In the depths of the Rhine, the three Rhinemaidens guard the Rhinegold, a treasure of immeasurable value. The Nibelung dwarf Alberich is dazzled by the sight of it. The girls explain that whoever wins the gold and forges it into a ring will gain power over the world, but must first renounce love. Frustrated by his unsuccessful attempts to catch one of the girls, Alberich curses love and steals the gold. Wotan, lord of the gods, is reproached by his wife Fricka: he has promised to give Freia, goddess of youth, to the giants Fasolt and Fafner in return for their building a fortress for the gods. When the giants demand their reward, Loge, the god of fire, suggests an alternative payment: the ring Alberich has forged from the Rhinegold, and his other treasures. The giants agree, and Wotan and Loge leave for the Nibelungs’ underground home.

A Victor Hugo play, haunting and scandalous, provided the inspiration for Verdi’s mid-career masterp...
Politics and love leads to a love triangle between father, son and stepmother.

In the 50's, in Paris, the neighbors Rodolfo and Mimi meet each other when Mimi's candle blows out i...
Nabucco - live from Metropolitan Opera, June 2002. On its surface, Nabucco is about the epic strugg...

Starring the exquisite coloratura soprano Emma Matthews as the innocent girl priestess Lakmé, and su...

Berlioz’s colossal masterpiece requires stupendous forces—dozens of soloists, enormous chorus, orche...

Teatro Alla Scala 1983 production of three one-act operas from Puccini.

A romantic opera in three acts with music and libretto by Richard Wagner, performed by the Orchestra...

John Dexter’s brilliant production, James Levine’s masterful conducting of the eclectic score, and a...

In the Summer of 2009, the British director Nigel Lowery and the Iranian choreographer Amir Hosseinp...

Richard Eyre’s elegant production, which opened the Met’s 2014–15 season, sets the action of Mozart’...

Francesco Cilea's Adriana Lecouvreur was inspired by the real-life story of a celebrated actress at ...

Recorded live at the Festspielhaus, Baden-Baden, Germany, August 2004. Kent Nagano, conductor. Nikol...

Charles Mackerras teases the romantic beauty from Gounod's score, which has been widely admired sinc...

Turn of the century Paris provides the glittering setting for this light hearted tale of political a...

A delightful fairy tale, Mozart's final operatic legacy remains a great work in the spirit of the En...

Taped live at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, Valery Gergiev conducts this landmark product...

The celebrated three-act opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart comes to life in this dynamic performance ...

From the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma Terme di Caracalla "Carmen" by Georges Bizet. Director Jesus Lope...