Maina Gielgud and Polish National Ballet take a captivating Giselle back to the future

PolandPoland Adolphe Adam, Giselle: Dancers of Polish National Ballet, Orchestra of Polish National Opera / Patrick Fournillier (conductor). Recorded (directed by Ewa Krasucka) at Teatr Wiekli – Polish National Opera, Warsaw, 28 and 30.11.2022 and available on OperaVision and YouTube until 26.6.2023. (JPr)

Polish National Ballet’s Wilis in Giselle © Ewa Krasucka

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Brooklyn Art Song Society’s powerful, lyrical reflections on a world at war

United StatesUnited States Various, ‘The World at War: In Memoriam I & II’: Brooklyn Art Song Society, First Unitarian Church of Brooklyn, New York. Filmed on 7.10.2022 and 4.11.2022 and available on Brooklyn Art Song Society Digital Concert Hall. (RP)

Kate Maroney (mezzo-soprano), Stanichka Dimitrova (violin) and Michael Brofman © Joan Chiverton

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La Scala open their new season with Ildar Abdrazakov as a great Boris Godunov

ItalyItaly Mussorgsky, Boris Godunov (1869): Orchestra and Chorus of La Scala Opera, Treble Voice Chorus of La Scala Academia / Riccardo Chailly (conductor). La Scala, Milan, 7.12.2022. (GT)

Kasper Holten’s Boris Godunov © Brescia and Amisano/Teatro alla Scala

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Keith Warner dreams up an interesting Die Meistersinger for Vienna State Opera

AustriaAustria Wagner, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Vienna State Opera / Philippe Jordan (conductor). Recorded (directed by Ella Gallieni) at Vienna State Opera, 11.12.2022. (JPr)

Michael Volle (Hans Sachs) and Michael Laurenz (David) © Wiener Staatsoper/Michael Pöhn

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At Bayreuth, Valentin Schwarz has Siegfried playing unhappy families in vino veritas

GermanyGermany Bayreuth Festival 2022 – Wagner, Siegfried: Soloists, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra / Cornelius Meister (conductor). Recorded (directed by Michael Beyer) at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus and available on STAGE+ until 14.11.2047. (JPr)

Andreas Schager (Siegfried), Igor Schwab (Grane) and Daniela Köhler (Brünnhilde) © Enrico Nawrath

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The Royal Ballet’s The Nutcracker still is a glittering showcase for a company at their very best in 2022

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Tchaikovsky, The Nutcracker: Dancers of The Royal Ballet, London Oratory Junior Choir, The Schola Cantorum of the London Oratory School (director: Charles Cole), Orchestra of the Royal Opera House / Barry Wordsworth (conductor). Broadcast (directed by Peter Jones) from the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, to Cineworld Basildon, Essex, 8.12.2022. (JPr)

William Bracewell (Prince) and Fumi Kaneko (Sugar Plum Fairy) © Alistair Muir

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Valentin Schwarz’s Bayreuth Die Walküre focuses on soap opera-style family angst and drama

GermanyGermany Bayreuth Festival 2022 – Wagner, Die Walküre: Soloists, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra / Cornelius Meister (conductor). Recorded (directed by Michael Beyer and Jule Geissler) at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus and available on STAGE+ until 14.11.2047. (JPr)

Tomasz Konieczny (Wotan), Georg Zeppenfeld (Hunding) and Christa Mayer (Fricka) © Enrico Nawrath

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A Trump-like Wotan and child trafficking dominate Valentin Schwarz’s new Bayreuth Rheingold

GermanyGermany Bayreuth Festival 2022 – Wagner, Das Rheingold: Soloists, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra / Cornelius Meister (conductor). Recorded (directed by Michael Beyer) at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus and available on STAGE+ until 14.11.2047. (JPr)

Valentin Schwarz’s Das Rheingold © Enrico Nawath

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