Performer: Barnaby Rea

Allan Clayton and Sir Bryn Terfel lead a strong cast in a revival of Deborah Warner's dark staging of Britten's signature work at Covent Garden. 

Richard Eyre’s 32-year-old production is rarely out of The Royal Opera’s repertoire for more than a few months at a time, but this particular revival proves very special. 

Even locked behind a music stand, like a caged panther in a sleek black gown, Grigorian’s Salome bristles with dramatic energy in Barbican concert performance of Strauss’ “scherzo with a fatal conclusion”. 

Musgrave's powerful depiction of a powerful woman at the mercy of male manipulation receives a strong staging from at ENO. 

As Richard Eyre’s staging reaches its 30th anniversary, a new Violetta arrives on the Royal Opera block in what proves to be one of the best revivals in recent years. 

Natascha Metherell relocates the action to an Italian film studio of the 1950s, which looks great but brings problems.