A Pl�cido Domingo prot�g�, soprano Angel Blue has enjoyed recent opera house triumphs in Valencia and at English National Opera. + Following her acclaimed 2013 Wigmore Hall recital, this new Rosenblatt Recital studio recording, on which Ms. Blue is accompanied by noted pianist Iain Burnside, features songs by Richard Strauss, Sergei Rachmaninov, a selection of zarzuelas, and George Gershwin's classic Summertime. + In partnership with Opus Arte, this and other CD releases will be based predominantly on studio recordings with occasional bonus live tracks. + A native of California, Angel Joy Blue's voice has been recognized for it's shining and agile upper register, "smoky" mid-register, and beautiful timbre. + She has performed internationally and won numerous awards. + "At her first meeting with Placido Domingo, he told her that she "reminded him of some of his former colleagues" - sopranos he'd worked with in the past, such as the great Leontyne Price." (The Telegraph)

An extraordinary 4 DVD box set that brings together three of America's most lauded contemporary opera productions that collectively are a brilliant introduction to the astonishing diversity of 20th-century opera : John Adams' Dr. Atomic directed by librettist Peter Sellars, a riveting morality drama about the father of the atomic bomb, J. Robert Oppenheimer. Philip Glass', The Perfect American, like the book from which it is based, seeks to reveal an unvarnished Walt Disney, based on an imagined series of reflections and memories that might have occurred during the icon's dying months; and finally the 2001 cinematic film version of Trouble in Tahiti, Leonard Bernstein's satire on American suburban married life, with the characteristically jubilant conjoining of jazz and musical comedy; lyric art with popular entertainment. A marvelous collection of consummate direction, compelling designs, a collection of inspired musical performances by the Netherlands Philharmonic, Madrid's Orquesta de Teatro Real and City of London Sinfonia along with brilliant casting and stand-out performances - among them Gerald Finley's Oppenheimer and Christopher Purves' Walt Disney. Filmed in High Definition and recorded in true Surround Sound.

Oxford's dreaming spires: often wrapped in cloud and thoroughly steeped in musical history. The acclaimed Choir of Magdalen College celebrates the University's artistic legacy with a collection of anthems spanning five hundred years of musical heritage, showcasing the rich variety of texts set by Oxford composers in a panoply of styles and broad range of emotions. In this first commercial recording under new Informator Choristarum Mark Williams, The Choir of Magdalen College, Oxford bring their beautiful sound to 14 glorious anthems composed by great composers associated with the city of Oxford, Featuring stunning a cappella work, as well as accompanied singing, the music transports us to the iconic spires of the city, pointing us towards the clouds with beautiful harmonies- restarting the longstanding relationship between the choir and Opus Arte.

To mark 100 years since the First World War, the Royal Shakespeare Company chose to set this uncommon but apt pairing of two of The Bard's comedies in the era of the Great War. The first of the two is situated in the relatively carefree period a few months before the outbreak of conflict in 1914; the second just after it's end four years later. Although the jury is still out on whether the play more commonly known as Much Ado About Nothing was alternatively titled Love's Labour's Won in Shakespeare's time, the coupling of plays is unquestionably fitting. The characters may be different, but the earlier comedy leaves a number of threads dangling (or labors seemingly lost) at it's conclusion, and it is much the same tensions - interpersonal, philosophical or political - that are shown to exist between other, analogous characters, and that are finally resolved, in the later play. The exquisite acting, ingeniously composed music and accomplished directing of these complementary productions by the company and staff of the RSC bring Shakespeare's comic masterpieces together to create a result both coherent and un-missable.

Alessandro Corbelli, Felicity Palmer, Maria McLaughlin, Massimo Giordano, Sally Matthews, and Sergei Leiferkus star in this production of the Puccini opera with Vladimir Jurowski conducting the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

... one of the most profoundly moving and emotionally compelling dance performances you are ever likely to see. (THE HERALD) The Mother is a powerful, narrative dance production choreographed and directed by Arthur Pita - a master storyteller. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's dark tale, The Story of a Mother, this sumptuously designed production stars international dance superstar Natalia Osipova and multi-award-winning dancer Jonathan Goddard. This is an inventive new production which conjures up a dangerous, kaleidoscopic world, combining narrative dance and drama. In setting out to save her sick child a young mother journeys into the unknown to face life and death. Will she succumb to the forces of evil, or will the power of motherhood prevail? "The Mother is a truly original piece that satisfies on all levels, from it's stunning visual imagery to the downright weirdness of it's characters and the eerie musical score." (DANCING TIMES)

Fantastic storylines abound in opera, but these grand musical settings of much-loved fairytales embrace the imaginary, giving free rein to dreams. The Royal Opera's acclaimed Hansel and Gretel combines the directors' characteristic wit and knack for dark comedy with the story's enduring charm. Glyndebourne's recounting of the quick-witted fox's escape into nature balances the opera's whimsy and mysticism. Opera North's enchanting staging of Jonathan Dove's 21st opera is a wittily inventive feast for the eyes and ears, shining new light on Collodi's original tale, by turns magical and dark. "What an inspired and exciting opera this is. Gorgeous characters, a busy story rich in incident and an exhilarating mix of music. Delight follows delight." (The Stage - The Adventures of Pinocchio) "Not only was the production a great one to attend as a first opera, but the [video] is perhaps as good an introduction to opera as one could hope for, a success on almost every front." (Musicweb International - Hansel und Gretel) "Lucy Crowe's glowingly sung Vixen... Tom Pye's Hockneyish designs are evocative of a world of childish wonder, with animal costumes which cleverly suggest human characteristic." (The Daily Telegraph - The Cunning Little Vixen)

Classical Music

This new audio release features the music and speeches from the 2014 Royal Shakespeare Company productions Love’s Labour’s Lost and Love’s Labours Won, directed by Christopher Luscombe. Music by Nigel Hess is featured, as well as music by Raymond Leppard from the 1956 Shakespeare Memorial Theatre production of Love’s Labour’s Lost and music by Louis Applebaum from the 1961 Royal Shakespeare Company production of Love’s Labour’s Won. In 2014 the Royal Shakespeare Company paired Love's Labour's Lost with Love's Labour's Won (Much Ado About Nothing) at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. The action took place either side of World War One and both productions featured the same company of actors and shared a set based on Charlecote Park, the National Trust stately home near Stratford-upon-Avon. The director Christopher Luscombe had an earlier connection with the play, having been a memorable 'Moth' in Ian Judge's 1993 production of Love's Labour's Lost. The production was broadcast live into cinemas worldwide in Spring 2015 and also streamed into schools.

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.

Napoli, a cornerstone of the Royal Danish Ballet, was created in 1842 by choreographer and ballet master, August Bournonville. This timeless tale is set in Naples and focus on Gennaro, a young fisherman, on his quest to rescue Teresina, his beloved, who has supposedly drowned at sea. For this production, the Company has chosen to set the scene in the 1950s, taking inspiration from Federico Fellini's early films. Maja Ravn has created elaborate sets and constumes and Nikolaj Hubbe and Sorella Englund bring striking new choreography to Bournonville's classic routines. An entirely new musical score has been created for Act II just for this production! Leading this cast is Alban Lendorf as Gennaro and Alexandra Lo Sardo as Teresina. Graham Bond conducts this fabulous ballet, recorded live in 2014 at the Royal Danish Ballet, Copenhagen.

Established in 2001, the Jette Parker Young Artists Programme discovers exceptionally gifted young artists, and nurtures them to become world-class professionals. This recording provides a unique opportunity to hear current members and alumni of the Programme in recital, in wide-ranging repertory that encompasses composers from Beethoven to the present day, and includes many rarely-performed masterpieces. The Programme and this recording are generously supported by Oak Foundation. David Gowland says: “We are extremely grateful to Oak Foundation for agreeing to support the Programme for another decade, and we’re also grateful to our colleagues in The Royal Opera and around the Royal Opera House who help to make the programme possible…. As we look to the future, the continued support from Oak Foundation will not only guarantee the continuation and strengthening of the current Programme, but also increasingly take the legacy of our work into a wider community.”

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.

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.

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