Nicolas Courjal in live cinecast of William Tell

Nicolas Courjal rehearsing William Tell (left)

Opera fans in the U.K. will be able to check out barihunk Nicolas Courjal as the evil Gesler in Rossini's William Tell live from the Royal Opera House in London on July 5th. The all-star cast also features Gerald Finley as Tell, John Osborn as Arnold and Malin Byström as Mathilde. The production is directed by Italian  Damiano Michieletto, who is making his debut with the company.

Guillaume Tell had its premiere in 1829, when Gioachino Rossini was 37. He wouldn't write another opera in the remaining 39 years of his life. Rossini's letters suggest he knew Guillaume Tell would be his farewell to opera – an idea that seems to be confirmed by the magnificent music he was inspired to produce. The score – harmonically daring and fiercely difficult for the singers – has an opulent architectural grandeur, heightened with vivid evocations of the soaring Swiss landscape and an incisive dramatic interpretation of Schiller's heroic play.

Christian Van Horn sings Gesler with the Netherlands Opera:

The opera contains many great musical pieces, including Tell's Act III aria "Sois immobile," Mathilde's Act II aria "Sombre foret" and the Act II trio "Quand l'Helvétie est un champ de supplices."

You can see the opera live from June 29-July 17. Tickets and additional information is available online. Locate a cinema showing a performance HERE.