Michael Higgs

Sarah Tipple brings the comedic opera to life with gloriously ridiculous period costumes, an outstanding cast and an abstract set that mirrors the plot’s absurdism with precision.

A brilliant comedy hit that fuses music, physical theatre, and that type of really-clever-yet-really-dumb humour that works for most audiences, it’s a show that keeps the audience laughing at every turn.

Annilese Miskimmon reimagines the tragic tale against the backdrop of a convent in 1960s Ireland in an unsettling production with some outstanding performers that combine with Puccini's haunting score in a compelling production.

Deservedly still Tchaikovsky’s most celebrated opera, Eugene Onegin astounds with angelic music that never ceases to amaze. This production by Ted Huffman, in his main stage Royal Opera debut, features a stellar cast with Kristina Mkhitaryan as Tatyana, Gordon Bintner as Onegin, and several choices that, while divisive, raise intriguing questions.

Pappano is top of his game as he once again proves he is a pristine fit as Chief Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra. His leadership ties the entire evening together so seamlessly that it’s hardly surprising he earns a standing ovation.

Frank’s Closet is a paean to queerness. With a variety of beautifully performed earworms and a never–ending stream of jokes, it’s a tongue–in–cheek show that may not glitter with a steamy plot, but still enchants with its musical numbers.

With the inclusion of several beloved all-time classics and an exceptional new cello concerto by Spanish composer Francisco Coll, the 38th 2024 BBC Prom marks a tremendous success for conductor Tianyi Lu.

Opera Holland Park’s staging of Handel’s beloved Acis and Galatea is a smashing success that finds just the right balance between musical finesse and tongue-in-cheek comedy.

A charming adaptation of Herman Melville’s masterpiece, Sebastian Armesto’s Moby Dick mixes music and drama in an effective, atmospheric production that never gets lost at sea, no matter how daunting a task it is to stage the novel.

Albery’s revival of his Flying Dutchman simply works: with a great cast and a smooth atmosphere created by a dreamlike ship-inspired set, it all builds towards a Gesamtkunstwerk that Wagner might have enjoyed himself. A great success, all around.

Edward Lambert's Duchess of Padua is packed full with stunning music that brings Oscar Wilde's early melodramatic epic of love and revenge to life.

Kenneth MacMillan's Manon is a haunting exploration of desire and sexuality, contrasting pompous extravagance with the poverty of the masses.

Antony McDonald's production simply oozes glamour and matches perfectly the opera’s quintessentially Romantic music. Eerie forests cast in twilight, cluttered huts, and old-fashioned costumes mix and mingle to give audiences a feeling of watching something straight out of the 19th century.

Mears’s production demonstrates a keen feel for drama and a genuinely brilliant reading of Verdi’s opera; when juxtaposed with a musical interpretation as potent as this, it’s a production not likely to be forgotten.

It maintains the opera’s timeless charm, strong wit, and with a cast that never takes itself seriously, leads to an evening that has the audience roaring with laughter.

A strong score, neat production by Mehmet Ergen and an excellent cast make it worth a watch, even if it has several plot-related issues

A mixed beast that roars when it comes to the music but is ultimately let down by issues surrounding the conception and dramaturgical realisation.

Emphasising monochromatic melancholy with singers who do their best despite swimming in an ocean of drab uniforms.

Focusing on uncontroversial flamboyance, Richard Jones’s revival of his 2017 production of La bohème is a visual spectacle with plenty to please the eye.

Ever since its first production in 1881, Gilbert and Sullivan’s Patience has brought its audiences to tears of laughter, and this production by Charles Court Opera is no exception.