Stingray Classica

{{Infobox television channel

| name = Stingray Classica

| logo = Stingray Classica Alternative.svg

| logo_size = 210px

| logo_caption =

| launch_date = {{Start date and age|1995|||df=y}}

| closed_date = {{End date and age|2021|4|30|df=y}} (South Korea)

| picture_format = 1080i HDTV
{{small|(downscaled to 16:9 576i for the SDTV feed)}}

| owner = Stingray Group (since 2017)

| country = {{unbulleted list|Germany|Netherlands}}

| language = English
French
Dutch

| area = Worldwide

| former_names = {{unbulleted list|Unitel Classica (1995-2014)|Classica (2014-2018)}}

| replaced = Stingray Brava

| replaced_by = Orfeo (South Korea)

| sister_channels = {{unbulleted list|Stingray Djazz|Stingray iConcerts|Stingray Lite TV|Stingray CMusic}}

| website = {{URL|https://classica.stingray.com

}}

| online_serv_1 = Canal Digitaal Live App

| online_chan_1 = [https://livetv.canaldigitaal.nl/livetv?channelType=available&assetId=5LrWFTh6CfNZZqTBbahLJygcoRvAjCAGDe1LzA8X&autoplay=true Watch Live]

}}

Stingray Classica (formerly Classica and Unitel Classica) is a television channel devoted to classical music, opera, ballet and occasional jazz, currently owned by Stingray Group in Canada.

History

Classica was owned by Unitel, a distributor of filmed classical music performances also headquartered in Germany. The channel revamped both its logo and programming on 28 May 2014.{{cite web|url=https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2014/05/22/classica-gets-a-make-over-on-may-28/|title=Classica gets a make-over May 28|date=22 May 2014|publisher=BroadbandTVNews.com|author=Robert Briel}}

In January 2017, Stingray Group in Quebec, Canada, acquired Classica from Unitel: In the deal, Stingray would also be able to use Unitel's library of about 1500 titles and 2000 hours of filmed contents for 11 years, however this deal was terminated and therefore the channel does not feature any content from Unitel. Stingray plans to feature Canadian productions (from both Quebec and outside Quebec) on the channel.{{cite news|title=Stingray Digital to add Classica library of opera, ballet and classical music|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/stingray-digital-to-add-classica-library-of-opera-ballet-and-classical-music/article33473083/|access-date=18 April 2018|agency=The Canadian Press|date=January 3, 2017|via=The Globe and Mail}}{{cite news|title=Stingray et UNITEL concluent une entente de 15 millions $|trans-title=Stingray and Unitel conclude a $15 million agreement|url=http://www.journaldemontreal.com/2017/01/03/stingray-et-unitel-concluent-une-entente-de-15-millions-1|access-date=18 April 2018|agency=Agence QMI|date=3 January 2017|language=fr|via=Le Journal de Montréal}}{{cite web|last1=Whittock|first1=Jesse|title=Stingray buys music channel from Mojto firm|url=https://tbivision.com/2017/01/04/stingray-buys-music-channel-mojto-firm/|website=TBI Vision|publisher=KNect365 TMT, an Informa business|access-date=18 April 2018|date=4 January 2017}}{{cite magazine|last=Veydarier|first=Arnaud G.|date=5 December 2017|title=Stingray Classica: A New Start|translator-last=Rodriguez|translator-first=Adrian|url=http://myscena.org/arnaud-g-veydarier/stingray-classica-new-start/|magazine=The Music Scene|publisher=LSM|access-date=18 April 2018}}

In late 2017, Stingray implemented a new branding and on-air look (similar to the one implemented to Stingray Brava in 2016) of newly renamed Stingray Classica to a version broadcast to Quebec, Canada. The new look was implemented to other versions of Classica operated by Stingray in 2018.

On 1 March 2019, Stingray abolished Stingray Brava brand in favour of Stingray Classica. The Dutch and French versions of Brava was rebranded as Classica, while the pan-European version of Brava was shut down and effectively replaced by that of Classica.

On 30 April 2021, Stingray Classica in South Korea was replaced by Orfeo.

UNITEL bluecase.png|Logo of Unitel Classica until 2014

Logo Classica 2014.svg|Logo of Classica from 2014-2018

Stingray-classica-logo.svg|Logo of Stingray Classica since Spring 2018

Stingray Classica Logo 10.2019.svg|Alternative Logo of Stingray Classica since Spring 2018

Versions

As of 2019, Stingray operates a number of versions of Stingray Classica for following areas: Germany, Netherlands and Flanders, pan-Europe, pan-Asia, and Canada.

=Germany=

A separate version is available to the customers of Sky in Germany.

=Australia=

Stingray Classica began streaming in Australia during 2022 via the 7 Network's 7 Plus free-to-air streaming portfolio of AV channels.

=Netherlands and Flanders=

A Dutch version, available in the Netherlands and Flanders, was originally launched as Brava NL on 1 July 2009. Stingray acquired Brava (along with its sister channel Djazz TV) on 31 July 2015. On 1 December 2015, the Dutch version of Brava replaced Cultuur 7 in Belgium (which Stingray acquired earlier in October 2015) in its former channel slot. It was rebranded as Stingray Classica on 1 March 2019.

=France=

A French feed was launched on 1 March 2019, replacing Stingray Brava.

=Canada=

In January 2017, Canada's CRTC approved Stingray's application for a version of Stingray Brava to be available in Canada as a non-Canadian television channel originating from the Netherlands.{{Cite web|url=https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2017/2017-16.htm|title = Addition of Stingray Brava to the List of non-Canadian programming services and stations authorized for distribution|date = 19 January 2017}} The particular version was renamed as Stingray Classica in late 2017.{{Cite web|url=https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2017/2017-177.htm|title=Renaming of Stingray Brava as Stingray Classica on the List of non-Canadian programming services and stations authorized for distribution|date=31 May 2017}}{{cite press release|title=Premiering on Videotron: Stingray Classica the World's Premium Classical Music Television Channel|url=http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/premiering-on-videotron-stingray-classica-worlds-premium-classical-music-television-tsx-ray.a-2235967.htm|publisher=Stingray Digital Group|access-date=22 April 2018|date=October 4, 2017|via=Marketwired}}{{cite news|title=Stingray Classica to premiere on Videotron|url=https://cartt.ca/article/stingray-classica-premiere-videotron|access-date=22 April 2018|work=Cartt.ca|date=October 4, 2017}} At launch in 2017, the channel was made available to subscribers of Vidéotron in both standard definition and high definition. After Stingray and Bell Canada expanded television distribution deal in May 2018,{{cite press release|title=Stingray Renews and Expands Distribution Agreement with Bell |url=http://www.stingray.com/about-us/press-room/news-and-press-releases/stingray-renews-and-expands-distribution-agreement-bell |access-date=30 October 2018 |publisher=Stingray Digital |date=2018-05-29}} the channel (along with Stingray's other TV channels) was made available to Bell Fibe TV subscribers in August 2018.{{cite press release|title=Eight New Stingray TV Channels Available to Bell Subscribers|url=http://www.stingray.com/about-us/press-room/news-and-press-releases/eight-new-stingray-tv-channels-available-bell|publisher=Stingray Digital|access-date=30 October 2018|date=2018-08-28}}{{cite news|title=Bell subscribers can groove to eight new Stingray TV channels|url=https://cartt.ca/article/bell-subscribers-can-groove-eight-new-stingray-tv-channels|work=Cartt.ca|access-date=30 October 2018|date=August 28, 2018}}

Other services

Stingray Classica On-Demand is available to Amazon Prime Video customers in Germany and the United Kingdom, and Amazon Channels customers in the United States.

Related channels

As of 2018, Stingray's acquisition of the channel does not affect the following channels yet:

Classica HD, in Italy
{{Interlanguage link|Classica Japan|ja|クラシカ・ジャパン}}: Launched on 1 January 1998, the Japanese version of the channel is operated by Tohokushinsha Film Corporation under the license. It features programming from the German channel, along with Japanese productions.