Performer: Christian Schmidt

Christof Loy’s psychological staging returns to the stage of Finnish National Opera, with Swedish soprano Elisabet Strid compelling in the title role. 

With Claus Guth directing and Simone Young on the podium, the Staatsoper Unter den Linden's new production of Mussorgsky's Khovanshchina proves that the past isn't really past. 

Christof Loy's 2019 production proves even more compelling second time round, with excellent acting and a properly heroic tenor performance from Brian Jagde.

Vasily Barkhatov directs a new production of Mieczysław Weinberg's rarely staged, massive and unwieldy opera at the MuseumsQuartier. 

The COC revival of its 2016 production of Le nozze di Figaro is still rooted in Claus Guth’s gloomy Scandinavia but it’s lightened up to become much sexier and funnier.

Christof Loy's production of Tosca at ENO replaces Catherine Malfitano’s and, despite being visually attractive, suffers certain muddled ideas. It boasts, however, a strong trio of singers who deliver a committed performance on the production's first night at the Coliseum.