Social & External
One of the composer's most beguiling scores, La Favorite is Gaetano Donizetti's La favorita in it's original French form; a tale of love and war that represents a glorious mix of Italian bel canto and 19th c. grand opera. Vincent Boussard's arresting Toulouse production does full justice to this newly renewed masterpiece. Three international principals take on the work's demanding roles: Chinese tenor Yijie Shi is a 'revelation' as Fernand, the rich-toned, authoritative French baritone Ludovic Tezier as King Alphonse XI and lauded American mezzo Kate Aldrich - 'the Carmen of this generation' - plumbing the emotional depths of Leonor's music. Conductor and bel canto specialist Antonello Allemandi adds to the passionate proceedings onstage. Maestro Allemandi demonstrated full authority over the stage for the musically complex scenes, and in the arias and duets demonstrated his confidence in the singers by establishing ample tempos to support their soaring vocal lines.
Toivo misses his old best friend, Untamo. How can he get in touch with his old friend after all these years?
Twelve episodic tales in the life of a Parisian woman and her slow descent into prostitution.
The true story of Victor of Aveyron. In a French forest circa 1798, an abandoned child — feral, filthy and mentally impaired — is found. Dr Jean Marc Gaspard Itard becomes interested in the case and patiently attempts to civilise the boy.
In the carefree days before World War I, introverted Austrian author Jules strikes up a friendship with the exuberant Frenchman Jim and both men fall for the impulsive and beautiful Catherine.
A small group of French students are studying Mao, trying to find out their position in the world and how to change the world to a Maoistic community using terrorism.
Larry Flynt is the hedonistically obnoxious, but indomitable, publisher of Hustler magazine. The film recounts his struggle to make an honest living publishing his girlie magazine and how it changes into a battle to protect the freedom of speech for all people.
Reluctantly, a sulky adolescent returns to her parents' house for yet another boring summer vacation, dabbling in desire and the art of desirability, eventually mixing reality with vision, caged fantasies with the fierce female sexuality.
Two FBI agents investigating the murder of civil rights workers during the 60s seek to breach the conspiracy of silence in a small Southern town where segregation divides black and white. The younger agent trained in FBI school runs up against the small town ways of his partner, a former sheriff.
Amidst her own personality crisis, a southern housewife meets an outgoing old woman who tells her the story of Idgie Threadgoode and Ruth Jamison, two young women who experienced hardships and love in 1920s Whistle Stop, Alabama.
When maladjusted orphan Jesse vandalizes a theme park, he is placed with foster parents and must work at the park to make amends. There he meets Willy, a young Orca whale who has been separated from his family. Sensing kinship, they form a bond and, with the help of kindly whale trainer Rae Lindley, develop a routine of tricks. However, greedy park owner Dial soon catches wind of the duo and makes plans to profit from them.
Mary Keene is placed in John Ingalls' office to help carry out a plot to steal his money by placing a fake sister in his home. Mary, however, falls in love with Ingalls, foiling the scheme.
“But is this the final stop or just a long summer vacation before the start of a new journey?”
Liza, a young and optimistic woman, arrives in Saint Petersburg for the first time, enchanted by the city's poetic bridges, legendary embankments, and vibrant bohemian parties. As the day unfolds, unexpected connections form, leading Liza to discover that love might be found in the most unforeseen circumstances.
Amata is about two lives that graze one another without meeting, connected by invisible threads and choices that can change a person’s fate. With its intimate, sensual and deeply human gaze, Amata singles out the bodies and souls of its two lead actresses in order to explore what it means to choose. And love. Nunzia is an out-of-town student with a crushing secret: an unwanted pregnancy. Isolated, she weighs a grueling decision: keep the baby or give it up. In another place, Luca and Maddalena endure the emptiness of a new life that doesn’t arrive. After a long, fruitless trial, a chance presents itself: delicate, luminous, full of anticipation. Amata is the story of two women who intersect, fragile fighters yet strong at the same time, who imagine love, freedom and motherhood in its many forms. And a third woman, Margherita – the child. Torn between different worlds, and silent carrier of a bond that unites them, though no one knows.
Self-made millionaire, Mason Van Horton embodies the sin of pride after being instilled with it by the Devil. The Devil creates two mortals, a man and a woman, and sends them into the world. The man, Van Horton, is given pride, which the Devil believes will lead to his downfall. The woman, lacking specific attributes, is sent to follow Van Horton, with the Devil anticipating her influence on his downward spiral.
A prospector named Rodin is blackmailed for years by Estrella, who tricks him into believing he murdered her missing husband. After meeting Alice, Rodin traps Estrella in a secret room and disposes of her trunk, leading to charges of her murder. He's acquitted on a technicality when her body isn't found. Alice admits she believes he's guilty, and Rodin, releasing her, commits suicide in his library.
Cyriel and Marie, a childless married couple, live on an isolated farm. Their laborious, monotonous lives are turned upside down when a highly virile bull is brought onto their farm. While Cyriel is determined to impregnate their cows, Marie develops an unlikely attraction to the bull.
A talented singer leaves the Atlanta music scene and starts over in small-town Tennessee, where she finds love and new purpose but can't escape the past.
All self-taught dancer Kate Parker has ever wanted to do was perform with the American Academy of Ballet. But when she doesnt make it after auditioning, she learns that it takes more than precision and perfection to succeed in the dance world.
The true-life story of Christian music star Jeremy Camp and his journey of love and loss that looks to prove there is always hope.
A drama set in the American South, where a precocious, troubled girl finds a safe haven in the music and movement of Elvis Presley.
Dusty Chandler is a super star in the country music world, but his shows have the style of a '70s rock concert. One day he takes a walk - out of his overdone concerts to find his real country roots. He's helped and hindered by friends and staff, but pushes on in his search for a real music style as well as a real romance.
Street dancer Skyler comes out of the shadow of her trained dancer sister, Tosha, & joins a dance competition with the Honey dance studio; the prize is a college scholarship.
A down-on-his-luck coach is hired to prepare a team of the best American dancers for an international tournament that attracts all the best crews from around the world, but the Americans haven't won in fifteen years.
All-stars from previous installments convene in glittering Las Vegas, battling for a victory that could define their dreams and their careers.
A group of newcomers to the country music business seek love and stardom.
After the death of her mother, Sara moves to the South Side of Chicago to live with her father and gets transferred to a majority-black school. Her life takes a turn for the better when befriends Chenille and her brother Derek, who helps her with her dancing skills.
While waiting for the brain surgery of his daughter Angela, victim of a motorcycle accident, the surgeon Timoteo recalls his torrid affair with and passion for Italia, a simple woman from slums in the periphery of the big city where he lives. The ghost of the beloved and sexual object of desire Italia chases him in his memories.
Three angels bestow the gift of song to a young girl, who must follow a series of rules in order hold on to it during her rise to fame and fortune.
Lorenzo, who's 16 and born to a wealthy family in Parma, tries to make things right toward a showgirl, Aida, whom his older brother has mistreated. In extending kindness and standing up for her, he comes of age. But, is there anything he can do that will alter Aida's situation or her prospects?
Ren MacCormack is transplanted from Boston to the small southern town of Bomont where loud music and dancing are prohibited. Not one to bow to the status quo, Ren challenges the ban, revitalizing the town and falling in love with the minister’s troubled daughter Ariel in the process.
Aspiring small-town musician Chito is determined to make it big. When a clip of him performing one of his songs goes viral, he seizes the opportunity and pushes to carve out a place for himself in the new wave of Mexican-American music... and ultimately gets caught in a game more dangerous than anticipated.
Drunken, has-been rock star John Norman Howard falls in love with unknown singer Esther Hoffman after seeing her perform at a club. He lets her sing a few songs at one of his shows and she becomes the talk of the music industry. Esther's star begins to rise, while John's continues to fall. She tries desperately to get John to sober up and focus on his music, but it may be too late to save him.
Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet fall in love against the wishes of their feuding families. Driven by their passion, the young lovers defy their destiny and elope, only to suffer the ultimate tragedy.
A tough, street-smart kid serving a sentence in a state youth reformatory meets a beautiful, innocent girl studying at a nearby convent. When forbidden love blossoms between them, they must fight the prison authorities, their parents and the law.
A musical biopic of the Four Seasons—the rise, the tough times and personal clashes, and the ultimate triumph of a group of friends whose music became symbolic of a generation. Far from a mere tribute concert, it gets to the heart of the relationships at the centre of the group, with a special focus on frontman Frankie Valli, the small kid with the big falsetto.
A talented young singer and aspiring songwriter’s Christian faith and family ties are tested when she defies her worship-pastor father and pursues pop-music stardom in GRACE UNPLUGGED, a moving and inspiring new film that explores the true meaning of success.
