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Andrea Levy’s Orange Prize-winning novel Small Island comes to life in an epic new theatre adaptation. Experience the play in cinemas, filmed live on stage as part of National Theatre Live’s 10th birthday.
Small Island embarks on a journey from Jamaica to Britain, through the Second World War to 1948 – the year the HMT Empire Windrush docked at Tilbury.
The play follows three intricately connected stories. Hortense yearns for a new life away from rural Jamaica, Gilbert dreams of becoming a lawyer, and Queenie longs to escape her Lincolnshire roots. Hope and humanity meet stubborn reality as the play traces the tangled history of Jamaica and the UK.
A company of 40 actors take to the stage of the National Theatre in this timely and moving story.
The story of Cinderella to Jules Massenet’s sensuous and lavish score. Original production conceived and directed for the Glyndebourne Tour by Fiona Shaw. Revived and directed for Festival 2019 by Fiona Dunn.
With its enchanting love story and broad, burlesque comedy, Cendrillon is one of the great operatic fairy tales. Massenet’s beautiful, lyrical music brings the familiar characters from Perrault’s story to life – a loving, yet hapless father, a jovially villainous stepmother, the lonely prince and a fairy godmother. The gently courageous Cendrillon, never quite sure whether she is dreaming or awake, is perhaps the most bewitching of all Cinderellas. The opera is full of wonderful music, from the impassioned love duet for Cendrillon and her Prince to the coloratura effervescence of the Fairy Godmother and the brilliantly scored ‘Marche Des Princesses’. Glyndebourne favourite Danielle de Niese sings the lead role in this performance, conducted by John Wilson.
Set in an ever-so English 1930s seaside hotel, ENO’s iconic production of THE MIKADO is a popular hit with audiences of all ages. Experience Gilbert and Sullivan’s irresistible combination of virtuosic wit, memorable melodies and hilarious antics in this much-loved production from Jonathan Miller.
‘A glorious production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s best comic opera’ **** Daily Express
‘Bright and Sharp. The pace never really lets up’ ***** The Guardian
‘Hilariously funny’’ ***** Bachtrack
Andrea Levy’s Orange Prize-winning novel Small Island comes to life in an epic new theatre adaptation. Experience the play in cinemas, filmed live on stage as part of National Theatre Live’s 10th birthday.
Small Island embarks on a journey from Jamaica to Britain, through the Second World War to 1948 – the year the HMT Empire Windrush docked at Tilbury.
The play follows three intricately connected stories. Hortense yearns for a new life away from rural Jamaica, Gilbert dreams of becoming a lawyer, and Queenie longs to escape her Lincolnshire roots. Hope and humanity meet stubborn reality as the play traces the tangled history of Jamaica and the UK.
A company of 40 actors take to the stage of the National Theatre in this timely and moving story.
Exclusive preview with a satellite Q&A July 13th featuring an introduction from director Ron Howard, special guests and a Three Tenors aria remastered for the first time on the big screen.
Award-winning director Ron Howard and the team behind THE BEATLES: EIGHT DAYS A WEEK celebrate the life of beloved opera star Luciano Pavarotti, who sold over 100 million records in his lifetime and brought opera to the people. Using footage from concerts, interviews and the Pavarotti family archives, Howard goes beyond the iconic public figure to reveal the man himself. Charting his rise from humble beginnings in Northern Italy through to superstardom, PAVAROTTI lifts the curtain on the great tenor as a husband and father, a committed philanthropist, and a fragile artist who had a complex relationship with his unique talents.
Rossini’s celebrated opera ‘buffa’ is a perfect marriage of wit, energy and musical invention. When Count Almaviva falls in love with Rosina, he enlists the help of his Mr-Fix-It barber, the irrepressible Figaro, to help him outwit Rosina’s guardian Bartolo. But Bartolo plans to marry Rosina himself, and a comic and fast-paced battle of wills ensues. Rossini’s masterpiece was completed, legend has it, in just 13 days. His score fizzes with virtuosic brilliance , from the stunning, ubiquitously known Overture to the bravura solo arias – including the immortal ‘Una Voce Poco Fa’ and Figaro’s ‘Largo Al Factotum’ - while breathtaking, intricate ensemble singing weaves together the strands of the comic tale. In this revival of Annabel Arden’s 2016 production for Glyndebourne, Danielle de Niese stars as Rosina. Opera’s greatest comedy, filled with its greatest hits. A treat for all.
Rossini’s celebrated opera ‘buffa’ is a perfect marriage of wit, energy and musical invention. When Count Almaviva falls in love with Rosina, he enlists the help of his Mr-Fix-It barber, the irrepressible Figaro, to help him outwit Rosina’s guardian Bartolo. But Bartolo plans to marry Rosina himself, and a comic and fast-paced battle of wills ensues. Rossini’s masterpiece was completed, legend has it, in just 13 days. His score fizzes with virtuosic brilliance , from the stunning, ubiquitously known Overture to the bravura solo arias – including the immortal ‘Una Voce Poco Fa’ and Figaro’s ‘Largo Al Factotum’ - while breathtaking, intricate ensemble singing weaves together the strands of the comic tale. In this revival of Annabel Arden’s 2016 production for Glyndebourne, Danielle de Niese stars as Rosina. Opera’s greatest comedy, filled with its greatest hits. A treat for all.
From the 2016–17 season
Tony Award-winning director Bartlett Sher's staging of Gounod's Roméo et Juliette updates the action to 18th-century Verona and conjures both the magic and heartbreak of this timeless love story.
The story of a family and a company that changed the world, told in three parts on a single evening.
Academy Award-winner Sam Mendes (Skyfall, The Ferryman) directs Simon Russell Beale, Adam Godley and Ben Miles who play the Lehman Brothers, their sons and grandsons.
On a cold September morning in 1844 a young man from Bavaria stands on a New York dockside. Dreaming of a new life in the new world. He is joined by his two brothers and an American epic begins.
163 years later, the firm they establish – Lehman Brothers – spectacularly collapses into bankruptcy, and triggers the largest financial crisis in history.
This critically acclaimed and five-time Olivier Award nominated play features stunning set design from Es Devlin (NT Live: Hamlet) and will be broadcast live from London’s West End as part of National Theatre Live’s 10th Birthday season.
'To whom should I complain?'
When a young novice nun is compromised by a corrupt official, who offers to save her brother from execution in return for sex, she has no idea where to turn for help. When she threatens to expose him, he tells her that no one would believe her.
Shakespeare wrote this play in the early 1600s, yet it remains astonishingly resonant today. Artistic Director Gregory Doran directs this new production.
Enchantment meets the politics of the Enlightenment in Mozart’s fairy-tale opera, Die Zauberflöte. Prince Tamino is on a quest to rescue Princess Pamina, daughter of the Queen of the Night, who has been kidnapped by her father, the evil Sarastro. With the help of the foolish bird-catcher Papageno, Tamino must brave not only dragons and the forces of darkness, but trials of fire and water in order to arrive at the truth and win Pamina as his bride. Composed just months before Mozart’s death, Die Zauberflöte is a heady blend of knock-about comedy and fantasy, its beautiful melodies woven into an allegory of wicked queens, noble princes, ancient Egyptian mythology and the lore of the Freemasons. In this new production by Barbe & Doucet, Antonello Manacorda conducts the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and a cast that includes Sofia Fomina, Björn Bürger and Caroline Wettergreen.
From the 2013–14 season
Franco Zeffirelli's picturesque staging, an audience favorite for more than 30 years, features a winning young cast, including soprano Kristine Opolais and tenor Vittorio Grigolo as the lovers
Mimì and Rodolfo. Stefano Ranzani conducts.
Enchantment meets the politics of the Enlightenment in Mozart’s fairy-tale opera, Die Zauberflöte. Prince Tamino is on a quest to rescue Princess Pamina, daughter of the Queen of the Night, who has been kidnapped by her father, the evil Sarastro. With the help of the foolish bird-catcher Papageno, Tamino must brave not only dragons and the forces of darkness, but trials of fire and water in order to arrive at the truth and win Pamina as his bride. Composed just months before Mozart’s death, Die Zauberflöte is a heady blend of knock-about comedy and fantasy, its beautiful melodies woven into an allegory of wicked queens, noble princes, ancient Egyptian mythology and the lore of the Freemasons. In this new production by Barbe & Doucet, Antonello Manacorda conducts the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and a cast that includes Sofia Fomina, Björn Bürger and Caroline Wettergreen.
The story of a family and a company that changed the world, told in three parts on a single evening.
Academy Award-winner Sam Mendes (Skyfall, The Ferryman) directs Simon Russell Beale, Adam Godley and Ben Miles who play the Lehman Brothers, their sons and grandsons.
On a cold September morning in 1844 a young man from Bavaria stands on a New York dockside. Dreaming of a new life in the new world. He is joined by his two brothers and an American epic begins.
163 years later, the firm they establish – Lehman Brothers – spectacularly collapses into bankruptcy, and triggers the largest financial crisis in history.
This critically acclaimed and five-time Olivier Award nominated play features stunning set design from Es Devlin (NT Live: Hamlet) and will be broadcast live from London’s West End as part of National Theatre Live’s 10th Birthday season.
From the 2006–07 season
Rossini's madcap comedy receives a spirited production by Tony Award-winning director Bartlett Sher and stars mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato, tenor Juan Diego Flórez, and baritone
Peter Mattei. Maurizio Benini conducts.
From the 2018–19 season
Soprano Anna Netrebko and mezzo-soprano Anita Rachvelishvili offer blazing performances in Verdi's grand drama of ancient Egypt, seen in a stunning production by Sonja Frisell. Nicola Luisotti conducts.
Compelling, blood-curdling and beautiful, Giuseppe Verdi’s masterpiece is being performed for the first time on the unique Bregenz lake stage. Once of Verdi’s most popular works, Rigoletto is an unforgettable tale of sacrifice and revenge, of a father’s rage and a daughter’s shame. It features several of opera’s best-known arias, including Rigoletto’s passionate denouncement ‘Cortigiani, vil razza dannata’, Gilda’s dreamy ‘Caro nome’ and the Duke’s instantly recognisable ‘La donna è mobile’.
Directed and designed by Philip Stölzl, this timeless tragedy will delight audiences with a powerhouse combination of entertainment and emotional intensity from the spectacular shore of Lake Constance.
Featuring a Tony Award-winning performance from host of the The Late Late Show, James Corden, the hilarious West End and Broadway hit One Man, Two Guvnors returns to cinemas to mark National Theatre Live’s 10th birthday.
Fired from his skiffle band, Francis Henshall becomes minder to Roscoe Crabbe, a small time East End hood, now in Brighton to collect £6,000 from his fiancée’s dad. But Roscoe is really his sister Rachel posing as her own dead brother, who’s been killed by her boyfriend Stanley Stubbers.
Holed up at The Cricketers’ Arms, the permanently ravenous Francis spots the chance of an extra meal ticket and takes a second job with one Stanley Stubbers, who is hiding from the police and waiting to be re-united with Rachel. To prevent discovery, Francis must keep his two guvnors apart. Simple.
Multi-award-winning director Emma Rice brings her unique, exuberantly impish vision to Angela Carter’s great last novel in this brand-new theatre production. A big, bawdy tangle of theatrical joy and heartbreak, Wise Children is a celebration of show business, family, forgiveness and hope, with a generous dash of Shakespeare, scandal and mischief, taking the audience on a rollercoaster ride of emotion.
In Brixton, Nora and Dora Chance – twin chorus girls born and bred south of the river – are celebrating their 75th birthday. Over the river in Chelsea, their father – and the greatest actor of his generation – Melchior Hazard turns 100 on the same day. As does his twin brother Peregrine. If, in fact, he’s still alive. And if, in truth, Melchior is their real father after all...
Performed by a talented ensemble cast, this entertaining, all-singing and dancing show opened to a raft of four and five-star reviews at London’s Old Vic in 2018. Adapted and directed by Emma Rice, the former Artistic Director of Kneehigh and Shakespeare’s Globe, it was filmed for the cinema screen at York Theatre Royal.
Featuring a Tony Award-winning performance from host of the The Late Late Show, James Corden, the hilarious West End and Broadway hit One Man, Two Guvnors returns to cinemas to mark National Theatre Live’s 10th birthday.
Fired from his skiffle band, Francis Henshall becomes minder to Roscoe Crabbe, a small time East End hood, now in Brighton to collect £6,000 from his fiancée’s dad. But Roscoe is really his sister Rachel posing as her own dead brother, who’s been killed by her boyfriend Stanley Stubbers.
Holed up at The Cricketers’ Arms, the permanently ravenous Francis spots the chance of an extra meal ticket and takes a second job with one Stanley Stubbers, who is hiding from the police and waiting to be re-united with Rachel. To prevent discovery, Francis must keep his two guvnors apart. Simple.
Multi-award-winning director Emma Rice brings her unique, exuberantly impish vision to Angela Carter’s great last novel in this brand-new theatre production. A big, bawdy tangle of theatrical joy and heartbreak, Wise Children is a celebration of show business, family, forgiveness and hope, with a generous dash of Shakespeare, scandal and mischief, taking the audience on a rollercoaster ride of emotion.
In Brixton, Nora and Dora Chance – twin chorus girls born and bred south of the river – are celebrating their 75th birthday. Over the river in Chelsea, their father – and the greatest actor of his generation – Melchior Hazard turns 100 on the same day. As does his twin brother Peregrine. If, in fact, he’s still alive. And if, in truth, Melchior is their real father after all...
Performed by a talented ensemble cast, this entertaining, all-singing and dancing show opened to a raft of four and five-star reviews at London’s Old Vic in 2018. Adapted and directed by Emma Rice, the former Artistic Director of Kneehigh and Shakespeare’s Globe, it was filmed for the cinema screen at York Theatre Royal.
Yannick Nézet-Séguin, the Met’s Music Director, conducts this powerful production of love, loss and loyalty. Franco Zeffirelli’s spectacular staging returns to cinemas with powerhouse soprano Christine Goerke as the icy princess who has sworn never to be possessed by a man. But the unknown suitor Calaf, played by tenor Roberto Aronica, who sings the famed aria ‘Nessun dorma’, is love-struck, and risks his life by attempting to answer the challenging three riddles that promise to unlock her heart.
This fascinating cinema event opens with a brand-new documentary about the life and work of Paul Gauguin, one of the world’s most popular and important artists. Filmed in Tahiti, France, the Marquesas Islands and the UK, this cinematic film will explore Gauguin’s extraordinary – and at times controversial – artistic achievement, with commentary from his descendants, artists and world experts. It will be followed by an exclusive private view of the National Gallery exhibition Gauguin Portraits, just after it opens in London. Exhibition curators and guest contributors will take cinema audiences on a lively and engaging guided tour, bringing this first ever exhibition of Gauguin’s portraits to the big screen with stunning close-ups and illuminating insights.
Yannick Nézet-Séguin, the Met’s Music Director, conducts this powerful production of love, loss and loyalty. Franco Zeffirelli’s spectacular staging returns to cinemas with powerhouse soprano Christine Goerke as the icy princess who has sworn never to be possessed by a man. But the unknown suitor Calaf, played by tenor Roberto Aronica, who sings the famed aria ‘Nessun dorma’, is love-struck, and risks his life by attempting to answer the challenging three riddles that promise to unlock her heart.
This fascinating cinema event opens with a brand-new documentary about the life and work of Paul Gauguin, one of the world’s most popular and important artists. Filmed in Tahiti, France, the Marquesas Islands and the UK, this cinematic film will explore Gauguin’s extraordinary – and at times controversial – artistic achievement, with commentary from his descendants, artists and world experts. It will be followed by an exclusive private view of the National Gallery exhibition Gauguin Portraits, just after it opens in London. Exhibition curators and guest contributors will take cinema audiences on a lively and engaging guided tour, bringing this first ever exhibition of Gauguin’s portraits to the big screen with stunning close-ups and illuminating insights.
'The course of true love never did run smooth.’
A feuding fairy King and Queen of the forest cross paths with four runaway lovers and a troupe of actors trying to rehearse a play. As their dispute grows, the magical royal couple meddle with mortal lives leading to love triangles, mistaken identities and transformations… with hilarious, but dark consequences.
Shakespeare’s most famous romantic comedy will be captured live from the Bridge Theatre in London. Gwendoline Christie (Game of Thrones), Oliver Chris (Green Wing, NT Live: Young Marx), David Moorst (NT Live: Allelujah!) and Hammed Animashaun (The Barber Shop Chronicles) lead the cast as Titania, Oberon, Puck and Bottom.
Directed by Nicholas Hytner, this production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream will build on the success of his immersive staging of Julius Caesar (NT Live 2018). The Bridge Theatre will become a forest – a dream world of flying fairies, contagious fogs and moonlight revels, surrounded by a roving audience following the action on foot.
Laurent Pelly’s enchanting production, starring soprano Lisette Oropesa in the effervescent title role, explores the devastating consequences when excess and passion collide. Tenor Michael Fabiano is the besotted Chevalier des Grieux, whose desperate love for Manon proves to be the undoing for both of them. Maurizio Benini conducts Massenet’s sensual score.
Music: Alexander Glazuno
Choerography: Yuri Grigorovich (after Marius Petipa)
Libretto: Yuri Grigorovich (after Lidia Pashkova)
Cast: The Bolshoi Principals, Soloists and Corps de Ballet
Synopsis: Raymondais betrothed to Jean de Brienne, a gallant knight who pledged to go on a crusade led by the King of Hungary. When her beloved leaves, Abderakhman, a foreign knight, makes a bid for the hand of Raymonda and threatens her fate when she rejects him...
The ballet: Raymondais a must-see of the Bolshoi, a work of living dance history. Being one of legendary choreographer Marius Petipa’s final works, he fully armed this ballet with beautiful court scenes, romantic corps de ballet dances, Hungarian czardas and a title role suited for the most outstanding ballerina.
Laurent Pelly’s enchanting production, starring soprano Lisette Oropesa in the effervescent title role, explores the devastating consequences when excess and passion collide. Tenor Michael Fabiano is the besotted Chevalier des Grieux, whose desperate love for Manon proves to be the undoing for both of them. Maurizio Benini conducts Massenet’s sensual score.
'The course of true love never did run smooth.’
A feuding fairy King and Queen of the forest cross paths with four runaway lovers and a troupe of actors trying to rehearse a play. As their dispute grows, the magical royal couple meddle with mortal lives leading to love triangles, mistaken identities and transformations… with hilarious, but dark consequences.
Shakespeare’s most famous romantic comedy will be captured live from the Bridge Theatre in London. Gwendoline Christie (Game of Thrones), Oliver Chris (Green Wing, NT Live: Young Marx), David Moorst (NT Live: Allelujah!) and Hammed Animashaun (The Barber Shop Chronicles) lead the cast as Titania, Oberon, Puck and Bottom.
Directed by Nicholas Hytner, this production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream will build on the success of his immersive staging of Julius Caesar (NT Live 2018). The Bridge Theatre will become a forest – a dream world of flying fairies, contagious fogs and moonlight revels, surrounded by a roving audience following the action on foot.
Music: Alexander Glazuno
Choerography: Yuri Grigorovich (after Marius Petipa)
Libretto: Yuri Grigorovich (after Lidia Pashkova)
Cast: The Bolshoi Principals, Soloists and Corps de Ballet
Synopsis: Raymondais betrothed to Jean de Brienne, a gallant knight who pledged to go on a crusade led by the King of Hungary. When her beloved leaves, Abderakhman, a foreign knight, makes a bid for the hand of Raymonda and threatens her fate when she rejects him...
The ballet: Raymondais a must-see of the Bolshoi, a work of living dance history. Being one of legendary choreographer Marius Petipa’s final works, he fully armed this ballet with beautiful court scenes, romantic corps de ballet dances, Hungarian czardas and a title role suited for the most outstanding ballerina.
Leonardo da Vinci is acclaimed as the world’s favourite artist. Many TV shows and feature films have showcased his extraordinary genius, but often not examined closely enough is the most crucial element of all: his art.
Leonardo’s peerless paintings and drawings will be the focus of LEONARDO: THE WORKS, which presents every single attributed painting in Ultra HD quality – something never seen before on the big screen. Key works include ‘The Mona Lisa’, ‘The Last Supper’, ‘Lady with an Ermine’, ‘Ginevra de’ Benci’, ‘Madonna Litta’, ‘Virgin of the Rocks’ and more than a dozen others.
This film also looks afresh at Leonardo’s life – his inventiveness, his sculptural skills, his military foresight and his ability to navigate the treacherous politics of the day – through the prism of his art. To be released on the 500th anniversary of his death, this is the definitive film about Leonardo – the first to truly tell the whole story.
Hansard; noun
The official report of all parliamentary debates.
See two-time Olivier Award winners, Lindsay Duncan (Birdman, About Time) and Alex Jennings (The Lady in the Van, The Queen), in this brand-new play by Simon Wood, broadcast live from the National Theatre in London.
It’s a summer’s morning in 1988 and Tory politician Robin Hesketh has returned home to the idyllic Cotswold house he shares with his wife of 30 years, Diana. But all is not as blissful as it seems. Diana has a stinking hangover, a fox is destroying the garden, and secrets are being dug up all over the place. As the day draws on, what starts as gentle ribbing and the familiar rhythms of marital scrapping quickly turns to blood-sport.
Don’t miss this witty and devastating portrait of the governing class, directed by Simon Godwin (NT Live: Antony & Cleopatra, Twelfth Night) and part of National Theatre Live’s 10th birthday season.
Anthony Minghella’s vividly cinematic staging of Puccini’s tale of unrequited love returns to our screens featuring soprano Hui He in the devastating title role. One of the most frequently staged operas of our generation, Madama Butterfly tells the
story of a young Japanese girl, Cio-Cio San, who falls in love with Pinkerton, an American naval officer. Tragedy unfolds in this sweeping production, which is a perennial audience favourite.
Pier Giorgio Morandi conducts one of opera’s most beautiful and heartbreaking scores, and Plácido Domingo adds another role to his remarkable repertoire, singing ‘Sharpless’ for the first time. The cast also includes tenor Piero Pretti as Pinkerton and mezzosoprano Elizabeth DeShong as Suzuki.
Anthony Minghella’s vividly cinematic staging of Puccini’s tale of unrequited love returns to our screens featuring soprano Hui He in the devastating title role. One of the most frequently staged operas of our generation, Madama Butterfly tells the
story of a young Japanese girl, Cio-Cio San, who falls in love with Pinkerton, an American naval officer. Tragedy unfolds in this sweeping production, which is a perennial audience favourite.
Pier Giorgio Morandi conducts one of opera’s most beautiful and heartbreaking scores, and Plácido Domingo adds another role to his remarkable repertoire, singing ‘Sharpless’ for the first time. The cast also includes tenor Piero Pretti as Pinkerton and mezzosoprano Elizabeth DeShong as Suzuki.
Leonardo da Vinci is acclaimed as the world’s favourite artist. Many TV shows and feature films have showcased his extraordinary genius, but often not examined closely enough is the most crucial element of all: his art.
Leonardo’s peerless paintings and drawings will be the focus of LEONARDO: THE WORKS, which presents every single attributed painting in Ultra HD quality – something never seen before on the big screen. Key works include ‘The Mona Lisa’, ‘The Last Supper’, ‘Lady with an Ermine’, ‘Ginevra de’ Benci’, ‘Madonna Litta’, ‘Virgin of the Rocks’ and more than a dozen others.
This film also looks afresh at Leonardo’s life – his inventiveness, his sculptural skills, his military foresight and his ability to navigate the treacherous politics of the day – through the prism of his art. To be released on the 500th anniversary of his death, this is the definitive film about Leonardo – the first to truly tell the whole story.
Music: Adolphe Adam
Choerography: Alexei Ratmansky
Libretto: Jules Henri Vernoy deSaint-Georges and Joseph Mazilier (edited by Marius Petipa)
Cast: Ekaterina Krysanova (Medora), Igor Tsvirko (Conrad), Denis Savin (Birbanto), Nelli Kobakhidze (Zulmea), Denis Rodkin (“Grand pas des éventails” Soloist), and the Corps de Ballet
Synopsis: On the bazaar square of Andrinopolis, the Pachais struck by the beauty of Medora and tries to buy her, but the lovely young woman is not for sale. As the transaction is about to come to a close, Medora is kidnaped by Conrad, a charming corsair who catches her eye...
The ballet: Bolshoi Prima Ballerina,the “mesmerizing” Ekaterina Krysanova and Leading Soloist Igor Tsvirko ignite Medora and Conrad’s passion with undeniable intensity. Le Corsaireremains a breathtaking production reworked by Alexei Ratmansky, who has created enough dancing for nearly the entire troupe, along with luxurious cinematic sets and a shipwreck, bringing the magic of this company to life.
Music: Adolphe Adam
Choerography: Alexei Ratmansky
Libretto: Jules Henri Vernoy deSaint-Georges and Joseph Mazilier (edited by Marius Petipa)
Cast: Ekaterina Krysanova (Medora), Igor Tsvirko (Conrad), Denis Savin (Birbanto), Nelli Kobakhidze (Zulmea), Denis Rodkin (“Grand pas des éventails” Soloist), and the Corps de Ballet
Synopsis: On the bazaar square of Andrinopolis, the Pachais struck by the beauty of Medora and tries to buy her, but the lovely young woman is not for sale. As the transaction is about to come to a close, Medora is kidnaped by Conrad, a charming corsair who catches her eye...
The ballet: Bolshoi Prima Ballerina,the “mesmerizing” Ekaterina Krysanova and Leading Soloist Igor Tsvirko ignite Medora and Conrad’s passion with undeniable intensity. Le Corsaireremains a breathtaking production reworked by Alexei Ratmansky, who has created enough dancing for nearly the entire troupe, along with luxurious cinematic sets and a shipwreck, bringing the magic of this company to life.
Star countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo headlines as the revolutionary Pharaoh who transformed ancient Egypt. Director Phelim McDermott, whose productions include the hugely successful Satyagraha by Philip Glass, returns to the Met to bring this contemporary production to life, with a virtuosic company and dramatic staging that features acrobatics and juggling. The striking soprano J’Nai Bridges makes her Met debut as Nefertiti. Karen Kamensek conducts Glass’s ritualistic and hypnotic score.
Star countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo headlines as the revolutionary Pharaoh who transformed ancient Egypt. Director Phelim McDermott, whose productions include the hugely successful Satyagraha by Philip Glass, returns to the Met to bring this contemporary production to life, with a virtuosic company and dramatic staging that features acrobatics and juggling. The striking soprano J’Nai Bridges makes her Met debut as Nefertiti. Karen Kamensek conducts Glass’s ritualistic and hypnotic score.
Hansard; noun
The official report of all parliamentary debates.
See two-time Olivier Award winners, Lindsay Duncan (Birdman, About Time) and Alex Jennings (The Lady in the Van, The Queen), in this brand-new play by Simon Wood, broadcast live from the National Theatre in London.
It’s a summer’s morning in 1988 and Tory politician Robin Hesketh has returned home to the idyllic Cotswold house he shares with his wife of 30 years, Diana. But all is not as blissful as it seems. Diana has a stinking hangover, a fox is destroying the garden, and secrets are being dug up all over the place. As the day draws on, what starts as gentle ribbing and the familiar rhythms of marital scrapping quickly turns to blood-sport.
Don’t miss this witty and devastating portrait of the governing class, directed by Simon Godwin (NT Live: Antony & Cleopatra, Twelfth Night) and part of National Theatre Live’s 10th birthday season.
Matthew Warchus directs Andrew Scott (BBC’s Sherlock, Fleabag) in Noël Coward’s provocative comedy Present Laughter.
As he prepares to embark on an overseas tour, star actor Garry Essendine’s colourful life is in danger of spiralling out of control. Engulfed by an escalating identity crisis as his many and various relationships compete for his attention, Garry’s few remaining days at home are a chaotic whirlwind of love, sex, panic and soul-searching.
Captured live from The Old Vic in London, Present Laughter is a giddy and surprisingly modern reflection on fame, desire and loneliness.
Matthew Warchus directs Andrew Scott (BBC’s Sherlock, Fleabag) in Noël Coward’s provocative comedy Present Laughter.
As he prepares to embark on an overseas tour, star actor Garry Essendine’s colourful life is in danger of spiralling out of control. Engulfed by an escalating identity crisis as his many and various relationships compete for his attention, Garry’s few remaining days at home are a chaotic whirlwind of love, sex, panic and soul-searching.
Captured live from The Old Vic in London, Present Laughter is a giddy and surprisingly modern reflection on fame, desire and loneliness.
Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Choerography: Yuri Grigorovich
Libretto: Yuri Grigorovich (after E.T.A. Hoffmann and Marius Petipa)
Cast: Margarita Shrainer (Marie), Semyon Chudin (The Nutcracker), Denis Savin (Drosselmeyer), Alexandre Vodopetov (The Mouse King), and the Corps de Ballet
Synopsis: On Christmas Eve, the mysterious Drosselmeyer brings a Nutcracker doll as a gift for his goddaughter Marie. At midnight, the doll comes to life and finds himself in a battle against the Mouse King, determined to save Marie from him.
The ballet: In this timeless story accompanied by Tchaikovsky’s beloved score, rising star Soloist Margarita Shrainer perfectly embodies Marie’s innocence and enchantment along with the supremely elegant Principal Dancer Semyon Chudin as The Nutcracker, captivating audiences of all ages and bringing them on an otherworldly journey.
Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Choerography: Yuri Grigorovich
Libretto: Yuri Grigorovich (after E.T.A. Hoffmann and Marius Petipa)
Cast: Margarita Shrainer (Marie), Semyon Chudin (The Nutcracker), Denis Savin (Drosselmeyer), Alexandre Vodopetov (The Mouse King), and the Corps de Ballet
Synopsis: On Christmas Eve, the mysterious Drosselmeyer brings a Nutcracker doll as a gift for his goddaughter Marie. At midnight, the doll comes to life and finds himself in a battle against the Mouse King, determined to save Marie from him.
The ballet: In this timeless story accompanied by Tchaikovsky’s beloved score, rising star Soloist Margarita Shrainer perfectly embodies Marie’s innocence and enchantment along with the supremely elegant Principal Dancer Semyon Chudin as The Nutcracker, captivating audiences of all ages and bringing them on an otherworldly journey.
After wowing audiences with his astounding production of Lulu in 2015, South African artist William Kentridge now focuses his extraordinary imagination on a new production of Berg’s other operatic masterpiece, which is set in an apocalyptic pre-First World War environment.
Met Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin is on the podium for this important event, while baritone Peter Mattei makes his highly anticipated role debut as Wozzeck. Soprano Elza van den Heever is Wozzeck’s unfaithful mate, and the commanding cast also includes tenor Christopher Ventris as the Drum-Major, bass-baritone Christian Van Horn as the Doctor, and tenor Gerhard Siegel as the Captain.
After wowing audiences with his astounding production of Lulu in 2015, South African artist William Kentridge now focuses his extraordinary imagination on a new production of Berg’s other operatic masterpiece, which is set in an apocalyptic pre-First World War environment.
Met Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin is on the podium for this important event, while baritone Peter Mattei makes his highly anticipated role debut as Wozzeck. Soprano Elza van den Heever is Wozzeck’s unfaithful mate, and the commanding cast also includes tenor Christopher Ventris as the Drum-Major, bass-baritone Christian Van Horn as the Doctor, and tenor Gerhard Siegel as the Captain.
For the first time in history, the Royal Academy of Arts in London, in collaboration with the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, is bringing together Lucian Freud’s self-portraits. This intensely compelling exhibition will display more than 50 paintings, prints and drawings in which this modern master of British art turned his unflinching eye firmly on himself.
One of the most celebrated painters of our time, Lucian Freud is also one of very few twentieth-century artists who portrayed themselves with such consistency. Spanning nearly seven decades, his self-portraits give a fascinating insight into both his psyche and his development as a painter, from his earliest portrait painted in 1939 to the final one executed 64 years later. When seen together, his works represent an engrossing study of the dynamic of ageing and the process of self-representation.
Music: Adolphe Adam
Choerography: Alexei Ratmansky
Libretto: Théophile Gautier and Jean-Henry Saint-Georges
Cast: The Bolshoi Principals, Soloists and Corps de Ballet
Synopsis: The young peasant girl Giselle dies when she learns that the man she loves, Albrecht, has betrayed her. Against her own will, she joins the Wilis, vengeful spirits of jilted brides who condemn Albrecht to dance until he dies of exhaustion...
The ballet: Giselle touches upon great and universal romantic themes. In this brand new production, renowned choreographer Alexei Ratmansky brings a fresh perspective to one of the oldest and greatest works of classical dance, giving the audience an opportunity to discover this iconic ballet anew.
For the first time in history, the Royal Academy of Arts in London, in collaboration with the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, is bringing together Lucian Freud’s self-portraits. This intensely compelling exhibition will display more than 50 paintings, prints and drawings in which this modern master of British art turned his unflinching eye firmly on himself.
One of the most celebrated painters of our time, Lucian Freud is also one of very few twentieth-century artists who portrayed themselves with such consistency. Spanning nearly seven decades, his self-portraits give a fascinating insight into both his psyche and his development as a painter, from his earliest portrait painted in 1939 to the final one executed 64 years later. When seen together, his works represent an engrossing study of the dynamic of ageing and the process of self-representation.
Music: Adolphe Adam
Choerography: Alexei Ratmansky
Libretto: Théophile Gautier and Jean-Henry Saint-Georges
Cast: The Bolshoi Principals, Soloists and Corps de Ballet
Synopsis: The young peasant girl Giselle dies when she learns that the man she loves, Albrecht, has betrayed her. Against her own will, she joins the Wilis, vengeful spirits of jilted brides who condemn Albrecht to dance until he dies of exhaustion...
The ballet: Giselle touches upon great and universal romantic themes. In this brand new production, renowned choreographer Alexei Ratmansky brings a fresh perspective to one of the oldest and greatest works of classical dance, giving the audience an opportunity to discover this iconic ballet anew.
The final stage work of George Gershwin, Porgy and Bess is largely regarded as one of the greatest American operas of the twentieth century. It returns for its first Met performances in almost three decades, starring bass-baritone Eric Owens and soprano Angel Blue in the title roles.
This new co-production with the English National Opera and Dutch National Opera was hailed as a triumph at its premiere in London earlier this year. Featuring the much-loved arias ‘Summertime’ and ‘I Got Plenty o’ Nuttin’, director James Robinson’s stylish production transports audiences to Catfish Row, a setting vibrant with the music, dancing, emotion and heartbreak of its inhabitants.
The final stage work of George Gershwin, Porgy and Bess is largely regarded as one of the greatest American operas of the twentieth century. It returns for its first Met performances in almost three decades, starring bass-baritone Eric Owens and soprano Angel Blue in the title roles.
This new co-production with the English National Opera and Dutch National Opera was hailed as a triumph at its premiere in London earlier this year. Featuring the much-loved arias ‘Summertime’ and ‘I Got Plenty o’ Nuttin’, director James Robinson’s stylish production transports audiences to Catfish Row, a setting vibrant with the music, dancing, emotion and heartbreak of its inhabitants.
Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Choerography: Yuri Grigorovich
Libretto: Yuri Grigorovich
Cast: The Bolshoi Principals, Soloists and Corps de Ballet
Synopsis: Prince Siegfried is summoned by his parents to choose a bride. However, he encounters a mysterious swan-woman by the lake, Odette, and is captivated by her. His vow of eternal love to her will have irreversible consequences.
The ballet: Tchaikovsky’s essential masterpiece returns with a new cast for the most beloved ballet in the classical canon. Technically challenging and filled with vibrant emotion, with a stunning and world-famous corps de ballet in perfect unison, the legendary love story between Prince Siegfried and the dual personalities Odette/Odile, born at the Bolshoi Theatre, is a must-see.
In Ancient Rome, Agrippina plots the downfall of Emperor Claudius to secure the throne for her son Nero. Mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato leads as the imperious empress in the Met’s first-ever performance of Handel’s first operatic triumph, a tale of deception and deceit. Harry Bicket conducts Sir David McVicar’s wry new production, which gives this Baroque black comedy a politically charged, modern updating.
In Ancient Rome, Agrippina plots the downfall of Emperor Claudius to secure the throne for her son Nero. Mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato leads as the imperious empress in the Met’s first-ever performance of Handel’s first operatic triumph, a tale of deception and deceit. Harry Bicket conducts Sir David McVicar’s wry new production, which gives this Baroque black comedy a politically charged, modern updating.
The award-winning Sir Bryn Terfel CBE returns to the Met for the first time since 2012 as the mysterious seafarer searching for salvation. Condemned to sail the seas for eternity on his ghostly ship, the Captain is offered a chance of redemption by true love. François Girard, whose mesmerising staging of Parsifal recently wowed Met audiences, directs Wagner’s eerie early masterwork in this co-production with Puccini L’Opéra de Québec and Amsterdam’s Dutch National Opera.
The award-winning Sir Bryn Terfel CBE returns to the Met for the first time since 2012 as the mysterious seafarer searching for salvation. Condemned to sail the seas for eternity on his ghostly ship, the Captain is offered a chance of redemption by true love. François Girard, whose mesmerising staging of Parsifal recently wowed Met audiences, directs Wagner’s eerie early masterwork in this co-production with Puccini L’Opéra de Québec and Amsterdam’s Dutch National Opera.
Music: Sergei Prokofiev
Choerography: Alexei Ratmansky
Libretto: Sergei Prokofiev, Sergei Radlov and Adrian Piotrovsky (afte rWilliam Shakespeare)
Cast: Ekaterina Krysanova (Juliet), Vladislav Lantratov (Romeo), Igor Tsvirko (Mercutio), Dmitry Dorokhov (Benvolio), Vitaly Biktimirov (Tybalt), and the Corps de Ballet
Synopsis: In spite of each of their families being merciless enemies, Romeo and Juliet are deeply in love. The rivalry between the Capulets and the Montagues will cost Mercutio’s life, causing Romeo a desire of vengeance for the loss of his friend...
The ballet: The star-crossed lovers’ tragic fate inspired Prokofiev a remarkable cinematic score, from the delicate theme of Juliet to the ominous Dance of the Knights.Bolshoi stars Ekaterina Krysanova and Vladislav Lantratov wholly embody the two eternal lovers in Alexei Ratmansky’s stunning evocation of love at first sight.
Music: Sergei Prokofiev
Choerography: Alexei Ratmansky
Libretto: Sergei Prokofiev, Sergei Radlov and Adrian Piotrovsky (afte rWilliam Shakespeare)
Cast: Ekaterina Krysanova (Juliet), Vladislav Lantratov (Romeo), Igor Tsvirko (Mercutio), Dmitry Dorokhov (Benvolio), Vitaly Biktimirov (Tybalt), and the Corps de Ballet
Synopsis: In spite of each of their families being merciless enemies, Romeo and Juliet are deeply in love. The rivalry between the Capulets and the Montagues will cost Mercutio’s life, causing Romeo a desire of vengeance for the loss of his friend...
The ballet: The star-crossed lovers’ tragic fate inspired Prokofiev a remarkable cinematic score, from the delicate theme of Juliet to the ominous Dance of the Knights.Bolshoi stars Ekaterina Krysanova and Vladislav Lantratov wholly embody the two eternal lovers in Alexei Ratmansky’s stunning evocation of love at first sight.
The story of Christ’s death and resurrection has dominated western culture for the past 2000 years. It’s perhaps the most significant historical event of all time, as recounted by the gospels but, equally, as depicted by the greatest artists in history. From the triumphant to the savage, the ethereal to the tactile, some of western civilisation’s greatest artworks focus on this pivotal moment. This beautifully crafted film explores the Easter story as depicted in art, from the time of the early Christians to the present day. Shot on location in Jerusalem, United States and throughout Europe, it explores the different ways artists have depicted the Easter story through the ages and thus depicts the history of us all.
Superstar soprano Anna Netrebko returns in the title role as the explosive diva in Puccini’s best-loved operatic thriller. Set in Rome during the Napoleonic wars, this tragic tale of passion, murder, lust and love, set to a famously romantic score, is an enduring classic. Bertrand de Billy conducts Sir David McVicar’s evocative production, with tenor Brian Jagde as Tosca’s impassioned lover, Cavaradossi, and baritone Michael Volle as the sinister Scarpia.
The story of Christ’s death and resurrection has dominated western culture for the past 2000 years. It’s perhaps the most significant historical event of all time, as recounted by the gospels but, equally, as depicted by the greatest artists in history. From the triumphant to the savage, the ethereal to the tactile, some of western civilisation’s greatest artworks focus on this pivotal moment. This beautifully crafted film explores the Easter story as depicted in art, from the time of the early Christians to the present day. Shot on location in Jerusalem, United States and throughout Europe, it explores the different ways artists have depicted the Easter story through the ages and thus depicts the history of us all.
Superstar soprano Anna Netrebko returns in the title role as the explosive diva in Puccini’s best-loved operatic thriller. Set in Rome during the Napoleonic wars, this tragic tale of passion, murder, lust and love, set to a famously romantic score, is an enduring classic. Bertrand de Billy conducts Sir David McVicar’s evocative production, with tenor Brian Jagde as Tosca’s impassioned lover, Cavaradossi, and baritone Michael Volle as the sinister Scarpia.
Music: Gabriel Fauré, Igor Stravinsky, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Choerography: George Balanchine
Cast: The Bolshoi Principals, Soloists and Corps de Ballet
Synopsis
This opulent triptych was inspired by Balanchine’s visit to the famous jeweler Van Cleef & Arpels on New York’s Fifth Avenue, celebrating the cities and dance schools of Paris, New York and St. Petersburg, each bound to its own precious stone: emerald, ruby and diamond.
The ballet
Balanchine built an homage of captivating beauty to the three dance schools that had forged his style, each represented by a contrasting gemstone. Jewels offers a unique occasion to enjoy the genius of choreographer’s visually captivating work performed by some of the world’s most dazzling dancers.
Set in sixteenth-century Britain, Donizetti’s thrilling historical drama follows Mary, Queen of Scots and her bitter rivalry with the cousin responsible for imprisoning her, Queen Elizabeth I. Soprano Diana Damrau and mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton square off as two of history’s most formidable monarchs, and Maurizio Benini conducts.
Set in sixteenth-century Britain, Donizetti’s thrilling historical drama follows Mary, Queen of Scots and her bitter rivalry with the cousin responsible for imprisoning her, Queen Elizabeth I. Soprano Diana Damrau and mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton square off as two of history’s most formidable monarchs, and Maurizio Benini conducts.
