Drunk on love and wine: Jacques Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann

Mark and Elisabeth travel to the sinister worlds of singing automata and seven-headed mouse kings to bring you the best works inspired – and composed – by ETA Hoffmann.

Alexandra Richter explores the dark and sinister world of the German Romanticist ETA Hoffmann.

Jenifer Sarver looks at the disturbing short stories, which, ironically, inspired two of the lightest confections of the ballet repertoire: The Nutcracker and Coppélia.

We profile one of the most advanced and best-sounding concert halls in the UK, and take a look further afield at arts and culture across Manchester.

How is the classical music world changing? Looking back on a dizzying year, we pay particular attention to performers’ international connectedness. Documenting more than 30,000 events, Bachtrack’s statistics provide valuable insight into an unstable world.

From Buxtehude, Bach and Handel, to contemporary composer Liza Lim, we take a tour of the myriad forms of composers’ handwriting and calligraphy – and how music makes itself on the page.