Beethoven's symphonic cycle is one of the most quintessential in the Western classical canon. They chart a course from the influence of Haydn and Classical models in the early symphonies, through works of startling innovation and the birth of Romanticism, to his monumental Ninth Symphony for soloists, chorus and orchestra. Zubin Mehta conducts the Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in these live recordings from 2021/22.

Trace the Depression-era movement of populism in American art, based in the notion that high art should speak to the broad, general population, and learn how Copland’s Symphony No. 3 captured the euphoric mood of the country following victories over the Depression, fascism, and Japanese imperialism. Note also how the artistic politics of the postwar decades relegated the Symphony to temporary obscurity in an era that sought to purge music of self-expressive...

At once an invaluable photographic record of life in Weimer Berlin and a timeless demonstration of the cinema's ability to enthrall on a purely visceral level, Berlin, Symphony of a Great City (Berlin, die Symphonie der Grosstadt) offers a kaleidoscopic view of a single day in the life of a bustling metropolis. Carl Mayer (The Last Laugh), influenced by the naturalistic Kammerspiel movement, envisioned "a melody of pictures" sprung from daily reality...

Delve into the 19th-century movement within Russia to create a distinctively Russian national art. With his Symphony No. 1 as a point of reference, learn how Mily Balakirev personified the quest for an authentic Russian musical aesthetic. Observe how this quest reflected a geopolitical conflict within Russia between pro-Western and "Slavophile"schools of thought, and see how Balakirev gathered around him a group of young composers who would change...

Explore the extraordinary industrial and economic rise of the United States in the 19th century, a phenomenon celebrated in the Chicago Columbian Exposition of 1893, one of the most spectacular world’s fairs ever held. Witness the historic participation of Antonin Dvork, and uncover the impact on American music of Dvork’s residency in the U.S., which produced his symphony entitled From the New World, and pointed toward the creation of a uniquely...

The Mikado's son (Nanki-Poo) dons a disguise to confuse an elderly admirer.

"In 1979, Monty Python's Life of Brian turned the Biblical epic on its head. Now, the makers of Spamalot turn classical music on its ear! Prepare for Not the Messiah (He's a Very Naughty Boy) - the comedic masterpiece that combines all of the unforgettable humor of the Python's most celebrated film with the overblown grandeur of a symphony orchestra. Don't miss your chance to share the one-night only performance featuring a rare on-stage reunion of...

Presents a history and criticism of music and how to listen and appreciate it.

Within Washington's hotbed of live entertainment, visit the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, with its multiple performance spaces. Then learn about the National Theatre, The Shakespeare and Folger theatres, DC's outstanding regional theaters, and music offerings from the National Symphony Orchestra to venues featuring jazz, rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, and alternative music.

DARE TO DRUM tells the story of rock star composer Stewart Copeland, drummer for The Police, teaming up with D’Drum, a Texas-based world percussion group, and Maestro Jaap van Zweden with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra to create groundbreaking work, both on and off the screen. In 2011, after three years of composing, rehearsals, recording sessions, and trips to Bali and Java, "Gamelan D'Drum" - a musical synthesis of pitch, rhythm, and orchestration...