From a mysterious Cheshire Cat and a tap-dancing tea party, to frogs acting as footmen and unknown potions that turn you tiny, many treats and eccentricities await in this weird and wonderful world. You never know what you might find when you fall down the rabbit hole. Christopher Wheeldon's?Alice's Adventures in Wonderland?burst onto the stage in 2011 in an explosion of colour, stage magic and inventive, sophisticated choreography. Joby Talbot's score combines contemporary soundworlds with sweeping melodies that gesture to ballet scores of the 19th century. Bob Crowley's wildly imaginative, eye-popping designs draw on everything from puppetry to projections to make Wonderland wonderfully real. The result shows The Royal Ballet at it's best, bringing together world-class dance with enchanting family entertainment and ingenious music and design.

From a mysterious Cheshire Cat and a tap-dancing tea party, to frogs acting as footmen and unknown potions that turn you tiny, many treats and eccentricities await in this weird and wonderful world. You never know what you might find when you fall down the rabbit hole. Christopher Wheeldon's?Alice's Adventures in Wonderland?burst onto the stage in 2011 in an explosion of colour, stage magic and inventive, sophisticated choreography. Joby Talbot's score combines contemporary soundworlds with sweeping melodies that gesture to ballet scores of the 19th century. Bob Crowley's wildly imaginative, eye-popping designs draw on everything from puppetry to projections to make Wonderland wonderfully real. The result shows The Royal Ballet at it's best, bringing together world-class dance with enchanting family entertainment and ingenious music and design.

The Gondoliers, the twelfth of fourteen operas from Gilbert & Sullivan, has been an audience favourite since it's 1889 premiere. The tunes are infectious, the romantic and family conflicts heartfelt, and the satire of rank and station constantly entertaining and relevant. This Scottish Opera co-production with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company and State Opera South Australia is created by some of the world's foremost G&S enthusiasts and experts.

The Gondoliers, the twelfth of fourteen operas from Gilbert & Sullivan, has been an audience favourite since it's 1889 premiere. The tunes are infectious, the romantic and family conflicts heartfelt, and the satire of rank and station constantly entertaining and relevant. This Scottish Opera co-production with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company and State Opera South Australia is created by some of the world's foremost G&S enthusiasts and experts.

From a kaleidoscopic abstract ballet to a poignant elegy, celebrate Kenneth MacMillan's endless invention in three works. Kenneth MacMillan (1929-92) was the leading choreographer of his generation. Renowned for his full-length dramatic works which dug deep into the human psyche, MacMillan's creativity knew no bounds. His one-act works also reshaped the collective identity of The Royal Ballet, challenging the art form to reflect real-life emotions, passions and human frailty. In three varied works, this mixed programme offers a taster of MacMillan's exceptional craft.

From a kaleidoscopic abstract ballet to a poignant elegy, celebrate Kenneth MacMillan's endless invention in three works. Kenneth MacMillan (1929-92) was the leading choreographer of his generation. Renowned for his full-length dramatic works which dug deep into the human psyche, MacMillan's creativity knew no bounds. His one-act works also reshaped the collective identity of The Royal Ballet, challenging the art form to reflect real-life emotions, passions and human frailty. In three varied works, this mixed programme offers a taster of MacMillan's exceptional craft.

Utopia, Limited, Gilbert & Sullivan's penultimate work, is a rarely performed gem that pokes fun at the workings of the British Empire, thoughtfully revived and now presented alongside Sullivan’s evocative incidental music for King Arthur. Expect dazzling patter, lush choruses, and moments of beauty performed by a stellar cast (many of whom performed in Scottish Opera's 2021 semi-staging) in this compelling pairing of satire and symphonic storytelling. Conducted by Derek Clark and featuring Neal Davies, Richard Suart, Ellie Laugharne, and Yvonne Howard.

In a showcase for the genius of The Royal Ballet's Resident Choreographer, this collection brings together some of Wayne McGregor's most outstanding and internationally acclaimed works, comprising Three Ballets: Chroma, Infra, Limen (recorded 2008), Woolf Works (2017) and The Dante Project (2021). The diversity of Wayne McGregor's astonishing invention is demonstrated first through Chroma, Infra and Limen. Intimate yet universal, both light and dark, vigorous and lyrical, these three ballets reveal McGregor's passion for exploring the inner workings of the human body and mind, providing visual, sensual and kinaesthetic stimulus for the viewer. In Woolf Works, McGregor's first full-length work for The Royal Ballet, the distinctive stream-of-consciousness writing of Virginia Woolf takes new form in a work of luminous beauty. Inspired by another celebrated literary figure, The Dante Project follows an epic journey through the afterlife, a monumental reinvention of Dante Alighieri's The Divine Comedy, by turns terrifying, poetic and dazzling. McGregor's gift for collaboration lies at the heart of his practice and is demonstrated here with an extraordinary team of trailblazing artistic minds, including Thomas Ades, Tacita Dean, Max Richter, Julian Opie and John Pawson. This collection also affords viewers a prized opportunity to admire the remarkable artistry of Royal Ballet dancers past and present.

In a showcase for the genius of The Royal Ballet's Resident Choreographer, this collection brings together some of Wayne McGregor's most outstanding and internationally acclaimed works, comprising Three Ballets: Chroma, Infra, Limen (recorded 2008), Woolf Works (2017) and The Dante Project (2021). The diversity of Wayne McGregor's astonishing invention is demonstrated first through Chroma, Infra and Limen. Intimate yet universal, both light and dark, vigorous and lyrical, these three ballets reveal McGregor's passion for exploring the inner workings of the human body and mind, providing visual, sensual and kinaesthetic stimulus for the viewer. In Woolf Works, McGregor's first full-length work for The Royal Ballet, the distinctive stream-of-consciousness writing of Virginia Woolf takes new form in a work of luminous beauty. Inspired by another celebrated literary figure, The Dante Project follows an epic journey through the afterlife, a monumental reinvention of Dante Alighieri's The Divine Comedy, by turns terrifying, poetic and dazzling. McGregor's gift for collaboration lies at the heart of his practice and is demonstrated here with an extraordinary team of trailblazing artistic minds, including Thomas Ades, Tacita Dean, Max Richter, Julian Opie and John Pawson. This collection also affords viewers a prized opportunity to admire the remarkable artistry of Royal Ballet dancers past and present.

The world-renowned Royal Shakespeare Company presents the most complete collection of Shakespeare's plays to be captured in widescreen. Filmed onstage in Shakespeare's hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon, this collection of contains 35 unforgettable dramas, with iconic performances by leading actors. From David Tennant's "mesmerising" Richard II (Guardian) and Paapa Essiedu's "utterly engaging performance" as Hamlet (Times), to Josette Simon delivering "a Cleopatra to die for" (Observer), and Sir Antony Sher's King Lear being hailed as "a crowning achievement in a major career" (Telegraph), this special collection showcases British theatre at it's finest.

Classical ballet's most powerful tale of love, treachery and forgiveness returns to the Royal Opera House stage. Out hunting, Prince Siegfried chances upon a flock of swans. One among them transforms into the beautiful human Odette and he is immediately enamoured. But Odette is bound by a spell which keeps her captive as a swan during the day. Can Siegfried free her? Tchaikovsky's sensational score combines with the evocative imagination of choreographer Liam Scarlett and designer John Macfarlane to heighten the dramatic pathos of Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov's quintessential ballet classic. Swan Lake remains to this day one of the best-loved works in the classical ballet canon.

Classical ballet's most powerful tale of love, treachery and forgiveness returns to the Royal Opera House stage. Out hunting, Prince Siegfried chances upon a flock of swans. One among them transforms into the beautiful human Odette and he is immediately enamoured. But Odette is bound by a spell which keeps her captive as a swan during the day. Can Siegfried free her? Tchaikovsky's sensational score combines with the evocative imagination of choreographer Liam Scarlett and designer John Macfarlane to heighten the dramatic pathos of Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov's quintessential ballet classic. Swan Lake remains to this day one of the best-loved works in the classical ballet canon.

Violeta Urmana, Vincenzo La Scola, Marco di Felice, Vladimir Galouzine, Maria Bayo, and Carlo Guelfi star in these operas by Mascagni and Leoncavallo directed by Giancarlo del Monaco with Jesus Lopez Cobos conducting the Chorus and Orchestra of the Teatro Real (Madrid Symphony Orchestra & Chorus).

Sergiu Celibidache conducts the Orchestra Sinfonica di Torino della RAI in works by Prokofiev and Strauss in this rare footage recorded for TV in 1970.

Classical Music