From fake potions and feigned emotions to the follies of youth and the vulnerability of age, this set brings together two of Donizetti's greatest comedies, L'elisir d'amore and Don Pasquale, charming works packed with musical wit in which the composer looks beyond the archetypes of the Buffa tradition to create complex, highly individual characters. Both operas are brought to life in sparkling Glyndebourne productions, with first-class singing from such noted artists as Alessandro Corbelli, Danielle di Niese and Ekaterina Siurina, and expert bel canto conducting from the pit.

J.S. Bach’s six Trio Sonatas BWV 525–530, works whose charm resides not only in their rich variety of compositional style and musical invention but also in their virtuosic demands, occupy a treasured place in the organ repertoire.David Newsholme offers a fresh perspective on these seminal works, re-ordering their sequence and drawing on the unique qualities of the Metzler organ of Trinity College, Cambridge.David Newsholme, former Organ Scholar at New College, Oxford and Salisbury Cathedral, is Organist at King’s School, Canterbury and Music Director of the Canterbury Singers.

The fresh and vibrant style of composer Matthew Martin (b. 1976) has established him as one of today's leading sacred choral composers. Here the renowned Choir of Magdalen College, Oxford perform a selection of his works, included amongst them six World Premiere Recordings, celebrating liturgical music in all it's variety; from the reticent carol Dormi, Jesu! And the imposing St John's College Service to settings of the Mass, motets and anthems, including the award-winning Festival Anthem: In the year that King Uzziah died. Mr. Martin is closely associated with Magdalen College, Oxford, as a former organ scholar. He has held positions as organist and/or choir master at New College, Oxford, Canterbury Cathedral and Westminster Cathedral.

A world-famous court composer during his lifetime, Agostino Steffani (1654-1728) exercised a significant influence on the likes of Handel, J.S. Bach and Telemann, his music nevertheless falling into neglect after his death. Thanks to conductor and Baroque specialist Thomas Hengelbrock, Steffani's musically rich and emotionally intense fifth opera Niobe, regina di Tebe, revived in 2008, is heard here in The Royal Opera's acclaimed 2010 production. With a 'delectable' and 'seductive' performance from Veronique Gens as the proud queen punished for defying the gods, supported by male soprano Jacek Laszczkowski, who 'thrills with his astonishing power at the top of the voice... [giving] an exciting approximation of what the castrato could do' (Independent), this recording ushers Steffani's forgotten masterpiece to the wider public. Lukas Hemleb's production is tasteful and elegant, and graced with some imaginative coups de theatre. Thomas Henegelbrock conducts the expert Balthazar Neumann Ensemble, and there is first-class singing from a cast of period stylists... (The Daily Telegraph)

One of the composer's most beguiling scores, La Favorite is Gaetano Donizetti's La favorita in it's original French form; a tale of love and war that represents a glorious mix of Italian bel canto and 19th c. grand opera. Vincent Boussard's arresting Toulouse production does full justice to this newly renewed masterpiece. Three international principals take on the work's demanding roles: Chinese tenor Yijie Shi is a 'revelation' (La Depeche) as Fernand, the rich-toned, authoritative French baritone Ludovic Tezier as King Alphonse XI and lauded American mezzo Kate Aldrich - 'the Carmen of this generation' (San Francisco Sentinel) - plumbing the emotional depths of Leonor's music. Conductor and bel canto specialist Antonello Allemandi adds to the passionate proceedings onstage. Maestro Allemandi demonstrated full authority over the stage for the musically complex scenes, and in the arias and duets demonstrated his confidence in the singers by establishing ample tempos to support their soaring vocal lines... (Opera Today)

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Mozart’s Singspiel Die Zauberflöte seamlessly alternates seriousness and jollity, and combines philosophical ideas with a fairytale world of wondrous animals and magical musical instruments. Fusing music, technology and stagecraft, this exciting production gives Die Zauberflöte a refreshing treatment both thrilling and simple. Following overwhelming stage success, McBurney’s unique production received five-star reviews in the Dutch press: ‘a feast for the eyes and ears’ (Het Parool) and ‘Delicious!’ (Trouw) ‘‘...inventively staged...’’ (Daily Telegraph)

Running time: 156 minutes
Subtitles: English/German/French/Dutch/Japanese/Korean
Picture Format: 1080i High Definition
Sound format: 2.0LPCM + 5.1(5.0) DTS

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Mozart’s Singspiel Die Zauberflöte seamlessly alternates seriousness and jollity, and combines philosophical ideas with a fairytale world of wondrous animals and magical musical instruments. Fusing music, technology and stagecraft, this exciting production gives Die Zauberflöte a refreshing treatment both thrilling and simple. Following overwhelming stage success, McBurney’s unique production received five-star reviews in the Dutch press: ‘a feast for the eyes and ears’ (Het Parool) and ‘Delicious!’ (Trouw) ‘‘...inventively staged...’’ (Daily Telegraph)
Running time: 156 minutes
Subtitles: English/German/French/Dutch/Japanese/Korean
Picture Format: 16:9, NTSC
Sound format: PCM Stereo / Dolby Digital 5.1 Region: All Region

With his crown under threat from enemies both foreign and domestic, Henry IV prepares for war. Having deposed the previous king, he is only too aware how tenuous his position is, and the price to be paid if he falters. As his father prepares to defend his crown, Prince Hal is languishing in the taverns and brothels of London, reveling in the company of his friend, the notorious Sir. John Falstaff. With the onset of the war, Hal and Falstaff are thrust into the brutal reality of the battlefield, where Hal must confront his responsibilities to family and throne.

King Henry's health is failing as a second rebellion against his reign threatens to surface. Intent on securing his legacy, he is uncertain that his son Hal is a worthy heir, believing him more concerned with earthly pleasures than the responsibility of rule. Sir John Falstaff is sent to the countryside to recruit fresh troops. Amongst the unwitting locals, opportunities for embezzlement and profiteering prove impossible to resist as Falstaff gleefully indulges in the business of lining his own pockets. As the King's health continues to worsen, Hal must choose between duty and loyalty to an old friend.

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La Bête et la Belle is renowned French choreographer Kader Belarbi's compelling reimagining of the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast - a psychological drama that explores the rejection or acceptance of difference, centring around Beauty's discovery of the depth of true love. First performed by the Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal in 2005. Théâtre du Capitole's reprise of Belarbi's acclaimed production has confirmed its status as among the best of modern ballets, combining stunning set and costume designs with striking choreography that reflects the unique soundscapes of the Ligeti-dominant musical score. Takafumi Watanabe and Julie Loria assume the lead roles in a production that instantly transports us into the beautiful dream world of this timeless masterpiece reinterpreted.

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Following his delightful full-length ballet Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Christopher Wheeldon continues his highly successful collaboration with designer Bob Crowley and composer Joby Talbot to create his first ballet based on a Shakespeare play, the late romance The Winter’s Tale. The story follows the destruction of marriage through consuming jealousy, the abandonment of a child, and a seemingly hopeless love. Yet through remorse and regret–and after a statue comes miraculously to life–the ending is one of forgiveness and reconciliation. It is powerful material for ballet, with a story that allows for the portrayal of intense emotions between and within the characters, and the opportunity for the Company to create not just new central characters, but the whole world around them.

ACCLAIM
“Steven McRae and Sarah Lamb lead the company in flurries of joyful movement in a buoyant Act II, as the plot turns into a hugely enjoyable caper. By the time they’re in a chase across the high seas, you’ll be hooked.” - Evening Standard

“‘A game-changer for Wheeldon’ – Christopher Wheeldon rises to the challenge of translating Shakespeare into dance, creating one of most fully achieved story ballets to be staged at Covent Garden in years. Yet Christopher Wheeldon has turned these challenges into inspiration. Together with composer Joby Talbot and designer Bob Crowley (whose mix of video, light and set design vividly illuminates the story), Wheeldon has used this play to develop the most expressive and inventive dance language we’ve yet seen from him.” - The Guardian

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Verdi’s late historical masterpiece never saw a more lavish staging than in Hugo de Ana’s monumental production shared between the Teatro Real (Madrid) and Turin Opera. Filmed in high-definition by RAI in April 2013 to mark the 40th anniversary of the rebuilding of the Teatro Regio, the visual spectacle was complemented by an all-star international cast that was led by the great Mexican tenor Ramón Vargas in the title role. Widely-accepted as the top Italian opera ensemble, the Teatro Regio Orchestra, under its distinguished maestro Gianandrea Noseda, gave the production faultless musical support.

La Bete et la Belle is renowned French choreographer Kader Belarbi’s compelling re-imagining of the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast – a psychological drama exploring the rejection or acceptance of difference, centering around Beauty’s discovery of the depth of true love. Starring Takafumi Watanabe and Julie Loria, Théâtre du Capitole’s reprise of Belarbi’s acclaimed 2005 production has confirmed its status as among the best of modern ballets, combining stunning set and costume designs with striking choreography that reflects the uniqueness of the Ligeti-dominant musical score.

Jordanian pianist Karim Said, the acclaimed 24 year-old Jordanian pianist now based in the UK, surveys the extraordinary period of musical innovation that characterized the final years of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Six key musical personalities are explored, reflecting the dramatic social and artistic changes that saw late Romanticism evolve into the contrasting facets of modernism and nationalism that came to dominate the new century. Mr. Said was the subject of a Christopher Nupen BBC film in 2008. ‘a wonderful and highly interesting program’ (Daniel Barenboim)

Talbot: The Winter's Tale