United Kingdom Legally Blonde The Musical: Cliffs Pavilion, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, 17.3.2026. (JPr)
Hannah Lowther’s Elle and Karen Mavundukure’s Paulette make Legally Blonde unmissable
Jim Pritchard
McVicar’s La Scala Siegfried is so good in parts – Young, Vogt and Volle particularly – but fails in others
Italy Wagner, Siegfried: Soloists, Teatro alla Scala Orchestra / Simone Young (conductor). Broadcast live (directed by Anna Gettel) from La Scala, Milan, 13.6.2025 and available on demand on LaScala TV. (JPr)
Exceptional display of dancing from all concerned as Takada and Ball star in The Royal Ballet’s Giselle
United Kingdom Adolphe Adam, Giselle: Dancers of The Royal Ballet, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Orchestra / Vello Pähn (conductor). Broadcast live (directed by Ross MacGibbon) from the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London. 3.3.2026. (JPr)
Review of David Harewood’s Othello in cinemas from 4 March
United Kingdom Shakespeare’s Othello: Filmed live (directed by Tim Van Someran) at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, London, and to be seen in cinemas from 4.3.2026. (JPr)
Tip your hat to a tap-tastic revival of Irving Berlin’s Top Hat
United Kingdom Irving Berlin’s Top Hat The Musical: Cliffs Pavilion, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, 24.2.2026. (JPr)
Two fine Barcelona casts in the Liceu’s production of La Gioconda
Spain Ponchielli, La Gioconda: Soloists, Children’s Choir of the Orfeó Català, Chorus and Symphony Orchestra of the Liceu / Daniel Oren (conductor). Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona, 17 & 19.2.2026. (JMI)
Longborough Festival Opera returns from 30 May to 8 August 2026 with a wide-ranging programme
Longborough Festival Opera 2026 programme presents three new productions and a celebrated revival
The world-class opera festival in the Cotswolds presents new productions of Handel’s Orlando, Verdi’s Macbeth and Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel alongside a revival of its acclaimed 2017 Tristan und Isolde.
McGregor’s choreography challenges the dancers but Osipova is a magnetic stage presence in Woolf Works
United Kingdom Wayne McGregor’s Woolf Works – a triptych: Dancers of The Royal Ballet, Students of The Royal Ballet School, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House / Koen Kessels (conductor). Broadcast live (directed by Ross MacGibbon) from the Royal Opera House to Cineworld Basildon, Essex, 9.2.2026. (JPr)
