Leipzig Opera’s eco-friendly staging of Musgrave’s Mary, Queen of Scots is a right royal success

GermanyGermany Thea Musgrave, Mary, Queen of Scots: Soloists, Actors and Chorus of Leipzig Opera, Gewandhaus Orchestra / Matthias Foremny (conductor), Leipzig Opera, 12.1.2024. (GT)

Mary, Queen of Scots (Nicole Chevalier) and James Stewart, Earl of Moray (Franz Xaver Schlecht) © Tom Schulze

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Alan Gilbert’s Shostakovich 10 gives a masterly foretaste of the Leipzig Festival 2025

GermanyGermany Auerbach, Shostakovich: Soloists and Gewandhauschor, Gewandhausorchestra / Alan Gilbert (conductor). Grosser Saal of the Leipzig Gewandhaus, 11.1.2024. (GT)

Alan Gilbert conducts the soloists and the Gewandhausorchester in Auerbach’s Vessels of Light  © Gert Mothes

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Opera North’s La rondine proves a balm for our troubles today

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Puccini, La rondine: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Opera North / Kerem Hasan (conductor). Lyric Theatre, The Lowry, Salford Quays, 17.11.2023. (MC)

Laura-Kelly McInroy (Suzy), Kathryn Sharpe (Bianca), Pasquale Orchard (Yvette), Philip Smith (Rambaldo), Sébastien Guèze (Ruggero), Satriya Krisna (Goblin), Ross McInroy (Périchaud) © Tristram Kenton

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Insula’s Sky Burial at the Barbican is a stunning evening, unique, and vitally important

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Gounod, Fauré – Sky Burial: Oliver Barlow (treble), John Brancy (baritone), Amitai Pati (tenor), Mat Collishaw (filmmaker), accentus, Insula Orchestra / Laurence Equilbey (conductor). Barbican Hall, London, 20.11.2023. (CC)

Laurence Equilbey conducts tenor Amitai Pati, accentus, and the Insula Orchestra with Mat Collishaw’s projections to the rear background © Mark Allan

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Breathing forests and village weddings energize the San Francisco Symphony and Esa-Pekka Salonen

United StatesUnited States Stravinsky, Smith: James McVinnie (organ), Lauren Snouffer (soprano), Kayleigh Decker (mezzo-soprano), Paul Appleby (tenor), David Soar (bass), Hillary Leben (animator), San Francisco Symphony Chorus (director: Jenny Wong). San Francisco Symphony / Esa-Pekka Salonen (conductor). Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco, 18.11.2023. (HS)

Esa-Pekka Salonen and the San Francisco Symphony perform Stravinsky’s Les Noces (animation by Hillary Leben) © SFO

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