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A Gounod rarity comes to Boston for a concert performance under the ever-enterprising Gil Rose.

Realism elbows aside romanticism in this dark departure from a star-studded tradition.

Carè, Stundytė and Pursio all shine as singers and actors in an intense, exciting production at the Finnish National Opera.

Top-notch singers and some sensitive direction almost make up for Laurent Pelly's frustrating Opera Philadelphia production. 

A remarkable opera about Alzheimer’s mesmerizes audience thanks to two extraordinary women “d’un certain age”.

It was hard not to be drawn in by the romance and tragedy as presented by such a sincere, credible and vocally talented young cast and a conductor with such strong identification with the idiom.

Marlis Petersen's Alcina bloomed for a knockout “Ah! mio cor!” just in time for intermission.

Edward Dick directs a Tosca full of contemporary references with Opera North at Leeds Grand Theatre, Puccini's score conducted by Antony Hermus.

Guth's incisive staging of Strauss and Hofmannsthal's grandest opera proves a moving and detailed experience at its transfer to the reopened Staatsoper. 

WNO make a compelling case for Prokofiev's gargantuan War and Peace.

Tom Creed's take on Offenbach's opéra fantastique works best in the Olympia act in this new production in Dublin. 

Smetana's Libuše makes a timely reappearance in Prague.

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

Hamburg State Opera launches its new season with a visually overpowering but musically satisfying Così fan tutte.

This year’s NTR ZaterdagMatinee concert series in Amsterdam kicked off with a Boris Godunov that left nothing to be desired.

Fine singing all round, sensitive continuo musicianship and dramatic action make for a thoroughly enjoyable Return of Ulysses by Monteverdi.

Jonathan Cohen leads a sensitive performance by Arcangelo, with a line-up of five outstanding lyrical voices. 

Rather than compiling a Top Ten of Baroque Hits, The Enchanted Island amounts to much more than a gallimaufry of choice gobbets, seasoned with French galenterie.

Fine performances from a confident cast brought some terrific singing as well as depth of characterisation in Stravinsky’s only full-length opera.

Not since Monty Python has there been more fun with a chorus of lumberjacks.

A conventional plot retains few of the elements of its Arabian Nights original, but the Academy's young pupils display vocal mastery in Milan.

An impressive Italian première of a reconstruction of Sardanapalo in Lerici.

John Wilson was constantly persuading the orchestra to dig deep and to unearth the riches and miracles in the orchestral writing.

Herheim pulls us in unexpected directions, makes us laugh and makes us think as we enjoy fine Rossinian music and singing in Opéra de Lyon's production.

Opera Bohemia provides a fun-filled showcase for Conservatoire graduates in a finely sung Falstaff heading for the Edinburgh Fringe with a small orchestra.

Neither Simon Rattle nor Magdalena Kožena could resist a tendency to add sentiment.

Jonathan Dove's witty Jane Austen chamber opera received a standing ovation from an ecstatic audience: quite the opening salvo for a brand new summer opera festival. 

A wry and topical new version of The Beggar’s Opera from Robert Carsen and Ian Burton from Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord is energetic, fun and amusing. Les Arts Florissants provide colourful Baroque accompaniment.

Wagner is a rare bird in Perth; the second *Tristan und Isolde* in 12 years worth the wait, no less for being a concert performance, and for bringing Skelton's masterful interpretation to an Australian audience

The Rossini Opera Festival stages a new production of the most famous of Rossini’s masterpieces to celebrate the composer in the 150th anniversary of his death.

The restrained pacing of Larcher's opera suited the intimate setting of the Werkstattbühne.

The delightful farce in one act in a new, imaginative production inspired by Lewis Carroll.

A stellar cast and a new, old-fashioned production bring back Ricciardo e Zoraide to Pesaro after 22 years.

A wonderful cast conducted by William Christie in a new production of L’incoronazione di Poppea at the Salzburg Festival. 

The effervescent John Wilson and his orchestra make Bernstein's musical sparks fly.

Seattle Opera's memorable Porgy and Bess excels with an exceptional cast who performed with utmost sympathy for their roles.

Mariss Jansons and the Vienna Philharmonic do the real storytelling as Hans Neuenfels' staging underwhelms.

Turco inspired many a great opera director in the past; understandably, as it offers plenty of splendid comic situations. Simon Phillips' hilarious 2014 production is revived by Opera Australia.

An astonishing performance by Asmik Grigorian is central to the Italian director's disturbing reading of a disturbing opera. 

Cecilia Bartoli is joined by frequent collaborators Moshe Leiser and Patrice Caurier in a fun-filled Rossini farce full of Italian sunshine. Big grins all round. 

Sir Mark Elder and The Hallé orchestra are the powerhouse in a memorable performance of Siegfried. Simon O’ Neill, Iain Paterson and Christine Goerke head up a universally strong cast.

Brilliant staging, superb acting, a magnetic performance from Virginie Verrez and an excellent orchestral performance make a strong case for Samuel Barber's all-but-forgotten chiller.

Laurent Pelly’s elegant musical stave production of Il barbiere di Siviglia, from the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, charms and delights at the Edinburgh International Festival.

Maestro Crutchfield carefully underlined the transitional character of the music, neither Classical nor Romantic.

Aa fitting tribute to the 20th anniversary of State Opera of South Australia’s ongoing romance with the music of Richard Wagner.

Saburo Teshigawara sets Rameau’s opéra-ballet Pigmalion as a compelling dance performance

An opera which has not only a historical and philological interest for scholars and experts, but is of great musical value.

Giorgio Sangati's staging idea pits Christians vs Saracens as pop stars against dark metal.

Thaddeus Strassberger proposed a mise-en-scène where the story is reenacted in Tamara’s confused mind while she is confined in a monastery.

Scottish Opera brings opera to the people on a huge scale in a promenade production of Pagliacci.