Broadcasts and Film

Anna Netrebko is the standout performer in a spectacular new Aida at the 100th Verona Opera Festival

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ItalyItaly Verdi’s Aida at the 100th Arena di Verona Opera Festival 2023 [1]: Soloists, Ballet, Chorus and Orchestra of Arena di Verona / Marco Armiliato (conductor). Broadcast live on Rai1 from the Arena di Verona, 16.6.2023. (JPr)

Yusif Eyvazov (Radamès) and Olesya Petrova (Amneris) © Ennevifoto / Arena di Verona

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The Royal Opera’s new Il trovatore is a Monty Pythonesque horror show in more ways than one

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United KingdomUnited Kingdom Verdi, Il trovatore: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House / Sir Antonio Pappano (conductor). Broadcast live (directed by Peter Jones) from the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, to Cineworld Basildon, Essex, 13.6.2023. (JPr)

Roberto Tagliavini (Ferrando) © Camilla Greenwell

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Shostakovich’s ‘tragedy-satire’ Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk creates a frisson in Vienna

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AustriaAustria Shostakovich, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Vienna State Opera / Alexander Soddy (conductor). Broadcast live from Vienna State Opera (directed by Ella Gallieni), 12.6.2023. (JPr)

Elena Mikhailenko (Katerina) and Günther Groissböck (Boris) © Wiener Staatsoper / Michael Pöhn

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Darkness and light confront each other in Simon McBurney’s brilliantly inventive Met Die Zauberflöte

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United StatesUnited States The Met: Live in HD – Mozart, Die Zauberflöte: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera House, New York / Nathalie Stutzmann (conductor). Broadcast Live in HD (directed by Gary Halvorson) from the Metropolitan Opera House to Cineworld Basildon, Essex, 3.6.2023. (JPr)

Erin Morley (Pamina) and Thomas Oliemans (Papageno) © Karen Almond / Met Opera

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Matthew Ball’s Prince Florimund was the revelation of The Royal Ballet’s ‘signature’ The Sleeping Beauty

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United KingdomUnited Kingdom Tchaikovsky, The Sleeping Beauty: Dancers of The Royal Ballet, Students of The Royal Ballet School, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Orchestra / Jonathan Lo (conductor). Broadcast live (directed by Ross MacGibbon) from the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, (introduced by Dame Darcey Bussell and Petroc Trelawny) to Cineworld Basildon, Essex. 25.5.2023. (JPr)

Matthew Ball (Prince Florimund) and Yasmine Naghdi (Princess Aurora) © Bill Cooper

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The Met’s fine production of Champion conveys important social messages

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United KingdomUnited Kingdom Terence Blanchard, Champion:  Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera, New York / Yannick Nézet-Séguin (conductor).  Broadcast Live in HD (directed by Gary Halvorson) from New York’s Metropolitan Opera to Dundonald Omniplex Cinema, Belfast, 29.4.2023. (RB)

A scene from Champion © Ken Howard / Met Opera

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The Met’s revival of Robert Carsen’s Rosenkavalier was the most enjoyable performance of it I’ve ever seen

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United StatesUnited States The Met: Live in HD – Richard Strauss, Der Rosenkavalier: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera, New York / Simone Young (conductor). Broadcast live to the Cineworld Basildon, Essex, 15.4.2023. (JPr)

[l to r] Samantha Hankey (Octavian), Lise Davidsen (Marschallin) and Erin Morley (Sophie) in the final trio © Ken Howard/Met Opera

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The Royal Ballet exhibits Ashton’s Cinderella choreography in their Disneyfied new staging

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United KingdomUnited Kingdom Prokofiev, Cinderella: Dancers of The Royal Ballet, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House / Koen Kessels (conductor). Broadcast (directed by Ross MacGibbon) from the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, to Cineworld Basildon, Essex, 12.4.2023. (JPr)

Vadim Muntagirov (The Prince) and Marianela Núñez (Cinderella) © Tristram Kenton

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