Monteverdi is generally regarded as the father of European opera. His "Poppea" is a blood and thunder melodrama, set in Nero's Rome and loaded with passion, jealousy, murder and savage ambition.

The Czech composer based his libretto on the play "Le Voyage de Thésée" by his friend and trusted source of inspiration, Georges Neveux. Martinu is said to have written the opera for Maria Callas. In this production, the role is sung by the…

The Japanese pianist Aki Takase is a veritable typhoon of power and clarity. Her playing shows what can happen when the European rules of melody, harmony and rhythm come face to face with a distinctly Asian way of thinking!

Sir Peter Hall's outstanding Glyndebourne Festival Opera production of "Fidelio" remains remarkably faithful to the way Beethoven intended the opera to be. He managed to inject fresh excitement and suspense into "Fidelio", providing a perfect…

Celebrating New Year's Eve in a legendary duo performance on saxophone and drums, 'Lounge Lizard' John Lurie, actor, performer and musician, talks about love and life and gives a gentle insight into modern time's hipster attitudes.

This magnificent production of Wagner's masterpiece at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, brilliantly directed by Götz Friedrich and staged by Peter Sykora, was not only a great success in Berlin, but in Tokyo as well.

This opera is based on the Greek legend of Ulysses and his return to Ithaca after years at the Trojan wars.

With "Alcina" Wieler shows how modern Händel can be. The production is fascinating, conclusive and full of eroticism. Helene Schneidermann is absolutly overwhelming as Ruggiero's fiancée and the brilliant soprano Catherine Naglestad is more blissful…

Ludwigburg's Festival Orchestra, conducted by Wolfgang Gönnenwein, performs Mozart's romantic comedy "Cosi fan tutte" with much attention to details. The Russian director Dmitri Bertman presents this opera as a fantastic journey through different…

Trevor Nunn's highly acclaimed staging at Glyndebourne of Gershwin's famous opera, is considered by the Gershwin family to be the best production ever made. Now Primetime has made the firstever television production of "Porgy and Bess".