Performer: Tanja Ariane Baumgartner

An Elektra conducted like Mendelssohnian fairy music, sung not shouted, just as Strauss required.

Sophisticated interpretation of The Bassarids by Hans Werner Henze at the Komische Oper Berlin

Camilla Nylund’s rich, ample voice bloomed in the glorious setting of the sonnet, cosseted by burnished horn playing, in Strauss' unsurpassed operatic farewell to the soprano voice.

A largely newly cast revival of The Rake's Progress takes a while to catch fire, but when it does the results are devilishly good.

In spite of some questionable staging, Lyric Opera of Chicago opened its Ring cycle on a strong note with a stellar cast, notably featuring Eric Owens’ role debut as Wotan.

An opportunity for the human voice to shine in works by Mahler and Mozart, performed by the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra conducted by Ilan Volkov, with an opening work by Gérard Grisey.