Otello

Since its premiere in 1893, Engelbert Humperdinck's fairytale opera »Hansel and Gretel« has awakened a passion for music theatre in generations of children. Even his great contemporaries – such as Richard Strauss, Gustav Mahler or Johannes Brahms – were delighted by this work. It is the successful combination of seemingly folkloric simplicity and the complex musical language of Wagner’s direct successor, of simple melody and artful orchestration, and of socio-critical realism and atmospheric magic that makes the music to the Brothers Grimm’s famous story so captivating. And so the Vienna State Opera's production speaks to both children and adults alike, leading through wondrous projections of a magic lantern into the middle of the fairytale storyline.

National treasure and Poirot star David Suchet starred as the formidable Lady Bracknell in Oscar Wilde’s much loved masterpiece The Importance of Being Earnest. Directed by Adrian Noble, (Amadeus, The King’s Speech, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) Wilde’s superb satire on Victorian manners is one of the funniest plays in the English language. Two bachelor friends, the adorable dandy Algernon Moncrieff (Philip Cumbus – regular player at Shakespeare’s Globe) and the utterly reliable John Worthing J.P., (Downton Abbey’s Michael Benz) lead double lives to court the attentions of the exquisitely desirable Gwendolyn Fairfax (Emily Barber) and Cecily Cardew (Imogen Doel). The gallants must then grapple with the riotous consequences of their deceptions, and with the formidable Lady Bracknell.

An intimate portrayal of the relationship between one of greatest artists of the 20th century, L.S. Lowry and his unhappy and controlling mother, Elizabeth, whom he lived with all his life.

The setting of the opera is the enchantress Alcina's island: here by her magic powers she has created a magnificent palace in a beautiful landscape, to lure her many lovers into her power. One of these is Ruggiero, a warrior, who under Alcina's spell has forsaken his duty and his betrothed, Bradamante.

Mistaken identity, unrequited love, and the supernatural are combined in Shakespeare's classic set in the woods of Greece on a moonlit night... all from the dreams of a young boy.

The tragedy of Romeo and Juliet and their forbidden love has inspired countless versions, from opera to cinema. Among the most evocative is that by Vincenzo Bellini, one of the most infrequently performed bel canto composers. I Capuleti e i Montecchi returns to La Scala in a new production conducted by Speranza Scappucci and marking the debut of Adrian Noble, artistic director of the Royal Shakespeare Company for thirteen years. The cast features some of the most outstanding contemporary Bellini voices.

Star soprano Anna Netrebko created a sensation with her riveting performance as the malevolent Lady Macbeth, the central character in Verdi's retelling of Shakespeare's tragedy. She is joined by Željko Lučić, who brings dramatic intensity and vocal authority to the title role of the honest general driven to murder and deceit by his ambitious wife. The great René Pape is Banquo and Joseph Calleja gives a moving performance as Macduff. Adrian Noble's powerful production provides an ideal setting for this dark drama, which is masterfully presided over by Met Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi.

Mozart under the stars and on the big screen. This is the principle of the operation proposed on 16 July 2011 by the Opéra de Lyon. The representation that was played on his stage was broadcast simultaneously and outdoors in thirteen Rhône-Alpes cities including Ambérieu-en-Bugey, Valence and Grenoble. Thousands of spectators were able to attend a free version of the opera "Cosi fan tutte". It is Adrian Noble who signs the mise-en-scene of this umpteenth production of the famous masterpiece, a joke on the banter that will turn to drama. The American made a bold choice by transposing the plot to a beach in California . The idea came to him during a stay in Santa Monica: the skaters on the sidewalk made him think of the characters Ferrando and Guglielmo who play with their lovers.

Verdi’s admiration for Shakespeare led to such masterpieces as Othello and Falstaff, and if the earlier Macbeth isn’t on their exalted level it’s still a powerfully dramatic opera that hews closely to the original’s story line. The MET’s production retains the dark aura of the opera while updating it to a vaguely post-modern context. So the witches are bag ladies in various stages of decrepitude, with children in tow. The Banquet Scene features lowered chandeliers, a plethora of chairs, and a slew of extras dressed in tuxedos and party gowns. Macbeth sports a leather coat, the soldiers are in drab brown uniforms and seem to have fingers on their triggers even when they’re supposed to be in non-threatening situations. Director Adrian Noble also has Lady Macbeth do an inordinate amount of writhing around and singing from a lying-down position, adding to the feeling that a less interventionist directorial hand might have generated more impact.

Deceived by a “fake news” conspiracy, Shakespearean hero Otello is driven by jealous rage to murder his innocent wife Desdemona.