Performer: Simone Piazzola

Is Roberto Devereux the finest of Donizetti's four Tudor operas? Stephen Langridge's stylish, stylised production and a wonderful cast under Riccardo Frizza make a great case for it. 

Young Egyptian-New Zealand soprano Amina Edris makes a great impression in a revival of Arin Arbus’ strong 2015 production.

Omer Meir Wellber conducts a spirited account of Verdi's early opera, semi-staged and live-streamed from the Teatro Massimo.

Livermore updates the scene to the 1930s, but seems to be setting Mussolini's Italians against invading Germans. 

Comedy fails to spark in Laurent Pelly's new production of Falstaff at the Teatro Real. 

On her house debut, in Covent Garden's second cast of the year, Angel Blue is completely convincing as Verdi's doomed courtesan; Benjamin Bernheim is an unconventional but compelling Alfredo; Simone Piazzola a persuasive Germont père.