Ekaterina Siurina, Peter Auty, Alfredo Daza, Luciano Di Pasquale, and Eliana Pretorian star in this Glyndebourne production of the Donizetti opera with Maurizio Benini conducting the London Philharmonic.

The Pesaro Festival’s new offering in 2013 was an off-the-wall production of Rossini’s popular comedy, ‘The Italian Girl in Algiers’, presented as a Swinging Sixties, James Bond adventure, set in the desert oil fields of the North Africa. Davide Livermore’s gag-a-minute, helter-skelter romp followed an alarmingly life-like air-crash, which delivered the ‘Italian girl’ from Rome into the clutches of the local oil baron, Mustafa. All three lead singers (Alex Esposito as Mustafa, the high tenor Yijie Shi as the young lover Lindoro, and Anna Goryachova as the agile-voiced mezzo-soprano of the title role) were met with the audience’s roaring approval of the evening’s entertainment. ‘‘Italian bass Alex Esposito commanded our full attention as Mustafà…a spirited, charismatic actor of inextinguishable theatrical energy.’’ - Opera Today “Davide Livermore’s Rossini stagings are filled with wisdom and wit. Here again, he is sure handed.’’ - Seen and Heard International

The Italian and international press were unanimous in their praise for Peter Grimes at La Scala, which revived the tradition of Britten's operas on the lyric stages of Italy. A strong British cast was marshaled by the baton of Robin Ticciati, who has already won golden opinions for his opera conducting.

This Glyndebourne celebration includes 12 productions from the last 13 years ranging across 'signature' works, classic productions and new adventures in Baroque opera and Wagner. Over two and a half hours of world-class opera. Artists include Anne Sofie von Otter, Danielle de Niese, John Mark Ainsley, William Christie & Mark Elder. Extra features: See opera differently.

Included are works by Handel, Delibes, Shakespeare, Purcell, Mozart, Herold, Puccini, Cavalli, Henze, Humperdinck, and Tchaikovsky, performed by Carlos Acosta, Darcey Bussell, Sarah Connolly, Diana Damrau, Joyce DiDonato, Adetomiwa Edun, Gerald Finley.

Aquiles Machdo, Konstantin Gorny, Katharine Goedner, Maria Bayo, Valentina Kutzarova, and Milagros Poblador star in this Bilbao Opera production of the Offenbach opera directed by Giancarlo Del Monaco and conducted by Alain Guingal.

Charles Workman, Sarah Castle, Stephen Richardson, and Nancy Allen Lundy star in this production of the Tan Dun opera with the composer conducting the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra and Cappella Amsterdam.

Victoria Simmonds, Jonathan Summers, Mary Plazas, Rebecca Bottone, and Graeme Broadbent star in this Opera North production of the Jonathan Dove opera with David Parry conducting.

Laura Aikin, Edgaras Montvidas, Kurt Rydl, Mojca Erdmann, Michael Smallwood, and Steven Van Watermeulen star in this de Nederlandse Opera production of the Mozart opera conducted by Constantinos Carydis.

Alain Vernhes, Martial Defontaine, Francois Le Roux, Serghei Khomov, Sandrine Piau, Anna Shafajinskaja, and Sir Willard White star in this de Nederlandse Opera production of the Prokofiev opera conducted by Stephane Deneve.

This 2 DVD set is a unique and intimate live performance by a chamber ensemble of actors, singers, and instrumentalists, portraying the deep and ultimately tragic love between the composer Robert Schumann (Sting/Simon Keelyside) and his pianist wife Clara.

The Royal Ballet’s The Nutcracker is the quintessential Christmas ballet. When her nutcracker toy comes to life, young Clara is transported by the magician Drosselmeyer to a magical world of excitement and delight. Lauren Cuthbertson and Federico Bonelli dance the exquisite Sugar Plum Fairy and her Prince; Francesca Hayward and Alexander Campbell take the roles of Clara and the Nutcracker; and Gary Avis is the mysterious, kindly Drosselmeyer. This performance celebrated Peter Wright’s 90th birthday and a production that has been in The Royal Ballet’s repertory for more than thirty years. With sumptuous period designs, spellbinding stage effects and of course Tchaikovsky’s iconic score, The Nutcracker continues to enchant audiences of all ages. Filmed in High Definition and recorded in true SS. "fresh and reinvigorated - Nutcrackers come and Nutcrackers go but the Royal Ballet's version is a hardy perennial. " (The Stage) "The Royal Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker, always handsomely traditional, has become a tradition of its own." (The Independent) "Francesca Hayward and Alexander Campbell make an enchanting couple, " (The Daily Telegraph)

DETAILS:

Format: NTSC
Language: English
Subtitles: None
Dubbed: None
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

One of the most exciting new lyric voices around" (Presto Music) and a "tenor from the dark side of the moon" (The New York Times), Saimir Pirgu takes us on a personal musical journey, with a selection of arias guided by the vocal inspiration of his mentor Luciano Pavarotti. An intimate reflection on Pirgu's career past, present and future, this collection of arias traverses the Romantic tenor landscape of the 19th and early 20th centuries, taking the listener on a musical voyage across Europe.

Also available on Blu-ray

The contemporary face of The Royal Ballet is shown in works from three of today's leading choreographers. Christopher Wheeldon's Within the Golden Hour is based around seven couples separating and intermingling, to music by Vivaldi and Ezio Bosso and lit with the rich colours suggested by sunset. In Flight Pattern, Crystal Pite combines Górecki's haunting “Symphony of Sorrowful Songs” with a large dance ensemble to create a poignant and passionate reflection on migration. Between them, Medusa is new work inspired by the Greek myth, created for The Royal Ballet by the acclaimed choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, which juxtaposes Purcell arias with an electronic score by Olga Wojciechowska.

Handel: Water Music - Recreating A Royal Spectacular