Foxtel Arts channel launches

The new Foxtel Arts channel launches today at 10am on Channel 132.

Replacing the STUDIO channel it will feature opera, ballet, music, theatre, dance, cabaret, classical and contemporary performance, documentary specials and series from cinema, literature, music, visual art and artists.

Swan Lake premieres at 6:30pm tonight, The Sound of Music Live premieres tomorrow night and Screen with Margaret Pomeranz and Graeme Blundell premieres on Wednesday. Also coming are Peter Pan Live, Bach’s St. John Passion, Les Miserables Live from the O2 Arena, Graeme Murphy’s Swan Lake and Le Corsaire, Andre Rieu, Helpmann Awards and the Tony Awards Live in June.

Weeknight programming includes documentary series and specials from 7:30pm and follows with performance specials from 9:30pm Monday to Thursday.

Every Monday evening viewers can ‘find their story’, with documentaries focused on literary and the theatrical. The line-up includes Theatreland – an eight-part documentary which takes its audience behind the scenes of the life in London’s legendary Theatre Royal Haymarket and Shakespeare Uncovered which explains the role of the bard and his characters in shaping the craft and careers of some of the stage’s brightest stars. Monday brings the world’s finest operatic productions to Arts starting with Il Trovatore with Placido Domingo.

On Tuesday evenings, Arts will cover all the visual mediums including the series Portrait Artist of the Year and The Waldemar Januszczak Collection Impressionists.

Wednesday evening’s documentaries explore the worlds of music and dance and are followed by an extensive repertoire of ballets including Graeme Murphy’s Swan Lake and Le Corsaire.

On Thursdays, the focus will turn to the moving image with the premiere of Screen, hosted by Margaret and Graeme, then documentaries from all screen arts followed by great works of instrumental music – all performed by masterful soloists, prestigious orchestras and every type of ensemble in between including, at launch, several performances played under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle.

Friday evening is home to popular favourites such as Andrea Bocelli and Andre Rieu. To launch the channel, Arts will broadcast Love In Venice, filmed in Andre’s home town in the Netherlands, and, for the first time the performance will be televised in full.

Saturday night features some of recording history’s biggest rock and pop acts and, early every Sunday evening, the Arts audience can sit back and enjoy a very special family performance in the ‘Sunday Spotlight’ including The Sound of Music Live, Bach’s St. John Passion and Les Miserables Live from the O2 Arena.