La Gioconda

Opera in one act with prologue. Based on the production of the Vienna State Opera by Filippo Sanjust. Libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal

Benvenuto Cellini knows no obstacles when it comes to creating a work of art or conquering the heart of a woman.

Tapioca, a small-time thief, hides out in an elegant apartment, where he is soon joined by Cascarilla, one of his apprentices who has become better than his master. When the owners arrive home, the latter offers the wife a bunch of love letters she has written to various lovers for ten million.

The beautiful Beatrice Cenci, daughter of the noble Francesco, falls in love with Olimpio. But she has to face the jealousy of his violent and morbid father, and the hostility of his stepmother Lucrezia, who has a relationship with her other stepson, James. The stepmother and stepson-lover plan to kill Francesco. And when the latter dies accidentally, they decide to put the blame on Beatrice and Olimpio.

Maria and Paul love them, but they are very young and, moreover, Maria is the daughter of the municipal sweeper while Paul is the lawyer Bonelli, vice mayor and head of the opposition. To complicate the story there is the reconstruction of a hermitage destroyed during the war. Reconstruction would take the view of the Paseroni villa, big industrial and political traffic. Bonelli's lawyer, a great speaker, becomes a mayor for the death of his predecessor and is bought by Paseroni, while rejecting the love of Paul and Mary for social differences and why Paul should stay behind Doddy Paseroni. At this point, Paul and Mary flee to kill, just as Bonelli has to hold a talk on the radio for the inauguration of Paseroni's villa ...

In this costume adventure, a dashing swordsman helps protect Philip III of Spain from the traitors trying to overthrow him.

A Welsh pirate raids up and down the Caribbean, battling the Spanish, the English and other pirates.

Academic researchers are chased by a nuclear-hot specimen of ancient Mayan blob.

When Karim impersonates a prince Osman, he steals the heart of Amina the Sultans daughter. The real prince intends to get Amina back by giving her a love potion. But his plan backfires and Amina becomes deathly ill. Karim must make it through 7 doors to retrieve the only thing that can save his love-a mystical blue rose. A timeless, enchanting story!

Sir Francis Drake fights to take over Spain's treasure routes for Queen Elizabeth I.

This loose adaptation of the Victor Hugo classic shifts the story to Italy and back in time, with the deformed protagonist meeting Lucrezia Borgia instead of Queen Anne. Also, Gwynplaine is renamed Angelo (Jean Sorel) with his disfigurement represented by a single broad slash across his mouth, crude yet convincing. The story (not credited to Hugo) is a swashbuckler pitting the disfigured acrobat against the henchmen of the Borgias.

The story of Hadji Murad, a 19th-century Chechen chieftain who led his warriors in a fight against the invading forces of the Russian Czar.

Genies help an Arabian bandit (Tab Hunter) locate a magic arrow he needs to claim heirship to the sultan's kingdom.

Six sketches with as many ways of murdering someone, and getting away with it.

Staged by Sellner, conducted by Maazel with costumes by Sanjust and performed by the six soloists with consummate vocal elegance, Cimarosa's "Secret Marriage" offers unadulterated pleasure and triggers a kind of ecstasy with its combination of delicacy and opulence as well as its sophisticated humor. It brings Cimarosa's musical mastery to the fore - but also the visual impact of the opera. The stage is no longer a place of intellectual barrenness, but once again a playground, a sparkling showcase of wit and intellect.