NEW YORK, April 20 /PRNewswire/ --

- With Photo

NEW YORK, April 20 /PRNewswire/ --

- FIRST PAY-PER-VIEW BROADCAST IS THE METROPOLITAN OPERA'S SALOME

Classical TV launches this week with "the greatest performances online"
-- a free library of videos of the most exciting arts performances, concerts,
and special events of recent times, ranging from Handel to Herbie Hancock.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090414/NY96055-a )
    (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090414/NY96055LOGO-b )



Available for free at www.classicaltv.com are full-length videos of
opera, ballet, drama, jazz/pop, documentaries, and more. Plus a rich array of
editorial content: news, reviews, interviews, Editor's Choice playlists, and
blogs.

Included are performances from the world's greatest stages-the Royal
Shakespeare Company, the Bolshoi, Mariinsky Theatre St. Petersburg, Paris
Opera, Dutch National Ballet and English National Opera, among others. The
world's greatest stars are featured: Placido Domingo, Renee Fleming, Carlos
Acosta, Pina Bausch, Sarah Brightman, ABBA, and many more.

In addition, special pay-per-view events from current and recent seasons
will be available, such as the Metropolitan Opera's highly-acclaimed
production of Richard Strauss's Salome, with soprano Karita Mattila,
broadcast at www.classicaltv.com starting April 20.

"Stunning," said the New York Times, praising Mattila's "gleaming power,
eerie expressivity and... beguiling lyricism." (The soprano drew raves for
her "Dance of the Seven Veils.")

For only US$9.99, Classical TV viewers can access a high-definition
streamed video of the full performance of Salome for 72 hours -- a
performance that was one of New York's hottest tickets and part of the Met's
award-winning series of live, high-definition transmissions to movie
theaters.

"We're thrilled to be working with the Met and will be screening more of
their current season's operas," says Classical TV founder/CEO Chris Hunt.
"They not only offer the highest-quality productions but approach the
development of new audiences as we do, in a bold, imaginative way.

"We created Classical TV to synch with the freedom consumers expect
nowadays to connect with programming they want, wherever and whenever they
want -- at home, on their phones, in the office, as well as in the concert
hall."

Upcoming special events at www.classicaltv.com, priced at US$4.99 or 
US$9.99, include the Dutch National Ballet's Giselle; the Metropolitan 
Opera's 125th Anniversary Opening Night Gala Starring Renee Fleming; the 
Zurich Opera's Cosi Fan Tutte, with Cecilia Bartoli; and a "Celebration of 
Dance" from the Mariinsky (Kirov) Ballet.

Note to Editors:

A picture accompanying this release is available through the PA 
Photowire. It can be downloaded from http://www.pa-mediapoint.press.net 
or viewed at http://www.mediapoint.press.net or 
http://www.prnewswire.co.uk.

A picture accompanying this release is available from the European 
Pressphoto Agency (EPA) at http://www.epa-photos.com