La traviata – Three Sopranos’ Views

by Keith McDonnell

As the Royal Opera revives its production of La traviata we talk to three of the leading ladies about their take on the role of Violetta

Bernard Haitink: An appreciation

by Keith McDonnell

‘Modest’, ‘self-effacing’, a ‘musicians’ musician’ – these are just some of the epithets used to describe the great Dutch conductor, Bernard Haitink

Project Ring @ Linbury Theatre, London

by Keith McDonnell

A behind-the-scenes look at opera preparation at the Royal Opera

Preview: Edinburgh International Festival 2021

by Melanie Eskenazi

Classical music takes centre stage as the Edinburgh International Festival returns to live attended performances

Q&A: Bruno Ravella on Garsington Opera’s Der Rosenkavalier

by Melanie Eskenazi

Garsington Opera at Wormsley opens with a new production of Richard Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier. We spoke with its director.

Q&A: Alexander Chance on Grange Festival’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream

by Melanie Eskenazi

We speak with Alexander Chance about making his operatic debut in the Grange Festival’s new production of Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Preview: BBC Proms 2021

by Barry Creasy

The BBC Proms are back with audience attendance. Here’s the programme lineup

Preview: English National Opera 2021-22

by Keith McDonnell

An exciting season of live opera awaits at the London Coliseum

Stile Antico: Spotlights (Ramsey, Lobo, Taverner, Palestrina)

by Barry Creasy

Stile Antico explore four works by Early Music composers in more episodes of their ‘Spotlight’ series

Preview: Bampton Classical Opera 2021

by Sam Smith

Bampton Classical Opera is currently doing more than other company to put Salieri’s operas back on the map in the UK. We look at its 2021 plans where the focus is on Gluck

Preview: English Touring Opera Returns to ‘Live’ Performance

by Melanie Eskenazi

Handel around the nation. A new live tour from ETO revives a neglected masterpiece

Preview: Opera Holland Park presents Vaughan Williams’ Song Cycle ‘The House of Li...

by Sam Smith

While we still await the return of live audiences, we can look forward to a highly interesting online offering

Music for Holy Week: Easter Sunday – Eisler’s ‘Ostersonntag’ from t...

by Melanie Eskenazi

Easter is celebrated by Melanie Eskenazi with a different kind of religious music

Music for Holy Week: Black Saturday – Grechaninov’s ‘Passion Week’

by Barry Creasy

Saturday, and Barry Creasy brings us rich Russian choral harmonies from Alexander Grechaninov

Music for Holy Week: Good Friday – Wagner’s ‘Parsifal’

by Keith McDonnell

A little bit of Wagner makes Good Friday even better. Keith McDonnell explains why

Music for Holy Week: Maundy Thursday – Bach’s ‘St Matthew Passion’

by Melanie Eskenazi

It’s hard to get holier than a St Matthew Passion. Melanie Eskenazi is moved every Easter

Music for Holy Week: Spy Wednesday – Handel’s ‘Brockes-Passion’

by Sam Smith

For today’s Holy Week offering, Sam Smith considers a work by Handel that deserves to be far better known

Music for Holy Week: Holy Tuesday – Haydn’s ‘The Seven Last Words of Our ...

by Benjamin Poore

If it’s Tuesday, it must be Haydn. Benjamin Poore picks this composer as a must for Easter

Preview: The Royal Opera 2021-22

by Keith McDonnell

Plans are announced for Covent Garden’s first full season since 2019

Music for Holy Week: Palm Sunday – Buxtehude’s ‘Membra Jesu Nostri’

by Sam Smith

While Holy Week might normally see our reviewers running from event to event, this year they are taking the opportunity to reflect on music relevant to the season. Today, Sam Smith considers a German Baroque...