Serious about comedy, obsessed by music, always at the service of the work: Laurent Pelly

Turnage’s opera Festen was among the works and musicians honoured at the 2026 RPS Awards, who also include Peter Moore, Elizabeth Alker, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the Kirkaldy Orchestral Society. 

The Japanese mezzo soprano is returning to the New National Theatre, Tokyo for her role debut in Massenet’s Werther. We talk about her love for Rossini, and expansions into later Romantic opera.

From Buxtehude, Bach and Handel, to contemporary composer Liza Lim, we take a tour of the myriad forms of composers’ handwriting and calligraphy – and how music makes itself on the page.

From fulfilling funerary functions, to eulogising friends and fellow artists, or lamenting the waste of war: here are some of the finest examples of music written in mourning.

The German pianist makes a return to Switzerland to tour Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto with conductor Lena-Lisa Wüstendörfer, in a William Tell-inspired programme that delves into the heart of Swissness.

A longtime connoisseur of Pushkin’s novel, Fiennes’ production will hit the boards at Palais Garnier in February 2026.