The wonderful Naxos Video Library continues to offer up music and dance from around the world

New Year’s Concert, 2007: conducted by Valery Gergiev

Well, it’s the new financial year! With soloists such as violist Yuri Bashmet and pianist Yefim Bronfman this program, filmed at the iconic Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg, is full of popular gems, including the propulsive Ruslan and Lyudmila overture of Glinka and Rachmaninov’s sublime 2nd Symphony. Put your feet up……

Die Walkure: Richard Wagner

You can get into training for the complete Ring Cycle being performed here in Melbourne later this year by watching this production of (arguably) the most popular of the four operas, in a well received production from the Aix-en-Provence Festival in 2007. With Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic in the pit, and the great Willard White as Wotan, you can settle in for what Bette Davis would probably describe as “a bumpy night”! Hojotoho, and all that jazz….

Cello Suites – In den Winden im Nichts: choreographed by Heinz Spoerli

J.S.Bach’s Cello Suites are a cornerstone of the classical repertoire, and a source of inspiration for artists of all persuasions. Here Swiss dancer and choreographer Heinz Spoerli takes numbers 2, 3 and 6 and reveals the sense of movement and fluidity in Bach’s ravishing score that seems to lie at the very heart of most Baroque music.

L’Italiana in Algeri: Giaocchino Rossini

Then again, if you just want to have a grand old time with an opera that fizzes along and has more wacky situations and great tunes than you can shake a conductor’s baton at, go with this little number! One of the maestro’s most seriously deranged comedies, it contains more fabulous arias and ensembles than is really decent, and the finale to Act One can leave you doubting your senses. No subtitles here unfortunately, but they may not have helped anyway…..

A rather fine carte-de-visite of Rossini from our Picture Collection, somewhat surprisingly……