Olivier Simonnet

Massenet composed his opera about Cenerentola nearly 80 years after Rossini did his. And if you are looking for the outburst of the non-stop hilarity and the musical jokes of Rossini, you won't find it here. Also, while the Cendrillon was highly successful and popular in its time, it does not reach up to the artistic and musical levels offered by Massenet's other operas, like Manon, or Thais or Werther. Nevertheless, this is a delightful opera and it is well presented by The Royal Opera. Laurent Pelly created a ingenious setting with movable walls which are covered [in French] with the story of Cinderella, and which open and close book-like.

With this DVD and Blu-ray of Rodelinda, one of Handel’s most emotionally complex operas, conductor Emmanuelle Haïm adds to her impressive Erato catalogue of the composer’s works. The imaginative production, by Jean Bellorini, was seen at the Opéra de Lille in Autumn 2018, and the cast features soprano Jeanine De Bique in the title role, countertenor Tim Mead as her husband Bertarido and another countertenor, Erato’s rising star Jakub Józef Orliński as Unulfo. Reviewing the production, Le Monde noted Emmanuelle Haïm’s “intimate connection with this music, which she knows how to unleash in all its violence, passion and heart-wrenching expressivity.”

Hidden away in the heart of the Château de Fontainebleau, the Théâtre de l’Impératrice Eugénie is one of the most secret treasures of this jewel of French heritage. Closed to the public, this exceptional venue is reopening its doors for a concert given by Les Talens Lyrique and soprano Marie Lys.

With his soaring falsetto and magnetic yet understated stage presence, Jimmy Somerville burst onto the 1980s new wave scene, making the world dance to songs rooted in struggle and resilience. From the harsh realities of Glasgow’s working-class neighborhoods to the challenges of growing up gay in a hostile world, and the devastating impact of the AIDS crisis, Somerville transformed pain into anthems of freedom. First with Bronski Beat, then The Communards, and later as a solo artist, he became both rebel and diva—the unmistakable voice of a generation fighting for equality. Through intimate stories from those who have stood by him for four decades, this portrait reveals a rare artist who has never wavered in his convictions.

Rameau, Beethoven, Gluck...: beneath the gilded ceilings of the Château de Fontainebleau, a varied musical program spanning the centuries and reflecting the influence of the women who left their mark on this exceptional place.

Emmanuelle Haïm has established herself as one of the world’s leading performers, conductors and interpreters of Baroque repertoire, not only with Le Concert d’Astrée, the ensemble she founded in 2000, but with several of the world’s greatest orchestras. Known for her fresh and expressive approach to Baroque music, she has garnered critical acclaim and several international awards with her own ensemble, including Victoires de la Musique Classique, ECHOs, Gramophone Awards, and Grammy nominations.

Julien Chauvin and the Concert de la Loge perform works by Vivaldi and Mozart in the famous Cour Marly at the Musée du Louvre, featuring mezzo-soprano Marina Viotti and violist Amihai Grosz.

Francesco Cavalli's incandescent opera, where tragedy rubs shoulders with comedy, and burlesque alternates with deep emotion. Max Emanuel Cenčić directs a lively production, drawing on the codes of commedia dell'arte. This game of love and chance combines passion, betrayal, and power struggles. The countertenor takes on the title role, while Leonardo García Alarcón conducts the Cappella Mediterranea.

A staging of Jules Massenet's opera "Manon" stage by Olivier Py. Recorded at the Grand Théâtre de Genève.

Who was he - Agostino Steffani? A churches man, a diplomat, or perhaps even a spy? Cécilia Bartoli explore the myths around him.

An intimate and informal concert from the King’s private bedchamber in Versaille with Thibaut Roussel and Les Musiciens du Roi. Chapters: Michel-Richard de Lalande Robert de Visée Louis-Antoine Dornel Michel Lambert Jacques Hotteterre Michel Lambert Jean-Baptiste Lully Sébastien Le Camus François Couperin

Countertenor Carlo Vistoli takes us on a musical journey through 17th-century Italy. The nascent opera genre was producing its first masterpieces at the time, with composers such as Monteverdi, Cesti, Cavalli and Stradella. These genius composers laid the foundations for opera and helped establish it as a major art form. The programme includes arias, love laments and scenes of madness.

The Élysée Treaty celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. To mark six decades of Franco-German friendship in style, young French and German musicians will take to the stage at the Panthéon for a concert dedicated to fraternity.

For the launch of its DVD collection, Alpha is joining forces with Christophe Roussets Les Talens Lyriques in Rameaus opera-ballet Les Indes galantes, his most famous work, here performed in its 1750 Toulouse version. Particularly rich both on the musical level and in atmosphere, scrutinizing love in far-off lands (Turkey, Peru, Persia and America), it responds to the infatuation with exoticism that tinged all the arts of the century. Rameaus dance music is always quite suggestive, evocative of a movement or a pictorial atmosphere. As for the staging, Laura Scozzi brings her contemporary vision to these countries and travels. Filmed at the Bordeaux National Opera, this production marked the Rameau celebrations in 2014 and was unanimously hailed by the international press

An excellent example of French high baroque performed by Le Concert des Nations and La Capella Reial de Catalunya under Jordi Savall's direction at the Royal Chapel of Versailles to commemorete the 310th anniversary of Charpentier’s death.

The 82-year-old Japanese Seiji Ozawa is one of the last remaining conductor legends of a golden era. Portrait of the ambitious maestro and educator who made the western repertoire really well known in Japan.

Live performance by Les Arts Florissants at the Théâtre de Caen, recorded on 18 Octorber 2011. "One of the earliest operas deserving of the name, Didone is our first surviving musical version of the famous episode in Virgil's Aeneid where the Trojan Hero loves and then cruelly leaves the noble Dido." — from the DVD back cover

The oratorio concerns the Christian martyr Theodora and her Christian-converted Roman lover, Didymus.

One of the composer's most beguiling scores, La Favorite is Gaetano Donizetti's La favorita in it's original French form; a tale of love and war that represents a glorious mix of Italian bel canto and 19th c. grand opera. Vincent Boussard's arresting Toulouse production does full justice to this newly renewed masterpiece. Three international principals take on the work's demanding roles: Chinese tenor Yijie Shi is a 'revelation' as Fernand, the rich-toned, authoritative French baritone Ludovic Tezier as King Alphonse XI and lauded American mezzo Kate Aldrich - 'the Carmen of this generation' - plumbing the emotional depths of Leonor's music. Conductor and bel canto specialist Antonello Allemandi adds to the passionate proceedings onstage. Maestro Allemandi demonstrated full authority over the stage for the musically complex scenes, and in the arias and duets demonstrated his confidence in the singers by establishing ample tempos to support their soaring vocal lines.

À la recherche du Hobbit (French for Looking for the Hobbit) is an exploratory documentary series directed by Olivier Simonnet in 2014, in which illustrator John Howe, story-teller Nicolas Mezzalira, and Professor Leo Carruthers of the University of Paris-Sorbonne explore real-world settings and famous myths that inspired J.R.R. Tolkien's mythology. The documentary explores many locations of Medieval significance.