Simon Rattle

Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, born in the stench of 18th century Paris, develops a superior olfactory sense, which he uses to create the world's finest perfumes. However, his work takes a dark turn as he tries to preserve scents in the search for the ultimate perfume.

In 1415, in the midst of the Hundred Years' War, the young King Henry V of England embarks on the conquest of France.

Staatsoper Berlin’s new production of Rameau’s tragédie lyrique, directed by Alletta Collins; featuring costumes, sets and lighting designed by Ólafur Eliasson; and musical direction by Simon Rattle, who makes his debut with the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra.

Met audiences were fascinated by Mariusz Treliński’s gripping, visionary production of Wagner’s epic opera. In the daunting title roles of the doomed lovers, Nina Stemme and Stuart Skelton are passionate, overwhelming, and heartbreaking as they battle every obstacle that separates them from their true destiny. René Pape is King Marke, betrayed not only by Isolde but by Tristan, the man he most trusts and loves like a son. With Ekaterina Gubanova as Isolde’s confidante Brangäne and Evgeny Nikitin as Kurwenal, Tristan’s loyal lieutenant. Simon Rattle conducts a surging, shimmering account of Wagner’s monumental score.

Sir Simon Rattle conducts the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and massed choirs in Mahler’s epic Eighth Symphony, the 'Symphony of a Thousand'.

The classic musical by Bernstein, Comden and Green is performed live in concert in Berlin, starring Audra McDonald, Thomas Hampson, Brent Barrett and Kim Criswell, and conducted by Simon Rattle.

There is hardly a better way to approach Ludwig van Beethoven than through his piano concertos. Beethoven’s own instrument was the piano, and in his improvisations – which made him the darling of the Viennese salons – he merged virtuosity and unbridled expression. The piano concertos give a clear idea of these performances. At the same time, they are prime examples of Beethoven’s ability to create large orchestral works with seemingly endless arcs of tension. The complete recording of all five works with Mitsuko Uchida and Sir Simon Rattle was one of the most spectacular projects of the Berliner Philharmoniker during the Rattle era – and at the same time the highlight of the collaboration between the orchestra and the pianist, which began in 1984.

An arresting and star-studded production of Mozart’s Singspiel nonpareil: in the 2013 Baden-Baden Easter Festival, a group of outstanding soloists joined Sir Simon Rattle and the Berliner Philharmoniker for Die Zauberflöte in an attractive and naturalistic staging by Robert Carsen.

Mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená joins the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Sir Simon Rattle, to perform Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 4 in Prague.

Gala concert from Berlin the world famous Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Sir Simon Rattle, in Carl Orff's famous Carmina Burana, an intensely dramatic cantata that remains one of the most performed works of the twentieth century. With an extraordinary vocal line-up soprano Sally Matthews, tenor Lawrence Brownlee and baritone Christian Gerhaher. With Rundfunchor Berlin with Chorus Master Simon Halesey as well as the Knabenchor des Staats- und Domchores Berlin.

The 1987 Glyndebourne production of Ravel's L'enfant et les sortilèges, designed by Maurice Sendak and directed by Frank Corsaro.

In the early 1900s, the fictional Catfish Row section of Charleston, South Carolina serves as home to a black fishing community. Crippled beggar Porgy, who travels about in a goat-drawn cart, loves the drug-addicted Bess, who lives with stevedore Crown, the local bully.

or twenty years the Berliner Philharmoniker has celebrated its 1882 founding with a concert at a major European venue, and the 2011 event takes place at the magnificent Teatro Real in Madrid. The renowned orchestra, under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle, performs Joaquín Rodrigo’s beloved Concierto de Aranjuez, Emmanuel Chabrier’s exuberant España, and Sergey Rachmaninov’s dramatic Second Symphony. It is joined for the Concierto by the famous flamenco guitarist Cañizares, whose virtuosity and sensitivity are given full opportunity to shine in this multi-faceted and subtle work.

The annual New Year’s Eve Concert is one of the highlights in the calendar of every classical music fan in Berlin and beyond. On New Year‘s Eve, the Berliner Philharmoniker invite an exceptional soloist for a festive gala. Together, the musicians bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new. The 2016 concert was conducted by Simon Rattle and featured Daniil Trifonov on piano. On the programme: Dimitri Kabalewsky: Overture Colas Breugnon, Op.90, Sergei Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30, Nikolai Medtner: Fairy Tale F minor, Op. 26/3, William Walton: Orchestral Pieces from Façade arranged in form of a suite by Sir Simon Rattle, Antonín Dvořák: Slavonic Dances, Dimitri Kabalewsky: The Comedians, Op. 26: Galop, Johannes Brahms: Hungarian Dance No. in 1 G-Minor.

The School Orchestra Extravaganzas of the Berliner Philharmoniker's education programme are always a big event, and this year's meeting in February was no different. Six Berlin school orchestras had rehearsed excerpts from Grieg's Peer Gynt suites for the big day under the guidance of members of the Berliner Philharmoniker, and the conductor of the public performance in the Philharmonie was none other than Sir Simon Rattle.

Emmanuel Chabrier: España Joaquín Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez Sergey Rachmaninov: Symphony No. 2 in E minor, Op. 27

Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy: Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64 Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 55 Bjarne Brustad: Veslefrikk Edvard Grieg: Evening in the Mountains, Op. 68/4

Sir Simon rattle conducts the Berliner Symphony Orchestra in Mahler's Symphony No. 5 i The video is useful for conveying Simon Rattle's expressive gestures, his fine control of the Berlin Philharmonic, and its precise playing in this his first performance as the orchestra's music director. Ades's Asyla (the plural of "Asylum," used in both its meanings, as a place of refuge and a scene of madness) is available only in the video format, which is sonically quite good and visually striking. It is energetic music, with a lot of percussion, including one piece that looks like a tomato juice can, and one movement that annotator Andrew Porter describes as "a sort of Rite of Spring cum disco." A video interview of Rattle is a fine bonus. --Joe McLellan

The annual New Year’s Eve Concert is one of the highlights in the calendar of every classical music fan in Berlin and beyond. On New Year‘s Eve, the Berliner Philharmoniker invite an exceptional soloist for a festive gala. Together, the musicians bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new. The 2014 concert was conducted by Simon Rattle and featured Menahem Pressler. On the programme: Jean-Philippe Rameau: Suite from Les Indes galantes, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Piano Concerto in A major K. 488, Frédéric Chopin: Nocturne in C-sharp minor Op. 27 No.1, Antonín Dvořák: Slavonic Dance in E minor Op. 46 No. 2 & Op. 72 No. 7, Zoltán Kodály: Háry János Suite, Johannes Brahms: Hungarian Dance No. 1 in G minor, Aram Khatchaturian: Gayaneh: Suite No. 1 Lezginka (Bonus: The Life I Love – The pianist Menahem Pressler).

Arthaus Musik, distributed by Naxos, has released an in­triguing series of seven DVDs titled Leaving Home: Orchestral Music in the 20th Century. Created for a TV con­sortium in 1996, Leaving Home features conductor Sir Simon Rattle and the City of Birmingham Symphony Or­chestra on a tour through some of the significant musical landmarks of the past century. Most ambitiously, the series tries to provide a context within which to approach—if not complete­ly understand-20th-century music. During the nearly five hours of pro­gramming (roughly 50 minutes per DVD), Rattle lays the case for what happened and why.