23-year-old Gioachino Rossini completed his masterpiece IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA incredibly quickly – legend has it in just 13 days – which Rossini attributed to ‘facility and lots of instinct’. The opera, characterized by youthful energy and bold wit, has all the ingredients for comic chaos: an imprisoned young woman, her lecherous guardian and a young noble suitor. Skilfully plotting behind the scenes is Figaro, an irrepressible and inventive character in whom many have seen a resemblance to the young Rossini himself. The score fizzes with musical brilliance, from Figaro’s famous entrance aria to the frenzy of the Act I finale. This recording sees Joyce DiDonato (Rosina) bring literal meaning to the old theatrical motto Break a leg! She did just that in an earlier show but was determined to finish her commitment and was re-staged into the production to allow for the additional challenges that come when a leading lady in a lively physical role must wheel around the other performers...

Two mystical beings emerge from the scenery, embarking on a journey through Gallup— Na'nízhoozhí in ...

CARMEN is the classic tale of forbidden passion between a young man and a spoken-for woman, Carmen. ...

Just as a young woman is about to marry her sweetheart, she is discovered—by the entire village, to ...

A village hires a priestess to pray for the safety of their pearl fishermen, but long lost love gets...

José Cura sings and acts here with an inwardness and intensity which make a profound impression. So ...

Gustav Von Aschenbach, a passionate composer, arrives in Venice as a result of wanderlust and there ...

Jules Massanet's lyrical opera is transformed into a superb film production by Petr Weigl, shot on l...

Frantisek Filip film version of the Smetana opera.

This tragic story revolves around the licentious Duke of Mantua, his hunch-backed court jester Rigol...

A production of Mozart's opera recorded live at Zurich Opera House in 2000. Cecilia Bartoli leads an...

A musical drama based on Giuseppe Verdi's opera Rigoletto.

The life and career of Italian opera singer Farinelli, considered one of the greatest castrato singe...

Officers Ferrando and Guglielmo are certain that their lovers Dorabella and Fiordiligi are faithful ...

The complete version of Verdi's Otello performed by Placido Domingo and Kiri Te Kanawa, at the Royal...

A group of merchants and vikings navigate dramatic events both within and without in this epic music...

The 2021 production by the Dutch National Opera of the work by German composer Rudi Stephan (1887–19...

The production was the Vienna State Opera debut for the young Swiss conductor Philippe Jordan – the ...

Set in a South Bohemian village, this faithful film version of Smetana’s opera follows farmer Krušin...

The Lyric Opera of Chicago's 1985 production of Puccini's opera, set in the late nineteenth century ...