Angela Brower

Live performance, Bayerische Staatsoper, 2011. The Tales of Hoffmann (French: LES CONTES D'HOFFMANN) is an opéra fantastique by Jacques Offenbach that combines three short stories by E.T.A. Hoffmann into a haunting whole: a melancholy poet reflects on three women he loved and lost in the past: a mechanical performing doll, a Venetian courtesan, and the consumptive daughter of a celebrated composer. One of the questions this opera poses for any director is how to link the 'tales' of Hoffmann's three lost loves together and knit them satisfactorily into the Prologue and Epilogue. In this production, Richard Jones solves the puzzle by turning it into an autobiographical journey which ends with a grand meet-up of all the characters Hoffmann has encountered: for once, Hoffmann is not presented as a rollicking kind of drunken story-spinner, but rather a sad-eyed, sobered-up depressive, who reaches for the bottle only because his disastrous love life has gone wrong yet again.

A legend of mermaids, mere mortals, and sylvan glades. Be transported to a mystical world of water sprites, witches, and wood nymphs. In exchange for love, Rusalka will relinquish not only her mermaid magic, but also her voice.

Semyon Bychkov conducts a cast of young, up-and-coming talent including American soprano Corinne Winters in a new production of Mozart’s opera on the nature of love.

O Come, Little Children features classic Christmas songs beloved by children and adults everywhere. Performed by the world-renowned Mormon Tabernacle Choir, accompanied by the Orchestra at Temple Square, and featuring the singularly beautiful voice of acclaimed tenor Rolondo Villazon, this album takes the listener on a joyful journey through timeless classics that celebrate the season. Rolando's powerful tenor voice shines on classic carols "I Saw Three Ships," "Deck the Hall," and "We Three Kings." Delightful renditions of "Christmas Children" from Scrooge and "Parade of the Wooden Soldiers" are performed by the Orchestra at Temple Square, followed by Rolando's tender reading of the celebrated short story "The Little Match Girl," by Charles Dickens. This album will whisk you away to once again see the childlike wonder of Christmas.

A young count is in love with a shrewd woman who returns his feelings. But her guardian harbours his own plans for her. When jack-of-all-trades Figaro rushes to the young couple's aid, bribery, deceit and comic entanglements ensue. Will he succeed in saving the day - and love? Bursting with exuberant music, captivating comedy and ingenious disguises, Rossini’s masterpiece is the ultimate feel-good opera. In Den Norske Opera and Ballett’s new production, director Jetske Mijnssen takes the story seriously - didn’t Count Almaviva and Rosina’s union turn out unhappy in Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro? - and shows how comedy is always close to tragedy.

Rusalka is not a happily tragic fairy tale. Rusalka’s lake is a dark, damp cellar, where she is imprisoned with her sisters by her abusive father. But once she finally escapes, she is thrown mute and alone into an equally brutal world where she is utterly unequipped to survive, and he increasingly looks like a protector.

A staging of Richard Strauss' opera "Ariadne auf Naxos" by Katie Mitchell. Recorded at the Festival d'Aix-en-Provence.