{"title":"Orchestra of the Royal Opera House","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"art-of-the-prima-donna-vinyl-1","title":"ART OF THE PRIMA DONNA","description":"ART OF THE PRIMA DONNA","brand":"DECCA","offers":[{"title":"Vinyl","offer_id":45079980638442,"sku":"028948309559","price":44.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3475102.jpg?v=1780141459"},{"product_id":"massenet-manon","title":"Massenet: Manon \/ Kessels, Royal Opera House Orchestra","description":"Torn between her desire of a life of splendour and riches and her devotion to her true love Des Grieux (Reece Clarke), the alluring and capricious Manon (Natalia Osipova) pays the ultimate price.      MacMillan's adaptation of Abbe Prevost's novel L'Histoire du Chevalier des Grieux et de Manon Lescaut?embodies his acute insight into human psychology and his mastery of narrative choreography. This is MacMillan at his best; finding full expression in the impassioned duets of the central couple, visceral and urgent in their desire.","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46012429730026,"sku":"809478013907","price":26.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4365485-3225914.jpg?v=1778234321"},{"product_id":"massenet-manon-1","title":"Massenet: Manon \/ Kessels, Royal Opera House Orchestra","description":"Torn between her desire of a life of splendour and riches and her devotion to her true love Des Grieux (Reece Clarke), the alluring and capricious Manon (Natalia Osipova) pays the ultimate price.      MacMillan's adaptation of Abbe Prevost's novel L'Histoire du Chevalier des Grieux et de Manon Lescaut?embodies his acute insight into human psychology and his mastery of narrative choreography. This is MacMillan at his best; finding full expression in the impassioned duets of the central couple, visceral and urgent in their desire.","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"Blu-Ray","offer_id":46012462727402,"sku":"809478073277","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4365486-3225915.jpg?v=1778212183"},{"product_id":"ballet-for-children-blu-ray-84136","title":"Ballet for Children [Blu-ray]","description":"This unique collection brings together four jewels of the Royal Ballet repertoire that will delight and captivate young viewers the world over. Prepare to be enchanted by the timelessly colourful characters of Beatrix Potter including Peter Rabbit and friends; swept up in the magical world of Clara and her beloved Nutcracker; dazzled by Alice's weird and wonderful adventures in Wonderland; and spellbound by the action in Prokofiev's classic Peter and the Wolf. \"Peter Rabbit's beautiful and magical garden of dreams will transport every adult straight back to their childhood. \" (The Stage - The Tales of Beatrix Potter) \"One of the very best seasonal treats for children and adults alike, the Royal Ballet's Nutcracker is a handsome, magical, thoroughly traditional rendering of ETA Hoffmann's immortal if deeply strange story.\" (Sunday Express - The Nutcracker) \"What a treat this is - such an imaginative treatment of a favourite story. There are extraordinary, eccentric sets and special effects; colourful, larger-than-life, argumentative characters and extraordinary costumes. Lauren Cuthbertson, as Alice, is excellent, her every movement suggesting the actions and emotions of this curious, spirited pre-adolescent... Christopher Wheeldon's choreography is very imaginative and fitting for every character.\" (Musicweb International - Alice's Adventures in Wonderland) \"... Matthew Hart's Peter and the Wolf is one of the most beguiling children's ballets around. \" (The Daily Telegraph - Peter and the Wolf)","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"Blu-Ray","offer_id":46012840313066,"sku":"809478072171","price":53.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3601296.jpg?v=1778298302"},{"product_id":"feeney-the-cellist-robbins-dances-at-a-gathering","title":"Feeney: The Cellist - Robbins: Dances at a Gathering","description":"Internationally acclaimed choreographer Cathy Marston, previously Associate Artist of The Royal Ballet and Director of Bern Ballett, created The Cellist for The Royal Ballet in 2020. The inspiration for her first work for the Royal Opera House Main Stage is the momentous life and career of cellist Jacqueline du Pre - from her discovery of the cello and her celebrity as one of it's most extraordinary players, to her pain, frustration and struggle with multiple sclerosis. Composer Philip Feeney incorporates some of the most moving and powerful music for cello by Elgar, Beethoven, Faure, Mendelssohn, Piatti, Rachmaninoff and Schubert into an exquisite score that is itself an homage to the cello. Jerome Robbins' elegant and elegiac classic, Dances at a Gathering, is the other work in the programme.' pure dance for five couples, set to music by Chopin, is a masterpiece of subtlety and invention.\"","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46012894937322,"sku":"809478013181","price":26.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3828556-2656511.jpg?v=1778261249"},{"product_id":"feeney-the-cellist-robbins-dances-at-a-gathering-1","title":"Feeney: The Cellist - Robbins: Dances at a Gathering","description":"Internationally acclaimed choreographer Cathy Marston, previously Associate Artist of The Royal Ballet and Director of Bern Ballett, created The Cellist for The Royal Ballet in 2020. The inspiration for her first work for the Royal Opera House Main Stage is the momentous life and career of cellist Jacqueline du Pre - from her discovery of the cello and her celebrity as one of it's most extraordinary players, to her pain, frustration and struggle with multiple sclerosis. Composer Philip Feeney incorporates some of the most moving and powerful music for cello by Elgar, Beethoven, Faure, Mendelssohn, Piatti, Rachmaninoff and Schubert into an exquisite score that is itself an homage to the cello. Jerome Robbins' elegant and elegiac classic, Dances at a Gathering, is the other work in the programme.' pure dance for five couples, set to music by Chopin, is a masterpiece of subtlety and invention.\"","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"Blu-Ray","offer_id":46012896837866,"sku":"809478072775","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3828557-2572288.jpg?v=1781460497"},{"product_id":"wheeldon-within-the-golden-hour-chekaoui-medusa-pite-flight-pattern-royal-opera-house-393643","title":"Wheeldon: Within the Golden Hour - Chekaoui: Medusa - Pite: Flight Pattern \/ Royal Opera House","description":"\u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"album.jsp?album_id=2296199\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlso available on Blu-ray\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e 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.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46012928458986,"sku":"809478013006","price":26.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3766019-2525969.jpg?v=1778269244"},{"product_id":"wheeldon-within-the-golden-hour-chekaoui-medusa-pite-flight-pattern-royal-opera-house-blu-ray-393645","title":"Wheeldon: Within the Golden Hour - Chekaoui: Medusa - Pite: Flight Pattern \/ Royal Opera House [Blu-ray]","description":"\u003cb\u003eThis Blu-ray Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players and not compatible with standard DVD players.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"album.jsp?album_id=2296197\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlso available on standard DVD\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e 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.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"Blu-Ray","offer_id":46012930130154,"sku":"809478072652","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3766021-2526278_8aacb46e-bddb-4c64-be5b-5014056f738b.jpg?v=1778387924"},{"product_id":"fairytale-operas","title":"Fairytale Operas","description":"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)","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"Blu-Ray","offer_id":46012983312618,"sku":"809478072461","price":39.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3897675.jpg?v=1778387943"},{"product_id":"art-of-marianela-nunez-4pc-4pk-62637","title":"Art Of Marianela Nunez (4pc) \/ (4pk)","description":"In her twenty years with The Royal Ballet, Argentine dancer Marianela Nu�ez has excelled in iconic ballet classics, Company heritage works and modern creations. A Company Principal for 16 years, she has performed all the leading roles in the classical, dramatic and contemporary repertory. This collection showcases her exceptional mastery in four quintessential roles. In Swan Lake, she brings to life the beautifully tragic Odette and her rival Odile. She perfectly portrays the young lover Lise in La Fille mal gard�e, and brings bravura and vivacity to the role of Kitri in Carlos Acosta's production of the classical Don Quixote. She is transcendent as Giselle, one of the most challenging and demanding roles in the repertory. With peerless technical skill and compelling performances by the whole Company, this collection celebrates an exceptional dancer in her prime. \".. a jovial and entertaining showcase for classical dancing at it's most demanding and exuberant. One of the pleasures of this ballet is to be tickled by Minkus's infectiously melodious score... Marianela Nu�ez and Acosta delivered sparky, engaging performances\" (The Times (Don Quixote)) \"If the acting is superb, it's given real authority by the dancing. Muntagirov and Nu�ez are technically thrilling; she, at her finest moments, can combine an absolute mastery of the choreography, with the illusion that she's dancing it for the first time.\" (The Guardian (Giselle))","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46012998779114,"sku":"809478012672","price":39.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3781523.jpg?v=1778272704"},{"product_id":"kenneth-macmillans-manon-yates-royal-opera-house-53202","title":"Kenneth MacMillan's Manon \/ Yates, Royal Opera House","description":"\u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"album.jsp?album_id=2280198\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlso available on Blu-ray\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Sarah Lamb and Vadim Muntagirov star as tragic lovers Manon and Des Grieux in this performance of Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon, a classic of the Royal Ballet repertory. Nicholas Gerogiadis’s period designs set the ballet in the contrasting worlds of Paris Luxury and Louisiana swampland, while the intense emotion of MacMillan’s choreography is complemented by a score drawn from Massenet’s music. The impassioned pas de deux from Manon and Des Grieux drive this tragic story, and make Manon one of MacMillan’s most powerful dramas. “Kenneth MacMillan’s retelling of Abbe Prevost’s cautionary tale of a young man brought low by an amoral young beauty has been a mainstay of the Royal Ballet repertoire since 1974. The current revival is vividly played and danced by some first-rate casts.” (The Financial Times)\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46012999434474,"sku":"809478012856","price":26.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3907348_ff080aeb-7c18-489f-a657-4211d547726a.jpg?v=1778273778"},{"product_id":"macmillan-concerto-ashton-enigma-variations-nureyev-raymonda-293371","title":"MacMillan: Concerto - Ashton: Enigma Variations - Nureyev: Raymonda, Act III \/ Sorokin, Royal Opera House Orchestra","description":"\u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"album.jsp?album_id=2303277\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlso available on Blu-ray\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e From The Royal Ballet’s classical origins in the works of Petipa, to the home-grown choreographers who put British Ballet on the world stage, this mixed programme highlights the versatility of the Company. Petipa’s Raymonda Act III is Russian classical ballet summarized in one act, full of sparkle and precise technique, while Ashton’s Enigma Variations is quintessentially British in every way – from its score by Elgar and period designs by Julia Trevelyan Oman, to Ashton’s signature style, the essence of British ballet. Concerto, MacMillan’s fusion of classical technique with a contemporary mind, completes a programme that shows the breadth of the Company’s heritage. “The Royal Ballet is at the top of its game in a new triple bill of MacMillan, Ashton, and a pinch of Petipa…” (The Guardian) “O’Sullivan dances with a sunbeam brightness and zest to match her tangerine-colored costume… The ‘Nimrod’ variation is a memorable evocation of mature friendship; catching at the shifting currents of conversation and companionship with a finespun physicality… Princely Vadim Muntagirov follows suit with pantherine leaps and there’s strong support from the soloists and fluffy-hatted corps.”\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46013016539370,"sku":"809478013129","price":26.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3829539-2574977.jpg?v=1778226628"},{"product_id":"macmillan-concerto-ashton-enigma-variations-nureyev-raymonda-293378","title":"MacMillan: Concerto - Ashton: Enigma Variations - Nureyev: Raymonda, Act III \/ Sorokin, Royal Opera House Orchestra [Blu-ray]","description":"\u003cb\u003eThis Blu-ray Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players and not compatible with standard DVD players.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"album.jsp?album_id=2303276\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlso available on standard DVD\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e From The Royal Ballet’s classical origins in the works of Petipa, to the home-grown choreographers who put British Ballet on the world stage, this mixed programme highlights the versatility of the Company. Petipa’s Raymonda Act III is Russian classical ballet summarized in one act, full of sparkle and precise technique, while Ashton’s Enigma Variations is quintessentially British in every way – from its score by Elgar and period designs by Julia Trevelyan Oman, to Ashton’s signature style, the essence of British ballet. Concerto, MacMillan’s fusion of classical technique with a contemporary mind, completes a programme that shows the breadth of the Company’s heritage. “The Royal Ballet is at the top of its game in a new triple bill of MacMillan, Ashton, and a pinch of Petipa…” (The Guardian) “O’Sullivan dances with a sunbeam brightness and zest to match her tangerine-colored costume… The ‘Nimrod’ variation is a memorable evocation of mature friendship; catching at the shifting currents of conversation and companionship with a finespun physicality… Princely Vadim Muntagirov follows suit with pantherine leaps and there’s strong support from the soloists and fluffy-hatted corps.”\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"Blu-Ray","offer_id":46013017391338,"sku":"809478072720","price":42.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3829540-2574978.jpg?v=1778388725"},{"product_id":"berg-lulu-pappano-vogt-larmore-volle-eichenholz-256544","title":"Berg: Lulu \/ Pappano, Vogt, Larmore, Volle, Eichenholz","description":"Berg's masterful and thought-provoking opera tells the gripping story of the rise and fall of an alluring, destructive but vulnerable woman, culminating in her death at the hands of Jack the Ripper. Christof Loy's austere, minimalist production allows the complexities of the drama to unfold through the sumptuous, taut beauty of the score. Agneta Eichenholz and Michael Volle lead an all-star cast under Antonio Pappano. Recorded in High Definition and true surround sound.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Lulu : Agneta Eichenholz\u003cbr\u003e  Dr Schön\/Jack the Ripper: Michael Volle\u003cbr\u003e  Alwa: Klaus Florian Vogt\u003cbr\u003e  Countess Geschwitz: Jennifer Larmore\u003cbr\u003e  Prince\/Manservant\/Marquis: Philip Langridge\u003cbr\u003e  Orchestra of the Royal Opera House\u003cbr\u003e  Conductor: Antonio Pappano\u003cbr\u003e  Director: Christof Loy\u003cbr\u003e  Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, in June 2009\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Extra features:\u003cbr\u003e  Cast gallery\u003cbr\u003e  Interview with Antonio Pappano\u003cbr\u003e  Interview with Agneta Eichenholz\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  “It is immaculately rehearsed and executed – one doesn't often see opera acted with such freedom and honesty and absence of flummery. And its unsparing analytic clarity forces one to confront the bitter truth about Lulu's inner life and the corruption and idiocy of the men who are infatuated by her. … Antonio Pappano's electrifying conducting is razor-sharp in the manner of Pierre Boulez, and the orchestral playing is magnificent. … Singing with an extraordinary grace and insouciance, Eichenholz manages to make this monster chillingly real and hauntingly beautiful.”\u003cbr\u003e  The Telegraph\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Regions: All Regions\u003cbr\u003e  Picture Format: R 16:9 Anamorphic\u003cbr\u003e  Sound Type: 2.0 LPCM \u0026amp; 5.1 DTS Digital\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46013018570986,"sku":"809478010340","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/1672479.jpg?v=1778337441"},{"product_id":"royal-opera-the-collection-84107","title":"Royal Opera: The Collection","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Royal Opera Collection brings together eighteen outstanding productions from The Royal Opera, spanning all-time classics and contemporary masterpieces. Featuring some of the world’s finest performers and leading directors, The Collection demonstrates the breadth of The Royal Opera’s work including Le nozze di Figaro, Carmen, Turandot, La traviata, Cavalleria rusticana, Pagliacci, and the Multiple award-winning Written on Skin. A special edition book is also included, containing new articles about The Royal Opera, richly illustrated with stunning photographs.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46013021782250,"sku":"809478012443","price":134.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3740324.jpg?v=1778298230"},{"product_id":"verdi-la-traviata-pappano-fleming-calleja-hampson-80522","title":"Verdi: La Traviata \/ Pappano, Fleming, Calleja, Hampson, Wade [Blu-ray]","description":"\u003cb\u003eThis Blu-ray Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players and not compatible with standard DVD players.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"album.jsp?album_id=565569\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlso available on standard DVD\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Giuseppe Verdi\u003cbr\u003e  LA TRAVIATA\u003cbr\u003e  (Blu-ray Disc Version)\u003cbr\u003e  Violetta – Renée Fleming\u003cbr\u003e  Alfredo Germont – Joseph Calleja\u003cbr\u003e  Giorgio Germont – Thomas Hampson\u003cbr\u003e  Baron Douphol – Eddie Wade\u003cbr\u003e  Doctor Grenvil – Richard Wiegold\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Royal Opera House Chorus and Orchestra\u003cbr\u003e  Antonio Pappano, conductor\u003cbr\u003e  Richard Eyre, stage director\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, June and July 2009.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Bonus:\u003cbr\u003e  - Cast gallery\u003cbr\u003e  - Antonio Pappano interviews Renée Fleming\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Picture format: 1080i High Definition\u003cbr\u003e  Sound format: LPCM 2.0 \/ DTS 5.1\u003cbr\u003e  Region code: 0 (worldwide)\u003cbr\u003e  Menu language: English\u003cbr\u003e  Subtitles: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian\u003cbr\u003e  Running time: 135 mins\u003cbr\u003e  No. of Discs: 1 (Blu-ray)\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  R E V I E W:\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003ctitle\u003e3525240.az_VERDI_La_Traviata_Antonio.html\u003c\/title\u003e  \u003cmeta http-equiv=\"Content-Type\" content=\"text\/html; charset=utf-8\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003cspan class=\"COMPOSER12\"\u003eVERDI \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12bi\"\u003eLa Traviata \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"BULLET12\"\u003e • \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003eAntonio Pappano, cond; Renée Fleming (\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003eVioletta\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e); Joseph Calleja (\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003eAlfredo\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e); Thomas Hampson (\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003eGermont\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e); Royal Op House Ch \u0026amp; O \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"BULLET12\"\u003e • \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e OPUS ARTE OA 1040 D (DVD); OA BD7076 D (Blu-ray: 154:00) Live: Covent Garden 6\/27 \u0026amp; 30\/2009 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003cspan\u003eBack in \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eFanfare\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan\u003e 34:1 I reviewed the recent DVD of \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eLa traviata\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan\u003e with Angela Gheorghiu, Ramón Vargas, Roberto Frontali, and Lorin Maazel at La Scala. To summarize that briefly, my verdict was: excellent staging, superlative Gheorghiu, good Vargas and Maazel, hapless Frontali and \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003ecomprimario\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan\u003e singers. I also provided an extensive overview of other versions of the opera on DVD; all are flawed, but the best alternatives are the 1968 film version on VAI with Anna Moffo, Franco Bonisolli, Gino Bechi, and Giuseppe Patané; a 1972 Tokyo staging starring Renata Scotto, José Carreras, Sesto Bruscantini, and Nino Verchi, also on VAI; and the 2006 Los Angeles Opera production on Decca with Renée Fleming, Rolando Villazón, Renato Bruson, and James Conlon. Opus Arte now brings us a new version with Renée Fleming, and while it too is not without its flaws, it joins the aforementioned entries in the top rank of \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eLa traviata\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan\u003e performances on video. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003cspan\u003eAt the risk of seeming like a gaggle of geese nibbling this DVD to death, I will state up front that this version of the opera is carried by a few great strengths over multiple secondary weaknesses. The strengths are easy to state: All the principal roles are securely sung, a top-notch conductor is on the podium, and the staging is sensible. In particular, Joseph Calleja is one of the greatest Alfredos ever to record the role. While not ideally handsome and dashing in physical appearance, he has the ringing tenor voice, secure technique, heartbreaking plangency of timbre, and interpretive imagination for the ideal Alfredo. Every time he opens his mouth, you simply don’t want him to close it again. He is also an effective actor whose facial expressions, postures, and gestures harmonize with his singing. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003cspan\u003eAfter Calleja, however, the “yes, but” element of this review enters in for everyone and everything else, beginning with the Violetta of Renée Fleming. Doubtless she is a very good Violetta, and superior to many rivals, but I do not think she is a truly great one. Compared to her Los Angeles performance from three years earlier, her interpretation is considerably deeper but her vocal technique (particularly in “Sempre libera”) is more labored and the sound less creamy. Thankfully, she does far less of the distracting grimacing and bizarre grinning than before, though sometimes it still intrudes (someone needs to tell her to rehearse in front of a mirror). However, my greater concern is that her acting is too calculated and external to the character rather than indwelling it; she expends too much energy portraying, rather than being, Violetta. The gestures and movements all seem too self-conscious; instead of just picking up a champagne bottle, or flitting a handkerchief, or sitting down in a chair, one can almost see her thinking, “Now I’m supposed to pick up the champagne bottle,” “Now I should flit my handkerchief,” “Now I should sit down in this chair.” Again, I would prefer to emphasize the real improvement in her characterization in just three years, but this dimension is present and it does matter. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003cspan\u003eNext there is the Germont of Thomas Hampson. The good news is that he is in steady and secure voice here—not always the case recently—which is more than can be said for much of his painfully superannuated competition. The less than ideal news is that, in order to keep the voice steady, he constantly forces it so that every syllable is pushed out at a \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eforte\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan\u003e with a hard, unyielding tone that limits him to a single mode of expression, one of preemptive sternness. His acting and facial gestures are similarly limited and wooden; when Violetta pleads for his fatherly embrace he remains stock-still and ignores her, and displays equal unconcern for his son at “Di Provenza il mar.” In an unintentionally comic sartorial aspect, the light green piping on his brown suit unavoidably conjures up a chocolate sundae with mint drizzle icing, while his stiff posture and lumbering gait in an over-padded full-length fur coat keep bringing to mind actor Fred Gwynne (aka Herman Munster). Again, I don’t want these smaller details to override the fact that Hampson’s Germont trumps that of many lesser singers, but again they are present and do matter. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003cspan\u003eThe rest can be summarized more briefly. One always expects fine Verdi conducting when Antonio Pappano is in the pit, and so it proves here; but this time he seems a bit too deferential to his singers and the performance lacks the extra \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003efrisson\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan\u003e found in his very best interpretations, and I actually find myself preferring Maazel overall despite his occasional eccentricities. The \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003ecomprimario\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan\u003e singers are uniformly excellent to a rare degree—every one of them could easily be singing a principal role in a major opera instead—and the deft stage direction makes their momentary interactions contribute far more to the cogency of the plot that I have ever experienced before. The recorded sound and film quality are quite good, with the quality of the Blu-ray disc only marginally superior to that of the regular DVD; the camerawork is sensible if not exceptional; the costumes are of the period and (Hampson’s suit and coat excepted) attractive and elegant; the ballet sequence at Flora’s party is nicely staged. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003cspan\u003eMy one other major reservation concerns the production’s sets, which are quite pedestrian. Act I is set in a round room with brown wood paneling and a single large window with blinds in the back, with a small round settee and semicircular padded backless benches around it—no banquet table, chandelier, or anything else to indicate either elegance or the intended significance of Violetta in the round. While not the awful Willy Decker sofa and clock, it’s a major disappointment. The villa interior for act II, scene 1 is painted a drab eggshell blue and has no furniture other than a long work table and a few chairs. Several paintings—whether waiting to be hung or sold is not clear—are stacked on the floor to one side, and several little squares painted with stripes—color swatches, perhaps?—rest in a row on the wall molding halfway off the floor. It’s not very attractive, and simply leaves one baffled regarding the desired effect. By contrast, Flora’s party in act II scene 2 is appropriately elegant, marred only by garish red stage lighting, a huge modern dome light fixture hanging from the ceiling like an oversized cafeteria heat lamp hovering over sandwiches. Act III has an appropriately simple setting of a bare room outfitted with a bed, a dresser, and a couple of chairs, but again is marred by two enormous windows with blinds, against which inexplicably tall shadows (up to 30 feet) of carnival revelers are cast after Violetta finishes “Addio del passato.” Compared to the high-class La Scala staging for Gheorghiu, this is an impoverished country cousin. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003cspan\u003eSo, once again, we still await the ideal\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003e La traviata\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan\u003e. In the best of all possible worlds, I would be able to take the La Scala production, replace its wretched \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003ecomprimario\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan\u003e singers with their Covent Garden counterparts, swap out Vargas for Calleja, and replace Frontali with almost any other baritone from another DVD. (Leonard Warren, where are you when we need you?) Barring such a pleasing impossibility, however, this production is as good as any other and better than most, and is recommended accordingly. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003cspan style=\"font-weight:bold\"\u003eFANFARE: James A. Altena \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"Blu-Ray","offer_id":46013049864426,"sku":"809478070764","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/1844810.jpg?v=1781371765"},{"product_id":"tchaikovsky-the-nutcracker-royal-ballet-84087","title":"Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker \/ Royal Ballet","description":"\u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"album.jsp?album_id=519646\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlso available on Blu-ray\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky\u003cbr\u003e  THE NUTCRACKER\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \"One of the very best seasonal treats for children and adults alike, the Royal Ballet’s Nutcracker is a handsome, magical, thoroughly traditional rendering of ETA Hoffmann’s immortal if deeply strange story.\" -- Sunday Express\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  This all-time ballet favourite, in which young Clara is swept into a fantasy adventure when one of her Christmas presents comes to life, is at its most enchanting in Peter Wright’s glorious production – as fresh as ever in its 25th year. Tchaikovsky’s ravishing score, period designs by Julia Trevelyan Oman (including an ingenious magical Christmas tree), an exquisite Sugar Plum Fairy (Miyako Yoshida) and chivalrous Prince (Steven McRae), the mysterious Drosselmeyer (Gary Avis) and vibrant dancing by The Royal Ballet make for a captivating performance. Filmed in High Definition and recorded in true surround sound.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  The Sugar Plum Fairy – Miyako Yoshida\u003cbr\u003e  Nephew \/ Nutcracker – Ricardo Cervera \/ Steven McRae\u003cbr\u003e  The Prince – Steven McRae\u003cbr\u003e  Drosselmeyer – Gary Avis\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  The Royal Ballet\u003cbr\u003e  The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House\u003cbr\u003e  Koen Kessels, conductor\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Peter Wright, choreographer and director\u003cbr\u003e  (after Lev Ivanov)\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, November and December 2009.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Bonus:\u003cbr\u003e  - Cast gallery\u003cbr\u003e  - Rehearsing at White Lodge\u003cbr\u003e  - Peter Wright tells the story of The Nutcracker\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Picture format: NTSC 16:9 anamorphic\u003cbr\u003e  Sound format: LPCM Stereo 2.0 \/ DTS 5.0\u003cbr\u003e  Region code: 0 (worldwide)\u003cbr\u003e  Menu language: English\u003cbr\u003e  Subtitles: English, French, German, Spanish\u003cbr\u003e  Running time: 127 mins\u003cbr\u003e  No. of DVDs: 1\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46013068673258,"sku":"809478010364","price":26.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/1724559.jpg?v=1778332846"},{"product_id":"tchaikovsky-the-classic-ballets-royal-ballet-71060","title":"Tchaikovsky: The Classic Ballets \/ Royal Ballet","description":"Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky\u003cbr\u003e  CLASSIC BALLETS\u003cbr\u003e  (3-DVD Box Set)\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Swan Lake\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Odette \/ Odille – Marianela Nuñez\u003cbr\u003e  Prince Siegfried – Thiago Soares\u003cbr\u003e  The Princess, Siegfried’s mother – Elizabeth McGorian\u003cbr\u003e  An Evil Spirit \/ Von Rothbart – Christopher Saunders\u003cbr\u003e  The Tutor – Alastair Marriott\u003cbr\u003e  Benno – David Pickering\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Royal Ballet\u003cbr\u003e  Royal Opera House Orchestra\u003cbr\u003e  Valeriy Ovsyanikov, conductor\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Anthony Dowell, stage director\u003cbr\u003e  Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, choreographers \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Recorded at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, on 16 and 24 March 2009 \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Bonus:\u003cbr\u003e  - Illustrated synopsis\u003cbr\u003e  - Cast gallery\u003cbr\u003e  - Interview with Anthony Dowell\u003cbr\u003e  - Four Swan Queens - Exclusive 30-minute conversation on the demands of dancing the role of the Swan Queen with former Prima Ballerinas\u003cbr\u003e  - Dame Beryl Grey, Dame Monica Mason, Lesley Collier and current principal Marianela Nuñez\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  The Nutcracker \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  The Sugar Plum Fairy – Miyako Yoshida\u003cbr\u003e  Nephew \/ Nutcracker – Ricardo Cervera \/ Steven McRae\u003cbr\u003e  The Prince – Steven McRae\u003cbr\u003e  Drosselmeyer – Gary Avis\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Royal Ballet \u003cbr\u003e  Royal Opera House Orchestra\u003cbr\u003e  Koen Kessels, conductor\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Peter Wright, choreographer and director (after Lev Ivanov)\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, November and December 2009 \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Bonus:\u003cbr\u003e  - Cast gallery\u003cbr\u003e  - Rehearsing at White Lodge\u003cbr\u003e  - Peter Wright tells the story of The Nutcracker \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  The Sleeping Beauty \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Princess Aurora – Alina Cojocaru\u003cbr\u003e  Prince Florimund – Federico Bonelli\u003cbr\u003e  King Florestan XXIV – Christopher Saunders\u003cbr\u003e  His Queen – Elizabeth McGorian\u003cbr\u003e  Cattalabutte – Alastair Marriott\u003cbr\u003e  Carabosse – Genesia Rosato\u003cbr\u003e  Lilac Fairy – Marianela Nuñez\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Royal Ballet \u003cbr\u003e  Royal Opera House Orchestra\u003cbr\u003e  Valeriy Ovsyanikov, conductor\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Marius Petipa, choreographer \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London on 5 December 2006 \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Bonus:\u003cbr\u003e  - Cast gallery\u003cbr\u003e  - Illustrated synopsis \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  --- \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Picture format: NTSC 16:9\u003cbr\u003e  Sound format: LPCM 2.0 \/ DTS 5.1\u003cbr\u003e  Region code: 0 (worldwide)\u003cbr\u003e  Subtitles (bonus): French, German, Spanish (Nutcracker) + Italian (Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty)\u003cbr\u003e  Running time: 7 hours 37 mins\u003cbr\u003e  No. of DVDs: 3","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46013068607722,"sku":"809478011194","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/2309770.jpg?v=1778289563"},{"product_id":"verdi-shakespeare-104686","title":"Verdi \u0026 Shakespeare","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"album.jsp?album_id=2161989\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAlso available on Blu-ray\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Shakespeare provided lifelong inspiration for the towering operatic genius that was Giuseppe Verdi, but just three of the Bard’s plays ever emerged fully-fledged from the composer’s pen. This trio of landmark productions, featuring a veritable constellation of singers, conductors and directors, are united here under the banner of Verdi’s Shakepeare Operas: Macbeth, which lifted the young composer out of his hard-working ‘galley years’, propelling him to international fame and universal acclaim, and Otello and Falstaff, his final two crowning operatic achievements. Simon Keenlyside and Liudmyla Monastyrska are imposing as the Thane and his Lady in Phyllida Lloyd’s sumptuous production of The Scottish Play for The Royal Opera, conducted by Sir Antonio Pappano, while José Cura interprets the Moor in a profound, intense staging by Willy Decker at Barcelona’s Liceu. By the end of his dramatic opera career, Verdi claimed he had ‘earned at last the right to laugh a little’, and Richard Jones’s Glyndebourne Festival production of Falstaff radiates humour, tinged with bitterness and wisdom and brought to life by an international ensemble cast with Christopher Purves in the title role under the inspiring baton of Vladimir Jurowski.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eSubtitles: \u003c\/strong\u003eEnglish, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Catalan (Otello), Japanese (Macbeth)\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eRunning time: \u003c\/strong\u003e170 Minutes (Macbeth), 23 Minutes (Bonus), 151 Minutes (Otello), 136 Minutes (Falstaff)\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eSound format: \u003c\/strong\u003e2.0LPCM + 5.1(5.0) DTS\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46013241262314,"sku":"809478012009","price":39.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3077608_ddf46713-7f86-4b4d-89c1-1e2025e76648.jpg?v=1778300804"},{"product_id":"talbot-alices-adventures-in-wonderland-prokofiev-cinderella-84106","title":"Talbot: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - Prokofiev: Cinderella \/ Dutch National Ballet","description":"\u003cp\u003eHere in all their whimsy and vivid charm is a pair of fairy-tale masterpieces from choreographer Christopher Wheeldon. His brilliant adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s surreal Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, choreographed for The Royal Ballet where he is Artistic Associate, is described by The Times as ‘spectacular family entertainment brought to life with enormous theatrical verve’. His innovative reimagining of Cinderella for Dutch National Ballet, to Prokofiev’s celebrated and colourful score, gives the characters renewed depth and complexity, creating a truly magical experience. ‘‘...This Alice looks set to become a classic.’’ Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (The Guardian 4 Stars) ‘‘Wheeldon's narrative offers magic in every sphere - design, choreography, and orchestra.’’ Cinderella (BBC Music Magazine 4 Stars)\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46013260398826,"sku":"809478012344","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3253572.jpg?v=1778301596"},{"product_id":"il-trovatore-80511","title":"Verdi: Il Trovatore \/ Farnes, Royal Opera House [Blu-ray]","description":"\u003cb\u003eThis Blu-ray Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players and not compatible with standard DVD players.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"album.jsp?album_id=2271967\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlso available on standard DVD\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Verdi’s opera of passion, blood, fire and vengeance comes to the stage in an atmospheric production by David Bosch. A quartet of world-class singers bring the principal characters of this searing opera to life. Gregory Kunde stars as the troubadour Manrico, with Lianna Haroutounian as his courageous lover Leonora. Vitaliy Bilyy is the tyrannical Count di Luna, the man who wants Leonora for himself, and Anita Rachvelishvili is Azucena, the mysterious gypsy woman unable to reveal the secret that torments her. Richard Farnes conducts the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House and Royal Opera Chorus in this exploration of love, cruelty, intense passion and revenge. \"The evening’s musical credentials are unequivocally outstanding. The soloists are very strong with two performances standing out in particular. The first comes from Vitaliy Bilyy who is making his Royal Opera debut as the Count di Lunaand who combines a deep, rich and secure baritone with a suitably commanding presence.... The second comes from Anita Rachvelishvili as Azucena who displays a rich and nuanced mezzo-soprano, and whose voice and acting mark out the weight of sorrow and resolve that she constantly carries....\" (Opera Online)\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"Blu-Ray","offer_id":46013265969386,"sku":"809478072386","price":20.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3803620.jpg?v=1778276425"},{"product_id":"essential-royal-ballet-359805","title":"Essential Royal Ballet \/ Artists Of The Royal Ballet [4 Disc DVD]","description":"\u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"album.jsp?album_id=2304778\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlso available on Blu-ray\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Katie Derham introduces highlights from the past ten years at the Royal Ballet, weaving the history of ballet through carefully curated excerpts from the past decade, and goes behind the scenes to see what it takes to be a dancer in the company of The Royal Ballet as they prepare to take to the stage. With stunning solos, passionate pas de deux and jaw-dropping numbers for the corps de ballet, it is a chance to see your favourite dancers up close, including Carlos Acosta, Marianela Nuñez, Natalia Osipova and Steven McRae, alongside rising stars like Francesca Hayward and Matthew Ball, who will introduce their favourite ballets and share stories of their life on the stage. The ballets featured include the classics Giselle, La Bayadere, Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker while the 20th-century heritage of The Royal Ballet is explored in works by Frederick Ashton and Kenneth MacMillan. The contemporary life of the company is showcased in works by Christopher Wheeldon and Wayne McGregor","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46013277470954,"sku":"809478013136","price":20.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3846952-2595594.jpg?v=1778250715"},{"product_id":"tha-art-of-natalia-osipova-359806","title":"The Art of Natalia Osipova","description":"\u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"album.jsp?album_id=2304777\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlso available on Blu-ray\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Russian dance superstar Natalia Osipova joined The Royal Ballet as a Principal in 2013 and has since filled each of her leading roles with an unforgettable passion, fiery energy and technical prowess. This collection brings together some of her most spellbinding performances: her dramatic dual performance of Odette and her rival Odile in Swan Lake; outstanding solos and flair for comedy as the young lover Lise in La Fille mal gardée; and her electric stage presence in the title role of the quintessential Romantic ballet Giselle where she was hailed as ‘technically and artistically supreme… ethereal and desperately moving’ (The Daily Telegraph). The set is completed with an in-depth portrait, Force of Nature Natalia, which provides an unparalleled opportunity to become closely acquainted with one of the leading ballerinas of her generation, and invites you to discover why critics and audiences all over the world call her a ‘force of nature’ of the dance world.","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46013278453994,"sku":"809478013235","price":39.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3846953-2595595.jpg?v=1778256809"},{"product_id":"tha-art-of-natalia-osipova-359807","title":"The Art of Natalia Osipova [Blu-ray]","description":"\u003cb\u003eThis Blu-ray Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players and not compatible with standard DVD players.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"album.jsp?album_id=2304776\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlso available on standard DVD\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Russian dance superstar Natalia Osipova joined The Royal Ballet as a Principal in 2013 and has since filled each of her leading roles with an unforgettable passion, fiery energy and technical prowess. This collection brings together some of her most spellbinding performances: her dramatic dual performance of Odette and her rival Odile in Swan Lake; outstanding solos and flair for comedy as the young lover Lise in La Fille mal gardée; and her electric stage presence in the title role of the quintessential Romantic ballet Giselle where she was hailed as ‘technically and artistically supreme… ethereal and desperately moving’ (The Daily Telegraph). The set is completed with an in-depth portrait, Force of Nature Natalia, which provides an unparalleled opportunity to become closely acquainted with one of the leading ballerinas of her generation, and invites you to discover why critics and audiences all over the world call her a ‘force of nature’ of the dance world.","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"Blu-Ray","offer_id":46013279305962,"sku":"809478072812","price":44.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3846954-2595596.jpg?v=1782308751"},{"product_id":"essential-royal-ballet-359808","title":"Essential Royal Ballet \/ Artists Of The Royal Ballet [4 Disc Blu-ray]","description":"\u003cb\u003eThis Blu-ray Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players and not compatible with standard DVD players.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"album.jsp?album_id=2304775\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlso available on standard DVD\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Katie Derham introduces highlights from the past ten years at the Royal Ballet, weaving the history of ballet through carefully curated excerpts from the past decade, and goes behind the scenes to see what it takes to be a dancer in the company of The Royal Ballet as they prepare to take to the stage. With stunning solos, passionate pas de deux and jaw-dropping numbers for the corps de ballet, it is a chance to see your favourite dancers up close, including Carlos Acosta, Marianela Nuñez, Natalia Osipova and Steven McRae, alongside rising stars like Francesca Hayward and Matthew Ball, who will introduce their favourite ballets and share stories of their life on the stage. The ballets featured include the classics Giselle, La Bayadere, Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker while the 20th-century heritage of The Royal Ballet is explored in works by Frederick Ashton and Kenneth MacMillan. The contemporary life of the company is showcased in works by Christopher Wheeldon and Wayne McGregor","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"Blu-Ray","offer_id":46013280256234,"sku":"809478072829","price":20.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3846955-2595597.jpg?v=1778388730"},{"product_id":"bernstein-celebration-royal-opera-house-blu-ray-84180","title":"Bernstein Celebration \/ Royal Opera House [Blu-ray]","description":"\u003cb\u003eThis Blu-ray Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players and not compatible with standard DVD players.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e\u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"album.jsp?album_id=2275909\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlso available on standard DVD\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e \u003cbr\u003eThe Royal Ballet celebrates the centenary of Leonard Bernstein’s birth with this all-Bernstein collection. The Company’s three associate choreographers respond to the varied styles of Bernstein’s music in ballets that are lyrical, beautiful, exuberant and moving. Wayne McGregor’s ‘Yugen’ is set to Chichester Psalms. In ‘The Age of Anxiety’ Liam Scarlett responds to Bernstein’s eclectic Second Symphony, itself a response to W.H. Auden's poem. ‘Corybantic Games’ by Christopher Wheeldon responds to the Serenade after Plato’s ‘Symposium’. Filmed in High Definition and recorded in true SS. ‘‘…one of the most beautifully achieved dances of his career.’’ (The Guardian- ‘Yugen’) ‘‘…a cascade of showstopping, kaleidoscopic configuration.’’ (The Guardian – ‘Corybantic Games’) ‘‘…moments that catch at the heart.’’ (The Arts Desk – ‘The Age of Anxiety’)","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"Blu-Ray","offer_id":46013335240938,"sku":"809478072522","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3585799.jpg?v=1781982365"},{"product_id":"verdi-shakespeare-blu-ray-226761","title":"Verdi \u0026 Shakespeare [Blu-ray]","description":"\u003cb\u003eThis Blu-ray Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players and not compatible with standard DVD players.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"album.jsp?album_id=2161988\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlso available on standard DVD\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Shakespeare provided lifelong inspiration for the towering operatic genius that was Giuseppe Verdi, but just three of the Bard’s plays ever emerged fully-fledged from the composer’s pen. This trio of landmark productions, featuring a veritable constellation of singers, conductors and directors, are united here under the banner of Verdi’s Shakepeare Operas: Macbeth, which lifted the young composer out of his hard-working ‘galley years’, propelling him to international fame and universal acclaim, and Otello and Falstaff, his final two crowning operatic achievements. Simon Keenlyside and Liudmyla Monastyrska are imposing as the Thane and his Lady in Phyllida Lloyd’s sumptuous production of The Scottish Play for The Royal Opera, conducted by Sir Antonio Pappano, while José Cura interprets the Moor in a profound, intense staging by Willy Decker at Barcelona’s Liceu. By the end of his dramatic opera career, Verdi claimed he had ‘earned at last the right to laugh a little’, and Richard Jones’s Glyndebourne Festival production of Falstaff radiates humour, tinged with bitterness and wisdom and brought to life by an international ensemble cast with Christopher Purves in the title role under the inspiring baton of Vladimir Jurowski.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003cb\u003eSubtitles: \u003c\/b\u003eEnglish, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Catalan (Otello), Japanese (Macbeth)\u003cbr\u003e   \u003cb\u003eRunning time: \u003c\/b\u003e170 Minutes (Macbeth), 23 Minutes (Bonus), 151 Minutes (Otello), 136 Minutes (Falstaff)\u003cbr\u003e   \u003cb\u003eSound format: \u003c\/b\u003e2.0LPCM + 5.1(5.0) DTS\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"Blu-Ray","offer_id":46013340647658,"sku":"809478071907","price":39.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3077610.jpg?v=1778385977"},{"product_id":"tchaikovsky-nutcracker-nureyev-park-lanchbery-royal-opera-397269","title":"Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker \/ Nureyev, Park, Lanchbery, Royal Opera House Orchestra","description":"\u003cp\u003eExplore the dreamlike world of Rudolf Nureyev’s interpretation of The Nutcracker. In his imaginative retelling of a 19th-century classic, the young Clara is propelled by dark forces from the realm of childhood into a radiant kingdom where she takes center stage. With a striking psychoanalytic dimension to the traditional festive favorite, Clara’s surreal journey becomes an allegory for the hopes and dreams of a young girl on the cusp of adulthood, her transformation evoked by the whirling snowflakes and glittering sugar of Tchaikovsky’s famous score. This 1968 recording is a golden opportunity to watch a great historical performance from The Royal Ballet featuring the illustrious pairing of Rudolf Nureyev and Merle Park in a scintillating display of virtuosity.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46013427941610,"sku":"809478012481","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3867520-2631883.jpg?v=1778248537"},{"product_id":"prokofiev-romeo-juliet-beyond-words-kessels-royal-397270","title":"Prokofiev: Romeo \u0026 Juliet - Beyond Words \/ Kessels, Royal Opera House Orchestra","description":"\u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"album.jsp?album_id=2306210\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlso available on Blu-ray\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Romeo and Juliet: Beyond Words is a ballet feature film created by the International Emmy Award-winning Michael Nunn and William Trevitt. It stars the dancers of The Royal Ballet in Kenneth MacMillan’s classic ballet and is set to Sergei Prokofiev’s original score. Highlighting the essence of MacMillan’s world-renowned choreography, Nunn and Trevitt’s Romeo and Juliet takes us into the action with striking intimacy. Through detailed portrayals by The Royal Ballet dancers, we experience Shakespeare’s iconic characters in a new and intimate way, and this groundbreaking film captures the kind of extraordinary performances that have earned The Royal Ballet their world-class reputation. Filmed on location, Nunn and Trevitt’s Romeo and Juliet has been re-imagined for the camera, in a production that is internationally recognized as being at the zenith of dance storytelling. This is a story everyone knows, told in the universal language of dance, presented in a way never seen before.","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46013428728042,"sku":"809478012948","price":26.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3867521-2627823.jpg?v=1778248592"},{"product_id":"the-royal-ballet-collection-orchestra-of-946197","title":"The Royal Ballet Collection \/ Orchestra of the Royal Opera House","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #0000ff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/the-royal-ballet-collection-orchestra-of-946198\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #0000ff;\"\u003eAlso available on Blu-ray\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eOver a decade of dance is represented here with no fewer than 22 ballets in this magnificent 15-disc collection of stunning performances by The Royal Ballet, including spectacular stagings of well-known narrative ballets, era-defining abstract works and show-stopping shorter ballets. 19th-century masterpieces, heritage works by Frederick Ashton and Kenneth MacMillan, and contemporary classics by The Royal Ballet’s Resident Choreographer Wayne McGregor and Artistic Associate Christopher Wheeldon are here performed by Royal Ballet dancers past and present. A special edition book contains articles about The Royal Ballet, its repertory and its choreographers, as well as full synopses for all the narrative ballets, richly illustrated with striking photographs of the productions.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"Blu-Ray","offer_id":46013431480554,"sku":"809478072928","price":104.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/809478013389_eb234b50-0ebb-4115-b63d-77c572623c04.jpg?v=1778227284"},{"product_id":"tchaikovsky-swan-lake-kessels-royal-opera-house-56512","title":"Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake \/ Kessels, Royal Opera House","description":"\u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"album.jsp?album_id=2288254\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlso available on Blu-ray\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003eSwan Lake is perhaps the best-loved of all the classical ballets and has a special place in The Royal Ballet’s repertory. This new production by Artist in Residence Liam Scarlett features additional choreography while remaining faithful to Petipa and Ivanov’s classic. John Mcfarlane’s opulent designs provide an atmospheric, period setting for this enthralling love story, illuminated by Tchaikovsky’s sublime score. Marianela Nuñez brings both poignancy and glitter to the dual role of Odette \/ Odile, with Vadim Muntagirov as the yearning Prince Seigfried, while the corps de ballet are showcased at their spellbinding best as the enchanted swans and cygnets. “What a magnificent achievement this is. The young choreographer Liam Scarlett has given Covent Garden its first new Swan Lake in 30 years, and it’s a winner. Big, bold, and beautiful, it’s completely distinctive- Scarlett has put his stamp all over this production- yet it honors the traditions of the Royal Ballet.” (The Times)","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46019837690090,"sku":"809478012863","price":26.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3914397.jpg?v=1778244851"},{"product_id":"frederick-ashton-br-110024","title":"Mendelssohn: The Dream - Franck: Symphonic Variations - Liszt: Marguerite and Armand \/ Plasson, Royal Opera House [Blu-ray]","description":"\u003cb\u003eThis Blu-ray Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players and not compatible with standard DVD players.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e\u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"album.jsp?album_id=2272705\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlso available on standard DVD\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e \u003cbr\u003eThis exciting release presents three contrasting ballets by The Royal Ballet’s Founder Choreographer Frederick Ashton: The Dream (1964) is an enchanting adaptation of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream to music by Mendelssohn. Symphonic Variations (1946) is an early Ashton masterpiece, and a breathtaking, abstract work on the beauty of pure movement. Marguerite and Armand (1963), here danced by former Royal Ballet Principal Zenaida Yanowsky and Guest Artist Roberto Bolle, is a tragic love story of great lyric beauty. The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House is conducted by Emmanuel Plasson. Each of these performances received stellar reviews. \"First-rate dancing in an Ashton triple bill that offers comedy, serenity and demi-monde ardour. In one of her final performances as principal, Zenaida Yanowsky gives a tremendously intense and intelligent performance as the tragic courtesan\" (The Stage) \"A passionate tribute to an all-time genius The Royal Ballet is bringing this season – and its 70th-birthday celebrations – to a close with a perfectly chosen trio of works by its founder choreographer Frederick Ashton (1904-1988), works that remind us just how brightly and variously his genius blazed.\" (The Daily Telegraph)","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"Blu-Ray","offer_id":46025387278570,"sku":"809478072409","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3809527_853f27c4-b02a-40c7-87b0-c42aa27c7518.jpg?v=1778261766"},{"product_id":"woolf-works-kessels-royal-opera-house-orchestra-56515","title":"Woolf Works \/ Kessels, Royal Opera House Orchestra [Blu-ray]","description":"\u003cb\u003eThis Blu-ray Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players and not compatible with standard DVD players.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"album.jsp?album_id=2278714\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlso available on standard DVD\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Virginia Woolf defied the false order of narrative conventions to depict a heightened, startling and poignant reality. Woolf Works recreates the synaesthetic collision ofform and substance in her writings. Each of the three acts springs from one of Woolf’s landmark novels: Mrs Dalloway, Orlando and The Waves – but these inspirations are also enmeshed with elements from her letters, essays and diaries. Woolf Works expresses the heart of an artistic life driven to discover a freer, uniquely modern realism, and brings to life Woolf’s world of ‘granite and rainbow’, where human beings are at once both physical body and uncontained essence. Woolf Works (2015) was Wayne McGregor’s first full-length work for The Royal Ballet. \"At its creation in 2015, Woolf Works felt like a breakthrough for choreographer Wayne McGregor, adding a new emotional weight to his athletic force and fascination with technology. In this first revival, it’s even stronger, with Alessandra Ferri luminous as the Virginia Woolf figure… It’s a thoughtful, heartfelt performance in a ballet that is both intelligent and tender.\" (The Independent 4 Stars)‘‘Since its premiere in 2015, Wayne McGregor’s first full-length ballet has won the 2015 Critics’ Circle award for best classical choreography and the 2016 Olivier Award for best new dance production, while its star, the fiftysomething ballerina Alessandra Ferri, has won an Olivier for outstanding achievement in dance. No wonder the Royal Ballet decided to revive Woolf Works as part of the celebrations marking McGregor’s tenth anniversary as resident choreographer.\" (The Times 4 Stars)\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"Blu-Ray","offer_id":46025389244650,"sku":"809478072478","price":39.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3897676.jpg?v=1778387870"},{"product_id":"adam-giselle-boris-gruzin-royal-ballet-59146","title":"Adam: Giselle \/ Boris Gruzin, Royal Ballet","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"album.jsp?album_id=1517644\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAlso available on Blu-ray\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Giselle remains one of the most popular Romantic ballets of all time. The story brings together an engaging mix of human passions, supernatural forces, and the transcendent power of self-sacrificing love. The production by Sir Peter Wright catches the atmosphere of this great Romantic ballet, especially in the perfection of its White Act, with ghostly maidens drifting through the forest in spectacular patterns -- one of the most famous of any scenes for the corps de ballet. Giselle dances with lightness and fragility, giving the impression of floating through the mist. \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e This is one of The Royal Ballet's most loved and admired productions, faithful to the spirit of the 1841 original yet always fresh at each revival. This performance features former Bolshoi star and now Royal Ballet principal Natalia Osipova in a breath-taking interpretation of the title role.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Adolphe Adam\u003cbr\u003e GISELLE \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Giselle - Natalia Osipova\u003cbr\u003e Albrecht - Carlos Acosta\u003cbr\u003e Hilarion - Thomas Whitehead\u003cbr\u003e Wilfred - Johannes Stepanek\u003cbr\u003e Berthe - Deirdre Chapman\u003cbr\u003e The Duke of Courland - Christopher Saunders\u003cbr\u003e Bathilde - Christina Arestis\u003cbr\u003e Myrtha - Hikaru Kobayashi\u003cbr\u003e Moyna - Elizabeth Harrod\u003cbr\u003e Zulme - Akane Takada\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Royal Opera House Orchestra\u003cbr\u003e Boris Gruzin, conductor\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Marius Petipa, choreographer\u003cbr\u003e John Macfarlane, set and costume designer\u003cbr\u003e Jennifer Tipton, lighting designer\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, January 2014\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Bonus:\u003cbr\u003e - The Romance of Giselle\u003cbr\u003e - The Corps de ballet in Giselle\u003cbr\u003e - Cast Gallery\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Picture format: NTSC 16:9 anamorphic\u003cbr\u003e Sound format: LPCM 2. 0 \/ DTS 5.1\u003cbr\u003e Region code: 0 (worldwide)\u003cbr\u003e Subtitles (bonus): English\u003cbr\u003e Running time: 113 mins (ballet) + 10 mins (bonus)\u003cbr\u003e No. of DVDs: 1 (DVD 9)\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePress Reviews\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"There has never been a choreographer that I can think of who could produce three such contrasting works, and you sit watching in wonderment at the fertile imaginings of his mind.\"\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e (The Daily Telegraph\u003c\/em\u003e )\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"It's grisly, and yet horribly exciting in its momentum, as the men show off to each other like skateboarders, flinging themselves into barrel turns while knotting and unknotting their legs.\"\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e (The Independent\u003c\/em\u003e )\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"As far as I am aware there are no other versions of Elite Syncopations or Concerto currently available on DVD and as mentioned these are significant works in the MacMillan canon so pretty much an obligatory purchase for admirers of his work. As a programme this strikes me as an excellent triple bill as diverse in its emotional range as it is accomplished in its technical excellence from every department.\"\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e (Musicweb International\u003c\/em\u003e )\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46025395863786,"sku":"809478011446","price":26.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/2778481.jpg?v=1778189843"},{"product_id":"tchaikovsky-the-sleeping-beauty-royal-opera-house-171652","title":"Tchaikovsky: The Sleeping Beauty \/ Kessels","description":"\u003cb\u003eThis Blu-ray Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players and not compatible with standard DVD players.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"album.jsp?album_id=2265746\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlso available on standard DVD\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Royal Ballet Principal Marianela Nuñez delights as Princess Aurora, with Vadim Muntagirov as her Prince Florimund, in this performance of a timeless classic. Marius Petipa’s The Sleeping Beauty holds a special place in The Royal Ballet’s repertory, with its vibrant sets and glittering costumes and featuring such iconic moments as the Rose Adage, the Vision pas de deux, the exuberant wedding celebration and the charming fairy-tale guests, all danced to Tchaikovsky’s richly layered music – one of the most beloved ballet scores of all time. This Sleeping Beauty captures all the magic and virtuosity that ballet has to offer. Extra features include: Introduction to The Sleeping Beauty; History of The Sleeping Beauty; The role of the Lilac Fairy with Monica Mason, Darcey Bussell and Claire Calvert. What the press said: ‘‘If you want spectacle at the ballet then this Sleeping Beauty is for you.’’ (The Times) ‘‘Tchaikovsky's most majestic ballet gets the royal treatment’’ (The Stage)\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"Blu-Ray","offer_id":46025477325034,"sku":"809478072348","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3767035.jpg?v=1778272194"},{"product_id":"talbot-alices-adventures-in-wonderland-kessels-royal-55718","title":"Talbot: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland \/ Kessels, Royal Opera House","description":"\u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"album.jsp?album_id=2273945\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlso available on Blu-ray\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003eRoyal Ballet Artistic Associate Christopher Wheeldon magically captured the twists and turns of Lewis Carroll’s classic story, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, in his 2011 ballet. Bob Crowley’s vivid sets and costumes take us down the rabbit hole into a colorful world full of curious creatures and captivating characters. Joby Talbot’s original score is full of sweeping melodies and contemporary sounds. Lauren Cuthbertson stars as the inquisitive Alice, with Federico Bonelli as the charming Knave of Hearts, Steven McRae as the tap-dancing Mad Hatter and Laura Morera as the formidable Queen of Hearts. This exuberant and engaging ballet is spectacular entertainment for the whole family. Extra features on this release include Bob Crowley speaking about the costumes, and an insider’s view of Wheeldon’s tap-dancing Hatter. ‘‘Cinematic but also unmistakably balletic, Joby Talbot’s complex, theme-driven score’’ (The Daily Telegraph) ‘‘It’s a joy to look at and packed with featured roles that show off the Royal Ballet’s strength in depth’’ (The Observer)","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46025491382506,"sku":"809478012696","price":26.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3823172.jpg?v=1778282907"},{"product_id":"puccini-madama-butterfly-pappano-jaho-puente-51874","title":"Puccini: Madama Butterfly \/ Pappano, Jaho, Puente, Royal Opera House Orchestra","description":"\u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"album.jsp?album_id=2274852\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlso available on Blu-ray\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Puccini’s Japanese tragedy Madama Butterfly is given a ravishing production by The Royal Opera. Its alluring imagery of Japan from the 19th-century European Imagination heightens the intense clash of East and West. When the American naval officer Pinkerton seduces the young ‘Butterfly’ Cio-Cio-San, he seems to promise every happiness – but his cruel abandonment leads to her tragic self-sacrifice. Antonio Pappano, Music Director of The Royal Opera and renowned for his interpretations of Puccini, conducts an exceptionally fine cast with the Royal Opera Chorus and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House. Powerful performances show why Madama Butterfly remains one of the all-time operatic favourites. ‘‘Always at his best in Puccini, Antonio Pappano conducts with passionate sincerity.’’ (The Guardian 5 Stars) ‘‘An opera that ranks among the very greatest of the 20th century.’’ (The Daily Telegraph 4 Stars) ‘‘Ermonela Jaho is the best Cio-Cio-San London has seen in years’’ (Independent 4 Stars)\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  -----\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  REVIEWS:\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  The Albanian soprano Ermonela Jaho is one of the great singing actresses of our time. Hers is not a sumptuous soprano, but the colors she brings to her portrayal are astonishing. Her Flower Duet with Elizabeth DeShong's feisty, sympathetic Suzuki is quite beautifully sung. Pappano - arguably today's greatest Puccianian conductor - draws ardent playing from the orchestra, superbly detailed in its commentaries.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  – Gramophone\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Pappano is particularly alert to Puccini borrowing traditional Japanese melodies; at times he makes you hear this score, as well as the drama on stage, as a tug of war between East and West. It’s Sharpless and Suzuki who steal the show – a consul with a tender conscience from Scott Hendricks and Elizabeth DeShong as a maid who could melt the stoniest of hearts.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  – BBC Music Magazine\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  DETAILS:\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Format: NTSC; 16x9 (Anamorphic\u003cbr\u003e  Subtitles: English, French, German, Japanese, Korean\u003cbr\u003e  Region: All Regions\u003cbr\u003e  Sound: Stereo, Dolby Digital; DTS Digital Surround\u003cbr\u003e  1 DVD-9 double-layer disc","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46025491546346,"sku":"809478012689","price":26.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3828549.jpg?v=1778282931"},{"product_id":"the-frederick-ashton-collection-vol-1-royal-208638","title":"The Frederick Ashton Collection, Vol. 1 \/ Royal Opera House Orchestra","description":"\u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"album.jsp?album_id=2277387\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlso available on Blu-ray\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003eThis special collection from The Royal Ballet includes nine of Frederick Ashton’s most loved short ballets, which showcase the range of his style. The pure classical perfection of Symphonic Variations is contrasted with the light-hearted exuberance of Voices of Spring. Both are complemented by the passion and drama of Marguerite and Armand and the romance and comedy of The Two Pigeons and The Dream. The collection is completed by Rhapsody, La Valse, Monotones and Méditation from Thaïs, four of the most iconic abstract works created by The Royal Ballet’s founding choreographer. \"...a bill which revealed the variety of the Royal’s founder choreographer from the perfumed sway of La Valse, to the lyrical loveliness of the Thais pas de deux, and the audacious joy of Voices of Spring. Monotones I and II, on the other hand, show his geometric modernism and his ability to conjure a kind of mysterious beauty by the simplest of means... the performances throughout the evening made the choreography look as fresh and important as ever.\" (The Daily Telegraph) \"Frederick Ashton's 1962 ballet is swooningly romantic and unashamedly old fashioned. The Parisian artist's garret setting might be a cliche but the action is alive with invention. What begins as a comic ballet glides imperceptibly into a more serious realm as the two immature lovers come to terms with erotic distraction and locate the adult within themselves. Ashton's birdlike steps, with flapping elbows and nodding heads are sharp and funny at first as the dancers shake a tail feather across the stage before softening and stretching into gestures of greater poignancy.\" (The Stage - The two Pigeons 5 Stars)","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46025491644650,"sku":"809478012801","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3849096.jpg?v=1778281241"},{"product_id":"berg-lulu-1","title":"Berg: Lulu","description":"Agneta Eichenholz, Michael Volle, Klaus Florian Vogt, and Jennifer Larmore star in this Royal Opera production of the Berg opera conducted by Antonio Pappano and directed by Christof Loy.","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"Blu-Ray","offer_id":46025516679402,"sku":"809478070702","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/1672482_e3e6ee6a-1cc3-4a3b-b711-7e423d2c7273.jpg?v=1778386072"},{"product_id":"tchaikovsky-the-nutcracker-royal-ballet-blu-ray-129554","title":"Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker \/ Royal Ballet [Blu-ray]","description":"\u003cb\u003eNote: This Blu-ray Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players and not compatible with standard DVD players.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"album.jsp?album_id=519644\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlso available on standard DVD\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky\u003cbr\u003e  THE NUTCRACKER\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  The Sugar Plum Fairy – Miyako Yoshida\u003cbr\u003e  Nephew \/ Nutcracker – Ricardo Cervera \/ Steven McRae\u003cbr\u003e  The Prince – Steven McRae\u003cbr\u003e  Drosselmeyer – Gary Avis\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  The Royal Ballet\u003cbr\u003e  The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House\u003cbr\u003e  Koen Kessels, conductor\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Peter Wright, choreographer and director\u003cbr\u003e  (after Lev Ivanov)\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, November and December 2009.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Bonus:\u003cbr\u003e  - Cast gallery\u003cbr\u003e  - Rehearsing at White Lodge\u003cbr\u003e  - Peter Wright tells the story of The Nutcracker\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Picture format: 1080i High Definition \u003cbr\u003e  Sound format: LPCM Stereo 2.0 \/ DTS 5.0\u003cbr\u003e  Region code: 0 (worldwide)\u003cbr\u003e  Menu language: English\u003cbr\u003e  Subtitles: English, French, German, Spanish\u003cbr\u003e  Running time: 127 mins\u003cbr\u003e  No. of Discs: 1 (BD 50)\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  R E V I E W:\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003ctitle\u003e3444070.az_TCHAIKOVSKY_Nutcracker_Koen_Kessels.html\u003c\/title\u003e  \u003cmeta http-equiv=\"Content-Type\" content=\"text\/html; charset=utf-8\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003cspan class=\"COMPOSER12\"\u003eTCHAIKOVSKY \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12bi\"\u003eThe Nutcracker \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"BULLET12\"\u003e • \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e Koen Kessels, cond; Iohna Loots (\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003eClara\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e); Ricardo Cervera (\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003eNutcracker\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e); Gary Avis (\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003eDrosselmeyer\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e); Genesia Rosato (\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003eDancing Mistress\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e); David Pickering (\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003eMouse King\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e); Miyako Yoshida (\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003eSugar Plum Fairy\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e); Steven McRae (\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003ePrince\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e); Royal Op O \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"BULLET12\"\u003e • \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e OPUS ARTE 1036 (DVD); OA BD7072D (Blu-ray) (127:00 \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003eText and Translation) Live: Covent Garden 11\/26 and 12\/2\/2009 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003cspan class=\"EXTRAS12\"\u003e\u0026amp; \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12bi\"\u003eRehearsing at White Lodge\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e (10:12); Peter Wright tells the \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003eNutcracker\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e story (8:56) \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003cspan\u003eIf you are one of those who think there’s nothing new under the sun, particularly so far as \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eThe Nutcracker\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan\u003e goes, this production will turn your world on its ear. Moreover, it is the very best \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eNutcracker\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan\u003e production, and performance, I’ve ever seen in my life, and I’ve seen some good ones (Cincinnati Ballet’s classic 1970s production, elements of which were “borrowed” by ballet companies around the country; Balanchine’s not-so-classic New York production of the same decade; and Baryshnikov’s unusual but ultimately failed attempt at it in the 1980s). \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003cspan\u003eChoreographer Peter Wright, now 81, has first and foremost revamped the narrative of the plot to make it more sensible and, in both plot restructuring and staging, managed to make the usually fragmented and boring act II more continuous with act I. Second, it is, in costuming and set design, both lavish and traditional, yet with numerous little touches that clearly point to an updating. And third, it is so well cast, from the principal roles down to the very last flower, mirliton, mouse, and child dancer, that it is almost mind-boggling. In short, this is as close to a perfect \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eNutcracker\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan\u003e as you are likely to see in your lifetime. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003cspan\u003eIt’s so good, in fact, that I must say this, it was not merely a pleasure but a privilege for me to review it. If it weren’t so obvious that every single cast member is really enjoying himself or herself in addition to being brilliant onstage, it might have been one of those cold-but-perfect experiences that continue to crop up on video, but everyone certainly looks as if they enjoy giving this performance as much as the audience enjoys watching it. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003cspan\u003ePride of place goes to Miyako Yoshida as the Sugar Plum Fairy rather than Iohna Loots as Clara, but only because Yoshida is jaw-droppingly stunning whereas Loots is “merely” fabulous. Principal ballerina of the Royal Ballet for at least a decade, Yoshida gives here a performance on par with late-period Margot Fonteyn. There are a few very tiny breaks in form, but otherwise, she is perfect. And I mean PERFECT. I even get the impression that Loots herself enjoys watching this performance—how could she not? Yet Loots is an exceptional dancer, with outstanding \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eentrechats\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan\u003e and excellent form. It also helps, from the believability standpoint, that she is a very small woman with a youthful face, so it is quite easy for her to play a 14-years-old without the audience thinking, “14, my eye.” Ricardo Cervera, as her nutcracker and, later, prince, is equally outstanding. He’s the best I’ve seen in many a year, capable of extraordinary leaps, fancy footwork, and spins that put me in mind of Roman Jasinski. In the second act, he even joins the Russian dancers and takes center stage during the kazatsky! \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003cspan\u003eWright’s genius is in rethinking the entire \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eNutcracker\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan\u003e plot, divorcing the first act from the shattered remnants of E. T. A. Hoffmann’s story (which had been thoroughly diluted by Marius Petipa in the first place) and creating a new narrative structure into which everything fits. In Wright’s \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eNutcracker,\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan\u003e Drosselmeyer had previously invented a trap for a royal household that killed off half the mouse population. In revenge, the wicked Mouse Queen cast a spell over his nephew, Hans-Peter, turning him into an ugly nutcracker doll. The only way to break the spell is for a young girl to love and care for him despite his awful appearance, and have him slay the Mouse King. In this context, Wright creates a prelude scene played out during the overture, showing Drosselmeyer in his study, looking longingly at a portrait of his cursed nephew and wrapping up the “nutcracker” as a Christmas gift for his favorite niece, Clara. In this production, Drosselmeyer forsakes the usual grotesque makeup and costuming borrowed from Hoffmann; he is older but distinguished-looking, wearing a flowing cape (which Gary Avis really knows how to throw around the stage!), performing numerous magic tricks for his family at the Christmas party (and which he pulls off splendidly), and continuing his appearance after most Drosselmeyers have disappeared for the duration. He comes out of the standing “owl clock” to direct the scene during the growing of the tree, sprinkles glitter across the stage to presage the appearance of angels (who really do appear to be floating across the stage … watch their controlled positions in these and other scenes!), and brings in the magic carriage that takes Clara and the now-transformed Hans-Peter to the second act, where Drosselmeyer puts on an entertainment to salute both of them for their bravery. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003cspan\u003eThis new scenario works brilliantly and, as I said, it establishes continuity in the second act by having Cervera and Loots participate in some of the dances. Costuming and lighting are flawless, and the entire production has the quality of a dream. Not just the angels, but everyone else as well, appears to be literally floating across the stage as they move with the gossamer lighting effects and their controlled body positioning. Mother Goose is dispensed with (thank goodness). At the end, Hans-Peter puts his cloak over Clara’s bare shoulders as a keepsake, then returns to his uncle’s study—the very scene of the opening—to be embraced by the older man and bring closure to the entire production. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003cspan\u003eIf you are a \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eNutcracker\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan\u003e fan, or know someone who is, you MUST buy this DVD. If you are a choreographer or set designer, you must see how Wright and set designer Julia Oman work hand-in-glove to produce a masterpiece. And if you’re a dancer, you need to have this disc in your collection to watch, over and over and over again. You won’t believe your eyes at the sheer perfection of it all. Your jaw will drop, too, and you’ll understand how the usually staid Covent Garden audience goes absolutely berserk, screaming and applauding this \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eNutcracker\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan\u003e—and particularly Yoshida—in a way British audiences rarely do. The bonus rehearsal sequence shows, as usual, some of the hard work behind the perfection, but also shows how Wright prods, cajoles, and encourages the children into giving their best—and, as he puts it, “for heaven’s sake, \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eenjoy yourself!” \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003cspan style=\"font-weight:bold\"\u003eFANFARE: Lynn René Bayley \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"Blu-Ray","offer_id":46025516876010,"sku":"809478070726","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/1745613.jpg?v=1778386072"},{"product_id":"minkus-la-bayadere-royal-ballet-blu-ray-256581","title":"Minkus: La Bayadere \/ Royal Ballet [Blu-ray]","description":"Marius Petipa’s exotic ballet, set in legendary India, is a story of love, death and vengeful judgement. Natalia Makarova’s sumptuous recreation of Petipa’s choreography, with atmospheric sets by Pier Luigi Samaritini and beautiful costumes by Yolanda Sonnabend, stars Tamara Rojo as the Bayadère (temple dancer) Nikiya, Carlos Acosta as Solor, and Marianela Nuñez as Gamzatti whose alluring presence challenges Solor’s love for Nikiya. Filmed in High Definition and recorded in true surround sound. \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ‘There wasn’t a single physical gesture that didn’t mean something, that didn’t speak of love trying and failing to blossom.’ -- The Daily Telegraph\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Solar: Carlos Acosta\u003cbr\u003e  Gamzatti: Marianela Nuñez \u003cbr\u003e  Nikiya: Tamara Rojo \u003cbr\u003e  The High Brahmin: Gary Avis \u003cbr\u003e  Rajah: Christopher Saunders \u003cbr\u003e  Magdaveya: Kenta Kura \u003cbr\u003e  Solor’s Friend: Valeri Hristov\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e The Royal Ballet \u003cbr\u003e  The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Conductor: Valeriy Ovsyanikov \u003cbr\u003e  Choreographer: Natalia Makarova\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Recorded live from the Royal Opera House, January 2009\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Extra features: \u003cbr\u003e  Tamara Rojo on dancing La Bayadère \u003cbr\u003e  Leanne Cope and Francesca Filpi on the corps de ballet \u003cbr\u003e  Tamara Rojo and Carlos Acosta rehearse with Alexander Agadzhanov \u003cbr\u003e  Natalia Makarova on choreographing La Bayadère\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Duration: 01:55:00 \u003cbr\u003e  Regions: All Regions\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"Blu-Ray","offer_id":46025516941546,"sku":"809478070795","price":39.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/1806914.jpg?v=1778386082"},{"product_id":"the-frederick-ashton-collection-vol-1","title":"The Frederick Ashton Collection, Vol. 1","description":"This special collection from The Royal Ballet includes nine of Frederick Ashton's most loved short ballets, which showcase the range of his style. The pure classical perfection of Symphonic Variations is contrasted with the light-hearted exuberance of Voices of Spring. Both are complemented by the passion and drama of Marguerite and Armand and the romance and comedy of The Two Pigeons and The Dream. The collection is completed by Rhapsody, La Valse, Monotones and M�ditation from Tha�s, four of the most iconic abstract works created by The Royal Ballet's founding choreographer. \"... a bill which revealed the variety of the Royal's founder choreographer from the perfumed sway of La Valse, to the lyrical loveliness of the Thais pas de deux, and the audacious joy of Voices of Spring. Monotones I and II, on the other hand, show his geometric modernism and his ability to conjure a kind of mysterious beauty by the simplest of means... The performances throughout the evening made the choreography look as fresh and important as ever.\" (The Daily Telegraph) \"Frederick Ashton's 1962 ballet is swooningly romantic and unashamedly old fashioned. The Parisian artist's garret setting might be a cliche but the action is alive with invention. What begins as a comic ballet glides imperceptibly into a more serious realm as the two immature lovers come to terms with erotic distraction and locate the adult within themselves. Ashton's birdlike steps, with flapping elbows and nodding heads are sharp and funny at first as the dancers shake a tail feather across the stage before softening and stretching into gestures of greater poignancy.\" (The Stage - The two Pigeons 5 Stars)","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"Blu-Ray","offer_id":46025519169770,"sku":"809478072096","price":39.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3849098.jpg?v=1778385137"},{"product_id":"tchaikovsky-the-nutcracker-gruzin-royal-opera-house-84109","title":"Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker \/ Gruzin, Royal Opera House","description":"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)\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eDETAILS\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Format: NTSC\u003cbr\u003e Language: English\u003cbr\u003e Subtitles: None\u003cbr\u003e Dubbed: None\u003cbr\u003e Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46025561047274,"sku":"809478012528","price":26.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Blu-Ray","offer_id":46025561080042,"sku":"809478072294","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/809478012528.jpg?v=1778272263"},{"product_id":"tchaikovsky-the-sleeping-beauty-royal-opera-house-65860","title":"Tchaikovsky: The Sleeping Beauty \/ Royal Opera House","description":"\u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"album.jsp?album_id=2265748\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlso available on Blu-ray\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003eRoyal Ballet Principal Marianela Nuñez delights as Princess Aurora, with Vadim Muntagirov as her Prince Florimund, in this performance of a timeless classic. Marius Petipa’s The Sleeping Beauty holds a special place in The Royal Ballet’s repertory, with its vibrant sets and glittering costumes and featuring such iconic moments as the Rose Adage, the Vision pas de deux, the exuberant wedding celebration and the charming fairy-tale guests, all danced to Tchaikovsky’s richly layered music – one of the most beloved ballet scores of all time. This Sleeping Beauty captures all the magic and virtuosity that ballet has to offer. Extra features include: Introduction to The Sleeping Beauty; History of The Sleeping Beauty; The role of the Lilac Fairy with Monica Mason, Darcey Bussell and Claire Calvert. What the press said: ‘‘If you want spectacle at the ballet then this Sleeping Beauty is for you.’’ (The Times) ‘‘Tchaikovsky's most majestic ballet gets the royal treatment’’ (The Stage)","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46025574351082,"sku":"809478012573","price":34.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3767033.jpg?v=1778258575"},{"product_id":"anastasia-royal-ballet-58748","title":"Anastasia \/ Royal Ballet","description":"Royal Ballet Principal Natalia Osipova dances the title role in Kenneth MacMillan's haunting ballet, to atmospheric music by Tchaikovsky and Martinu. Anastasia tells the story of Anna Anderson who, following the Russian Revolution and the murder of the royal family, claimed she was the surviving Grand Duchess Anastasia. Many believed her to be an imposter; others hoped she was Anastasia, a remnant of a lost world. A powerful, psychological challenge for the lead dancer, Anastasia explores one of the great historical mysteries of the 20th century, only recently solved, and the distorting mirror of memory, time and place. 'Natalia Osipova... technical perfectionism' (The Stage) 'I salute Osipova, the entire company performance, Crowley's magnificent designs, and Simon Hewett's notable account of the Tchaikovsky\/Martinu scores.' (The Financial Times 5 Stars) '- convulsive jitters, turned-in feet, violence, grief, and fear - is no surprise, either... Osipova's magnetic performance.' (The Arts Desk 4 Stars)","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46025598796010,"sku":"809478012436","price":26.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3740323.jpg?v=1778279149"},{"product_id":"kenneth-macmillan-three-ballet-masterpieces","title":"Kenneth MacMillan: Three Ballet Masterpieces","description":"This collection brings together three extraordinary ballets by Kenneth MacMillan, one of the 20th century’s most influential choreographers whose work forms a pillar of The Royal Ballet’s repertory. MacMillan pushed the boundaries of dance, and these three signature works exemplify his searching genius: the emotional intensity and rich physicality of his choreography, through vivid crowd scenes and passionate pas de deux; the daring and the darkness of his complex and fascinating characters; and the mesmerizing, sensuous music to which his steps were always created. Filmed in High Definition and recorded in true Surround Sound. \"Lovers of classical ballet should, without question, go and see the Royal Ballet’s magnificent production of Manon. Ballet sceptics, meanwhile, should see it at least twice.\" (The Telegraph - Manon) \"Such is the breathtaking impact of this production, with consistent excellence to savour from both principals and the corps, magnificent costumes and stage scenery and spot-on camera direction from Ross MacGibbon that criticism is effectively silenced. If you have been waiting for a truly outstanding Romeo and Juliet to appear on Blu-ray, then look no further.\" (International Record Review - Romeo \u0026amp; Juliet)","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46025598927082,"sku":"809478012467","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3744576_28665c55-0d40-4c10-914c-4a3b2b65a137.jpg?v=1778258561"},{"product_id":"frederick-ashton-71063","title":"Mendelssohn: The Dream - Franck: Symphonic Variations - Liszt: Marguerite and Armand \/ Plasson, Royal Opera House","description":"\u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"album.jsp?album_id=2272707\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlso available on Blu-ray\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e This exciting release presents three contrasting ballets by The Royal Ballet’s Founder Choreographer Frederick Ashton: The Dream (1964) is an enchanting adaptation of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream to music by Mendelssohn. Symphonic Variations (1946) is an early Ashton masterpiece, and a breathtaking, abstract work on the beauty of pure movement. Marguerite and Armand (1963), here danced by former Royal Ballet Principal Zenaida Yanowsky and Guest Artist Roberto Bolle, is a tragic love story of great lyric beauty. The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House is conducted by Emmanuel Plasson. Each of these performances received stellar reviews. \"First-rate dancing in an Ashton triple bill that offers comedy, serenity and demi-monde ardour. In one of her final performances as principal, Zenaida Yanowsky gives a tremendously intense and intelligent performance as the tragic courtesan\" (The Stage) \"A passionate tribute to an all-time genius The Royal Ballet is bringing this season – and its 70th-birthday celebrations – to a close with a perfectly chosen trio of works by its founder choreographer Frederick Ashton (1904-1988), works that remind us just how brightly and variously his genius blazed.\" (The Daily Telegraph)\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46025599189226,"sku":"809478012641","price":26.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3809525.jpg?v=1778282912"},{"product_id":"henze-ondine-royal-ballet-80561","title":"Henze: Ondine \/ Royal Ballet","description":"Hans Werner Henze \u003cbr\u003e  ONDINE\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Ondine – Miyako Yoshida \u003cbr\u003e  Palemon – Edward Watson \u003cbr\u003e  Berta – Genesia Rosato \u003cbr\u003e  Tirrenio – Ricardo Cervera \u003cbr\u003e  A Hermit – Gary Avis\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Royal Ballet \u003cbr\u003e  Royal Opera House Orchestra \u003cbr\u003e  Barry Wordsworth, conductor\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Frederick Ashton, choreographer\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, June 2009.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Bonus: \u003cbr\u003e  - Illustrated synopsis \u003cbr\u003e  - Cast gallery \u003cbr\u003e  - The Making of Ondine – an interview with Hans Werner Henze\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Picture format: 16:9 \u003cbr\u003e  Sound format: LPCM 2.0 \/ DTS 5.1 \u003cbr\u003e  Region code: 0 (worldwide) \u003cbr\u003e  Menu language: English \u003cbr\u003e  Subtitles: English, French, German, Spanish (bonus only) \u003cbr\u003e  Running time: 114 mins \u003cbr\u003e  No. of Discs: 1\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Miyako Yoshida dances the title role originally created for Margot Fonteyn in the hauntingly beautiful underwater world of Ondine, vividly brought to life by The Royal Ballet. Frederick Ashton’s shimmering choreography, Lila de Nobili’s impressionistic designs and Hans Werner Henze’s specially commissioned, vibrant and inventive score, memorably combine to evoke the many moods and colours of the sea. Filmed in High Definition and recorded in true surround sound.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46025604301034,"sku":"809478010302","price":26.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/1654438.jpg?v=1778332790"},{"product_id":"viscera-carmen-afternoon-of-a-faun-pas-80547","title":"Viscera, Carmen, Afternoon of a Faun \u0026 Pas de deux \/ Royal Ballet","description":"\u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"album.jsp?album_id=2180497\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlso available on Blu-ray\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  This outstanding recording features four ballet works: Liam Scarlett’s Viscera, Carlos Acosta’s Carmen, Jerome Robbins’s Afternoon of a Faun, and George Balanchine’s Tchaikovsky pas de deux. Acosta’s Carmen focuses on the dramatic essentials of revenge, jealousy, and love. Not only did Acosta choreograph the production, he also dances a lead role. When Viscera was created in 2012, Liam Scarlett was the Royal Ballet Artist In Residence. Particularly interesting is Balanchine’s Pas de Deux which was based on a newly discovered movement from Swan Lake which had not been performed since Tchaikovsky’s death.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Region Code: 0 (All)\u003cbr\u003e  Audio Format: PCM 2.0, DTS 5.1\u003cbr\u003e  Running Time: 118 mins\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":46025611051242,"sku":"809478012122","price":26.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3371565.jpg?v=1778292519"},{"product_id":"talbot-alices-adventures-in-wonderland-kessels-royal-58753","title":"Talbot: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland \/ Kessels, Royal Opera House [Blu-ray]","description":"\u003cb\u003eThis Blu-ray Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players and not compatible with standard DVD players.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"album.jsp?album_id=2273942\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlso available on standard DVD\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Royal Ballet Artistic Associate Christopher Wheeldon magically captured the twists and turns of Lewis Carroll’s classic story, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, in his 2011 ballet. Bob Crowley’s vivid sets and costumes take us down the rabbit hole into a colorful world full of curious creatures and captivating characters. Joby Talbot’s original score is full of sweeping melodies and contemporary sounds. Lauren Cuthbertson stars as the inquisitive Alice, with Federico Bonelli as the charming Knave of Hearts, Steven McRae as the tap-dancing Mad Hatter and Laura Morera as the formidable Queen of Hearts. This exuberant and engaging ballet is spectacular entertainment for the whole family. Extra features on this release include Bob Crowley speaking about the costumes, and an insider’s view of Wheeldon’s tap-dancing Hatter. ‘‘Cinematic but also unmistakably balletic, Joby Talbot’s complex, theme-driven score’’ (The Daily Telegraph) ‘‘It’s a joy to look at and packed with featured roles that show off the Royal Ballet’s strength in depth’’ (The Observer)\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Opus Arte","offers":[{"title":"Blu-Ray","offer_id":46025611215082,"sku":"809478072454","price":39.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/3568921.jpg?v=1778387916"}],"url":"https:\/\/arkivmusic.com\/collections\/orchestra-of-the-royal-opera-house.oembed","provider":"ArkivMusic","version":"1.0","type":"link"}