Marquee TV will present classical music documentaries and art films

Marquee TV, the streaming service for dance, opera, theatre, classical and contemporary music, has announced its October content highlights, featuring documentaries and performance films marking the 300th anniversary of Vivaldi's Four Seasons, an exploration of Johannes Vermeer's masterpieces, a new staging of Carmen at the Royal Opera House, a tribute to choreographer Kenneth MacMillan, and more.

300th Anniversary of Vivaldi's Four Seasons

Premiere: Saturday October 3, 2026 (Non-exclusive worldwide)

To mark three centuries of Antonio Vivaldi's The Four Seasons, this musical documentary pairs a fiery, complete performance of all four concertos with the story of the composer's tumultuous life. Violinist Fabio Biondi leads the dynamic ensemble Europa Galante inside Venice's magnificent Scuola Grande di Santa Maria della Misericordia, while broadcaster and violinist Marina Chiche traces Vivaldi's path across Europe - from his birth on the Venetian canals and the court of Mantua to the bustling printing houses of Amsterdam and his final days in Vienna. A vibrant, immersive exploration of one of classical music's most enduring masterpieces.

Girl with a Pearl Earring and Other Treasures from the Mauritshuis, The Hague

Premiere: Thursday October 8, 2026 (Non-exclusive worldwide)

By: Exhibition on Screen, directed by David Bickerstaff, Produced by Phil Grabsky

Johannes Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring remains one of the most recognizable and enigmatic portraits in art history, but who was the woman behind the luminous gaze? Granting exclusive access to the Mauritshuis collection, this cinematic documentary brings Vermeer's masterpieces to life in ultra-high-definition detail. Guided by world-class art historians and conservators, the film unpicks the hidden symbolism, subtle techniques, and gallery secrets behind Dutch Golden Age art, offering a comprehensive look at a global icon and the world-renowned museum that houses it.

Carmen at the Royal Opera House

Premiere: Friday October 9, 2026 (Non-exclusive worldwide)

Starring star mezzo-soprano Aigul Akhmetshina in her signature role, Damiano Michieletto's thrilling production of Bizet's Carmen reimagines the classic opera with grit, passion, and intense realism. Transporting the story to a sultry, sun-baked 1970s town, the production explores the intense psychological pressure cooker between the fiercely independent Carmen and the emotionally unraveling Don José (Piotr Beczała). Conducted by Antonello Manacorda, this sizzling staging from the Royal Opera House brings fresh urgency, stunning vocal performances, and raw dramatic power to one of the most beloved works in the operatic repertoire.

MacMillen Celebrated

Premiere: Saturday October 10, 2026 (Non-exclusive worldwide)

Three ballets, one restless imagination. Marquee TV brings The Royal Ballet's tribute to Kenneth MacMillan (1929-92) to audiences worldwide, a programme that moves from pure dance exuberance to psychological darkness to consolation, and shows why he remains the defining British choreographer of the twentieth century.

MacMillan is best known for the full-length dramas that pushed classical ballet into unfamiliar emotional territory. But it was in his one-act works that he did his boldest thinking, and where he reshaped what The Royal Ballet could be - a company willing to put real desire, real damage and real grief on stage. This triple bill is the clearest short introduction to that range on film.

Danses concertantes (1955): MacMillan's calling card. Stravinsky's spiky, syncopated score meets angular, wittily off-kilter dancing in a ballet of pure colour and invention.

Different Drummer (1984): After Büchner's Woyzeck, and set to Webern and Schoenberg: a soldier's descent into jealousy and madness, told with unflinching compassion.

Requiem (1976): Created in memory of MacMillan's friend and fellow choreographer John Cranko, and set to Fauré's Requiem. A luminous, wrenching elegy that ranks among the most beautiful things he made.

Romeo & Juliet (Ballett Zurich)

Premiere: Friday October 16, 2026 (Exclusive UK & US)

Renowned choreographer and Ballett Zürich Director Cathy Marston presents a fresh, emotionally charged reimagining of William Shakespeare's tragic masterpiece. Marking her first major collaboration with General Music Director Gianandrea Noseda leading the Philharmonia Zürich, Marston's adaptation explores a world of stark contrasts, where tender young love collides with extreme social division and generational conflict. Set to Sergei Prokofiev's iconic, dramatic score, this production weaves intricate narrative choreography, deep character psychology, and breathtaking ensemble work to bring literature's most famous star-crossed lovers to vivid life.

Tiler Peck: Suspending Time

Premiere: Saturday October 17, 2026 (Exclusive UK/CA/AUS/NZ)

Directed by Alex Ramsey, this intimate documentary follows New York City Ballet star Tiler Peck over six pivotal years as she navigates a career-ending injury, a global pandemic, and profound personal loss. The film captures her journey through rehearsal studios and quiet moments of reflection as she fights to return to the stage - not only as a principal dancer, but as a bold choreographer and creative force. Featuring new original choreography alongside work by iconic figures like George Balanchine, William Forsythe, Alonzo King, and Christopher Wheeldon, Suspending Time offers an unvarnished look at an artist transforming grief, physical pain, and vulnerability into powerful performance.

Jakub Jozef Orlinski - Music for a While

Premiere: Friday October 23, 2026 (Exclusive UK/US/AUS)

From world-class opera stages to urban breakdance battles, Polish countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński is redefining what it means to be a modern classical star. Following Orliński through high-stakes milestones - including his debut at the Metropolitan Opera, intimate recitals in Warsaw, and Baroque performances in Barcelona - this documentary offers an unvarnished look at his relentless creative energy. Blending behind-the-scenes access, personal phone archives, and performance footage, the film highlights his dual identity as an acclaimed opera singer and accomplished breakdancer. It is a portrait of a boundary-pushing artist breaking classical traditions to bring Baroque music to a new generation.

Jakub Jozef Orlinski: #LetsBaRock

Premiere: Friday October 23, 2026 (Co-exclusive worldwide)

When classical Baroque music collides with the raw beats of modern hip-hop, pop, and jazz, opera star Jakub Józef Orliński and pianist Aleksander Dębicz completely rewrite the rules. Filmed live at Paris's legendary Olympia hall, this high-energy concert special transforms traditional classical performance into an explosive, boundary-pushing event. Backed by a band of drums, bass, and keyboards, Orliński fuses his world-class countertenor vocals with signature breakdancing and magnetic stage presence to reinvent classic masterpieces for a new era.