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Despite excellent vocal performances, David Alden’s production of Giulio Cesare in Egitto aims at irreverence but overplays the comedy.

The Berliner Philharmoniker’s much-anticipated return to Salzburg gets off to an impressive musical start. Kirill Serebrennikov’s staging raises numerous questions, but answers few of them. 

The closing concert of this year’s Three Choirs Festival in Hereford delivers a dramatic account of Mendelssohn’s Elijah, showcasing the power of bass-baritone Matthew Brook.

John Storgårds conducts his BBC Philharmonic Orchestra in a profoundly moving account of Mahler's vast Third Symphony. 

Inspirations for Handel's great work Israel in Egypt followed by a performance of the full work is a great idea, but the main event suffers at the Handel Festival Halle. 

The London Handel Festival offers a chance to hear rarely performed music for Passiontide, with Harry Bicket conducting the English Concert. 

A glorious Esther from Laurence Cummings and the London Handel Singers and Orchestra, with a classy line-up of soloists led by Nardus Williams and Tim Mead.

Jess Dandy's rich contralto expresses the intensity of Julia Perry's Stabat Mater with the BBC Philharmonic after a spirited Vltava to mark Smetana's 200th anniversary. 

The Hallé orchestra and choir pack out Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall for a Messiah which both delights and disappoints. 

Majestic performances all round in Handel's oratorio, with a strong solo team led by Allan Clayton as Samson, and a convincingly well-drilled performance from the Philharmonia Chorus.

Conductor Vimbayi Kaziboni, the BBC Philharmonic and soloists Ralph van Raat and Jess Dandy present three new works, each relating to natural environments.

John Butt’s musicians show that Bach’s secular cantatas have just as much to offer as the sacred.

English imports and local forces made for a memorable St John Passion in Hobart this Easter week.

John Butt’s revisitation of the Handel oratorio Samson at the Halle Handel Festival displayed this treasured work in an illuminating and satisfying light.

The Benjamin Britten centenary has inspired many groups into performing his works. The opera Noye’s Fludde was written to give amateur children a chance to perform and engage in operatic music alongside a smaller group of adult professional soloists. This performance was part of the Cheltenham Music Festival as their nod to Britten in the composer’s special year.

Die Regisseurin Christiane Lutz macht mit dem Opernstudio der Staatsoper ganz im Sinn von Hans Werner Henze deutlich, dass mit Balzacs satirischer Tierfabel einer scheinheiligen Katzen-Gesellschaft wir selbst gemeint sind.

Los cambios en la partitura marcaron el estreno en el Teatro Real del Orlando furioso de Vivaldi en una velada en la que la voz de Julia Lezhneva fue protagonista.

Zur Aufführung gelangte ein neuzeitlich premiertes Opern-Pasticcio, dem das junge Ensemble mit innewohnender Entdeckerlust und stimmlichen Fähigkeiten zu einem – damals noch versagten – Erfolg verhalf.

Das Spielbewusstsein und Feuer La Serenissimas gepaart mit dem Contralto-Wahnsinn Jess Dandys sorgte für einen beachtlichen Hochgenuss.