Artiste: Sally-Anne Russell

The approach of Christmas in Australia always bring a veritable flood of Messiahs of varying quality, but the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra's offering, while using modern instruments, could otherwise hardly have been bettered.

Melbourne Opera's Walküre outdoes expectations, with really splendid singing and all-round performances, led by Lee Abrahmsen's Sieglinde. 

Much delayed by the pandemic, Giordano Bellincampi's Beethoven symphony cycle with the Auckland PO finally reaches its conclusion with a triumphant closing concert.