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...

This Italian film version of Verdi's opera stars Sophia Loren on the screen, with Renata Tebaldi pro...

An aging opera singer looks back on her long life, including her relationships with her vocal teache...

A melancholy poet reflects on three women he loved and lost in the past: a mechanical performing dol...

As bright and colorful as penny candy, this visually arresting production of Engelbert Humperdinck's...

Wolfgang Sawallisch conducts Hans Werner Henze's opera "Der Prinz von Homburg".

A version of Benjamin Britten's opera based on the Melville story. Will the virtuous young sailor Bi...

Pietro Mascagni's opera recorded in 2009. Conductor Stefano Ranzani leads the orchestra and chorus o...
Car Men is a collaboration between the renowned choreographer Jíri Kylían and filmmaker Boris Paval ...

All the throbbing eroticism—and ultimate heartbreak—of Puccini’s youthful score is unleashed by Jame...

Disciplined Italian composer Antonio Salieri becomes consumed by jealousy and resentment towards the...

Deep in a forest where druids and warriors seek revenge against the conquering Romans, Norma is scor...

After the acclaimed Met premiere of Thomas Adès's "The Tempest" in 2012, the composer returned with ...

La Cenerentola, ossia La bontà in trionfo (Cinderella, or Goodness Triumphant) is an operatic dramma...

Part of an epoch-making release of Mozart's complete operas on DVD, here is the 18-year old composer...

The grand scale and magnificent acoustics of the Roman arena in Verona are ideally suited to the pag...

Here is a rare and exceptional example in which the director and costume designer amuse themselves w...

La traviata (Italian: [la traˈviaːta], "The Fallen Woman"[1][2]) is an opera in three acts by Giusep...

1989 recording of the San Francisco Opera production of Mefistofele: Boito's retelling of Goethe's F...

Who loves whom in Così fan tutte, Mozart’s and Da Ponte’s cruelly comic reflection on desire, fideli...