Why I Love… Ariadne auf Naxos

by Sam Smith

Continuing the series on our writers’ operatic passions, Sam Smith considers how a flawed first version of Ariadne auf Naxos went on to produce a brilliant second

Why I love… Saul

by Barry Creasy

In our continuing series, Barry Creasy explores Handel’s oratorio Saul, to be broadcast as part of the BBC Proms

Why I Love… Tosca

by Sam Smith

Continuing the series on our writers’ operatic passions, Sam Smith reveals his admiration for one of Puccini’s most loved works

Why I Love… Götterdämmerung

by Benjamin Poore

Our look at Wagner’s Ring Cycle concludes with Benjamin Poore’s take on this epic work

Why I Love… Siegfried

by Simon Thomas

Continuing in our series, Simon Thomas guides us through part three of Wagner’s Ring Cycle

Why I Love… Die Walküre

by Sam Smith

Sam Smith explains why Die Walküre is his favourite opera in the tetralogy of the Ring Cycle

Why I Love… Das Rheingold

by Keith McDonnell

Our ‘Why I Love’ series now tackles Wagner’s Ring Cycle. First up – Keith McDonnell’s thoughts on Das Rheingold

Why I Love… Salieri

by Sam Smith

Continuing the series on our writers’ musical passions, Sam Smith explains his admiration for a composer who is still too often maligned Although it is nearly two hundred years since he died, the name Antonio...

Why I Love… Carlo Bergonzi

by Simon Thomas

Our series moves to performers, as Simon Thomas explains his love for a great tenor

Why I Love… The Monteverdi Vespers

by Barry Creasy

Barry Creasy tells us what makes the Vespers so special

Why I Love… La traviata

by Sam Smith

Continuing the series on our writers’ operatic passions, Sam Smith explains what makes a production of Verdi’s 1853 classic work

Why I Love… Winterreise

by Melanie Eskenazi

Melanie Eskenazi guides us to Schubert’s definitive Lockdown Lieder in the latest of our series on private music passions

Why I Love… The Rite Of Spring

by Benjamin Poore

Our series on personal music passions takes on Stravinsky’s Le Sacre du printemps, a work which happens to you, says Benjamin Poore

Why I Love… Martinů

by Simon Thomas

Simon Thomas continues our series on personal operatic passions, looking at the works of Bohemian composer Bohuslav Martinů

Why I Love… Parsifal

by Keith McDonnell

In our continuing series on personal operatic passions, Keith McDonnell guides us to the very best of Wagner

Why I Love… La bohème

by Sam Smith

In the first of a new series on our writers’ operatic passions, Sam Smith explains why Puccini’s 1896 opera never fails to entrance