Performer: Gabrielė Kupšytė

Aigul Akhmetshina is outstanding in the title role, hearing Piotr Beczała is a privilege, but it's Damiano Michieletto's new staging that takes the honours.

Christof Loy’s thoughtful staging enlightens the character of the protagonists in Sophocles’ tale of matricide; Sir Antonio Pappano extracts great nuance and beauty from Strauss’ score.

Tchaikovsky's final opera and ballet were always intended to be paired; at the Royal Albert Hall Petrenko and the RPO present them together in a rewarding double-bill, marred by microphones.