Work: Lucia di Lammermoor: Regnava nel silenzio

One of the greatest launching pads for an opera singer’s career, the Neue Stimmen once again proves its ability to attract the best operatic talents the world has to offer. 

Rare repertoire, polished orchestral playing, thrilling singing – it's no wonder London's operatic cognoscenti were out in force.

I have to confess that an event like this is not within my normal musical radar. My music reviewing and listening is predominantly serious classical, and most of it is for a specialist part of that wide repertoire. So it was a slightly brave, or foolhardy, idea to offer to review one of these musical spectaculars at my local castle.