In its history as a concert orchestra, the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks has also devoted itself on numerous occasions to opera, under such eminent conductors as Rafael Kubelik and Leonard Bernstein. Chief conductor Mariss Jansons also maintains the tradition, for example with concert performances of Russian operas such as "Eugene Onegin". BR-KLASSIK now presents the 2014 live recording in Munich's Philharmonie im Gasteig of the semi-staged performance of Tchaikovsky's late masterpiece "The Queen of Spades". With great connoisseurship, Mariss Jansons has brought together a group of singers for this performance in original Russian who are all native speakers of the language, and very familiar with the work. They include Misha Didyk as Hermann, Tatiana Serjan as Lisa, and Alexey Markov as Prince Yeletsky.

From 2003 to 2019, Mariss Jansons was chief conductor of the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks and the Bavarian Radio Chorus. His death on December 1, 2019 marked the end of an era. As a conductor, Mariss Jansons was appreciated by the musicians of his orchestra and chorus like no other, he was loved by his Munich audience, and revered by his fans in international concert halls from Tokyo to New York.

The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra celebrated the 100th anniversary of Dmitri Shostakovich’s birth in 2006 with a series of concerts, operas, film screenings and other events, including this performance of the composer's Symphony No. 7 "Leningrad", led by Mariss Jansons, recorded live in January 2006.

Recorded live at the legendary Concertgebouw in Amsterdam in 2008, Mariss Jansons and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra present Mussorgsky’s much beloved and much recorded Pictures at an Exhibition in the orchestrated version by Maurice Ravel. This performance underlines the orchestra's magnificent form and wonderful range of sonic colours and imagery.