Luciano Pavarotti, the greatest tenor of the twentieth century, sang to over 500,000 people on the Great Lawn of New York's Central Park in June 1993. It was one of his most celebrated performances.

Throughout his life, Pavarotti battled to bring opera to the masses, and this free concert ensured the Italian maestro's legacy would live on. Titles sung include “Nessun Dorma,” “O Sole Mio,” “La Girometta,” “Serenata,” “Chitarra Romana,” and “Recondita Armonia.”

Sharing the stage are members of the New York Philharmonic under music director Kurt Masur and conductor Leone Magiera, with the Boys Choir of Harlem and solo flute by Andrea Griminelli.

Take a front row seat as the "King of the High Cs" Luciano Pavarotti performs “Nessun Dorma” for over 500,000 people in New York's Central Park.

Pavarotti: Live in Central Park

Glyndebourne's brilliant production of Handel's Giulio Cesare starring Sarah Connolly and Danielle de Niese. 

Widely considered one of Handel's best operas, Giulio Cesare gets a turn-of-the-century revamp in David McVicar's stunning production. Dame Sarah Connolly gives a commanding performance as the power-hungry Julius Caesar who falls madly in love with a flirty and modern Cleopatra (Danielle de Niese).  

With captivating staging and a perfectly paced score, thanks to conductor William Christie and The Orchestra of The Age of Enlightenment, this production is a feast for the eyes and ears. 

Glyndebourne's brilliant production of Handel's Giulio Cesare starring Sarah Connolly and Danielle de Niese. 

Giulio Cesare

Scottish Opera presents a groundbreaking new digital opera about a fiery family feud. 

A simple phone call triggers a fierce feud between brothers Angus and Kai, co-owners of The Narcissistic Fish restaurant. Amidst their heated exchange, Belle, an underpaid yet talented chef, has a profound revelation. 

This short, thought-provoking, work offers a unique opera experience. Filmed on an immersive set, composer Samuel Bordoli's evocative music intertwines seamlessly with Jenni Fagan's provocative libretto, unraveling a visceral saga that delves into the intersections of class, gender, and workplace pressures in 21st-century Scotland. 

Scottish Opera presents a groundbreaking new digital opera about a fiery family feud at The Narcissistic Fish restaurant.

The Narcissistic Fish

Director Oliver Mears presents a chilling interpretation of Verdi's tale of vengeance and loss, revealing the psychological horror at its core.

Set in a sleek, corporate world governed by power and cruelty, this, ''thrilling new production'' (The Times ★★★★) brims with Shakespearean irony, drawing out the torment of the hunchbacked jester, whose physical deformity symbolizes the moral decay surrounding him. Carlos Álvarez gives a compelling performance as Rigoletto, his voice laden with anguish as his tragic fate unravels. Lisette Oropesa’s Gilda sings with remarkable tonal beauty, but there is no romanticizing the tragedy here—every betrayal and death is a harsh reckoning with fate.

Mears delivers a masterclass in opera direction, further elevated by Antonio Pappano’s commanding conducting. Don’t miss the return of "La donna è mobile" in the final act, where we discover who truly has the last laugh.

Power is set against innocence in this strikingly staged production, starring Lisette Oropesa and Carlos Álvarez.

Rigoletto

Stefan Herheim's moving reimagining of Gian Carlo Menotti's opera "Amahl and the Night Visitors," at MusikTheater an der Wien, is a spellbinding take on a family-friendly classic. 

Renowned opera director Stefan Herheim breathes new life into the timeless tale of Amahl, a disabled boy who befriends the Three Kings during their pilgrimage to the Holy Child. Set in a modern-day children's cancer ward, Menotti's short opera is transformed into a deeply moving show filled with empathy, love, and joyful fantasy. Amahl's Three Kings bear a striking resemblance to the hospital staff, the angels resemble his fellow ward patients, and his hospital bed floats magically through the night sky. Herheim's genius staging has brought this holiday classic to new heights. 

'I certainly was not expecting to be brought to tears during a 50-minute children’s holiday opera' - Bachtrack 

Stefan Herheim's moving reimagining of Gian Carlo Menotti's opera "Amahl and the Night Visitors" at MusikTheater an der Wien is a spellbinding take on a family-friendly classic.  

Amahl and the Night Visitors

Siegfried follows the rise of a young hero, the illegitimate son of the twins whose story we were told in Die Walküre. On the one hand, there is learning about life, glorying in nature and in the emotions, as opposed to those of calculation and greed on the other.

In the third part of Wagner's Ring Cycle, Siegfried follows the rise of a young hero, the illegitimate son of the twins from Die Walküre

Siegfried

Esteemed director Christof Loy presents a stunning new production of Strauss' intimate psychological opera, Arabella.

Loy's innovative staging highlights the dark side of Strauss and librettist Hugo von Hofmannsthal's comic opera with unnerving tact. Arabella's family is facing financial ruin, her own sister, Zdenka, has been raised as a boy to save the family the extravagant cost of introducing two daughters into society. Their only hope is to marry Arabella off to a wealthy man, but what she longs for is true love, and sometimes love can be blinding.  

With minimalistic staging and sleek elegant sets, Loy turns focus to Arabella's complicated cast of characters. Soprano Jacquelyn Wagner brings a haunting believability to the charming Arabella, most notably in her Act 1 aria Mein Elemer, and mezzo Sarah Defrise shines as the tragic Zdenka. 

Esteemed director Christof Loy presents a stunning new production of Strauss' intimate psychological opera, Arabella.

Arabella

Joyce DiDonato and Julia Bullock star in a bold reimagining of Handel's revelatory odyssey. This opera, not performed at Covent Garden since 1750, has been revitalized under Katie Mitchell's visionary, feminist direction. 

Theodora, a devout believer, has become a key figure in the resistance against Roman oppression. When her plan to dismantle the Roman embassy is exposed, she confronts the brutal realities of her adversaries, unveiling the unyielding strength of her faith in the face of her brutal oppressors.  

Mitchell's innovative approach transforms this Baroque classic into a contemporary spectacle. DiDonato and Bullock bring astounding emotional depth to their complicated characters, and Baroque specialist Harry Bicket breathes new life into Handel's masterpiece. 

Joyce DiDonato and Julia Bullock star in a bold reimagining of Handel's Theodora at The Royal Opera House.

Theodora

Immerse yourself in a bold reimagining of Dvořák’s haunting opera, where nature’s beauty and human desire collide tragically in a modern world.

Filmed at London's Royal Opera House, this powerful Slavic parable tells the tale of a water nymph who surrenders her voice and immortality for a chance at love—only to discover a devastating truth. Soprano Asmik Grigorian's achingly vulnerable portrayal of Rusalka and David Butt Philip's soaring tenor as the Prince infuse each scene with intense emotion.

Directors Natalie Abrahami and Ann Yee bring fresh urgency to this unforgettable story of desire, loss, and self-discovery amid environmental ruin. Conductor Semyon Bychkov draws every ounce of passion from Dvořák's sweeping score, creating pure operatic magic.

Dvořák’s dark opera sees a water nymph sacrifice all for a chance at human love—only to face tragic consequences.

Rusalka

London’s Royal Opera House presents Mozart’s timeless comic opera, a masterpiece brimming with captivating arias and emotional depth. 

Riccardo Fassi’s portrayal of Figaro, the clever and quick-witted valet, is a revelation, marked by impeccable comedic timing. Equally captivating is Giulia Semenzato as Countess Almaviva, whose longing for love and dignity resonates in her aria, "Porgi amor," a true highlight of the performance.

Director David McVicar’s production stands out for its nuanced exploration of gender politics and power dynamics. Under the baton of Sir Antonio Pappano, the orchestra expertly transitions from Figaro’s ironic farewell to Cherubino in “Non più andrai” to the poignant “Dove sono,” where the Countess reflects on lost happiness. The Count’s plea, “Contessa, perdono,” remains one of the opera’s most moving moments.


When a nobleman tries to seduce his wife’s maid on her wedding night, it leads to a hilarious plot of revenge in Mozart’s classic comic opera.

Le Nozze di Figaro

Watch Leos Janácek's much-loved opera ''The Cunning Little Vixen'' spring to life in this charming animated film.

Janácek was inspired to write one of his most beloved operas after seeing Stanislav Lolek's famous newspaper cartoon strip depicting the rural tale of Vixen Sharp-Ears and her adventures on Forrester's farm. Now, The Cunning Little Vixen returns to its animated roots in this wonderfully whimsical cartoon inspired by Lolek's original drawings. 

Sung in English and beautifully animated Janácek's clucking chickens, moody badgers, and adorable foxes burst to life as never before in this family-friendly film.  Follow Vixen Sharp-Ears from her life as a young cub on Forrester's farm to her great adventure into the wild. 

 Janácek's much-loved opera ''The Cunning Little Vixen'' springs to life in this charming animated film.

The Cunning Little Vixen

The Royal Opera House's superb production of Saint-Saëns' opera, Samson and Delilah, skillfully directed by the multi-Olivier Award Winner, Richard Jones. 

This operatic reimagining of the timeless biblical tale of the hero Samson and his lover Delilah who violently betrays him is no easy feat. Famed director Richard Jones has taken on this complicated epic not performed at The Royal Opera House since Elijah Moshinsky’s striking 1981 production. With glitzy casino motifs and nods to 20th-century film, this ancient tale springs to life in vivid color. 

Latvian mezzo-soprano Elīna Garanča steals the show as the seductive Delilah, especially in her arias “Printemps qui commence” and “Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix.”  SeokJong Baek makes his Royal Opera House debut giving a thrilling performance as the heroic Samson, and Sir Antonio Pappano conducts the full force of the Royal Opera House Orchestra. 

The Royal Opera House's superb production of Saint-Saëns' opera, Samson and Delilah, skillfully directed by the multi-Olivier Award Winner, Richard Jones. 

Samson et Dalila

This production from Teatro alla Scala stars opera greats Jonas Kaufmann and Erwin Schrott, with newcomer Anita Rachvelishvili making her wildly successful debut.

This production from La Scala stars opera greats Jonas Kaufmann and Erwin Schrott, with newcomer Anita Rachvelishvili making her successful debut.

Carmen

The legendary Zubin Mehta conducts Aida, Verdi’s most spectacular and over-the-top opera, in Ferzan Ozpetek’s new production from the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino. Starring Roberto Tagliavini, Luciana D’Intino and Hui He in the title role.

The legendary Zubin Mehta conducts Aida, Verdi’s most spectacular and over-the-top opera.

Aida

Glyndebourne has a proud association with the operas of Benjamin Britten, however until 2010 had never staged Billy Budd. The all-male opera with a libretto co-written by E.M. Forster, is based on the battle between pure good and blind evil, and is set on a British man-o'-war ship. Michael Grandage, Artistic Director of the Donmar Warehouse, chose this work to make his long-awaited operatic debut. Sir Mark Elder returned to conduct, marking the 100th opera production in his illustrious career.

The all-male opera is based on the battle between pure good and blind evil, and is set on a British man-o'-war ship.

Billy Budd

A modern opera adaptation by Charles Wuorinen based on Annie Proulx’s short story previously adapted by Ang Lee for the Oscar-winning film Brokeback Mountain. This marks Wuorinen’s return to the opera stage with one of the major works of his career, equally ambitious in its beauty and momentous tragedy. Brokeback is the story of ranch hand Ennis del Mar and rodeo cowboy Jack Twist, two young men who meet and fall in love on the fictional Brokeback Mountain in Wyoming in 1963. Wuorinen says “It’s a story of doomed love, in this case a complex homosexual relationship taking place in a very homophobic society."

A modern opera adaptation by Charles Wuorinen based on Annie Proulx’s short story.

Brokeback Mountain

Puccini’s Japanese tragedy Madama Butterfly is given a ravishing production by The Royal Opera. 
Its alluring imagery of Japan from the 19th-century European Imagination heightens the intense clash of East and West. When the American naval officer Pinkerton seduces the young ‘Butterfly’ Cio-Cio-San, he seems to promise every happiness – but his cruel abandonment leads to her tragic self-sacrifice.
Antonio Pappano, Music Director of The Royal Opera and renowned for his interpretations of Puccini, conducts an exceptionally fine cast with the Royal Opera Chorus and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House.

Powerful performances show why Madama Butterfly remains one of the all-time operatic favorites.

Puccini’s Madama Butterfly is one of the best-known operas worldwide. The ROH stages this alluring Japanese tragedy, reminding us why it’s a favorite.

Bonfire of the Vanities: The Opera

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