An American Girl: Saige Paints the Sky 2013 ( 7.1)

Saige Copeland is a talented artist who loves horses. She's pumped up about the new school year and seeing her best friend Tessa. But that changes when Tessa seems to be hanging out with another girl and when art class is cut. Saige, now trapped, goes to her grandmother for help and takes action. Saige now must face her fear and overcome her stage fright. Can Saige let go of her fears and her jealousy to shine bright and regain her friendship with Tessa?

A Golden Christmas 3 2012 ( 5.3)

Heather is a charming free spirit whose self-absorbed fiancé Roger never seems to hear a word that comes out of her mouth. Bobby is a naval officer who comes home from serving overseas, looking to start a new chapter in his life. Both Heather and Bobby long to meet someone who makes them feel like they are at home in this world, but they are starting to doubt that person exists. Thanks to two Golden Retrievers, Bobby's spirited eleven-year-old niece Myra, and a fun-filled theatre production of 'A Christmas Carol,' these two unlucky and unlikely people end up falling in love at Christmas. But can they overcome the issues of their past and present in order to build a future together?

3 Holiday Tails 2011 ( 5.2)

Rod and Katherine Wright are enjoying their retirement in Florida – or so they’re telling each other. Actually, Rod’s been bored with nothing to do, and Katherine misses her kids back home, especially with Christmas right around the corner. At least they’ve made friends with their new neighbor Lisa, who’s a golden retriever fan like them – Rod and Katherine’s dog Jake has three new puppy playmates, Mario, Luigi and Pasquale. But when Jake and the puppies take off during a walk with Lisa and interrupt a wedding proposal, Lisa is mortified to discover the proposer is none other than her lifelong-friend-turned-boyfriend-turned-ex, David. Everyone can see that David and Lisa are meant to be together. Everyone, that is, except for David and Lisa. Now, with David’s wedding approaching, they must decide whether to leave their love in the past, or to give it another chance. With a little help from Rod and Katherine and four lovable pups, it’s sure to be a Christmas to remember.

Wagner: Die Walküre 2011

Humperdinck: Hänsel und Gretel 2008

Johannes Felsenstein’s production of HANSEL AND GRETEL presents it with every sinister element removed. The children remain in a home setting with their own bed central to the scene and the barest hint of a forest behind, while their father plays the witch as an amiable, totally benevolent figure, not sinister at all, even joining them in the final joyful ensemble. When they sing that the witch is dead, you find that the production contradicts that completely. Taking that unsinister stance means that the opera loses much of its bite. No doubt Felsenstein felt that it would make the piece more accessible for very young children, though many of them relish the sinister element. That said, it is a strong and capable performance, very well conducted and with a cast of good if not outstanding singers. One wonders what Felsenstein meant to convey, just as it is not clear why the central characters should regularly be carrying dolls. A highly individual version of a much-loved opera.

The Ring of the Nibelung: The Valkyrie 2016

Frank Castorf’s staging of the Ring, premiered in 2013 and filmed in 2016, provoked controversy right from the beginning. For Castorf, the Rheingold of our days is oil; thus he places the first part of the tetralogy at a gas station on Route 66. Die Walküre is situated in Baku, Azerbaijan, which was seized by the Bolsheviks in 1920 for its oil, whereas Siegfried takes place in a socialist equivalent of Mount Rushmore and at Berlin’s Alexanderplatz. Götterdämmerung is set somewhere in the GDR, ending up at New York’s stock exchange. Whilst Castorf’s staging polarized, Marek Janowski’s musical reading was unanimously praised, as was the excellent cast including in this opera Iain Paterson (Wotan), Nadine Weissmann (Erda), Albert Dohmen (Alberich) and Roberto Saccà (Loge)

Lisa and Lottie 2007 ( 6.8)