Performer: Staatsopernchor Berlin

Carlo Rizzi’s conducting and a strong vocal cast led by Sonya Yoncheva partially make up for Lydia Steier's misdirected staging in the Staatsoper Unter den Linden’s production of Spontini’s opera.

Andrea Moses transforms Mozart’s opera into a hybrid of Singspiel, stand-up comedy and cabaret, a concept that rarely deepens the work and often competed directly with it.

At the Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Rafael R Villalobos addresses the problems he perceives with Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera, although the musical performances – led by Anna Netrebko – compensate.

The Staatsoper's new production of Janáček's opera buzzes with life thanks to Sir Simon Rattle's conducting and an excellent cast led by Vera-Lotte Boecker and Magdalena Kožená.

The Staatsoper Unter den Linden celebrates the 100th birthday of Alban Berg's masterpiece with a stellar cast in Andrea Breth’s revived production. 

Newly General Music Director Christian Thielemann and Jan Philipp Gloger bring Richard Strauss' Die schweigsame Frau to the Staatsoper Berlin for the first time, but la commedia is hardly stupenda.