Reliving happy Vienna memories of Rudolf Nureyev’s theatrically vital 1964 Swan Lake

AustriaAustria Tchaikovsky, Swan Lake: Dancers of the Vienna State Ballet, Orchestra of the Vienna State Opera / Alexander Ingram (conductor). Recorded at the Vienna State Opera on 16.3.2014 and reviewed on 11.4.2020. (JPr)

Odile (Olga Esina) and Vladimir Shishov (Prince Siegfried) in Swan Lake

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Revisiting the Met’s classic Aida and the vocal glories of Netrebko and Rachvelishvili

United StatesUnited States Verdi, Aida: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Metropolitan Opera, New York / Nicola Luisotti (conductor). Broadcast live from the Metropolitan Opera, New York, on 6.10.2018 and reviewed as a Nightly Met Opera Stream on 7.4.2020. (JPr)

Anna Netrebko (Aida) & Anita Rachvelishvili (Amneris) (c) Marty Sohl/Met Opera

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Revisiting the Met’s Superb 2010 Don Carlo

United StatesUnited States Verdi, Don Carlo (archived Live in HD encore): Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera / Yannick Nézet-Séguin (conductor). Performance of 11.12.2010 and reviewed on 2.4.2020. (RDA)

Marina Poplavskaya (Elisabeth) & Roberto Alagna (Don Carlo) (c) Ken Howard

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‘He nose, you know!’: James McAvoy excels as a Cyrano de Bergerac for our contemporary age

United KingdomUnited Kingdom National Theatre Live – Edmond Rostand’s Cyrano de Bergerac: directed for the screen by Tony Grech-Smith at London’s Playhouse Theatre and broadcast to Everyman Cinema, Chelmsford, 12.3.2020. (JPr)

Anita-Joy Uwajeh (Roxane), Eben Figueiredo (Christian), & James McAvoy (Cyrano)
(c) Marc Brenner

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Handel meets House of Cards? A compelling Agrippina from the Met

United StatesUnited States Handel, Agrippina: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera, New York / Harry Bicket (conductor).  Broadcast live from the Metropolitan Opera, New York to Dundonald Omniplex Cinema, Belfast,  29.2.2020. (RB)

Handel’s Agrippina (c) Marty Sohl/Met Opera

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Cathy Marston’s The Cellist brings Jacqueline du Pré – and her cello – back to life at Covent Garden

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Dances at a Gathering / The Cellist: Dancers of The Royal Ballet, Robert Clark (piano), Hetty Snell (cello), Orchestra of the Royal Opera House / Andrea Molino (conductor – The Cellist). Directed for the screen by Ross MacGibbon and broadcast live from the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, to Cineworld Basildon, Essex, 25.2.2020. (JPr)

Marcelino Sambe, Matthew Ball and Lauren Cuthbertson in The Cellist
© Bill Cooper

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An undoubtedly disturbing yet ultimately triumphant Met Porgy and Bess

United StatesUnited States The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera / David Robertson (conductor). Transmitted live from the Metropolitan Opera, New York, to Cineworld Basildon, Essex, 1.2.2020. (JPr)

The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess (c) Ken Howard

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