Rolando Villazón is in fine voice as he celebrates his 50th with friends at Salzburg’s Haus für Mozart

AustriaAustria ¡Cincuentañero! Rolando Villazón turns 50: Rolando Villazón, Charles Castronovo (tenors), Plácido Domingo (tenor/baritone), Magdalena Kožená (mezzo-soprano), Regula Mühlemann, Fatma Said (sopranos) and Michael Volle (baritone), Barbara Rett (host), Camarata Salzburg / Giedrė Šlekytė (conductor). Recorded live (directed by Beatrix Conrad) in the Haus für Mozart, Salzburg, 21.2.2022. (JPr)

Giedrė Šlekytė conducts Camarata Salzburg, Rolando Villazón and Magdalena Kožená

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The George London Foundation awards top prizes to five exceptional aspiring opera singers

United StatesUnited States George London Foundation Awards Competition Finals: Soloists, Susanna Phillips (host), Michael Fennelly (piano). The Morgan Library & Museum, New York, 25.2.2022. (RP)

Susanna Phillips (host), third from right, with 2022 George London Award winners (l to r) Erik Grendahl (baritone), Timothy Murray (baritone), Blake Denson (baritone), Megan Moore (mezzo-soprano) and Eric Ferring (tenor) © Jennifer Taylor

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Philip Pullman’s The Book of Dust at London’s Bridge Theatre is a whirlwind coming-of-age story

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Bridge Theatre’s The Book of Dust – La Belle Sauvage: Broadcast by NT Live to Cineworld Basildon, Essex, from Bridge Theatre, London, 17.2.2022. (JPr)

Ella Dacres (Alice), Pip Carter (Gerard Bonneville) & Julie Atherton (Hyena) (c) Manuel Harlan

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MacMillan’s naturalistic – and ageless – Romeo and Juliet sees The Royal Ballet performing consummately well

United KingdomUnited Kingdom The Royal Ballet’s Romeo and Juliet: Dancers of The Royal Ballet, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House / Jonathan Lo (conductor). Performance of 3.2.2022 broadcast to Cineworld Basildon, Essex, 14.2.2022. (JPr)

Marcelino Sambé (Romeo) and Anna Rose O’Sullivan (Juliet)

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Anthony Negus and his remarkable cast excel in Suzanne Chaundy’s gimmick-free Melbourne Opera Die Walküre

AustraliaAustralia Wagner, Die Walküre: Soloists, Melbourne Opera Orchestra / Anthony Negus (conductor). Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne, 9.2.2022. (JPr)

Bradley Daley (Siegmund), Zara Barrett (Brünnhilde) and Lee Abrahmsen (Sieglinde) © Robin Halls

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Asmik Grigorian stars in a revival of Robert Carsen’s shop till you drop Vienna Manon Lescaut

AustriaAustria Puccini, Manon Lescaut: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Vienna State Opera / Francesco Ivan Ciampa (conductor). Livestreamed (directed by Domnik Kepczynski) from Vienna State Opera on 7.2.2022. (JPr)

Boris Pinkhasovich (Lescaut) and Asmik Grigorian (Manon) © Wiener Staatsoper/Michael Poehn

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