Artiste: Elena Xanthoudakis

ETO's extracts from Rossini's serious operas at the Hackney Empire lacked spark and dynamism, but saw a fine showing from Elena Xanthoudakis and Catherine Carby.

Donizetti's back catalogue proves just as rich as his well-loved works, with this blisteringly good foray into an extraordinary opera whose UK premiere is 179 undeserved years late. 

Rota's Mysterium is emotive and direct. La Verdi demonstrated that this most human of works deserves a place on our musical maps.