Performer: Kevin John Edusei

Kevin John Edusei, Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra celebrate the joys of a life well-lived – rounded off to the sounds of larks ascending. 

With the help of excellent singing and acting performances from a cast led by Asmik Grigorian and Joshua Guerrero, Puccini’s tale of abandonment hits home.

Maria Ioudenitch joins the Symphony for Samuel Barber's popular Violin Concerto. 

A muted Bartók violin concerto is offset by a scintillating Petrushka at the Barbican.

Richard Jones' production is revived again at Covent Garden, where Juan Diego Flórez and Ailyn Pérez lead a convincing cast. 

With warhorses like Rachmaninov's Second Piano Concerto and Beethoven's “Pastoral” Symphony, the onus is on the conductor to deliver and Edusei does not quite hit all the right notes in this spirited, but flawed concert.