filmed version of Bizet's 1875 French opera. Information: monarda-music.com.
Robert Kinsler
1 comment:
The Rolling Stones box set sounds cool!
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