L’Étoile did much to establish Chabrier as a major force on the Parisian stage and his contemporary Henri Duparc praised him specifically for creating a French comic genre, both funny and musical – described as something of a French Die Meistersinger. The fanciful story is set in an imaginary kingdom and all, naturally, ends well. However, despite the slight plot line L’Étoile is something of a pivotal work, a unique example of French 19th-century light opera, orchestrated with great sophistication and flooded with gossamer wit.

Recorded at the Musiektheater, Amsterdam on 21 & 25 January 2008. Performed by De Nederlandse O...

Set in a Siberian prison camp, Janacek's final opera centers on the experiences of recent arrival Al...

The Marx Brothers take on high society and the opera world to bring two lovers together. A sly busin...

During World War I, in an unnamed country, a soldier named Tamino is sent by the Queen of the Night ...

Elizabeth of Valois is promised in marriage to Don Carlos of Spain, as part of a peace treaty betwee...

Luciano Pavarotti brings his spectacular voice and artistry to one of the most famous of all tenor r...

Wagner’s Romantic opera demands singing actors who can truly inhabit their parts, and that’s just wh...

A stellar cast brings Puccini’s spellbinding opera to life, seizing every opportunity to thrill the ...

Inspired by Beaumarchais' comedy, Rossini retains all the passion to create this bubbling opera buff...

In this musical, an enigmatic masked woman catches the roving eye of a wily playboy gambler at a mas...

Messiaen's breathtakingly intense opera on the life of St Francis of Assisi stars Rod Gilfry as the ...

Princess Fedora, who is to marry the Count the following day, arrives and sings of her love for him,...

The Met assembled an ideal cast for François Girard’s acclaimed new production of Wagner’s final mas...

A tragic and secretive romance ensues over many years after two men meet while herding sheep on Brok...

The Metropolitan Opera's performance of "Hansel and Gretel" features music by Engelbert Humperdinck ...

It's not opera; it's not a pop concert; it's not Broadway. It's all of these and none of them. Once ...

Against the backdrop of the Hanging Gardens, Semiramide, Queen of Babylon, defies bad omens and supe...

This ever-popular opera is given a fresh point of view in Barrie Kosky’s highly physical production,...

Opera's most popular double bill, fondly known as Cav and Pag, conducted by Herbert von Karajan. In ...

Interrupted Melody is the inspirational filmed biography of world-renowned Australian soprano Marjor...