Live, Video: Find classical music concert, opera, ballet and dance reviews | Sarah Dufresne

Despite Michieletto's visual gloom, the evening is redeemed by Myung-whun Chung’s masterful conducting and a cast that brings conviction to a production that rarely trusts the opera’s own dramatic power.

A revelatory orchestral performance and a cast led by Andreas Schager, Christopher Maltman and Elisabeth Strid make this a Siegfried for the record books.

Christopher Alden’s Victorian-era Rigoletto still divides opinions, despite top-notch performances all around in this Toronto revival. 

Sarah Dufresne shines as Gilda in Glynis Leyshon’s gloomy staging of Rigoletto, set in Victorian London. 

This Strauss-Puccini Prom concert paired the Symphonic Fantasy from Die Frau ohne Schatten and Puccini's one-act opera, Suor Angelica. 

A concert performance of Puccini's take on operetta sees a superlative reading of the score from Sir Antonio Pappano, and a sensational Magda from Carolina López Moreno.

Sarah Dufresne dazzles as Ophélie in Opéra de Montréal's Hamlet along with mezzo Karine Deshayes and the Orchestre Métropolitain conducted by Jacques Lacombe.

Aigul Akhmetshina is outstanding in the title role, hearing Piotr Beczała is a privilege, but it's Damiano Michieletto's new staging that takes the honours.

A forgettable Hansel and Gretel is the worst offence of Antony McDonald’s leaden staging which returns to Covent Garden. 

A triumphant house debut for Nadine Sierra in the latest revival of Laurent Pelly’s production of Donizetti's joyous village rom-com. 

Joana Mallwitz makes her Royal Opera debut in the pit as Sir David McVicar returns to direct this revival of his much-loved 2006 show.

The Norwegian soprano scores a major success at Covent Garden in her role debut as Elisabetta, whetting appetites for more Verdi to come. 

The Royal Opera presents another Handel rarity for its Jette Parker Artists in the Linbury Theatre, the but action thriller approach is ill-suited to the ancient tale. 

Oliver Mears' new production of Britten's chamber opera is a visceral reflection on tyranny and sexual violence.

Swedish soprano Malin Byström returns to Sir David McVicar's production at Covent Garden, where she is now probably unsurpassed in the role, vocally and histrionically.

Im letzten Moment vor der Premiere durch eine Einspringerin gerettet: Strauss' Spätwerk beeindruckt mit straffer Regie und süffig schillernder Musik.