Artiste: BBC Singers

A new edition of Puccini's score springs to life in a meticulously prepared Opera Rara concert performance at the Barbican. 

David Pountney's vernacular translation and Ruth Knight's vivid staging lent a thrilling immediacy to Shostakovich's chilling opera.

The second half of this year’s Proms season heats up with visits from the Czech Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, Orchestre de Paris and Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra – along with operas by Bizet and Britten.

Stretching over 8 weeks, and with concerts in London and 6 cities across the UK, this year’s BBC Proms has a vast offering – including guest orchestras, premieres, and celebrations of Holst, Bruckner and Schoenberg.

At the next general election, the former cellist in the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra could become UK Culture Secretary. She tells us about how her musical career has helped her in politics and her desire to rebuild music education.