Performer: Kwangchul Youn

Marco Armiliato’s conducting thrills and Federica Lombardi's radiant Amelia stands out in the Wiener Staatsoper’s latest revival of Simon Boccanegra.

For whatever reason Fabio Luisi chose Verdi's Requiem for his inauguration concert with the NHK Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo, it turned out to be an apt and poignant choice.

The performance of Wagner’s Lohengrin transcends Andreas Homoki's curious staging, redeemed by vocal and orchestral performances that shine in their nuanced artistry.

Daniel Barenboim conducts an underwhelming cast in the Staatsoper's new Samson et Dalila, and Argentinian director Damián Szifron's operatic debut is stale and cliché-ridden. 

Laurent Pelly’s darkly stylish production of Manon is revived with a strong cast of singers. In the title role, Lisette Oropesa demonstrated elegant and incisive singing, while Michael Fabiano was her virile and powerful partner.

Sultry Berg and and a lithe, forceful Beethoven Nine herald an exciting new reign in Berlin.