Christina Rossetti: Nigel Foster's London Song Festival turns its focus on the poet with soprano Susan Bullock and speaker Janine Roebuck. My concert review: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/chri...

Il pomo d'oro: the Innsbrucker Festwochen der Alten Musik celebrates its 50th anniversary with Cesti's extravagant opera. My preview: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/il-p...

Fatto per la Notte di Natale: the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin in festive Baroque mood at Wigmore Hall with Georg Kallweit and Mayumi Hirasaki. My review: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/fatt...

A journey through music shaped by migration: Roman Mints' Another Music Festival at St John's Waterloo - Stephania Turkevych, Leonid Desyatnikov, Alexey Kurbatov, Boris Filanovsky, Theodore Akimenko. My preview: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/a-jo...

Judith Weir, Imogen Holst, Nicola Lefanu, Emily Josephine Troup, Harriet Kendall, Eliza Flower: Electric Voice Theatre's Winter Carols by Candlelight at Conway Hall. My preview: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/elec...

Stories of incredible women from Iranian history and literature: Daughters of Persia created by pianist Margaret Fingerhut and composer Farhad Poupel at Kings Place. My preview: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/stor...

The internationally-renowned German-Colombian conductor Anna Handler to become new Chief Conductor of the Ulster Orchestra. My article: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/the-...

A thrilling Lady, compelling Macbeth & powerful last-minute stand-in: Chelsea Opera Group celebrates its 75th anniversary with Verdi's Macbeth in the full Paris version with Alexey Gusev, Mari Wyn Williams, Grant Llewellyn. My opera review: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/a-th...

A new Elixir & first-time Bohemians: John Savournin announces his first season at Waterperry Opera Festival. My preview: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/a-ne...

Faster, higher, stronger: composer Andrea Farri on Orchestrating Harmony for the Olympic Games Milano Cortina 2026. Our interview with Andrea: www.planethugill.com/2025/12/fast...

The Advent Carol Service at St John's College, Cambridge, with Christopher Gray directing the Choir of St John's College, music Judith Weir, a new carol by Errollyn Wallen, along with works Laura Sheils, Edward Picton-Turbervill, John Rutter & more. My review www.planethugill.com/2025/12/the-...

Style, engagement & joy: Handel's Partenope returns to ENO with director Christopher Alden in charge & a terrific young cast Nardus Williams, Hugh Cutting, Katie Bray, Jake Ingbar, Ru Charlesworth, conductor William Cole. My opera review: www.planethugill.com/2025/11/styl...

Delizie, contente: in an intelligently put together programme, The Bellot Ensemble explores love in all its forms in 17th century Italy for Cupid's Ground Bass on FHR. My record review: www.planethugill.com/2025/11/deli...

Eleven artists were honoured as this year’s winners of the Aga Khan Music Awards which were held in London for the first time. My article: www.planethugill.com/2025/11/elev...

York-based music charity, the Richard Shephard Music Foundation celebrates its most successful year to date, with over 8,685 children receiving weekly music lessons. My article: www.planethugill.com/2025/11/york...

Battleship Potemkin: The Pit Orchestra celebrates the film's centenary with its own innovative score live at University of Plymouth’s The House. My preview: www.planethugill.com/2025/11/batt...

Ode to Pity: Soprano Penelope Appleyard & pianist Jonathan Delbridge take Jane Austen celebrations into song with music by Donna McKevitt on VOCES8 Records. My preview: www.planethugill.com/2025/11/ode-...

This lively, engaging production drew us in with little sense of the artificial: Opera North revives Phyllida Lloyd's 1993 production of Puccini's La Boheme. My opera review: www.planethugill.com/2025/11/this...

From oratorio to remarkable dance drama: Handel's Susanna from Opera North & Phoenix Dance Theatre with Anna Dennis & James Hall, director Olivia Fuchs, conductor Johanna Stoller, choreographer Marcus Jarrell Willis. My review: www.planethugill.com/2025/11/from...

Upstairs at Ronnie’s: I chat to James Pearson & Lizzie Ball about the new regular classical nights at Ronnie Scott's new venue. My interview: www.planethugill.com/2025/11/upst...

Rivers: Libby Croad's new piece released by The Dionysius Ensemble alongside photos from the project's Slough-wide Jubilee River photography competition. My spotlight: www.planethugill.com/2025/11/libb...

Let us take a stand together hand in hand, Hans Krasa's opera Brundibar from Sarasota Opera. Robert J Carreras' latest Letter from Florida: www.planethugill.com/2025/11/lett...

“You can take a girl out of Cuba, but you can’t take Cuba out of a girl” - Odaline de la Martinez finds her voice as a composer. Her article: www.planethugill.com/2025/11/you-...

The recorders display their serious contrapuntal chops in Blow & Henry Hall's laments for Purcell's death alongside Purcell celebrating St Cecilia in Dunedin Consort's concert at Wigmore Hall. My review: www.planethugill.com/2025/11/enga...

Classical & grime to disco, pop, & jazz: Brixton Chamber Orchestra's Christmas Estates Tour 2025. My preview: www.planethugill.com/2025/11/clas...

From A Queer Holiday Extravaganza to Messiah to Corelli & Locatelli on tour: Christmas with Royal Northern Sinfonia at the Glasshouse. My preview: www.planethugill.com/2025/11/from...

Faith, fragility, & the passing of time: new work by Arthur Keegan alongside Messiaen for Hebrides Ensemble's Scottish tour. My preview: www.planethugill.com/2025/11/fait...

A real radio opera: Claire Booth as a pianist labouring under the horror & absurdity of life in Stalin's Russia in Joe Cutler's Sonata for Broken Fingers with BCMG, Sian Edwards on Birmingham Record Company. My record review: www.planethugill.com/2025/11/a-re...

National Centre for Early Music & BBC Radio 3 announce the 2026 Young Composers Award writing for The Gonzaga Band. My article: www.planethugill.com/2025/11/nati...

The Journey of Strings: Paraguayan classical guitarist Berta Rojas explores the guitar’s history and evolution in Latin America. My spotlight: www.planethugill.com/2025/11/the-...

Youthful & engaging with relish for text & drama: Monteverdi's L'incoronazione di Poppea from HGO at Jackson's Lane Theatre, director Ashley Pearson, music director Seb Gillot, My opera review: www.planethugill.com/2025/11/yout...

From Amy Beach to Lori Laitman & Zachary James Bramble: The Life & Loves of Sarah Teasdale gave us the chance to explore contemporary American late-romanticism at London Song Festival with Kristin Dauphinais, Nigel Foster. My concert review: www.planethugill.com/2025/11/from...

The Rain Keeps Coming: Northern Irish composer Amelia Clarkson, the youngest female composer ever commissioned by the Ulster Orchestra, on her new work for them which premiered last month, My interview: www.planethugill.com/2025/11/the-...

A spectacular new waterside home planned for Hamburg State Opera, designed by BIG architecture studio. My article: www.planethugill.com/2025/11/a-sp...

The Sixteen Ignite, a new, fully-funded, dedicated talent pathway for young singers. My article: www.planethugill.com/2025/11/the-...

Agnes Baltsa, Marina Rebeka, Asmik Grigorian, Nicholas Brownlee, Adèle Charvet, Hugh Cutting & many more rewarded at the 2025 International Opera Awards in Athens. #OperaAwards2025 My article: www.planethugill.com/2025/11/agne...

Celebrating the legacy of the legendary classical guitarist, Julian Bream, at Wigmore Hall. Thibaut Garcia & Quatuor Arod in Leo Brouwer’s new guitar quintet. With support of the Julian Bream Trust. Tony's article: www.planethugill.com/2025/11/a-co...

2025 Ivors Classical Awards: Anibal Vidal, Anna Clyne, Helen Grime, Jonathan Dove, Luke Mombrea, Nneka Cummins, Anne Dudley, Anoushka Shankar and Debbie Wiseman receive awards. #TheIvorsClassicalAwards My article: www.planethugill.com/2025/11/2025...

Poetic exploration: Ensemble Près de votre oreille & Robin Pharo in an engaging exploration of chamber & vocal music by William Lawes on Harmonia Mundi mixing songs, psalms & harp consorts. My record review: www.planethugill.com/2025/11/poet...

Shimmer: the National Youth Orchestra launches 2026 with impressions of Spain, plus music by Anna Clyne & Karim Al-Zand with Alexandre Bloch & Inbal Segev at Barbican Centre, Warwick Arts Centre, Nottingham Royal Concert Hall. My article: www.planethugill.com/2025/11/shim...

The other brother: music by Galileo Galilei's younger brother Michelangelo on this lovely new EP from Israel Golani on Solaire Records. My review: www.planethugill.com/2025/11/the-...

A bold, atmospheric work rooted in English folklore, ritual, & superstition: Shadwell Opera & Opera North give the stage premiere of Isabella Gellis' The Devil's Den. My preview: www.planethugill.com/2025/11/a-bo...

Dramatic Messiah: Wild Arts brings its dramatised presentation of Handel's oratorio back for a third tour. My preview: www.planethugill.com/2025/11/dram...

An ambitious project that seeks to reimagine one of our great literary giants: Alastair White & Gemma A Williams ask how you adapt Finnegan's Wake for the musical stage as part of Irish Design Week at the Thomas MacDonagh Museum. My article: www.planethugill.com/2025/11/an-a...

In case you missed it: October on Planet Hugill: Handel's Giustino & Deidamia, Verdi's Les vêpres siciliennes & Le Trouvère mailchi.mp/planethugill...

Fascinating, distracting & frustrating: Janácek's Makropulos Case's first ever outing at Covent Garden in Katie Mitchell's too-complex production redeemed by mesmerising performance from Ausrine Stundyte & Jakub Hruša in the pit. My review: www.planethugill.com/2025/11/fasc...

James Blades: Pandemonium of the One-Man Band - James Anthony-Rose on the new music theatre piece on the great percussionist with Sam Wilson, Tomi Rose, Robin Brooks at Snape Maltings & to be on BBC Radio 3. My interview: www.planethugill.com/2025/11/jame...

From bel canto to Harlem Renaissance: Lawrence Brownlee & Iain Burnside's recital at Wigmore Hall. My preview: www.planethugill.com/2025/11/from...

A somewhat quirky mood: Stephen McNeff's new violin concerto for Fenella Humphreys, London Mozart Players, Jonathan Bloxham at St Martin in the Fields. My preview: www.planethugill.com/2025/11/a-so...

Grieg: A new solo album from British pianist, Alexander Ullman, features a thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining selection of music by Edvard Grieg on Rubicon Classics. Tony's record review: www.planethugill.com/2025/11/a-ne...