Live, Video: Find classical music concert, opera, ballet and dance reviews | Simon Shibambu

Jack Furness directs a terrific new Queen of Spades at Garsington – haunting and harrowing. 

Director Milos Rau, composer Hèctor Parra and librettist Fiston Mwanza Mujila put the operatic spotlight on the fight for justice after a mining disaster in the DRC, with mixed results.

Swedish soprano Malin Byström returns to Sir David McVicar's production at Covent Garden, where she is now probably unsurpassed in the role, vocally and histrionically.

Mark Elder brought the Hallé down to the Royal Albert Hall for an interesting programme of Dukas, Respighi and Puccini.

Natalya Romaniw, a diva to her fingertips, proves an ideal Floria Tosca in ENO's open-air performance at the South Facing Festival in Crystal Palace Bowl.

Pergolesi is sung beautifully, Stravinsky performed with fun and verve, but the Royal Albert Hall is a big place for a chamber orchestra.

On her house debut, in Covent Garden's second cast of the year, Angel Blue is completely convincing as Verdi's doomed courtesan; Benjamin Bernheim is an unconventional but compelling Alfredo; Simone Piazzola a persuasive Germont père.

The Albanian soprano, who made a spectacular jump-in for her house debut in Richard Eyre's production in 2008, makes a splendid return. 

An impressively cast revival for Verdi's one-time neglected masterpiece at Covent Garden.

ENO's new production of Salome which opens the season features some commendable music-making, but is let down by a flawed concept and dull staging.

David Alden’s new production for The Royal Opera, referencing fascist Germany, is drab, but there are musical compensations. 

The Royal Opera Orchestra produce a revelatory reading of Shostakovich’s eclectic score; a fine performance from Eva-Maria Westbroek and excellent acting from the whole cast light up the drama and farce.

The Royal Opera's revival of Phyllida Lloyd's production is marked by two outstanding Verdian singers and a superb rendering of the score from Pappano and the ROH Orchestra.

The ninth revival of Jonathan Kent’s production features a great Act 1 and enjoyable Covent Garden role debuts for the three top singers, but misses the mark on the set pieces.

The father-daughter exchanges between Dmitri Platanias's jester and Sofia Fomina's Gilda prove the highlights of an evening which doesn't always catch fire.

Lengthy but full of melodic invention, Semiramide finally made her triumphant return to the Royal Opera in David Alden's fine new production.

A mural depicting Etna erupting is the only hint of Sicily in Stefan Herheim’s opulent staging, returning to Covent Garden for the first time since the Royal Opera’s Verdi bicentenary celebrations in 2013. 

In Thomas Guthrie’s revival of Sir David McVicar’s sober 2003 production of Mozart’s Singspiel, it was the pantomime elements of the show which registered strongly.

After all the speculation, Jonas Kaufmann made his role debut as Otello at The Royal Opera – an impressive, if not unqualified, success. 

Gerald Finley's velvet baritone lights up this revival of David McVicar's production of Cilea's murder story

An impressive display of singing technique isn't enough to make RCM's Ariodante connect with hearts and minds.

Après sa création au Festival d’Aix-en-Provence cet été, la production de Tosca de Christophe Honoré arrive à l’Opéra de Lyon, dans une mise en scène puissante mais parfois écrasante pour les chanteurs.

Mit einer strahlend exotischen Vorstellung von Massenets Opernrarität sorgten die Salzburger Festspiele wieder einmal für eine musikalische Sternstunde.