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This preview screening features a recorded Q&A with director Nick Broomfield, hosted by Jools Holland.Marianne & Leonard: Words Of Love is the beautiful yet tragic love story of Leonard Cohen and his Norwegian muse, Marianne Ihlen. Their love began on the idyllic Greek island of Hydra in 1960 as part of a bohemian community of foreign artists, writers and musicians. The film follows their relationship from the early days on Hydra, a humble time of ‘free love’ and open marriage, to how their love evolved when Leonard became a successful musician.
It was on Hydra in 1968 that director Nick Broomfield, then aged 20, first met Marianne Ihlen. Marianne introduced him to Leonard Cohen’s music and also encouraged Broomfield to make his first film. She was an enormous influence on him.
Marianne and Leonard’s was a love story that would continue for the rest of their lives. Along the way we learn of the tragedy that befell those that could not survive the beauty of Hydra, the highs and lows of Leonard’s career, and the inspirational power that Marianne possessed.
Contains drug references, moderate sex references and infrequent strong language.
Eye-poppingly realistic CGI brings to life Disney’s cherished animation about a lion cub’s brave journey from pride outcast to proud king. Jon Favreau’s immersive vision gathers a majestic cast on the African savannah to honour all the seminal moments and iconic songs of the original film. James Earl Jones reprises his role as the wise and just King Mufasa, while Donald Glover is Simba, the young prince who takes his royal destiny to heart. Chiwetel Ejiofor lends his voice to Scar, the king’s scheming brother, who forms his own plans to take the throne.
In 1987 during the austere days of Thatcher's Britain, a teenager learns to live life, understand his family and find his own voice through the music of Bruce Springsteen.
A single mother Lydia (Holliday Grainger) who is abandoned by her husband, meets the small village's Doctor Jean Markham (Anna Paquin) who has recently returned to her hometown when Lydia's son Charlie is taken under the doctor after being bullied in school. When Lydia and Charlie are unhoused because of Lydia's earnings from her work are not adequate to pay the rent, Jean invites them to stay in her home and she and Lydia soon develop a friendship and maybe something more.
Eye-poppingly realistic CGI brings to life Disney’s cherished animation about a lion cub’s brave journey from pride outcast to proud king. Jon Favreau’s immersive vision gathers a majestic cast on the African savannah to honour all the seminal moments and iconic songs of the original film. James Earl Jones reprises his role as the wise and just King Mufasa, while Donald Glover is Simba, the young prince who takes his royal destiny to heart. Chiwetel Ejiofor lends his voice to Scar, the king’s scheming brother, who forms his own plans to take the throne.
10.45Big Scream: Exclusively for parents or carers with babies under the age of one.
Audio Described: Everyone welcome. Audio Description is available for this film, and is undetectable to anyone not wearing a headset
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13.15Audio Described: Everyone welcome. Audio Description is available for this film, and is undetectable to anyone not wearing a headset
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15.45Audio Described: Everyone welcome. Audio Description is available for this film, and is undetectable to anyone not wearing a headset
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18.15Audio Described: Everyone welcome. Audio Description is available for this film, and is undetectable to anyone not wearing a headset
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20.45Audio Described: Everyone welcome. Audio Description is available for this film, and is undetectable to anyone not wearing a headset
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.
NASA’s vaults open for the first time to reveal exquisite audio and vivid film footage of its most celebrated mission: the one that first put men on the moon. The meandering cameras in Cape Canaveral capture a dreamy-eyed portrait of America as it steps into the future. From inside the Apollo 11 spacecraft, the amazingly jocular conversation of the astronauts punctuates each stage of the mission with lightness and charm. The crowds watching the rocket, however, are oblivious to the enormous pressure mission control is under to succeed.
Director Todd Miller takes you straight to the heart of this intense scientific and human endeavour, sharing the atmosphere and action from every stage of the mission. The footage is so clean and vibrant, it’s as if you’re there standing at the base of the rocket. Painstakingly crafted and realised, this jaw-dropping immersive experience offers a new look into one of humanity’s greatest achievements.
Force of Nature Natalia follows a season in the life dance superstar Natalia Osipova. With unique access to Natalia's personal archive, we follow her preparations for a fifth season as a principal of the Royal Ballet as she continues to champion contemporary dance with some of the world’s greatest choreographers. We watch the rehearsal process of new ballet Mother by Arthur Pita, a new commission with Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, and the Royal Ballet's legendary production of La Bayadere directed by Natalia Makarova.
Natalia opens up about her life and history, her childhood in Russia, her time with American Ballet Theatre and her journey to the Opera House. It is an unparalleled opportunity to get up close and personal with the leading ballerina of our generation and understand why critics and audiences all over the world call her a force of nature of the dance world.
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.
A single mother Lydia (Holliday Grainger) who is abandoned by her husband, meets the small village's Doctor Jean Markham (Anna Paquin) who has recently returned to her hometown when Lydia's son Charlie is taken under the doctor after being bullied in school. When Lydia and Charlie are unhoused because of Lydia's earnings from her work are not adequate to pay the rent, Jean invites them to stay in her home and she and Lydia soon develop a friendship and maybe something more.
Eye-poppingly realistic CGI brings to life Disney’s cherished animation about a lion cub’s brave journey from pride outcast to proud king. Jon Favreau’s immersive vision gathers a majestic cast on the African savannah to honour all the seminal moments and iconic songs of the original film. James Earl Jones reprises his role as the wise and just King Mufasa, while Donald Glover is Simba, the young prince who takes his royal destiny to heart. Chiwetel Ejiofor lends his voice to Scar, the king’s scheming brother, who forms his own plans to take the throne.
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.
NASA’s vaults open for the first time to reveal exquisite audio and vivid film footage of its most celebrated mission: the one that first put men on the moon. The meandering cameras in Cape Canaveral capture a dreamy-eyed portrait of America as it steps into the future. From inside the Apollo 11 spacecraft, the amazingly jocular conversation of the astronauts punctuates each stage of the mission with lightness and charm. The crowds watching the rocket, however, are oblivious to the enormous pressure mission control is under to succeed.
Director Todd Miller takes you straight to the heart of this intense scientific and human endeavour, sharing the atmosphere and action from every stage of the mission. The footage is so clean and vibrant, it’s as if you’re there standing at the base of the rocket. Painstakingly crafted and realised, this jaw-dropping immersive experience offers a new look into one of humanity’s greatest achievements.
Sing your hearts out to all the classic tunes in Rocketman, the epic musical fantasy about the breakthrough years of larger-than-life superstar Elton John. Set to John’s most beloved songs, it tells the uncensored human story of how small-town boy and shy piano prodigy Reginald Dwight became one of the most iconic figures in pop culture.
Mungo Morrison is a young mole who is due to begin work at his proud father's side in their hometown's legendary gold mine. While his best friends are excited to be in the mine, Mungo secretly dreams of becoming a professional footballer. However, desperate not to upset his father, as well as being a small mole and unable to play football in bright light, Mungo sadly resigns himself to life as a miner. When the mine is forced to shut down after a mysterious accident, an evil and gold-obsessed supervillain known only as 'The Boss', attempts to bully the townsfolk into selling him the mine. Against all odds and with a little help from his crazy friends, Mungo begins an epic adventure of thrills, laughs, action and danger, as he hurtles towards the Wild Cup football finals in Russia and a final, breathtaking showdown with 'The Boss.
Put on your dancing shoes for this year’s fairytale concert of the classics and crossover music. Set against the stunning medieval backdrop of Maastricht’s Vrijhof Square, André Rieu’s hometown concert features the superstar violinist with his 60-piece Johann Strauss Orchestra plus world-class singers, other special guests and over 100 dancers. Known for his festive live performances, and with album and DVD sales of more than 40 million worldwide, André is the world’s leading pop classical artist. This year, he will be performing the music closest to his heart - the waltz, starting with ‘The Blue Danube’. So get that heart beating three-four time and prepare to whirl the night away with one of the greatest entertainers on the planet.
Tati's most consistently enjoyable comedy, a portrait of the gentle, clumsy, well meaning Hulot on vacation in a provincial seaside resort. A delight of quiet, delicately observed slapstick.
Laura and Tyler are soulmates. Thirty-something best friends and revellers residing in Dublin, they’re ingrained in the fabric of each other’s lives – dating, partying, drinking and living without limitations.
American ex-pat Tyler (Alia Shawkat) – a siren of drugs, alcohol and debauchery – lures aspiring writer Laura (Holliday Grainger) away from her long overdue novel as well as her new beau, the irresistibly handsome Jim. A teetotal classical pianist, Jim is the antithesis of Tyler and the world she and Laura inhabit, and his presence puts the girls’ hedonistic double act in jeopardy.
Tyler wants to keep the party going, but Laura, buoyed by Jim’s restraint and stability, starts to emerge from her years of excess. Caught between desires – youth and adulthood, her old self and her future self – Laura impulsively gets engaged to Jim. Bereft at the thought of losing of her partner in crime, Tyler spies a chance to rock the boat of the “perfect” life Laura sees on the horizon, but in doing so inadvertently helps Laura find an unexpected path to independence.
Both a celebration of female friendship and an examination of the choices we make when at a crossroads, Animals is an honest, funny, edgy and bittersweet snapshot of modern women.
20.30Discover Tuesdays Preview: Discover stunning cinema. Whether it's a cult classic, an art-house gem or a riveting documentary, there will always be a chance to see something different and brilliant in our weekly slot. This week's selection is a special preview screening.
The Octonauts are a team of adventurers who explore the world’s oceans, rescue aquatic creatures and protect their habitats - from the bustling eco-system along the Amazon River to the deepest depths of the Mariana Trench. Deploying a fleet of aquatic vehicles, Captain Barnacles, daredevil ex-pirate, Kwazii, medic Peso and the rest of the crew embark on missions around the globe before returning safely to their home base, the Octopod.
Episodes featured are: The Mudskippers, The Fiddler Crabs, Coconut Crabs, and The Hippos
'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.
Agnès Varda, photographer, installation artist and pioneer of the Nouvelle Vague, is an institution of French cinema. Whether in front of the camera or behind it, she was a visual storyteller who eschewed convention and prescribed approaches to drama. In Varda by Agnès, Varda's final film, she offers a personal insight into her oeuvre, using excerpts from her work to illustrate her unique artistic visions and ideas.
★★★★★ “Two hours in this director’s company is a pleasure.” – Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian
18.00True Stories: - A season of films exploring true stories: from individuals challenging society’s dominant cultural and political stories, no matter the risk to their own liberty; looking in from the outside at those seeking to sow stories of fear; artists telling stories on film, canvas and landscapes; and stories of death-defying courage in acts from the pioneering to the everyday. Playing across all Picturehouse cinemas from June to September.
A mystery preview of an upcoming new release. Details will only be revealed as the opening credits roll.
Tickets are just £8 general admission and £5 for Picturehouse Members.
The world of Pokémon comes to life in the popular franchise’s first live-action adventure. The ever-irreverent Ryan Reynolds voices Detective Pikachu, a wisecracking super-sleuth who teams up with 21-year-old Tim (Justice Smith) to investigate the mysterious disappearance of Harry Goodman, Tim’s dad and Pikachu’s human partner. Together they chase clues through the neon-lit streets of Ryme City, a sprawling metropolis where humans and Pokémon live side by side.
“For Pokémon fans, a huge part of the appeal of any live-action treatment of the series would have been seeing its 8-bit menagerie take photoreal form. In this respect Detective Pikachu is an eye-boggling triumph, with gorgeously realised creatures that sit seamlessly in their real-world surroundings” – Robbie Collin, The Telegraph
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 definitive surf movie, Bruce Brown’s iconic documentary follows two young American surfers, Robert August and Mike Hynson, as they search the globe for ‘the perfect wave’. Stunningly photographed and set to a great surf-rock score by The Sandals, their unique quest takes them from California to Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti and Hawaii with little more than surfboards and wax as luggage.
“Brown leaves analysis of the surf-cult mystique to seagoing sociologists, but demonstrates quite spiritedly that some of the brave souls mistaken for beachniks are, in fact, converts to a difficult, dangerous and dazzling sport” (Time Magazine)
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.
To some it’s a flashy, gratuitously violent triumph of style over content; to others it’s the film that confirmed Tarantino as one of the most distinguished and talented contemporary American directors. Unquestionably it’s one of the most influential films of its time. PULP FICTION is a superbly written, complex, ultra-violent, almost unbearably tense and often hilarious thriller with an outstanding cast and some surprising performances, most notably from John Travolta. Drawing his inspiration from the lurid low-life characters found in the cheap yellow-paged crime novels of the 1930s and ’40s, Tarantino weaves together three tales of small-time criminal life in Los Angeles.
20.00Culture Shock: Dedicated to bringing you the best in cult and genre films.
Quentin Tarantino Season: In the lead up to Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, released Wed 14th Aug, we look back at some of Quentin's best films.
Penny Slinger: Out Of The Shadows is the incredible, untold story of the British artist Penny Slinger and the traumatic events that led to the creation of her masterpiece, the 1977 photo-romance An Exorcism. Coming of age against a backdrop of post-war austerity and the subsequent explosion of colour that characterised 1960s counter-culture, Penny Slinger embraced her generation’s quest for personal freedom and sexual liberation, and channelled these desires into her groundbreaking collages, films and sculptures. But despite being at the peak of her powers in the late ’70s, Slinger and her work were virtually forgotten a decade later.
Richard Kovitch’s film documents Slinger’s story for the first time, immersing the viewer in 1960s counter-culture and exploring why such a significant body of work could slip from popular memory. It consults her key collaborators, including the radical filmmakers Peter Whitehead and Jack Bond; considers her relationship with the acclaimed feminist playwright Jane Arden; and explains why she’s finally enjoying long overdue recognition from both the art world and a new generation of artists. Propelled by an original, hypnotic soundtrack by Psychological Strategy Board, Out Of The Shadows consolidates this renaissance and presents it anew for a contemporary audience.
20.30Discover Tuesdays: Discover stunning cinema. Whether it's a cult classic, an art-house gem or a riveting documentary, there will always be a chance to see something different and brilliant in our weekly slot.
Centuries old and enjoyed by tens of millions of people worldwide, golf is seen by many as more than a sport. Yet what do we know about the other person on the course? The man or woman behind the player carrying the bag. Narrated by Bill Murray,Loopers: The Caddie’s Long Walk explores the incredible personal bond that a golfer and a caddie develop through hours of time together.
It’s often said that a good caddie does three things: show up, keep up and shut up. But a great caddie wears many hats. They’re the player’s psychologist, mother/father figure, technical advisor and confidante. The film unveils the working dynamic between famous partnerships like the heartfelt story of Tom Watson and his caddie Bruce Edwards. Conversely, it delves into the making of a caddie’s career with stories like Greg Puga – a young Bel Air Caddie from East Los Angeles who fought his way to Augusta to play in the Masters as a mid-amateur champ. Whether familiar or new, these are stories that will make you re-think the way you look at golf, and especially the job of the caddie.
A beloved tale soars to new heights in a dazzling live-action reimagining of the classic 1941 animation DUMBO, directed by the visionary Tim Burton (BIG FISH).
Eccentric circus owner Max Medici (DeVito) enlists former star Holt Farrier (Farrell) and his children to care for Dumbo, a baby elephant whose giant ears have made him the laughing stock of an already struggling troupe. When they discover these floppy ears allow Dumbo to fly, the peculiar pachyderm soars into the limelight and saves the circus. But his wondrous talents also catch the eye of suave impresario V. A. Vandevere (Keaton), whose larger-than-life attraction, Dreamland, hides some dark secrets...
10.30Kids' Club Subtitled: Exclusively for children and their parents or carers. Unaccompanied adults are not admitted. This screening also has subtitles for people with hearing loss.
In Almodóvar’s deeply personal and tender new drama, a film director reflects on the choices he’s made in life as past and present come crashing down around him. Salvador Mallo (Antonio Banderas, who deservedly won Best Actor at Cannes Film Festival for his performance), an ageing Madrid-based auteur, is retreating into himself, facing ill health, depression and the decline of his powers. After a chance meeting reunites him with an actor from his past, a wild new chapter begins, sparking a series of reconciliations and reveries in which Salvador revisits old emotional wounds and tries to piece together the puzzle of his life and his art.
Based on Nicholas Pileggi’s book Wiseguy, Martin Scorsese’s mob-movie masterpiece marked a revival of Hollywood interest in gangsters and gangsterdom. It chronicles three decades of a life in crime, following Brooklyn youngster Henry Hill’s graduation from petty criminal to big-time thief. Widely regarded as one of the greatest films in the crime genre, this is essential viewing for any movie fan.
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.
Forty years after its original release, Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now returns to cinemas looking and sounding better than ever. Restored from the original negative to the highest audio and visual standards by the director himself, Final Cut is Coppola’s preferred and most visceral version of his Oscar-winning Vietnam War epic. This never-before-seen cut features only some of the footage added back into the Redux release, bringing the runtime to just a shade over three hours.
This screening includes a Q&A between Coppola and director Steven Soderbergh, recorded at the Tribeca Film Festival in April, in which they reflect on the film’s legacy in light of its 40th anniversary, and the long journey to creating this new restoration.
Synopsis
A heady mix of ’60s counter-culture and the Vietnam War meshes with hallucinatory visuals, a magnificent score and a monumental screenplay inspired by Conrad’s Heart Of Darkness. Martin Sheen stars as the Special Forces captain dispatched on a secret river-borne mission to Cambodia with a brief to ‘terminate with extreme prejudice’ a demented colonel (Marlon Brando) waging a private war in the hills.
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.
Peg + Cat follows the adorable, spirited Peg and her sidekick Cat as they embark on adventures, solve problems together, and learn foundational math concepts and skills. In each 11 minute episode, Peg and Cat are challenged by A REALLY BIG PROBLEM and they must find a way out of this messy funny crisis without totally freaking out! That’s what life is like for Peg and Cat, the heroes of this animated math-based series for children ages 3-5 years old.
Episodes featured are:
The Three Bears Problem
The Honey Problem
The Owl and the Pussy Cat Problem
Join Chase, Marshall, Rocky, Zuma, Rubble and Skye on their new mission. When Mayor Humdinger’s nephew Harold accidentally diverts a meteor to hit Adventure Bay, the tech-savvy Ryder and the pups are ready for action – but when the meteor hits land, it showers them with a mysterious green energy, infusing the PAW Patrol with superpowers so that they become Mighty Pups! Unfortunately, sneaky Harold (Hurstfield) is also endowed with the new powers and, in dastardly fashion, schemes to become mayor of the town and capture Ryder in the tower. So, Pups to the rescue and remember, ‘Whenever you're in trouble, just yelp for help!’
A beloved tale soars to new heights in a dazzling live-action reimagining of the classic 1941 animation DUMBO, directed by the visionary Tim Burton (BIG FISH).
Eccentric circus owner Max Medici (DeVito) enlists former star Holt Farrier (Farrell) and his children to care for Dumbo, a baby elephant whose giant ears have made him the laughing stock of an already struggling troupe. When they discover these floppy ears allow Dumbo to fly, the peculiar pachyderm soars into the limelight and saves the circus. But his wondrous talents also catch the eye of suave impresario V. A. Vandevere (Keaton), whose larger-than-life attraction, Dreamland, hides some dark secrets...
10.30Autism-Friendly: Especially for people on the autism spectrum or with other special needs and their families, friends and carers. Adults without disabilities are only admitted if they are accompanying a child or a person on the autism spectrum/with special needs.
A legendary warrior's stolen magic sword becomes the centerpiece of epic, intertwining love stories, set against the breathtaking landscapes of ancient China.
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.
As charming and funny as it is thought-provoking, Hail Satan? traces the extraordinary rise of one of the most colourful and controversial religious movements in American history.
When media-savvy members of the Satanic Temple organise a series of public actions designed to advocate religious freedom and challenge corrupt authority, they prove that, with little more than a clever idea, a mischievous sense of humour and a few rebellious friends, you can speak truth to power in some truly profound ways.
Director Penny Lane strikes a cunning balance between cheeky, brazen entertainment and serious storytelling in this wickedly topical documentary. It’s a timely look at a group of oft-misunderstood outsiders whose commitment to social and political justice has empowered thousands of people around the world.
18.15True Stories: - A season of films exploring true stories: from individuals challenging society’s dominant cultural and political stories, no matter the risk to their own liberty; looking in from the outside at those seeking to sow stories of fear; artists telling stories on film, canvas and landscapes; and stories of death-defying courage in acts from the pioneering to the everyday. Playing across all Picturehouse cinemas from June to September.
Get ready for an out-of-this-world, space-tastic adventure!
Following the destruction of their space-ship, ten-year-old Willy gets separated from his parents, while traveling through the galaxy. As his rescue capsule lands on a wild and unexplored planet, he befriends the friendly robot Buck and kooky alien Flash. Together they adventure through the wild and mysterious planet, discovering its wildlife and beauty but also the dangers that lie beneath!
Inspired by the serialised matinee action films Steven Spielberg loved as a child, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK became one of the defining action/adventure films of its day and remains a hugely enjoyable movie experience.
Harrison Ford, fresh from his propulsion to super-stardom through the STAR WARS series, embodied the reluctant yet capable adventurer Indiana Jones, a serious and scholarly archaeology professor who is hired by the US government to track down the Ark of the Covenant ahead of their Nazi rivals.
The action set-pieces, tongue-in-cheek humour, impressive production values and a sheer love of cinema make RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK an irresistibly enjoyable big-screen treat.
Nobody imagined that two of the world's top secret agents (Antonio Banderas and Carla Gugino) would get married, settle down and start a family. But now they've been kidnapped and only two people can save them: their kids. Armed with a bag of high tech gadgets and out-of-this world transportation, Carmen (Alexa Vega) and Juni (Daryl Sabara) bravely jet through the air, dive under the seas and crisscross the globe in a series of thrilling adventures on a mission to save their parents ... and maybe even the world. Great fun for kids and grown-ups alike.
“Spy Kids is unashamedly brilliant, a fast and furious fusion of hip references, cute action, dynamic visuals and sheer delight. ” – EMPIRE
Paul thomas Anderson reunites with several of his Boogie Nights stars in this ensemble drama comprised of six interwoven stories dealing with parents, children, love and lonliness. An epic mosaic of several interrelated characters in search of happiness, forgiveness, and meaning in the San Fernando Valley.
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.
On Tuesday 10 September, Fane Productions present an evening with the Canadian novelist, poet, literary critic and inventor Margaret Atwood to mark the release of The Testaments, Atwood’s highly anticipated sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale. The event will be broadcast live via satellite from the National Theatre in London.
The publication of The Handmaid’s Tale in 1985 and the current, Emmy Award-winning television series have created a cultural phenomenon, as handmaids have become a symbol of women’s rights and a protest against misogyny and oppression.
Atwood will be interviewed by broadcaster and author Samira Ahmed in a conversation spanning the length of Atwood’s remarkable career, her diverse range of works, and why she has returned to her seminal handmaid story, 34 years later.
“Dear Readers: Everything you've ever asked me about Gilead and its inner workings is the inspiration for this book. Well, almost everything! The other inspiration is the world we've been living in.”
With exclusive readings from the new book by special guests, this will be an unmissable and intimate event with Atwood, spotlighting her signature insight, humour and intellect.
See the award-winning one-woman show that inspired the BBC’s hit TV series Fleabag, broadcast live to cinemas from London’s West End.
Written and performed by Phoebe Waller-Bridge (TV's Fleabag, Killing Eve) and directed by Vicky Jones, Fleabag is a rip-roaring look at some sort of woman living her sort of life.
Fleabag may seem oversexed, emotionally unfiltered and self-obsessed, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. With family and friendships under strain and a guinea pig café struggling to keep afloat, Fleabag suddenly finds herself with nothing to lose.
★★★★★ “Witty, filthy and supreme.” – The Guardian
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.
See the award-winning one-woman show that inspired the BBC’s hit TV series Fleabag, broadcast live to cinemas from London’s West End.
Written and performed by Phoebe Waller-Bridge (TV's Fleabag, Killing Eve) and directed by Vicky Jones, Fleabag is a rip-roaring look at some sort of woman living her sort of life.
Fleabag may seem oversexed, emotionally unfiltered and self-obsessed, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. With family and friendships under strain and a guinea pig café struggling to keep afloat, Fleabag suddenly finds herself with nothing to lose.
★★★★★ “Witty, filthy and supreme.” – The Guardian
Roger Waters, co-founder, creative force and songwriter behind Pink Floyd, presents his highly anticipated concert film, Us + Them, which features state-of-the-art visual production and breathtaking sound.
Filmed in Amsterdam on the European leg of his 2017-18 Us + Them tour, on which Waters performed to over two million people worldwide, the film features songs from his legendary Pink Floyd albums (The Dark Side Of The Moon,The Wall, Animals, Wish You Were Here) and from his last album, Is This The Life We Really Want?
Waters’ second collaboration with Sean Evans, visionary director of the highly acclaimed movie Roger Waters The Wall, this pioneering film is an inspiring showcase for the tour’s powerful music and message of human rights, liberty and love.
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.
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.
Roger Waters, co-founder, creative force and songwriter behind Pink Floyd, presents his highly anticipated concert film, Us + Them, which features state-of-the-art visual production and breathtaking sound.
Filmed in Amsterdam on the European leg of his 2017-18 Us + Them tour, on which Waters performed to over two million people worldwide, the film features songs from his legendary Pink Floyd albums (The Dark Side Of The Moon,The Wall, Animals, Wish You Were Here) and from his last album, Is This The Life We Really Want?
Waters’ second collaboration with Sean Evans, visionary director of the highly acclaimed movie Roger Waters The Wall, this pioneering film is an inspiring showcase for the tour’s powerful music and message of human rights, liberty and love.
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.
Sexual intrigue, jealousy, wit, anger… and retribution! The new Royal Opera Season begins with Mozart’s engaging masterpiece, which follows Don Giovanni, the women he serially seduces, and the vengeance that finally catches up with him. The opera is renowned for its ever-shifting portrayals of complex characters, fast-moving action and mix of the comic and the heartfelt. A cast of international singers – both familiar and making Royal Opera debuts – under conductor Hartmut Haenchen perform the glorious arias and ensembles of this opera favourite.
Co-production with Israeli Opera, Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona, and Houston Grand Opera
Music: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Libretto: Lorenzo da Ponte
Conductor: Hartmut Haenchen
Director: Kasper Holten
Set designer: Es Devlin
Video designer: Luke Halls
Costume designer: Anja Vang Kragh
Lighting designer: Bruno Poet
Choreography: Signe Fabricius
Don Giovanni: Erwin Schrott
Leporello: Roberto Tagliavini
Donna Anna: Malin Byström
Donna Elvira: Christine Rice
Don Ottavio: Daniel Behle
Zerlina: Louise Alder
Commendatore: Lars Woldt
Masetto: Leon Košavić
Royal Opera Chorus
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Hailed as the UK’s most influential comedian of all time, legendary Scot Billy Connolly is coming to cinemas with this brilliant show from his final stand-up tour. Recorded in 2015 during the Australian leg, this whipsmart routine is a riotous journey filled with outrageous tales and blistering observations of everyday absurdities. This one-night-only event also includes a cinema-exclusive interview with Connolly, who muses upon his career, life and legacy.
Before retiring in 2016 following his diagnosis with Parkinson’s Disease, Connolly toured continuously for 50 years, performing to a combined audience of over ten million people. The Sex Life Of Bandages is a big-screen tribute to an iconic funny-man whose sharp wit and anarchic storytelling remains as hilarious as ever.
★★★★ ‘Can he still hold an audience in his thrall - warm us, cheer us, tickle us? Abso - Billy - lutely!' - The Telegraph
★★★★ 'Beautifully funny' - The Guardian
★★★★ 'Connolly has still got his funny bones' - The Evening Standard
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.
Sexual intrigue, jealousy, wit, anger… and retribution! The new Royal Opera Season begins with Mozart’s engaging masterpiece, which follows Don Giovanni, the women he serially seduces, and the vengeance that finally catches up with him. The opera is renowned for its ever-shifting portrayals of complex characters, fast-moving action and mix of the comic and the heartfelt. A cast of international singers – both familiar and making Royal Opera debuts – under conductor Hartmut Haenchen perform the glorious arias and ensembles of this opera favourite.
Co-production with Israeli Opera, Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona, and Houston Grand Opera
Music: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Libretto: Lorenzo da Ponte
Conductor: Hartmut Haenchen
Director: Kasper Holten
Set designer: Es Devlin
Video designer: Luke Halls
Costume designer: Anja Vang Kragh
Lighting designer: Bruno Poet
Choreography: Signe Fabricius
Don Giovanni: Erwin Schrott
Leporello: Roberto Tagliavini
Donna Anna: Malin Byström
Donna Elvira: Christine Rice
Don Ottavio: Daniel Behle
Zerlina: Louise Alder
Commendatore: Lars Woldt
Masetto: Leon Košavić
Royal Opera Chorus
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
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.
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.
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.
Royal Opera favourite Bryn Terfel heads the cast for this new production of Donizetti’s comedy of domestic drama across two generations. The witty story of a middle-aged man whose supposed young wife runs rings around him – with her own ulterior romantic purpose in mind – has long delighted and surprised audiences, not least as presented with the sparkle of its music and the virtuoso skill of its performers. Damiano Michieletto’s exhilarating production shows how contemporary the characters still are and how immediate and touching the story remains.
Co-production with Opéra national de Paris and Teatro Massimo, Palermo
Music: Gaetano Donizetti
Lighting designer: Alessandro Carletti
Video designer: rocafilm
Libretto: Giovanni Ruffini and Gaetano Donizetti
Conductor: Evelino Pidò
Director: Damiano Michieletto
Set designer: Paolo Fantin
Costume designer: Agostino Cavalca
Don Pasquale: Bryn Terfel
Norina: Olga Peretyatko
Ernesto: Ioan Hotea
Malatesta: Mariusz Kwiecień
Royal Opera Chorus
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
'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.
Royal Opera favourite Bryn Terfel heads the cast for this new production of Donizetti’s comedy of domestic drama across two generations. The witty story of a middle-aged man whose supposed young wife runs rings around him – with her own ulterior romantic purpose in mind – has long delighted and surprised audiences, not least as presented with the sparkle of its music and the virtuoso skill of its performers. Damiano Michieletto’s exhilarating production shows how contemporary the characters still are and how immediate and touching the story remains.
Co-production with Opéra national de Paris and Teatro Massimo, Palermo
Music: Gaetano Donizetti
Lighting designer: Alessandro Carletti
Video designer: rocafilm
Libretto: Giovanni Ruffini and Gaetano Donizetti
Conductor: Evelino Pidò
Director: Damiano Michieletto
Set designer: Paolo Fantin
Costume designer: Agostino Cavalca
Don Pasquale: Bryn Terfel
Norina: Olga Peretyatko
Ernesto: Ioan Hotea
Malatesta: Mariusz Kwiecień
Royal Opera Chorus
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
When all-American couple Janet and Brad’s car breaks down outside an Old Dark House, they’re in for a night of frights and frolics at the hands of Dr Frank N. Furter and all manner of kinky Transylvanians in this cult musical comedy.
Contains moderate sex and one use of strong language.
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.
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.
From The Royal Ballet’s classical origins in the works of Marius Petipa, to the homegrown choreographers who put British ballet on the world stage, this mixed programme highlights the versatility of the Company. Petipa’s Raymonda Act III is Russian classical ballet summarised in one act, full of sparkle and precise technique, while Ashton’s Enigma Variations is quintessentially British in every way – from its score by Elgar and period designs by Julia Trevelyan Oman, to Ashton’s signature style, the essence of British ballet. Concerto, MacMillan’s fusion of classical technique with a contemporary mind, completes a programme that shows the breadth of The Royal Ballet’s heritage.
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.
From The Royal Ballet’s classical origins in the works of Marius Petipa, to the homegrown choreographers who put British ballet on the world stage, this mixed programme highlights the versatility of the Company. Petipa’s Raymonda Act III is Russian classical ballet summarised in one act, full of sparkle and precise technique, while Ashton’s Enigma Variations is quintessentially British in every way – from its score by Elgar and period designs by Julia Trevelyan Oman, to Ashton’s signature style, the essence of British ballet. Concerto, MacMillan’s fusion of classical technique with a contemporary mind, completes a programme that shows the breadth of The Royal Ballet’s heritage.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
A classic returns to The Royal Ballet repertory with Ninette de Valois’ charming and funny Coppélia – a story of love, mischief and mechanical dolls. The intricate choreography is set to Delibes’ delightful score and shows off the technical precision and comedic timing of the whole Company. Osbert Lancaster’s designs bring a colourful storybook world to life in this Christmas treat for the whole family.
Choreography: Ninette de Valois, after Lev Ivanov and Enrico Cecchetti
Music: Léo Delibes
Scenario: Charles Nuitter and Arthur Saint-Léon, after E.T.A. Hoffmann
Designer: Osbert Lancaster
Lighting designer: John B. Read
Conductor: Barry Wordsworth
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
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.
A classic returns to The Royal Ballet repertory with Ninette de Valois’ charming and funny Coppélia – a story of love, mischief and mechanical dolls. The intricate choreography is set to Delibes’ delightful score and shows off the technical precision and comedic timing of the whole Company. Osbert Lancaster’s designs bring a colourful storybook world to life in this Christmas treat for the whole family.
Choreography: Ninette de Valois, after Lev Ivanov and Enrico Cecchetti
Music: Léo Delibes
Scenario: Charles Nuitter and Arthur Saint-Léon, after E.T.A. Hoffmann
Designer: Osbert Lancaster
Lighting designer: John B. Read
Conductor: Barry Wordsworth
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
The Royal Ballet's glorious production of The Nutcracker, created by Peter Wright in 1984, is the production par excellence of an all-time ballet favourite. On Christmas Eve, Herr Drosselmeyer the magician sweeps young Clara away on a fantasy adventure in which time is suspended, the family
living-room becomes a great battlefield, and a magical journey takes them through the Land of Snow to the Kingdom of Sweets. Tchaikovsky's glittering score, the gorgeous festive stage designs, and The Royal Ballet's captivating dancing including an exquisite pas de deux between the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Prince, make this Nutcracker the quintessential Christmas experience.
RECORDED LIVE AT THE ROYAL OPERA HOUSE
Thursday 8 December 2016
Choreography: Peter Wright after Lev Ivanov
Music: Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky
Original scenario: Marius Petipa after E.T.A.Hoffmann
Production and scenario: Peter Wright
Designer: Julia Trevelyan Oman
Lighting designer: Mark Henderson
Staging: Christopher Carr
Conductor: Boris Gruzin
The Sugar Plum Fairy: Lauren Cuthbertson
The Prince: Federico Bonelli
Clara: Francesca Hayward
Hans-Peter/The Nutcracker: Alexander Campbell
Herr Drosselmeyer: Gary Avis
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
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.
This production of The Sleeping Beauty has delighted audiences in Covent Garden since 1946. A classic of Russian ballet, it established The Royal Ballet both in its new home after the Second World War and as a world-class company. Sixty years later, in 2006, the original staging was revived, returning Oliver Messel’s wonderful designs and glittering costumes to the stage. Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky’s enchanting score and Marius Petipa’s original choreography beautifully combine with sections created for The Royal Ballet by Frederick Ashton, Anthony Dowell and Christopher Wheeldon. This ballet is sure to cast its spell over anyone who sees it.
Choreography: Marius Petipa
Music: Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky
Additional choreography: Frederick Ashton, Anthony Dowell, Christopher Wheeldon
Production: Monica Mason and Christopher Newton after Ninette de Valois and Nicholas Sergeyev
Original designs: Oliver Messel
Additional designs: Peter Farmer
Lighting designer: Mark Jonathan
Conductor: Simon Hewett
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.
This production of The Sleeping Beauty has delighted audiences in Covent Garden since 1946. A classic of Russian ballet, it established The Royal Ballet both in its new home after the Second World War and as a world-class company. Sixty years later, in 2006, the original staging was revived, returning Oliver Messel’s wonderful designs and glittering costumes to the stage. Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky’s enchanting score and Marius Petipa’s original choreography beautifully combine with sections created for The Royal Ballet by Frederick Ashton, Anthony Dowell and Christopher Wheeldon. This ballet is sure to cast its spell over anyone who sees it.
Choreography: Marius Petipa
Music: Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky
Additional choreography: Frederick Ashton, Anthony Dowell, Christopher Wheeldon
Production: Monica Mason and Christopher Newton after Ninette de Valois and Nicholas Sergeyev
Original designs: Oliver Messel
Additional designs: Peter Farmer
Lighting designer: Mark Jonathan
Conductor: Simon Hewett
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.
Puccini’s opera of young love in 19th-century Paris is packed with beautiful music, including lyrical arias, celebratory choruses for Act II’s evocation of Christmas Eve in the Latin Quarter, and a poignant final scene over which the composer himself wept. Richard Jones’s character-led production perfectly captures La bohème’s mixture of comedy, romance and tragedy, with striking designs by Stewart Laing. The cast features some of the greatest interpreters of Puccini’s bohemian lovers performing today, as well as former members of The Royal Opera’s Jette Parker Young Artists Programme.
Co-production with Teatro Real, Madrid and Lyric Opera of Chicago
Music: Giacomo Puccini
Libretto: Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica
Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume
Director: Richard Jones
Designer: Stewart Laing
Lighting designer: Mimi Jordan Sherin
Movement director: Sarah Fahie
Mimì: Sonya Yoncheva
Rodolfo: Charles Castronovo
Marcello: Andrzej Filończyk
Musetta: Aida Garifullina
Schaunard: Gyula Nagy
Colline: Peter Kellner
Royal Opera Chorus
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
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.
Puccini’s opera of young love in 19th-century Paris is packed with beautiful music, including lyrical arias, celebratory choruses for Act II’s evocation of Christmas Eve in the Latin Quarter, and a poignant final scene over which the composer himself wept. Richard Jones’s character-led production perfectly captures La bohème’s mixture of comedy, romance and tragedy, with striking designs by Stewart Laing. The cast features some of the greatest interpreters of Puccini’s bohemian lovers performing today, as well as former members of The Royal Opera’s Jette Parker Young Artists Programme.
Co-production with Teatro Real, Madrid and Lyric Opera of Chicago
Music: Giacomo Puccini
Libretto: Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica
Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume
Director: Richard Jones
Designer: Stewart Laing
Lighting designer: Mimi Jordan Sherin
Movement director: Sarah Fahie
Mimì: Sonya Yoncheva
Rodolfo: Charles Castronovo
Marcello: Andrzej Filończyk
Musetta: Aida Garifullina
Schaunard: Gyula Nagy
Colline: Peter Kellner
Royal Opera Chorus
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
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.
Choreographer Cathy Marston is previously an Associate Artist of the Royal Opera House and Director of Bern Ballett, and much in demand internationally. The inspiration for her first work for The Royal Ballet Main Stage is the momentous life and career of the cellist Jacqueline du Pré. A new work by Liam Scarlett, The Royal Ballet’s Artist in Residence, provides the second part of the programme.
NEW CATHY MARSTON
Choreography: Cathy Marston
Music: Philip Feeney
Scenario: Cathy Marston and Edward Kemp
Set designer: Hildegard Bechtler
Costume designer: Bregje van Balen
Lighting designer: Jon Clark
Conductor: Andrea Molino
NEW LIAM SCARLETT
Choreographer: Liam Scarlett
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.
Choreographer Cathy Marston is previously an Associate Artist of the Royal Opera House and Director of Bern Ballett, and much in demand internationally. The inspiration for her first work for The Royal Ballet Main Stage is the momentous life and career of the cellist Jacqueline du Pré. A new work by Liam Scarlett, The Royal Ballet’s Artist in Residence, provides the second part of the programme.
NEW CATHY MARSTON
Choreography: Cathy Marston
Music: Philip Feeney
Scenario: Cathy Marston and Edward Kemp
Set designer: Hildegard Bechtler
Costume designer: Bregje van Balen
Lighting designer: Jon Clark
Conductor: Andrea Molino
NEW LIAM SCARLETT
Choreographer: Liam Scarlett
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.
Beethoven’s only opera is a masterpiece, an uplifting story of risk and triumph. In this new production, conducted by Antonio Pappano, Jonas Kaufmann plays the political prisoner Florestan, and Lise Davidsen his wife Leonore (disguised as ‘Fidelio’) who daringly sets out to rescue him. Set in strong counterpoint are the ingredients of domestic intrigue, determined love and the cruelty of an oppressive regime. The music is transcendent throughout and includes the famous Act I Quartet, the Prisoners’ Chorus and Florestan’s impassioned Act II cry in the darkness and vision of hope. Tobias Kratzer’s new staging brings together the dark reality of the French Revolutionary ‘Terror’ and our own time to illuminate Fidelio’s inspiring message of shared humanity.
Music: Ludwig van Beethoven
Libretto: Joseph Sonnleithner, Stephan von Breuning and George Friedrich Treitschke
Conductor: Antonio Pappano
Director: Tobias Kratzer
Set and costume designer: Rainer Sellmaier
Lighting designer: Michael Bauer
Video designer: Manuel Braun
Dramaturg: Bettina Bartz
Leonore (Fidelio): Lise Davidsen
Florestan: Jonas Kaufmann
Rocco: Georg Zeppenfeld
Don Pizarro: Simon Neal
Marzelline: Amanda Forsythe
Royal Opera Chorus
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
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.
Beethoven’s only opera is a masterpiece, an uplifting story of risk and triumph. In this new production, conducted by Antonio Pappano, Jonas Kaufmann plays the political prisoner Florestan, and Lise Davidsen his wife Leonore (disguised as ‘Fidelio’) who daringly sets out to rescue him. Set in strong counterpoint are the ingredients of domestic intrigue, determined love and the cruelty of an oppressive regime. The music is transcendent throughout and includes the famous Act I Quartet, the Prisoners’ Chorus and Florestan’s impassioned Act II cry in the darkness and vision of hope. Tobias Kratzer’s new staging brings together the dark reality of the French Revolutionary ‘Terror’ and our own time to illuminate Fidelio’s inspiring message of shared humanity.
Music: Ludwig van Beethoven
Libretto: Joseph Sonnleithner, Stephan von Breuning and George Friedrich Treitschke
Conductor: Antonio Pappano
Director: Tobias Kratzer
Set and costume designer: Rainer Sellmaier
Lighting designer: Michael Bauer
Video designer: Manuel Braun
Dramaturg: Bettina Bartz
Leonore (Fidelio): Lise Davidsen
Florestan: Jonas Kaufmann
Rocco: Georg Zeppenfeld
Don Pizarro: Simon Neal
Marzelline: Amanda Forsythe
Royal Opera Chorus
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
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.
Liam Scarlett’s glorious production of Swan Lake, new in 2018, returns for its first revival. While remaining faithful to the Marius Petipa/Lev Ivanov text, Scarlett’s additional choreography and John Macfarlane’s magnificent designs breathe new life into what is arguably the best-known and most-loved classical ballet. The entire Company shines in this eternal tale of doomed love, a masterpiece filled with iconic moments. Tchaikovsky’s first score for ballet soars with its symphonic sweep and combines perfectly with exquisite choreography from the grand pas de deux of Prince Siegfried and Odile to the swans at the lakeside. An intoxicating, irresistible mix of spectacle and intimate passion.
Choreography: Liam Scarlett after Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov
Music: Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky
Additional choreography:Frederick Ashton
Production: Liam Scarlett
Designer: John Macfarlane
Lighting designer: David Finn
Conductor: Koen Kessels
Liam Scarlett’s glorious production of Swan Lake, new in 2018, returns for its first revival. While remaining faithful to the Marius Petipa/Lev Ivanov text, Scarlett’s additional choreography and John Macfarlane’s magnificent designs breathe new life into what is arguably the best-known and most-loved classical ballet. The entire Company shines in this eternal tale of doomed love, a masterpiece filled with iconic moments. Tchaikovsky’s first score for ballet soars with its symphonic sweep and combines perfectly with exquisite choreography from the grand pas de deux of Prince Siegfried and Odile to the swans at the lakeside. An intoxicating, irresistible mix of spectacle and intimate passion.
Choreography: Liam Scarlett after Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov
Music: Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky
Additional choreography:Frederick Ashton
Production: Liam Scarlett
Designer: John Macfarlane
Lighting designer: David Finn
Conductor: Koen Kessels
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.
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.
Two opera classics are drawn together in this wonderfully observed re-creation of life in a south Italian village as a travelling theatre visits and emotions erupt. The award-winning production by Damiano Michieletto presents vividly the fast-moving and shocking events brought about by secret love and uncontrollable jealousy. The music is full of Italianate melody in the great choruses that bring the villagers together in celebration and revelry, alongside the solo arias and tense confrontations that provoke violence and tragedy. With thrilling singing and intense drama, ‘Cav and Pag’ distils into one wonderful night out, the enduring appeal of Italian opera in its most familiar form.
A co-production with Opera Australia, La Monnaie, Brussels, and the Göteborg Opera.
Conductor: Daniel Oren
Director: Damiano Michieletto
Set designer: Paolo Fantin
Costume designer: Carla Teti
Lighting designer: Alessandro Carletti
CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA
Music: Pietro Mascagni
Libretto: Giovanni Targioni-Tozzetti and Guido Menasci
Turiddu: Yonghoon Lee
Santuzza: Liudmyla Monastyrska
Alfio: Dimitri Platanias
Lola: Josè Maria Lo Monaco
PAGLIACCI
Music: Ruggero Leoncavallo
Libretto: Ruggero Leoncavallo
Canio: Roberto Alagna
Tonio: Dimitri Platanias
Nedda: Aleksandra Kurzak
Silvio: Bogdan Baciu
Beppe: Mikeldi Atxlandabaso
Two opera classics are drawn together in this wonderfully observed re-creation of life in a south Italian village as a travelling theatre visits and emotions erupt. The award-winning production by Damiano Michieletto presents vividly the fast-moving and shocking events brought about by secret love and uncontrollable jealousy. The music is full of Italianate melody in the great choruses that bring the villagers together in celebration and revelry, alongside the solo arias and tense confrontations that provoke violence and tragedy. With thrilling singing and intense drama, ‘Cav and Pag’ distils into one wonderful night out, the enduring appeal of Italian opera in its most familiar form.
A co-production with Opera Australia, La Monnaie, Brussels, and the Göteborg Opera.
Conductor: Daniel Oren
Director: Damiano Michieletto
Set designer: Paolo Fantin
Costume designer: Carla Teti
Lighting designer: Alessandro Carletti
CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA
Music: Pietro Mascagni
Libretto: Giovanni Targioni-Tozzetti and Guido Menasci
Turiddu: Yonghoon Lee
Santuzza: Liudmyla Monastyrska
Alfio: Dimitri Platanias
Lola: Josè Maria Lo Monaco
PAGLIACCI
Music Ruggero Leoncavallo
Libretto Ruggero Leoncavallo
Canio Roberto Alagna
Tonio Dimitri Platanias
Nedda Aleksandra Kurzak
Silvio Bogdan Baciu
Beppe Mikeldi Atxlandabaso
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.
Dante’s Divine Comedy is an epic journey through the afterlife: it encompasses the horrifying drama of Inferno and its damned, the lyrical mysticism of pilgrims on mount Purgatorio and the dazzling spheres of Paradiso with their endless configurations of light. The poem was inspired by the agony of Dante’s own exile, and traces his path from crisis to revelation guided by his literary hero Virgil and his lost love Beatrice. In this new work, The Royal Ballet’s trailblazing Resident Choreographer Wayne McGregor collaborates with an award-winning team – contemporary composer Thomas Adès, artist Tacita Dean, lighting designer Lucy Carter and dramaturg Uzma Hameed – to bring us closer to Dante and his extraordinary vision.
A collaboration between Wayne McGregor, Thomas Adès, Tacita Dean, Lucy Carter
and Uzma Hameed
Choreography: Wayne McGregor
Music: Thomas Adès
Design: Tacita Dean
Lighting design (part one): Lucy Carter, Simon Bennison
Lighting design (parts two and three): Lucy Carter
Dramaturg: Uzma Hameed
Conductor: Koen Kessels
Dante’s Divine Comedy is an epic journey through the afterlife: it encompasses the horrifying drama of Inferno and its damned, the lyrical mysticism of pilgrims on mount Purgatorio and the dazzling spheres of Paradiso with their endless configurations of light. The poem was inspired by the agony of Dante’s own exile, and traces his path from crisis to revelation guided by his literary hero Virgil and his lost love Beatrice. In this new work, The Royal Ballet’s trailblazing Resident Choreographer Wayne McGregor collaborates with an award-winning team – contemporary composer Thomas Adès, artist Tacita Dean, lighting designer Lucy Carter and dramaturg Uzma Hameed – to bring us closer to Dante and his extraordinary vision.
A collaboration between Wayne McGregor, Thomas Adès, Tacita Dean, Lucy Carter
and Uzma Hameed
Choreography: Wayne McGregor
Music: Thomas Adès
Design: Tacita Dean
Lighting design (part one): Lucy Carter, Simon Bennison
Lighting design (parts two and three): Lucy Carter
Dramaturg: Uzma Hameed
Conductor: Koen Kessels
Strauss’s thrilling and audacious adaptation of Greek tragedy receives a new staging by the award-winning director Christof Loy. This uncompromising opera, about a daughter intent on bloody revenge and a mother driven to madness, has provoked critics to lively debate and both shocked and excited audiences since its 1909 premiere. Antonio Pappano conducts music that combines violence with moments of exquisite tenderness in his first Strauss interpretation for The Royal Opera since 2002. The outstanding cast includes Nina Stemme (Brünnhilde in last Season’s Der Ring des Nibelungen) in the title role, and Karita Mattila in her role debut as the haunted queen Klytämnestra.
Music: Richard Strauss
Libretto: Hugo von Hofmannsthal
Conductor: Antonio Pappano
Director: Christof Loy
Designer: Johannes Leiacker
Lighting designer: Olaf Winter
Elektra Nina: Stemme
Chrysothemis: Sara Jakubiak
Klytämnestra: Karita Mattila
Orest: Christof Fischesser
Ägisth: Joseph Kaiser
Royal Opera Chorus
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Strauss’s thrilling and audacious adaptation of Greek tragedy receives a new staging by the award-winning director Christof Loy. This uncompromising opera, about a daughter intent on bloody revenge and a mother driven to madness, has provoked critics to lively debate and both shocked and excited audiences since its 1909 premiere. Antonio Pappano conducts music that combines violence with moments of exquisite tenderness in his first Strauss interpretation for The Royal Opera since 2002. The outstanding cast includes Nina Stemme (Brünnhilde in last Season’s Der Ring des Nibelungen) in the title role, and Karita Mattila in her role debut as the haunted queen Klytämnestra.
Music: Richard Strauss
Libretto: Hugo von Hofmannsthal
Conductor: Antonio Pappano
Director: Christof Loy
Designer: Johannes Leiacker
Lighting designer: Olaf Winter
Elektra Nina: Stemme
Chrysothemis: Sara Jakubiak
Klytämnestra: Karita Mattila
Orest: Christof Fischesser
Ägisth: Joseph Kaiser
Royal Opera Chorus
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
“I never paint dreams or nightmares. I paint my own reality”
We might think we already know Frida Kahlo – the image of floral crowns, big brows and folk style clothing have made her a muse to generations – but what lies beneath the surface of this intensely passionate woman?
This highly engaging film takes us on a journey through the life of one of the most prevalent female icons. Kahlo was a prolific self-portraitist, using the canvas as a mirror through all stages of her turbulent and, at times, tragic life. Guided by interview, commentary and the artist’s own words, Exhibition On Screen uncovers that this, however, was not a life defined by tragedy.
Featuring key exhibitions and interviews with world-renowned Kahlo curators, this personal and intimate film explores the extraordinary symbolism and themes in these personal canvases to seek a deeper understanding of the real Frida. Displaying a treasure trove of colour and a feast of vibrancy on screen, it offers privileged access to her works and highlights the source of her feverish creativity, her resilience and her unmatched lust for life, men, women, politics and her cultural heritage.
“I never paint dreams or nightmares. I paint my own reality”
We might think we already know Frida Kahlo – the image of floral crowns, big brows and folk style clothing have made her a muse to generations – but what lies beneath the surface of this intensely passionate woman?
This highly engaging film takes us on a journey through the life of one of the most prevalent female icons. Kahlo was a prolific self-portraitist, using the canvas as a mirror through all stages of her turbulent and, at times, tragic life. Guided by interview, commentary and the artist’s own words, Exhibition On Screen uncovers that this, however, was not a life defined by tragedy.
Featuring key exhibitions and interviews with world-renowned Kahlo curators, this personal and intimate film explores the extraordinary symbolism and themes in these personal canvases to seek a deeper understanding of the real Frida. Displaying a treasure trove of colour and a feast of vibrancy on screen, it offers privileged access to her works and highlights the source of her feverish creativity, her resilience and her unmatched lust for life, men, women, politics and her cultural heritage.
