Pfitzner’s Palestrina is conducted by Thielemann, the opera’s tireless advocate, and triumphs in Vienna

AustriaAustria Hans Pfitzner’s Palestrina: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Vienna State Opera / Christian Thielemann (conductor). Livestreamed (directed by Ella Gallieni) from the Vienna State Opera, 12.12.2024. (JPr)

Michael Laurenz (Bernardo Novagerio) and Wolfgang Koch (Cardinal Borromeo) © Wiener Staatsoper / Michael Pöhn

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Ashton’s Cinderella for The Royal Ballet focusses on steps but ignores the story

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Prokofiev, Cinderella: Dancers of The Royal Ballet, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House / Jonathan Lo (conductor). Broadcast live from the Royal Ballet & Opera, Covent Garden, London, to Cineworld Basildon, Essex, 10.12.2024. (JPr)

WIlliam Bracewell as the Prince and Fumi Kaneko as Cinderella © Andrej Uspenski

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Muscato’s compelling new La Scala La forza del destino is dominated by Netrebko’s Leonora and Tézier’s Carlo

ItalyItaly Verdi, La forza del destino: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of the Teatro alla Scala, Milan / Riccardo Chailly (conductor). Broadcast live (directed by Arnalda Canali) on medici.tv from Teatro alla Scala, Milan, 7.12.2024. (JPr)

Huanhong Li (Alcalde) and Ludovic Tézier (Carlo) © Teatro alla Scala / Brescia e Amisano

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Claus Guth’s Vienna Turandot lacks epic grandeur but is redeemed by some fine singing

AustriaAustria Puccini, Turandot: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Vienna State Opera / Marco Armiliato (conductor). Filmed at the Vienna State Opera (directed by Tiziano Mancini) on 16.12.2023 and currently available on medici.tv. (JPr)

Jonas Kaufmann (Calaf) and Asmik Grigorian (Turandot) © Monika Rittershaus

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A cast for the ages? Lise Davidsen, Freddie De Tommaso and Quinn Kelsey bring the Met Tosca to true life

United StatesUnited States Puccini, Tosca: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera, New York / Yannick Nézet-Séguin (conductor). The Met Live in HD broadcast to Cineworld Basildon, Essex, 23.11.2024. (JPr)

Lise Davidsen (Tosca) and Freddie De Tommaso (Cavaradossi) © Met Opera/Marty Sohl

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David McVicar’s puzzling Rheingold is redeemed by Simone Young’s conducting and some fine singing

ItalyItaly Wagner, Das Rheingold: Soloists, Orchestra of La Scala, Milan / Simone Young (conductor). Broadcast live (directed by Anna Gettel) from La Scala, Milan, 3.11.2024 and available on demand on LaScala TV. (JPr)

David McVicar’s new Das Rheingold for La Scala © Brescia e Amisano

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Barlett Sher’s Tales of Hoffmann revival at the Met loses the emotional core of this complex opera

United StatesUnited States Offenbach, Les contes d’Hoffmann: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera / Marco Armiliato (conductor). Broadcast Live in HD from the Metropolitan Opera, New York, to Cineworld Basildon, Essex, 5.10.2024. (JPr)

Vasilisa Berzhanskaya (Nicklausse), Benjamin Bernheim (Hoffmann), and Christian Van Horn (Lindorf) © Karen Almond/Met Opera

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Siobhan Stagg steps in as Susanna and is the undoubted star of David McVicar’s Marriage of Figaro revival

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Mozart, Le nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro): Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Royal Opera / Julia Jones (conductor). Broadcast live (directed by Rhodri Huw) to Cineworld Basildon, Essex, from Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, 10.9.2024. (JPr)

David McVicar’s The Marriage of Figaro Act I © Clive Barda

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