Performer: Michael Gibson

Joyce El-Khoury saves the day in The Royal Opera’s second revival of The Sicilian Vespers in Stefan Herheim’s paint-by-numbers production. 

Andrei Șerban’s 1984 staging of Turandot may the oldest production left in The Royal Opera’s stable, but there's life in the old horse yet. 

This revival of Kratzer’s production forces the audience to confront where personal responsibility starts and stops for acting under a tyrannical regime, while bringing Beethoven’s only opera to life – with a few twists.

Katie Mitchell's provocative staging is revived to great effect, elevated by glorious music-making led by Nadine Sierra's sensational Lucia. 

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.

It's been a long wait since Cardiff Singer 2015, but the Mongolian baritone gives an outstanding vocal portrayal of Verdi’s doomed jester at the Royal Opera House.