Well isn’t this lovely. Opera star sings Habanera (from Carmen) in the airport (?) What a terrific voice. #opera I don’t care if they’re staged, we need more profl free public #music and #art.

I’m aware that filming is expensive, but it still puzzles me that we don’t put more studio/live performances from these astonishing ensembles in the main schedules….

A composer *So popular* that the Performing Rights Society was formed specifically to redress the issue of how little £ he received for performances.

Tonight @ the Pavilion Gardens Theatre @buxtonfestival.bsky.social will unveil 4 new operas by 4 different creative teams: Inevitable, Life Gets Stretched, Disorderly House & Tears Are Not Meant to Stay Inside. Reviewing for @thestage.co.uk

In delightful Buxton where last night the @buxtonfestival.bsky.social's opening show in the Buxton Opera House was Ambroise Thomas’ 1868 Hamlet -- an outstanding example of Shakespeare in French grand opéra mode: Adrian Kelly conducts, Jack Furness directs. Review to appear in @thestage.co.uk

To @sinfoniasmithsq.bsky.social this evening for Islington Choral Society’s concert performance of HMS Pinafore conducted by Michael Waldron. Simon Butteriss stars.

The world's on fire, and almost everything is awful. But then there's the Pastoral Symphony.

To the Grange Festival today for Johann Strauss II’s Die Fledermaus sung in a translation by John Mortimer in a production by Paul Curran. The @bournemouthso.bsky.social is conducted by Paul Daniel & the cast includes many good names. Writing for @thestage.co.uk.

To @cadoganhall.bsky.social this evening for a concert by the English Chamber Orchestra conducted by Zvonimir Hačko. Lusine Khachatryan & Philip Cobb are soloists in Shostakovich’s Concerto for piano, trumpet & strings, plus his Chamber Symphony & Britten's Frank Bridge Variations.

To the Grange Festival today for La traviata in a production by Maxime Braham, designed by Jamie Vartan, lit by Johanna Town & with the @bournemouthso.bsky.social conducted by Richard Farnes. The cast includes Samantha Clarke, Nico Darmanin and Dario Solari.

. @garsingtonopera.bsky.social today for Handel’s Rodelinda, directed by Ruth Knight, designed by @leslietravers.bsky.social, lit by Ben Pickersgill and with Peter Whelan conducting The @englishconcert.bsky.social. The cast includes Lucy Crowe, Tim Mead, Ed Lyon, Marvic Monreal, Hugh Cutting.

Later to @southbankcentre.bsky.social to hear Nikolai Lugansky play Rachmaninov’s Third Concerto with the @philharmonialondon.bsky.social & Carlos Miguel Prieto. Programme also includes Ravel’s Alborada del gracioso & La Valse, Respighi’s Pines of Rome. www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/nik...

Handel’s Saul @ Glyndebourne for me today, in Barrie Kosky’s staging conducted by Jonathan Cohen & with two of the production’s original (2015) cast members – Christopher Purves & Iestyn Davies -- reappearing. Writing for @thestage.co.uk

To @cadoganhall.bsky.social today for Chelsea Opera Group’s concert performance of a Bellini rarity: La straniera. Stephen Barlow conducts and central casting consists of @helenadix.bsky.social,Thomas Elwin, Dan D'Souza & Georgia Mae Bishop. Reviewing for Opera Magazine.

Back @garsingtonopera.bsky.social tonight for Tchaikovsky’s The Queen of Spades, directed by Jack Furness. Aaron Cawley stars alongside Stephanie Wake-Edwards, Diana Montague, Robert Hayward & Roderick Williams: Douglas Boyd conducts the @philharmonialondon.bsky.social. Writing for @TheStage.co.uk

Opening night @garsingtonopera.bsky.social is Christopher Luscombe's staging of Donizetti’s sentimental comedy L’elisir d’amore (The Love Potion), with Chloe Rooke conducting the @philharmonialondon.bsky.social. Writing for @TheStage.co.uk.

Time to retire once and for all the myth that opera is the musical genre most linked with wealth

This is a wonderful scheme for anyone who wants to try their hand at writing about classical music - do apply! It's a rare scheme that allows this kind of opportunity.

Tonight at the Royal Academy of Music for Britten’s church parable The Burning Fiery Furnace, conducted by Christopher White & directed by Victoria Newlyn. Not a piece that gets many performances, so I’m looking forward to encountering again after a long gap!

To Glasgow tonight for a @scottishopera.bsky.social double bill of operetta at the Theatre Royal: Gilbert & Sullivan’s Trial by Jury is directed by @johnsavournin.bsky.social & A Matter of Misconduct (by composer @TobyHession & librettist Emma Jenkins) by Laura Attridge; Hession conducts both.

Off to @blackheathhalls.bsky.social for New Sussex Opera's UK premiere production of Saint-Saëns’ first opera, Le timbre d’argent (The Silver Bell) which tells a Hoffmann-like fantastical tale. Paul Higgins directs,Toby Purser conducts & Anthony Flaum stars as the fated Conrad.

It is with profound sadness that the Three Choirs Festival marks the passing of the esteemed composer and conductor Ronald Corp OBE. We were greatly anticipating Ronald's presence at this year's festival in Hereford. Read more - 3choirs.org/news/remembe...

This evening to the Royal Ballet & Opera for Die Walküre, the second instalment of Barrie Kosky’s Ring cycle. Antonio Pappano conducts a cast including Christopher Maltman, Elisabet Strid, Natalya Romaniw, Stanislaw De Barbeyrac & Soloman Howard. Writing for @TheStage.co.uk

Off to the Theatre Royal, Glasgow, tonight to see @scottishopera.bsky.social's new Merry Widow, directed by @johnsavournin.bsky.social & conducted by Stuart Stratford, starring Paula Sides & Alex Otterburn. Tours Scotland then arrives @operahollandpark.bsky.social. Writing for @thestage.co.uk

Looking forward to tonight’s official launch of the BBC Proms 2025 @designmusssein.bsky.social – always an exciting moment in the musical year and a harbinger of the summer to come. Season runs from 18 July to September 13.

Looking forward with keen anticipation to discovering who has won in the various categories of BBC Music Magazine awards @kingsplacelondon.bsky.social this evening. Always an exciting event, and enjoyable to hear live music as well as either speeches or videos from the triumphant artists.

To @SinfoniaSmithSq.bsky.social tonight for a concert by Michael Waldron & London Choral Sinfonia featuring Out of Eden, a substantial new choral piece by the talented Edward Picton-Turbevill. Also on the programme are short pieces by Onutė Narbutaitė, Caroline Shaw, Ola Gjeilo & Eric Whitacre.

Off to the Royal Ballet & Opera this evening for Damiano Michieletto’s production of Carmen starring Aigul Akhmetshina & Freddie De Tommaso. Sir Mark Elder conducts. I’m writing for @thestage.co.uk

To @SinfoniaSmithSq.bsky.social this evening for Elgar’s oratorio The Kingdom with Islington Choral Society + Westminster Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Michael Waldron: soloists Claire Rutter, Katie Bray, Sam Furness & Patrick Alexander Keefe.

At the Wales Millennium Centre this evening for @welshnatopera.bsky.social's new Peter Grimes, directed by Melly Still, conducted by Tomáš Hanus & starring Nicky Spence, Sally Matthews, David Kempster, Dame Sarah Connolly + many other leading British singers. Writing for @TheStage.co.uk

At Cadogan Hall this evening for Chelsea Opera Group’s concert performance of Edouard Lalo’s Le Roi d’Ys (1888), which I’m looking forward to hearing for the first time. Paul Wingfield conducts a cast that includes T D Hopkinson, Maria Schellenberg, Hye-Youn Lee and Luis Gomes.

Opera fans: if you’re able to get to the @bloomsburytheatre.bsky.social Saturday 29 March, I urge you to catch the second & final performance of UCOpera’s production of Fellow Travelers, a work by American composer Gregory Spears & librettist Greg Pierce: outstanding & ON NO ACCOUNT to be missed!

Tonight I’m taking a look at Tales of Apollo & Hercules, a duo of cantatas (Apollo e Dafne & The Choice of Hercules) staged by Thomas Guthrie as part of the London Handel Festival: venue Shoreditch Town Hall. David Bates directs @lanuovamusica.bsky.social. Reviewing for @thestage.co.uk

London’s Wigmore Hall will leave Arts Council England’s (ACE) National Portfolio in April next year, saying it has raised enough from private donors to free itself from the funder’s “onerous” requirements.

To the Royal Ballet & Opera this evening for Andrei Serban’s production of Puccini’s Turandot starring Sondra Radvanovsky & SeokJong Baek & with Rafael Payare conducting. Reviewing for @thestage.co.uk

To Cadogan Hall this evening for 'Donizetti and Friends', songs by Donizetti & Berlioz performed by Marie-Nicole Lemieux & Michael Spyres with pianist Giulio Zappa – all part of Opera Rara’s complete edition of the Italian composer’s songs.

Off to Cadogan Hall this afternoon for a fascinating programme by the English Chamber Orchestra under Nimrod Borenstein which includes his own Shakespeare Songs sung by Sarah Fox. Also on the bill works by Elgar, Vaughan Williams and Coleridge-Taylor.

The 2025 Royal Philharmonic Society Awards take place this evening live from @royalbirmcons.bsky.social. The #RPSAwards celebrate classical music and musicians across the UK, telling a vital and uplifting story about classical music's resonance and reach.

Tonight to Wilton's Music Hall for Charles Court Opera’s Magic Flute, in a new English version by @johnsavournin.bsky.social & David Eaton. Writing for Opera magazine

Luscious listening: Stephen Hough’s take on Sondheim’s Pretty Lady from Pacific Overtures. www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gCp...

Just 60 seconds, and I am so disturbed and bothered that I may never sleep again. Take a look and perhaps you will feel the same #sarcasm #InstagramFail

Off to Hackney Empire this evening for Eloise Lally’s production for ETO of Bellini’s I Capuleti ed i Montecchi (sung in Italian though the title is in English). Alphonse Cemin conducts, Lily Arnold designs. Reviewing for The Stage.

Such a great idea: composer Michael Betteridge has taken Vaughan Williams’ one-act opera of JM Synge’s Riders to the Sea and replaced the large orchestra with 3 players on atmospheric accordion, oboe and clarinets including a luscious bass one. Does the show work? www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/ride....

Off to Thea Musgrave’s Mary, Queen of Scots at ENO — an opera I last saw in 1980, in my pre-reviewing days. Looking forward to making its reacquaintance.

On Valentine’s Day I’m off to see Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s Dream Lovers, operatic scenes to a text by poet Paul Laurence-Dunbar, staged at Stanley Arts, South Northwood, and apparently the first professional revival since its 1898 premiere. Performances today and tomorrow.

A report on an orchestra that vanished for @londonermag.bsky.social www.the-londoner.co.uk/london-chamb...

A big night for British opera tonight @ rbo with the premiere of Mark-Anthony Turnage’s Festen to a libretto by Lee Hall drawn from the film of the same name. A huge cast of British & foreign singers takes on some 30 principal roles. Richard Jones directs & Edward Gardner conducts.