Gounod: Faust

A staging of Eugène Ionesco's play "Exit the King" by Jorge Lavelli.

In the small town of Louvun, Marie and Léon Besnard live quite comfortably. But on 25 October 1947 Léon passes away. Nobody, including the doctor who issued the burial permit, is doubtful that his death was natural. Nobody except Louise Paniou, a friend of the couple's, who is persuaded that Marie has poisoned her husband.

Live performance from the Zurich Opera House, January 2002.

Luc Bondy's 1996 production of Don Carlos was staged, recorded and filmed at the Chatelet in Paris. These seven performances were blessed with an all-star cast, loaded with important singers either starting their careers (Roberto Alagna) or at the height of their dramatic powers (Karita Mattila, Jose Van Dam.)

This film, in two parts, is considered a cultural work admirably embodied by Alice Sapritch. The TV movie focuses on the period of the late 16th century in France, ravaged by religious wars, and highlights the efforts of Catherine de Medici to defend the throne of her sons and maintain the unity of the kingdom. The role of Catherine de Medici in this TV movie is an interpretation that gives more humanity to this historical figure often presented in a negative light in history.

In Paris, Bob Montagne is practically synonymous with gambling -- and winning. He is kind, classy and well-liked by virtually everyone in town, including police inspector Ledru. However, when Bob's luck turns sour, he begins to lose friends and makes the most desperate gamble of his life: to rob the Deauville casino during Grand Prix weekend, when the vaults are full. Unfortunately, Bob soon learns that the game is rigged and the cops are on to him.

Released as a memorial for the great Russian cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, who passed away on 27 April 2007, this DVD contains one bonafide cello concerto, the Schumann Cello Concerto in A minor, and two tone poems with prominent cello parts, Ernest Bloch's Schelomo and Richard Strauss' Don Quixote. Rostropovich mastered the Schumann in several famous recordings. Here, conducted by Leonard Bernstein, he provides a splendid performance. Featuring his trademark powerful technique, smooth legato and crisp vibrato, the Romantic roots of the concerto are never hidden for long, despite the relatively cool playing of the Orchestre National de France.

A French television film inspired by events of the 18th century. The tragic failures of men, from 1764 to 1767, to bring down the Beast of Gévaudan. The first of fifteen episodes of the television series Le Tribunal de l'impossible.

Élisabeth Fischer, a farmer's daughter and cousin of Adeline Fischer, now Baroness Hulot d'Ervy, has been furiously jealous of the latter since their early childhood. After arriving in Paris as a passementerie worker, she set out to harm the Hulot d'Ervy family by any means necessary. She pushed the Baron into debauchery and tried to destroy the relationship between his niece Hortense Hulot and Wenceslas Steinbock. But her schemes bring her no satisfaction, and she dies of rage.

Revised as a Chicago gangland tale, this enjoyable Lyon Opera production of Jacques Offenbach's operetta -- originally set in the mountains of Italy -- follows a group of trench-coat-wearing, revolver-carrying mobsters who attempt to rob the Windy City's elite residents. Michel Trempont, Valérie Chevalier, Colette Alliot-Lugaz and Monique Barscha star in this delightful performance, which features beautiful staging and infectious melodies.

The king is walking around, the queen is giving birth. To her great despair, however, she does not give birth to a valiant warrior, but to a frail little girl with a pale complexion. Being very pale and her mother being Persian, the child will be called Snow White. Having lost his wife during childbirth without having obtained the hoped-for son, the king decides to chase away the child, the maid and the constable. To top it all off, a wicked fairy decides to cast a spell on the young Snow White: she will be "sexually obsessed".