Live, Video: Find classical music concert, opera, ballet and dance reviews | English | Serse (Xerxes)

The five female voices in the opera's main roles complement each other wonderfully in this more-than-concert performance in New York. 

The problem with on-stage vulgarity is that, while it might be sophisticated and knowing satire, it ends by being what it is parodying.

A revival of Stefan Herheim's production of Handel's Xerxes in Düsseldorf makes for a rip-roaring evening of theatrical comedy.

A star cast and red-hot conducting make for a memorable night at the Barbican.

With many costume changes, notably into a Sun-King with very prominent phalic sunburst, Houtzeel held centre-stage in the title role.

An evening of exquisite Baroque music and flamboyant coloratura at the Royal Theatre in Versailles.

Handel’s Xerxes (1738) was part of this year’s “home and homeland” season at Glimmerglass Festival.

Updating 470BC Abydos to a 1940s RAF base complete with tin hangar and outdoor privy seemed at times more Dad’s Army than a particularly cohesive tale of war and love.

"Grab ’em by the throat and never let ’em go!" goes the famous quote by legendary Hollywood director Billy Wilder – Sunset Boulevard, Some like it Hot, and Double Indemnity among his masterpieces – who regularly dispensed stellar advice to aspiring, young writers. Unlike good screenwriting, opera’s blood and thunder decree doesn’t need much coaching to bare its jugular.

Hampstead Garden Opera’s new staging of Xerxes is slick and contemporary with a well thought-out re-interpretation of the plot, offering a fresh perspective to the opera.

“A revival of a revival of a revival” might describe Handel’s practice of reviving his own works. This highly acclaimed revival production of Handel's Xerxes received it best performance to date with a star-studded cast.Xerxes tells the tale of two brothers, Xerxes and Arsamenes, both competing for the same bride – Romilda.