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Alain Altinoglu and the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra leave a lot to the imagination in a fiery treatment of two signature Dvořák works.

In a fine-tuned collaboration with conductor Alain Altinoglu, the gifted young pianist shows brilliant command of a keyboard showpiece.

On paper this looked entrancing: a French conductor with Armenian roots assaying a score of oriental splendour. It was the first half, however, with Dutilleux and Debussy that satisfied more.

Barbara Hannigan is better than ever in Krzysztof Warlikowski's iconic Lulu at La Monnaie – an historic event.

After an enjoyable but safe Rachmaninov Piano Concerto no. 2, Altinoglu celebrates his birthday by rendering each of Pictures at an Exhibition in extravagant orchestral Technicolor.

Dmitri Tcherniakov's staging turns Rimsky-Korsakov's opera into storytelling for an autistic boy, but does he deliver a fairy tale ending? 

With Alain Altinoglu at the podium, the programme of works by Beethoven, Ravel and Stravinsky showed off Levit's lightness and freshness and brought out the excitement of fairytales.

Beethoven’s Fifth and Sixth Symphonies and a dazzling new work by Wim Henderickx at Bozar

Some 15 minutes long, in a slow-fast-slow form, Le Tombeau de Napoléon wraps a taxing solo part for tenor trombone in a dramatically compelling and sonically thrilling orchestral canvas.

The orchestra’s principal flute Joshua Smith was soloist for the local première of Matthias Pintscher’s Transir. Three Ravel favorites completed the program.

Polished but ultimately tepid performances that kept the emotional temperature under wraps despite some fine individual playing and singing.

A questionable performance of Schumann's Violin Concerto was redeemed by lively interpretations of Beethoven's Third Symphony and Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture.

Celebrating its 60th anniversary, the Chicago Symphony Chorus made this evening truly distinctive.

The riotous energy of carnival dazzled Symphony Hall as Alain Altinoglu debuted with the Boston Symphony in a program he assembled as a personal homage to Charles Munch.

Alain Altinoglu, conducting with a mixture of histrionic flourishes and balletic flair, leads a fiery account of Ravel's ballet. 

Beczała's "Pourquoi me réveiller" stops the show in Willy Decker's thoughtful Werther at the Liceu, expertly conducted by Alain Altinoglu.

Laurent Pelly exploits the satirical side of Rimsky-Korsakov's The Golden Cockerel at La Monnaie in a darkly humorous but colourfully performed production.

Colorful works by Mussorgsky, Dutilleux, and Ravel surround Shostakovich’s gray Soviet-era Violin Concerto no. 2.

According to director Sven-Eric Bechtolf,  Don Giovanni’s divine retribution for a life of pure evil and insatiable fornication is just more of the same.

Anyone expecting a wishing well, castle and healthy portion of pomp in Dmitri Tcherniakov’s new production of Pélleas et Mélisande is in for a big surprise.

In Paris, Russian enfant terrible reunites Iolanta with The Nutcracker... with wildly mixed results. 

Bravo to the Haus am Ring for a bloody good night of music, drama and beauty – an excellent first première of the season.

Hans Neuenfels' setting of Lohengrin as scientific experiment with a chorus of rats affords thought-provoking pleasures, with star turns from Klaus Florian Vogt in the title role and Petra Lang as Ortrud.

Kasper Holten's virtuosic staging is revived by the Royal Opera with a cast of three exceptionally strong women, and accomplished performances by Christopher Maltman and Alex Esposito as the Don and his servant.

Neuenfels' production of Manon Lescaut for the Bayerische Staatsoper is strange but coherent. With a perfect cast and tight musical direction, this is about as good as Puccini opera gets.

Fellow Frenchmen Alain Altinoglu and Renaud Capuçon make for fine partners in a rare outing for Berlioz's Harold in Italy. 

I can say with confidence that in the many years I have seen the CBSO in concert, tonight’s performance was undoubtedly their best.

Opera being a strongly visual art form as well as a musical one, the idea of a pure concert performance seems a little strange to those unfamiliar with the form.

Everybody’s favorite bad girl in the world of opera is back again for a spectacular romp of delights, mischief, seduction, and tragic culmination in the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s 2010 revival of its 1999 production of Bizet’s Carmen.