Stingray Brava
{{Infobox television channel
| name = Stingray Brava
| logo = Stingray Bravo.svg
| logo_size = 220px
| logo_caption = Stingray Brava Logo
| image =
| launch_date = {{Start date and age|2006|||df=y}} (Pan-European feed)
{{Start date and age|2010|7|1|df=y}} (Dutch feed)
| closed_date = {{End date and age|2019|3|1|df=y}}
| picture_format = 1080i HDTV
{{small|(downscaled to 16:9 576i for the SDTV feed)}}
| network =
| owner = Stingray Group (since 2015)
| country = Netherlands
| language =
| area = Europe
Worldwide
| headquarters = Almere, Netherlands
| former_names = Stingray Brava Europe:
Brava HDTV (2007–2013)
Brava HD (2013–2014)
Brava (2014–2016)
Stingray Brava Dutch:
Brava NL (2009–2013)
Brava NL Klassiek (2013–2014)
Brava (2014–2016)
| replaced = Cultuur 7 (Flanders)
| replaced_by = Stingray Brava Europe:
Closed down, effectively replaced by Stingray Classica Europe
Stingray Brava Dutch:
Rebranded as a local version of Stingray Classica
| sister_channels = Stingray Djazz
Stingray iConcerts
Stingray Lite TV
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| website =
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Stingray Brava (formerly Brava) was a cultural television channel originated in the Netherlands, owned by the Stingray Group in Canada. The programming consisted of opera, ballet, and concertos. Productions were recorded in opera houses such as the Royal Opera House, the Teatro Real, and La Scala. The productions consisted of stage performances such as La bohème, Otello, Aida, Swan Lake, Tosca, Zoroastre and Così fan tutte.
History
Brava was founded by Jur Bron and Gerard Ardesch.{{cite web|url=https://www.totaaltv.nl/nieuws/brava-hdtv-eerste-nederlands-hdtv-kanaal/|title=BRAVA HDTV eerste Nederlands HDTV kanaal|date=5 July 2006|publisher=TotaalTV.nl|author=Jarco Kriek|language=nl}} The pan-European Brava HDTV (now Stingray Brava Europe) was launched in 2006, and Brava NL (now Stingray Brava Dutch), which is broadcast in Dutch and focuses on Dutch contents, began on 1 July 2009. Brava was co-owned by Strengholt BV between 23 December 2011 and 31 July 2015.{{Cite web|url=http://www.totaaltv.nl/nieuws/7320/Strengholt_stapt_in_Brava_en_SchlagerTV.html|title=Strengholt stapt in Brava en SchlagerTV|date=23 December 2011|publisher=Totaal TV|author=Jarco Kriek|language=nl}}{{cite web|url=http://www.nederland.broadbandtvnews.com/2011/12/23/strengholt-neemt-belang-in-brava-en-schlagertv/|title=Strengholt neemt belang in Brava en SchlagerTV|date=23 December 2011|publisher=Broadband TV News|author=Robert Briel|language=nl}}
On 25 November 2010, Brava launched Brava 3D, which showcased stereoscopic 3D television content across Europe as a Free-to-air channel on the Astra 3B satellite. The channel, however, was closed down on 1 August 2012.[http://en.kingofsat.net/channelhistory.php?ch=8646 KingOfSat.net Change Log Brava 3D][https://www.kabelnoord.nl/nieuws/zenderaanbod/brava-3d-tv-gestopt Kabel Noord - 3D kanaal Brava 3D gestopt]
The Canadian company Stingray Group took over Brava on 31 July 2015.{{cite press release|url=http://www.stingray.com/about-us/press-room/news-and-press-releases/stingray-announces-closing-transaction-brava-tv-group|title=Stingray Announces Closing of Transaction with Brava TV Group|date=31 July 2015|publisher=Stingray Digital}} Followed by Cultuur 7 in Flanders in October 2015, which merged with Brava on 1 December 2015.{{cite web|url=https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2015/11/26/cultuur-7-becomes-brava/|title=Cultuur 7 becomes Brava|date=26 November 2015|publisher=BroadbandTVNews.com|author=Robert Briel}} Both versions of Brava (all of which simplified names to Brava in 2014) were renamed as Stingray Brava at the end of 2016.{{cite web|url=https://www.totaaltv.nl/nl/nieuws/brava-nl-bij-ziggo-vanaf-november-als-stingray/|title=Brava NL bij Ziggo vanaf november als Stingray|date=31 October 2016|publisher=TotaalTV.nl|author=Jan-Hein Visser|language=nl}}
The Stingray Brava brand was abolished on 1 March 2019, in favour of Stingray Classica.{{cite web|url=https://digital.rozhlas.cz/stanici-stingray-brava-nahradi-1-brezna-stingray-classica-v-nabidce-ji-maji-i-7764969|title=Stanici Stingray Brava nahradí 1. března Stingray Classica, v nabídce ji mají i čeští operátoři|date=19 February 2019|publisher=rozhlas.cz|author=Lukáš Polák|language=cs}} Stingray acquired Classica brand and channels from Unitel in Germany in 2017.
Versions
;Stingray Brava Europe: Launched as Brava HDTV in 2007, it rebranded as Brava HD in 2013, before simplifying its name as Brava in 2014. This version was available in English and French across Europe. This version was closed down on 1 March 2019, and it was effectively replaced by an existing pan-European version of Stingray Classica.
;Stingray Brava Dutch: Launched on 1 July 2009 as Brava NL, the Dutch version was renamed as Brava NL Klassiek in May 2013.{{Cite web|url=http://www.totaaltv.nl/nieuws/12711/BravaNL_verder_als_brava_nl_klassiek_.html|title=BravaNL verder als brava nl klassiek|date=16 May 2013|publisher=Totaal TV|author=Jan-Hein Visser|language=nl}} It simplified its name as Brava in 2014. On 1 December 2015, the Dutch version of Brava replaced Cultuur 7 in Belgium (which Stingray acquired earlier in October 2015{{cite web|url=http://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2015/10/06/stingrays-brava-buys-cultuur-7/|title=Stingray’s Brava buys Cultuur 7|date=6 October 2015|publisher=BroadbandTVNews.com|author=Chris Dziadul}}{{cite press release|url=http://www.stingray.com/about-us/press-room/news-and-press-releases/brava-acquires-flemish-television-channel-cultuur-7|title=Brava Acquires Flemish Television Channel Cultuur 7|date=5 October 2015|publisher=Stingray Digital}}) in its former channel slot; Cultuur 7's programmes were integrated into the new Brava's schedule.{{cite web|url=https://www.bravanlklassiek.nl/cultuur-7-belgie-gaat-op-1-december-over-in-brava.html|title=Cultuur 7 gaat op 1 december over in Brava|access-date=26 November 2015|publisher=Brava|language=nl|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151126175122/https://www.bravanlklassiek.nl/cultuur-7-belgie-gaat-op-1-december-over-in-brava.html|archive-date=26 November 2015|url-status=dead}} This version was rebranded as Stingray Classica on 1 March 2019.
See also
- Stingray Djazz: formerly Djazz TV, also operated by Brava Group, acquired together with Brava by Stingray in 2015
- Stingray Classica: a similar television channel, originated from Germany, acquired by Stingray in 2017
- Television in the Netherlands
- Digital television in the Netherlands
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://brava.tv/|title=Archived index of brava.tv, the former official website of the Dutch version of Brava}}
- {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/*/https://www.bravahd.com/|title=Archived index of bravahd.com, the former official website of the pan-European version of Brava}}
{{Stingray Digital}}
{{Television in the Netherlands|state=collapsed}}
Category:Classical music television channels
Category:Defunct music video networks
Category:Defunct television channels in the Netherlands
Category:Defunct television channels in Belgium
Category:Television channels and stations established in 2009
Category:Television channels and stations disestablished in 2019
Category:Music television channels
Category:Music organisations based in the Netherlands
{{Netherlands-tv-stub}}