Search

Release: March 22, 2019

$7.99

Description

Acclaimed dancer-choreographer Akram Khan speaks tremendously of tremendous things (Financial Times) and this new Giselle reimagines the classic narrative ballet for the 21st Century. Giselle had become a former garment factory migrant worker, Albrecht, a member of the wealthy factory-owning class. An abandoned ghost factory haunted by the memory of female migrant workers, many of them victims of industrial accidents, replaces the traditional glade of Act II. There, Giselles desire to break the cycle of violence will lead her to reconciliation with Albrecht and his release from the retributive justice of the Wilis. Giselle has been transformed for the ENB by Akram Khan into the ballet event of the year. Staggeringly beautiful and utterly devastating, it is an electrifying triumph which any dance or theatre fan must not miss. (The Daily Express)

Release: September 28, 2018

$7.99

Description

Royal Ballet Artistic Associate Christopher Wheeldon magically captured the twists and turns of Lewis Carrolls classic story, Alices Adventures in Wonderland, in his 2011 ballet. Bob Crowleys vivid sets and costumes take us down the rabbit hole into a colorful world full of curious creatures and captivating characters. Joby Talbots 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 insiders view of Wheeldons tap-dancing Hatter. Cinematic but also unmistakably balletic, Joby Talbots complex, theme-driven score (The Daily Telegraph) Its a joy to look at and packed with featured roles that show off the Royal Ballets strength in depth (The Observer)

Release: February 23, 2018

$7.99

Description

Following Caesar's assassination, Mark Antony has reached the heights of power. Now he has neglected his empire for a life of decadent seduction with his mistress, Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt. Torn between love and duty, Antony's military brilliance deserts him, and his passion leads the lovers to their tragic end. Press Reviews "Richly textured, with big saucy acting... Antony Byrne is the alpha male we ve been looking for... Josette Simon's historic Queen of the Nile epitomizes Iqbal Khan's deluxe production... a lavish production aided by Laura Mvula's seductive score" (The Daily Mail ★★★★) "Josette Simon is a Cleopatra to die for...an extraordinarily physical performance... Special mention must be made of Ben Allen's Caesar. Intelligent, sensitive and personable, his nuanced delivery is exceptional... This production would make a fine introduction to the play, and it ends spectacularly" (The Observer ★★★★) "This Antony & Cleopatra is the best I ve ever seen... Constant, gripping quality of a political thriller...a palpable hit" (Evening Standard ★★★★) "Josette Simon seems born to play Cleopatra" (The Guardian) "Magnificent set by Robert Innes Hopkins, lit beautifully by Tim Mitchell... A stylish, exotic score by RSC debutant composer Laura Mvula... Bravado-laced performance from Antony Byrne... The clever and dynamic set serves the story superbly, as well as being sumptuous in its own right" (WhatsOn Stage) Cast Josette Simon (Cleopatra) Antony Byrne (Mark Antony) David Burnett (Pompey) James Corrigan (Agrippa) Ben Allen (Octavius Caesar) Andrew Woodall (Enobarbus) Patrick Drury (Lepidus) David Burnett (Pompey) Production Company: Royal Shakespeare Company Stage Director: Iqbal Khan Designer: Robert Innes Hopkins Disc Information Catalogue Number: OABD7164D Date of Performance: 2017 Running Time: 195 minutes Sound: Dolby Stereo; Dolby Surround Aspect Ratio: 16:9 Subtitles: English Label: Opus Arte Top From the Brand Reviews Shakespeare: Antony and Cleopatra

$7.99

Description

Beethoven's only opera tells of Leonore's daring attempt to rescue her imprisoned husband Florestan from political tyranny.

$6.99

Description

Bizet: Carmen 3D is a feature film presented on Blu-ray, following the central characters through dramatic events and conflicts that drive the story forward.

$7.99

Description

Benjamin Britten's seafaring opera follows the idealistic sailor Billy Budd aboard a British warship where innocence collides with jealousy and authority.

Release: April 28, 2009

$8.99(Not Free for Subscribers)

Description

David McVicar's production of Giulio Cesare manages to combine serious insight with entertainment, bringing Handel's masterpiece to life in a powerful, convincing and highly intelligent way. In every line of the complex narrative the subtle nuances are apparent, reflecting perfectly the transparent and exquisite nature of Handel's musical expression. Filmed in High Definition and recorded in true surround sound, the outstanding singing of the all-star cast, led by a superb Sarah Connolly, and the vivid playing of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment under the energising baton of William Christie reveal the colour and dramatic character of Handel's music in a most delightful manner. Press Reviews "...a lively and imaginative production, directed by the ever resourceful David McVicar, enchanted and amused..there was so much good acting, often whilst singing difficult and controlled coloratura." (Musical Opinion) "Christie conducts Handel beguilingly - in fact, I’d go so far as to suggest that nobody does Handel better. Christie drew brisk playing from the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, crisp and punchy, yet he also carried the slow tempos with magical stillness. But the performance was about much more than sound alone: underneath the OAE's sheen there was an internalized musical depth to each of the numbers." (Opera) "Extravagantly laid out on three DVDs, the Opus Arte version is important in offering a fine period performance of this most popular of the Handel operas. William Christie conducts the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and an outstanding cast in an account at once scholarly, lively and refreshing, a live recording of the 2005 production at Glyndebourne." (The Penguin Guide) "...the irrepressible Danielle de Niese (who is accorded a delightful 22-minute narrative on her Glyndebourne experience among the extras here). Her vocal command and stage presence are spectacular in every sense..." (Gramophone) Cast Sarah Connolly (Cesare) Angelika Kirchschlager (Sesto) Danielle de Niese (Cleopatra) Christophe Dumaux (Tolomeo) Patricia Bardon (Cornelia) Christopher Maltman (Achilla) Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment; William Christie Production Company: Glyndebourne Festival Opera Stage Director: David McVicar Disc Information Catalogue Number: OABD7024D Date of Performance: 2005 Running Time: 305 minutes Sound: 5.0 DTS Surround; PCM Stereo Aspect Ratio: 1080i High Definition / 16:9 Subtitles: EN, FR, DE, ES, IT Label: Opus Arte Amazon.com There's a chance that purists will be very unhappy with director David McVicar's production of this Baroque masterpiece; there's also an equal chance that they'll be so vastly entertained that all criticisms will be beside the point. Updated to the years before World War I, Caesar's troops are British soldiers come to colonize Egypt, the latter being a place filled with exoticisms in the form of acres of billowing silk, flashy costumes, and full-blown song and dance numbers a la Bollywood (featuring sex-kitten Cleopatra and her minions). It's not only funny/campy, it also makes a certain internal sense. The razzle-dazzle is laid aside for the personal tragedy of Cornelia and Sesto (Patricia Bardon and Angelika Kirchschlager, respectively)--here portrayed as a beaten-down woman in a pathetic rage and a son on the verge of insanity--and for Caesar's and Cleopatra's more introspective moments. Caesar is mezzo Sarah Connelly, in firm voice and with the bearing of an emperor. Cleopatra is the 25-year-old American Daniele de Niese, ravishing in person and voice, with charisma, nerve, and talent in equal proportions. Countertenor Christopher Dumaux' bitchy-queen Tolomeo is remarkable, and the Achilles of bass Christopher Maltman is menacing. William Christie leads the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment with great spirit and dramatic thrust, and the production values---subtitles in major European languages and English, stereo and surround sound, and picture---are ideal. Extras include interviews with the director and singers and an up-close look at Danielle de Niese. This is a fascinating, grand entertainment that may just make new friends for Baroque opera. --Robert Levine

Release: September 24, 2021

$7.99

Description

Jean-Christophe Maillot's inspired adaptation of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew won 3 Masques d'Ors (best choreographic show, best male dancer (Petruchio) and best female dancer (Katherine) and has toured the world to great acclaim since it was created for the Bolshoi in 2013. Now Maillot's own Monte Carlo Ballet bring this "funny, fast-witted version" (The Guardian) to the screen, with a fresh and witty re-interpretation of the combative relationship between Katherine and Petruchio as they fight to find true love. Set against an inspired selection of some of Shostakovich's most memorable music, this is one the finest "Shakespeare ballets" and not to be missed. "The Taming of the Shrew conveys the idea that there's someone for everyone, irrespective of who or what you are. Who can judge a relationship with an outside eye? Love works in mysterious ways, and it isn't for us to question it." (Jean-Christophe Maillot).

$6.99

Description

Bizet: Carmen 3D is a feature film presented on Blu-ray, following the central characters through dramatic events and conflicts that drive the story forward.

$7.99

Description

Set in revolutionary Rome, Puccini’s melodrama follows diva Floria Tosca as she battles a corrupt police chief to save the man she loves.

Release: December 11, 2020

$7.99

Description

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.

$7.99

Description

Tchaikovsky’s lyric opera follows the proud Onegin, whose rejection of Tatyana and needless duel with Lensky leave him haunted by remorse.

Release: September 29, 2009

$6.99

Description

Sting and a cast of singers, actors, and musicians bring the story of Robert and Clara Schumann to life in a staged musical drama blending song, letters, and performance.

$7.99

Description

Wagner's final opera presents a mystical quest for spiritual renewal as Parsifal confronts temptation, suffering, and redemption.

$7.99

Description

Wagner’s comic opera centers on a song contest in Nuremberg, where love, tradition, and artistic ambition collide in a grand celebration of music.

Release: May 26, 2009

$6.99

Description

With powerful conviction, Nikolaus Lehnhoff interprets Wagner's Lohengrin as the dramatic struggle of masculine and feminine, revenge and compassion. Powerfully acted, almost like a Strindberg play, and musically of the highest order, this Lohengrin from the Festspielhaus in Baden-Baden will be a benchmark production for decades. With his extraordinarily transparent interpretation of the title role, Klaus Florian Vogt leads an inspired cast to visionary realms that are rarely touched, let alone captured on High Definition film and in pure surround sound. The monumental sets by Stephan Braunfels and Kent Nagano's sublimely well balanced musical interpretation complete a deeply moving total theatre experience.

$7.99

Description

Wagner’s monumental tragedy follows the doomed love of Tristan and Isolde, whose passion leads them toward ecstasy and death.

Release: January 27, 2015

$7.99

Description

Christopher Wheeldon’s ballet adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale is performed by the Royal Ballet in a richly designed and emotionally sweeping production.