George Balanchine and the Paris Opéra always enjoyed a special relationship after Jacques Rouché, the then administrator, offered the young choreographer the post of ballet master in 1929. Balanchine declined the job, but he created several ballets for the company and came to the Palais Garnier regularly to oversee his works. In 2000, seventeen years after his death, a rare and precious ballet arrived at the Paris Opéra: Jewels, a work first performed by the New York City Ballet in 1967. This alluring, abstract ballet, a triptych in which each piece sparkles with the brilliance of a precious stone, is a lyric tribute to women and to the capital cities of the great dance schools. Couturier, painter and craftsman Christian Lacroix created the glorious costumes and sets which, together with the outstanding performances of the dancers and the sensitive musical direction of Paul Connelly, results in a celebration of sumptuous splendour.

A glittering cast in David McVicar’s 2003 production of Mozart’s last opera. The internationally renowned Mozart interpreter Sir Colin Davis conducts the chorus and orchestra of the Royal Opera House and a glittering cast in Mozart’s last opera, recorded in sumptuous surround sound, live at Covent Garden.

Choreographed by an artistic genius, George Balanchine, Shakespeare’s comedy of magic and love’s delusions set to the music of Felix Mendelssohn is a guaranteed audience pleaser. The Pacific Northwest Ballet displays all the vitality, brilliance and versatility of its wonderful dancers in this award–winning production of Balanchine’s first original full-length ballet.

WINNER Best Television realisation of a stage production, IMZ Dance Screen
BESTSELLER Dance Expression
3 STARS Penguin Guide

Jacqueline du Pré’s extraordinary career was cut cruelly short by illness in 1973 when she was only 28 years old. When she died 14 years later, she remained as vibrant a figure in the public mind as she had been at the pinnacle of her career. Award-winning film maker Christopher Nupen succeeded in capturing the spirit of one of the greatest musicians of the 20th century in his classic documentary (restored and digitally re-mastered for DVD), Jacqueline du Pré and the Elgar Cello Concerto. This DVD portrait also offers Nupen’s film The Ghost, featuring a performance of Beethoven's Piano Trio No. 5.

DVD of the Year MIDEM Classical Awards
Deutschen Schallplattenkritik Prize
10 Classica Répertoire
Best Buy Classic fM

Tchaikovsky's The Sleeping Beauty is one of the best loved of classical ballets, combining in a single work all the enchantment and virtuosity that ballet has to offer. The royal court, the panoramic journey of the Prince to the overgrown castle, and the great celebratory dances of the happy ending (in which other famous fairytale figures appear) are all brought to life by the luscious designs of this celebrated production, created in 1946 for the The Royal Ballet. The inspired performances of its revival for the 75th anniversary of the Company in 2006, together with a magnificent High Definition recording, make this a superb tribute to The Royal Ballet’s unique style and visual splendour. Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London on 5th December 2006.

Lotfi Mansouri’s spectacular last production as General Director of The San Francisco Opera with Yvonne Kenny making her debut in the title role, new dialogue specially commissioned from Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, Wendy Wasserstein and an original ballet to set the scene ‘Chez Maxime’ bringing fresh insight into Lehár’s classic operetta. This production also features another world premiere, Njegus’s song, “Quite Parisian”. Filmed in High Definition in December 2001 at the San Francisco Opera House. Sung in English.

Agnès Letestu, a feminine and warm Odette, and José Martinez, a convincing, pale, vulnerable prince Siegfried, are the stars of this deeply passionate, ‘dream’ version of Swan Lake. Rudolf Nureyev’s interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s lyrical ballet, far from being a clichéd stereotype of this celebrated masterpiece, is an exposé of astonishingly powerful and recognisable human emotions. Under the inspired and clear-cut musical direction of Vello Pähn, this production of one of the jewels of the Paris Opéra Ballet’s repertoire brilliantly displays the meticulous precision, technical prowess and pure, unmannered style of the company’s unrivalled female corps de ballet, eliciting an ethereal, intense beauty captured for DVD in High Definition video and superb surround sound.

‘[Agnès Letestu & José Martinez’s] dancing was sensational, and Letestu in particular was magnificent. She was soft, lyrical yet aristocratic as Odette, as befits her slender, long-limbed body and her mime scene was of intense beauty. … Letestu is outstanding as Odile, both in her technical prowess and artistic interpretation.’ Culture Kiosque

‘a dazzling evening in the company of a galaxy of stars’ Daily Telegraph

This 19th century classic, in an enchanting production by Royal Ballet choreographer Dame Ninette de Valoise, with original designs by Sir Osbert Lancaster, was broadcast live by BBC television in February 2000. ‘we actually hear the delights of Delibes' ever-popular score. It's a feast for the eye too, with the magical story of the enchanted doll, and Osbert Lancaster's witty and colourful designs, benefiting from DVD's clarity. And if you're not a balletomane then prima ballerina Deborah Bull's introduction will really help out.' Birmingham Evening Mail

WINNER IMZ Dance Screen Award
Rosette Penguin Guide

Giancarlo del Monaco’s one million euro cinematic production of Puccini’s popular masterpiece takes its place among the great interpretations of modern times. Jesús Lopez Cobos directs an outstanding cast, led by Inva Mula and Aquiles Machado as Mimi and Rodolfo, in a landmark recording filmed with high definition cameras and in true surround sound. Recorded live, Teatro Real, Madrid, March 2006.

‘Enormous, captivating, awesome… a complete show’ El Mundo
‘The Madrid Symphony Orchestra played remarkably…and the cast, in its totality, showed a great level. Aquiles Machado gives his heart to the character’ El Pais
‘remarkable and solid set designing by Michael Scott…soprano Inva Mula succeeded in showing off her talent with a wide vocal register; brilliant and solid…Fabio Capitanucci brought to the Royal Theatre a vocally and physically powerful Marcelo. Del Monaco adds little details that are very well measured, which give a modern touch to the production which the audience appreciates.’ Filomusica