Naxos has announced its acquisition of the Opus Arte label from the Royal Opera House.

The company announced that the acquisition marks a step in the company’s expansion of its audiovisual activities, as video continues to gain importance in the classical music industry.

Klaus Heymann, the Founder and Chairman of the Naxos Music Group,  said in a press release, “Our group has been distributing Opus Arte for many years and I am familiar with the outstanding artistic and technical quality of the productions. I am happy that the distribution relationship has changed into ownership and one of close cooperation in future productions. We are delighted to advise that the experienced team that has run the label for many years will stay on board and develop and further expand the label, to maintain and strengthen its position in the market, now as part of the Naxos Music Group.”

Meanwhile, Royal Opera House Chief Executive Alex Beard said, “We are delighted to hand over the reins to Naxos, the world’s leading classical music label. Naxos will take Opus Arte on to its next exciting phase, ensuring the multi-platform production and distribution company remains at the forefront of delivering high-quality opera, theatre, and ballet to audiences worldwide.”

The acquisition will include a catalog of some 600 productions, many of which are also available for licensing for television and video on demand. With the addition of the Opus Arte catalog, Naxos already holds rights to some 1,600 audiovisual programmes and is now a major player in the business of performing arts on screen.

The new acquisition will also see a long-term cooperation agreement with the Royal Opera House, giving Naxos the first option to distribute and market new and upcoming audiovisual recordings of opera and ballet performances from the Royal Opera House.