Watch: Sacked French soprano sings at ‘game-changer’ classical launch

Deutsche Grammophon today launched what it called a ‘game-changing classical service’ on French TV channel Canal+.

To set the thing off they called in Julie Fuchs who has just been sacked by Hamburg State Opera for being four months’ pregnant and is very newsworthy indeed at the moment.

Julie posted her aria.

Here’s the press release:

Paris, Thursday, April 26 — Canal+ Group and Universal Music Group launch Deutsche Grammophon+, an innovative channel featuring exclusive and specially curated content showcasing Deutsche Grammophon’s prestigious catalogue.

An audio and audio-visual feast, the channel provides an extensive range of curated music hosting over 400 programmes and classical works at launch; including short documentaries, interviews, portraits, key artist and composer anniversaries, catalogue repertoire, albums, new releases and the openings of all operas in France. Content will be expanded upon regularly and Deutsche Grammophon’s iconic artists will recommend their favourite works in personally curated playlists.

Content featured on Deutsche Grammophon+ includes previously-unreleased filmed concerts, most notably a concert shot in the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel, the audio will be released for the first time by a classical record company in Dolby ATMOS surround sound audio technology.  Deutsche Gramophon has embarked on a program of 10 re-masterings of audio recordings into ATMOS to be released by the end of 2018 with a similar rollout planned for 2019. These feature highlight recordings from the analogue era, including artists such as Leonard Bernstein, Herbert von Karajan and Carlos Kleiber.

Deutsche Grammophon+ is a beautifully curated channel for Canal subscribers, classical music enthusiasts and new fans alike. A stylish, intuitive and entertaining gateway into the rich universe of classical music, its history and its leading lights, Deutsche Grammophon+ is available for streaming via myCANAL. Featuring cutting edge high-resolution recording technology, and for the first time ever, Dolby ATMOS. Deutsche Grammophon+ is currently available for all subscribers with the latest-generation Canal set-top boxes and will be offered via third-party set-top boxes at a later stage. The channel is available within the CANAL Family package, as well as the Panorama and Intégrale offers.

Gerald-Brice Viret, EVP Canal+ TV Channels: “We are very proud to offer the prestigious Deutsche Grammophon catalogue to our classical music loving subscribers. This new video on demand and streaming channel came to life thanks to the Universal Music, Deutsche Grammophon and CANAL+ teams’ expertise.  All part of the Vivendi group, these teams have united their efforts in order to offer a particularly rich and innovative service. An unprecedented service in the media landscape.”

In partnership with Canal+, the channel will grow to encompass repertoire from other classical labels within Universal Music Group.

The channel’s overarching goal is to encourage a passion for classical music and to showcase the full wealth of Deutsche Grammophon’s classical repertoire and its extraordinary artists, from the most revered legends to the avantgarde, including new composers and young developing artists.

Clemens Trautmann, President, Deutsche Grammophon comments: “We are delighted to launch our game-changing classical service in partnership with the inspired team at Canal+.  Our outstanding artists, composers and the incredible catalogues we are custodians of deserve a platform of equally high quality and ambition.  Investing in artists and culture is part of our strategic vision, we will continue to innovate with our partners as we foster a deeper understanding of, and love for, classical music and develop new audiences and ways of enjoyment.”

Et voici le promo: