Opera in 4 acts by Francesco Cilea, libretto by Arturo Colautti

Recorded at the Royal Opera House on November 22 and December 4, 2010

Based on the play Adrienne Lecouvreur by Ernest Legouvé and Eugène Scribe

Cast and creatives

Conductor Mark Elder

Director David McVicar

Adriana Lecouvreur Angela Gheorghiu

Maurizio Jonas Kaufmann

Princess de Bouillon Olga Vladimirovna Borodina

Michonnet Alessandro Corbelli

The Cellist is a ballet by Cathy Marston based on the life of the celebrated cellist, Jacqueline du Pré, whose career was tragically cut short by multiple sclerosis. Lauren Cuthbertson dances the role of du Pré, listed as simply The Cellist; Marcelino Sambé is the cello (The Instrument) and Mathew Ball is The Conductor. The cellist's mother, father and sister are played by Kristen McNally, Thomas Whitehead and Anna Rose O'Sullivan respectively. The conductor is Andrea Molino.

There is no plot to Dances at a Gathering. The choreographer of the work, Jerome Robbins, said:

There are no stories to any of the dances in Dances at a Gathering. There are no plots and no roles. The dancers are themselves dancing with each other to that music in that place.

L'elisir d'amore (The Elixir of Love) is an Opera Buffa or comic melodrama. Since its opening in 1832, it has remained one of Gaetano Donizetti's most loved and most performed operas, containing elements of comedy and melancholy, with some beautiful arias, in particular Una furtiva lagrima (a furtive tear).

The opera tells the tale of Nemorino, a poor peasant, who is in love with the beautiful and wealthy landowner Adina. Unfortunately for Nemorino, Adina treats him with nothing but contempt and indifference. Desperate, Nemorino seeks the help of the traveling quack doctor Dulcamara, who assures him he has the perfect solution…

A ballet in two (now three) acts by Christopher Wheeldon with a scenario by Nicholas Wright, music by Joby Talbot. Based on Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. It was commissioned by The Royal Ballet, Covent Garden, and the National Ballet of Canada. The world premiere was on Monday, February 28, 2011.

Massenet's Cenrdrillon, with libretto by Henri Cain, is based on Charles Perrault's version of the fairy tale in his collection Histoires ou Contes du Temps Passé published in 1697. As such, the story differs somewhat from the usual version of the fairytale.

Cendrillon opened in Paris on May 24, 1899 and was an immediate success, enjoying a run of 50 performances. It went to enjoy success in many opera houses around the world, although it was not performed at the Met until 2018. The melodic score evokes the fantastical nature of the fairytale and features some of Massenent's most beautiful music.