Performer: Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna

Vasilisa Berzhanskaya dominates in Pesaro; around her, Davide Livermore’s visually striking production turns Rossini’s tale of war into a meditation on the destruction of classical beauty.

Rossini’s La scala di seta returns to the ROF in a lively revival of Damiano Michieletto’s production that combines the composer’s sparkling music with a playful contemporary staging. 

Rosetta Cucchi jumps on the bandwagon with a shallow production of L’italiana in Algeri, although Daniela Barcellona’s charisma and vocal prowess dominates the scene.

A production where vocal brilliance battles directorial gimmicks in Pesaro, with a superb cast led by Anastasia Bartoli and Lawrence Brownlee.