Koroghlu

Vienna State Opera Presents Rossini’s Il Barbiere de Sivillia

October 2021 •German

A colorful and comedic staging of the classic opera buffa by the Vienna State Opera.

The Flower of Hawaii

March 1933 •German

An adaptation of the operetta The Flower of Hawaii by Paul Abraham. It is based on the life of the last Queen of Hawaii Liliuokalani.

Opéra National de Paris: Castor et Pollux by Jean-Philippe Rameau

January 2025 •French

A return to its roots for Castor et Pollux, Jean-Philippe Rameau’s lyric tragedy first performed in 1737 at the Académie royale and inspired by the mythological episode of the Gemini. Rarely performed in its original version – the score was reworked by Rameau himself in 1754 –, this daring work plays on contrasts and expressiveness, as in the famous “Tristes apprêts”. The aria is sung by Télaïre mourning the death of her fiancé Castor, killed in battle, before his twin brother Pollux descends into the Underworld to ask his father, Jupiter, to bring him back to life. While this opera celebrates brotherly love, its prologue poses an essential question for director Peter Sellars: how do you stop a war and its attendant hatred and resentment?

Arshin Takes a Wife

October 1945 •Azerbaijani

Set in Baku at the turn of the 20th century, a young successful businessman Asgar wishes to marry. He wants his bride to be the choice of his heart, however, Azerbaijani tradition restricted him from communicating with the lady as a lover before marriage. So Asgar decides to disguise himself as a mere cloth peddler and the young woman Gulchohra falls in love with him.

The Pirates of Penzance

February 1983 •English

As a young child, Frederic had been apprenticed to a pirate by mistake when he should have been apprenticed to a pilot. Now, having reached his 21st year, Frederic's indentures are at last over and he happily leaves the service of the pirates. When Frederic meets the beautiful Mabel, one of the many daughters (or wards in Chancery) of Major-General Stanley, they fall in love and decide to marry. However, complications arise when the pirates decide to marry the rest of the Major-General's daughters, themselves - and Frederic's birthdate turns out to be not all it seems.

Rigoletto

June 1955 •Italian

A musical drama based on Giuseppe Verdi's opera Rigoletto.

On Distant Shores

August 1958 •Azerbaijani

The film portrays the life of the legendary Azerbaijani guerrilla of the Second World War Mehdi Huseynzadeh, who fought the Nazi forces in the present-day Italy and Slovenia, hence the film's name On distant shores referring to the Adriatic Sea.

The Labour and Rose

May 1963 •Azerbaijani

The film is about famous Chechen ballet and folk dancer Mahmud Essembayev's life.

If Not This, Then That

December 1956 •Azerbaijani

Popularly known by the name of the main character, "Mashadi Ibad" was based on a musical comedy by composer Uzeyir Hajibeyov and written in the early 1900s. The story is based on the age old-theme of a beautiful young woman Gulnaz who falls in love with a young man Sarvar but is obliged to marry someone else.

Tahmina

May 1993 •Azerbaijani

This Azerbaijani romantic drama depicts the love affair between Zaur, a man from an affluent family, and Tahmina, a divorced woman doing her best to survive in a conservative society.

Porgy and Bess

June 1959 •English

In the early 1900s, the fictional Catfish Row section of Charleston, South Carolina serves as home to a black fishing community. Crippled beggar Porgy, who travels about in a goat-drawn cart, loves the drug-addicted Bess, who lives with stevedore Crown, the local bully.

V tom domečku pod Emauzy

March 1934 •Czech

The Royal Ballet: The Nutcracker

December 2023 •English

Clara is given an enchanted Nutcracker doll on Christmas Eve. As midnight strikes, she creeps downstairs to find a magical adventure awaiting her and her Nutcracker. The magician Drosselmeyer transforms the drawing room into a battle between mice and toy soldiers. During the battle, Clara saves the Nutcracker’s life – so breaking a magical spell that turned him from a boy to a toy – and the Mouse King is defeated. In celebration, Drosselmeyer sweeps Clara and the Nutcracker off to the Kingdom of Sweets, where they meet the Sugar Plum Fairy and take part in a wonderful display of dances. The next morning, Clara’s adventures seem to have been more than just a dream.

Naughty Marietta

March 1935 •English

In order to avoid a prearranged marriage, a rebellious French princess sheds her identity and escapes to colonial New Orleans, where she finds an unlikely true love.

The Devil's Brother

May 1933 •English

Two wannabe bandits join the service of a dashing nobleman, who secretly masquerades as Fra Diavolo, a notorious outlaw.

Shared Bread

October 1969 •Azerbaijani

While there is famine during WW2, a boy with mom far away, tries to stay strong.

My Seven Sons

September 1970 •Azerbaijani

This film was based on Samad Vurgun's "Komsomol poem". Seven sons, like seven samurai become the seven komsomols (communist leaders) who were sent to a village to establish Soviet power. Seven sons become the romanticized images of people's heroes ready to take revenge.

Don Giovanni

November 1979 •Italian

Screen adapatation of Mozart's greatest opera. Don Giovanni, the infamous womanizer, makes one conquest after another until the ghost of Donna Anna's father, the Commendatore, (whom Giovanni killed) makes his appearance. He offers Giovanni one last chance to repent for his multitudinious improprieties. He will not change his ways So, he is sucked down into hell by evil spirits. High drama, hysterical comedy, magnificent music!

Carmen: A Hip Hopera

May 2001 •English

An engaged Philadelphia policeman falls in love with a beautiful woman while dealing with a corrupt superior.

The Winds Blow in Baku

January 1974 •Azerbaijani

Summer 1942. Nazi troops storm the Caucasus. They are rushing to get their hands on Baku oil. An Abwehr special group called "Wartburg" has settled in the Nalchik area. In Baku, German spy Ziegel (Pavel Kadochnikov) heads to the oil fields from Maykop under the name of Soviet engineer Kashtanov. Tankers carrying gasoline begin to explode in the Caspian Sea. Soviet counterintelligence agent "Khazri" infiltrates "Wartburg"...