Instrument: Contralto

Sasha Cooke’s thoughtful role debut anchors Paul Curran’s visually and musically alert but dramatically uneven production.

Neil Armfield’s production for State Opera South Australia combines a sparkling night of entertainment with first class musical values. 

Mark Ravenhill directs a brutal, bloody Salome at the spiritual home of British boxing, York Hall. 

A colourful, revue-style production dispels the clouds of mystique surrounding Wagner's last opera.

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. 

At the Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Rafael R Villalobos addresses the problems he perceives with Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera, although the musical performances – led by Anna Netrebko – compensate.