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The latest, thrilling instalment of Barrie Kosky's Ring cycle at Covent Garden does not have to strain for contemporary relevance. 

Laurent Pelly’s new production combines froth and hilarity with a dark, satirical heart; Marc Minkowski and the orchestra seduce us.

Mezzo J'Nai Bridges stuns in the title role of Bizet's opera, returning to Amsterdam in Robert Carsen's celebrated staging. 

Laurence Equilbey makes a convincing case for a younger, fresher Fidelio played on period instruments.

Frozen lava rock extends from the proscenium to the backcloth, an apt image to depict the harm Don Giovanni inflicts upon the other characters in Mozart's darkest opera.

A disappointing staging of Weber's supernatural opera by Compagnie 14:20 in Paris

Back for its third run at Dutch National Opera, with a satisfying cast, McBurney's staging wins new converts. 

McBurney's brilliant stagecraft brings child-like wonderment to the most hardened adults; his interpretation and Raphaël Pichon's conducting exude Mozartian rightness.

Dangling and turning like shards of a giant overhead chandelier in Don Giovanni’s banquet hall, this is an evocative multimedia production that tantalizes the senses while shining new light on Mozart's genius. 

Nothing is better than when Berlioz ramps up the decibels. With a huge orchestra and choir and a deluxe starry cast assembled in Strasbourg, this was a special performance. 

A compelling staging of Gluck's 1779 opera in Paris. 

Excellent playing from Les Musiciens du Louvre and a mixed vocal performance are matched by a staging by Ivan Alexandre likely to be controversial.

After showing in 13 theatres around the world, Robert Carsen’s Dialogues des carmélites returns again to Amsterdam, where it was premiered in 1997. Almost 20 years on, its finale remains a shattering theatrical experience.

“Here be dragons!” warned seafaring maps of yore, denoting uncharted territories. Martin Kušej, undertaking his first Royal Opera exploration, excised the sea monster from his vision of Mozart’s Idomeneo.