Baranowski: 1984 (Northern Ballet)

Tobias Batley (Winston Smith); Martha Leebolt (Julia); Javier Torres (O'Brien); Hironao Takahashi (Mr Charrington); Giuliano Contadini (Parsons); Kevin Poeung (Ampleforth); Ashley Dixon (Martin); Victoria Sibson (Lead Prole);

"This is gripping storytelling" (The Stage ★★★★)

Barber: Vanessa (Glyndebourne)

Emma Bell (Vanessa); Virginie Verrez (Erika); Edgaras Montvidas (Anatol); Rosalind Plowright (The Old Baroness); Donnie Ray Albert (The Old Doctor); Romanas Kudriašovas (Footman); William Thomas (Nicholas, the Major-Domo);

" ... this is intelligent music theatre that proves consistently gripping. Musically, it’s hugely impressive, too. Bell gives one of her finest performances to date, beautifully acted, her voice soaring with elation and anguish, even as Vanessa becomes increasingly deluded as to Anatol’s true nature. Montvidas is all seductive elegance, but his charm can turn to cynicism in a flash when his guard is down, and we fully understand why Verrez’s proud, sensual Erika finds him both so attractive and so suspicious. Plowright strikingly suggests a woman whose view of the present is haunted by the sadness of her own memories, while Albert convinces as a man who can mend men’s bodies, but singularly fails to understand their souls. Jakub Hrůša, conducting with tremendous passion, really opens the emotional floodgates, sweeping us away in the big set pieces, while the London Philharmonic Orchestra’s playing is at once sumptuous and superbly detailed." (The Guardian ★★★★)

Baroque Opera Classics (Various)

Sally Matthews (Deidamia (Deidamia)); Veronica Cangemi (Nerea (Deidamia); Iole (Ercole Amante)); Luca Pisaroni (Ercole (Ercole Amante)); Anders J. Dahlin (Zoroastre (Zoroastre)); Marina Comparato (Adriano (Adriano in Siria)); Lucia Cirillo (Emirena (Adriano in Siria)); Anna Bonitatibus (Didone (La Didone)); Kresimir Spicer (Enea (La Didone)); Lenka Máčiková (Marquise Clarice (Dove)); Aleš Briscein (Count Orazio (Dove));

"Alden's approach is lightly ironic, matching well with a piece that treats its material with a knowing air...Ivor Bolton and Concerto Koln provide the expert musical underpinning. Sally Matthews shines as a vocally and physically poised Deidamia, Olga Pasichnyk emphasises the lusty young man hiding beneath Achille's skirts, and Silvia Tro Santafe's Ulisse presents him with a credible rival." (BBC Music Magazine - Deidamia ★★★★)

Beethoven: Eroica - The day that changed music forever

Ian Hart (Ludwig van Beethoven); Tim Piggott-Smith (Count Dietrichstein); Claire Skinner (Josephine Deym); Jack Davenport (Prince Lobkowitz); Frank Finlay (Joseph Haydn); Fenella Woolgar (Princess Marie Lobkowitz);

"You could not hope for a stronger cast." (The Times)

Beethoven: Fidelio (Opernhaus Zürich)

Melanie Diener (Leonore); Roberto Saccà (Florestan); Sandra Trattnigg (Marzelline); Alfred Muff (Rocco); Lucio Gallo (Don Pizarro);

Belarbi: La Bête et la Belle (Beauty and the Beast) (Ballet du Capitole)

Julie Loria (The Beauty ); Takafumi Watanabe (The Beast ); Kazbek Akhmedyarov (Toroador);

"…all the markings of one of the classic ballets: It had romance, spectacle and drama, and it was beautiful …filled with spectacular dancing by large ensembles set beautifully. Imaginative and colorful sets and costumes by Valérie Berman and effective lighting by Marc Parent completed the visual spectacle…" (Times Argus)