Rossini: L'italiana in Algeri

A colorful and comedic staging of the classic opera buffa by the Vienna State Opera.

In the early 1900s, the fictional Catfish Row section of Charleston, South Carolina serves as home to a black fishing community. Crippled beggar Porgy, who travels about in a goat-drawn cart, loves the drug-addicted Bess, who lives with stevedore Crown, the local bully.

Following the success of his first foray into opera, Einstein on the Beach, revolutionary American composer and musician Philip Glass soon turned to another great figure of the 20th century for inspiration. Set to lines from the Hindu Bhagavad Gita, Satyagraha depicts scenes from the life of Gandhi as he developed his philosophy of non-violent resistance in South Africa between 1896 and 1913. The opera became the second installment of Glass’s Portrait Trilogy, focused on innovators from across history. Satyagraha arrived at the Met during the 2007–08 season, when director Phelim McDermott made his debut with a production that employed everyday materials like newspaper and corrugated tin to create towering puppets and striking tableaus. In 2011, his staging returned, this time recorded live in HD. In this performance, tenor Richard Croft gives a moving performance as Gandhi, leading a remarkable ensemble cast conducted by Dante Anzolini.

Mozart's second collaboration with the mercurial librettist Lorenzo da Ponte is among the very blackest of black comedies. Glyndebourne welcomes back the winning team of director Jonathan Kent and designer Paul Brown, while the music is conducted by Vladimir Jurowski. In the title role, the bass-baritone Gerald Finley, joined by Luca Pisaroni, Kate Royal and the young Russian soprano Anna Samuil.

1987 recording of Wozzeck by the Vienna State Opera with Claudio Abbado conducting. Based upon Georg Büchner's 1837 play, Alban Berg's Wozzeck details the harsh existence of the title character, a former soldier in the German army who has to struggle mightily to make a living, even as others around him prosper.

LUCIANO PAVAROTTI was the rare artist who could easily bridge the divide between classical and popular music. Together with an impressive roster of the best-known names in rock, pop and jazz, Pavarotti entertained millions of people around the world with his "Pavarotti & Friends" concerts. This release is the first time that these tracks have been brought together in one album! Rarely has such a glittering array of singing legends from such varied genres been brought together at one time--on both DVD and CD! Featuring Bryan Adams, Andrea Bocelli, Bon Jovi, Bono/The Edge/Brian Eno, Mariah Carey, Eric Clapton, Sheryl Crow, Celine Dion, The Eurythmics, Elton John, Lionel Richie, Frank Sinatra, Sting and Zucchero.

Luciano Pavarotti live from the Piazza Grande, Modena.

Directed by Ursel Hermann, this 2005 production of Mozart's last opera stars a remarkable cast with Susan Graham in the role of Sesto, Christoph Prégardien giving life to Tito and Catherine Naglestad embodying the ambitious Vitellia. Premiered in September 1791 for the coronation of Leopold II, King of Bohemia, La Clemenza di Tito celebrates the figure of the merciful sovereign

The Magic Flute has delighted audiences of all ages for centuries. Julie Taymor's dazzling English-language production brings one of Mozart s greatest works to life as never before. James Levine leads a cast that includes Ying Huang as Pamina in her Met debut, Nathan Gunn, Matthew Polenzani, Erika Miklosa and Rene Papa. Taken from the December 30, 2006 live performance. W.A.Mozart's Magic Flute

This program captures a live performance of the Richard Wagner opera Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg, recorded at the Bayreuth Festival in Germany, under the direction of Katharina Wagner. Some of the vocalists featured in the performance include Franz Hawlata, Artur Korn, Michael Volle, and others.

"The Queen of Spades" is considered Tchaikovsky's best creation by the world-famous conductor, People's Artist of the USSR Vladimir Ivanovich Fedoseev. He took over the leadership of the musical process of recreating the production at Helikon Opera. The original reading, modern stage language, love for Tchaikovsky's music, which became the hallmarks of Helikon's "Queen of Spades," are preserved in the new version. To this were added the thoughtful gaze of maestro Fedoseev, the stunning stage capabilities of the new hall and the artistic talent of the Helikon troupe.

Don Pasquale - Teatro alla Scala

Recorded on the 13th. of August 2016 in the city Torre del Lago doing the Festival Puccini at the Gran Teatro Puccini venue.

Leonard Bernstein's brilliant comic operetta comes to dazzling new life under the guidance of director Lonny Price (A Class Act). Based on the classic Voltaire tale of an innocent young man's journey through a life filled with colorful characters and unexpected life lessons, this tune-filled frolic features Tony Award-winners Patti LuPone and Kristin Chenoweth heading a dazzling cast with Paul Groves, Stanford Olsen, Sir Thomas Allen and the Westminster Symphonic Choir. The impeccable score (with lyrics by luminaries including Lillian Hellman, Dorothy Parker, Stephen Sondheim, Richard Wilbur and John La Touche) includes a host of delightful songs such as "Life Is Happiness Indeed," "It Must Be So," "You Were Dead, You Know" and "Make Our Garden Grow." Now enjoy this all-new production of a musical comedy favorite with Broadway's top stars!

Der fliegende Holländer

For his first opera production, Dario Fo, the theatre director known for his brilliant wit, chose to stage Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia sung in Italian for the Netherlands Opera. First mounted in 1987, it was a huge success and a live recording of its revival in May 1992, the 200th anniversary of Rossini's birth, has been made. Fo has said that Rossini is the musician of eating and love. He composes music rich in herbs and aromas, in which you find olives, tomatoes, fish, grapes, roses and rosemary, sheets and tablecloths, dry wine and the laughter of girls. His Barber is a joyful carnival. During the overture he fills the stage with carnival revelers and immediately the commedia dell' arte origins of opera buffa are restored. Visual theatrics abound, never at the expense of the music, but highlighting it, engaging the eye as well as the ear. Fo addresses the heart more than the intellect and Rossini's comedy comes up dazzling and vital.

Live performance from Salzburger Festspiele in 1987. Herbert von Karajan conducting the Wiener Philharmoniker and Wiener Staatsopernchor. Stage director Michael Hampe. Starring Samuel Ramey and Anna Tomowa-Sintow.

Maria Ewing, as Dido, heads an outstanding cast of young British singers in a film adaptation of Henry Purcell’s much-loved tragic opera. With spectacular sets, this intense tale of heroism, passion, betrayal and ultimate tragedy is played out against a backdrop of fiery rituals, evil spells and pageantry.

Mozart opera.

Early recordings of Franco Zeffirelli's 2006 production of Verdi's opera which saw Roberto Alagna's high-profile exit during the second performance. Egypt and Ethiopia are at war. Radames is appointed commander of the Egyptian forces by the King, whose daughter, Amneris, loves Radames. It is in fact Amneris' Ethiopian slave Aida whom Radames loves. Ramades wins the war against the Ethiopians, capturing Aida's father Amonasro in the process. On his return to Egypt he faces a choice between marrying Amneris or betraying his country through his love for Aida.