This month, instead of his usual On the Record column, Clive Paget recommends some recent Christmas albums, leading to his festive top three.

This month features a major rediscovery, Simon Rattle’s take on a concert staple, a probing Well-Tempered Clavier and, remarkably for the first time, the complete My Fair Lady.

This month features a new opera by Jake Heggie, dramas by Handel and Bantock, Sheku Kanneh-Mason and a treasurable new symphony by Mark Isaacs.

This month features music by Tchaikovsky, Bruckner, Holst and Britten alongside international labels featuring Australian composers Malcolm Williamson and Liza Lim.

This month features operatic fantasies for cello, Shostakovich quartets, new albums from the Seraphim Trio and Andrea Lam, and the latest in Simon Rattle’s Janáček project.

This month features three homegrown blockbusters, two new takes on Ravel, women’s-eye views of Venetian Baroque, a haunting Faerie Bride and a Flying Dutchman for the library.

This month we feature a treasure trove of discoveries, from unknown Lieder and operatic rarities to the birth of the nocturne and another wonderful unearthed female composer.

A disc of Donizetti gold, a Mahler 3 from the Czech Philh and the best in homegrown chamber music. Simon Rattle’s latest Creation is the icing on the cake.

Schubert’s Winterreise is widely regarded as the pinnacle of German Lieder. German baritone Matthias Goerne discusses why he is so drawn to it.

This month features Spanish Baroque opera, castanets and all, pitch-perfect Mahler from Simon Rattle, and the winner of a notorious song contest (hint: it isn’t Eurovision).

The editors of Limelight share their selection of the most exciting classical music, opera and theatre events coming soon.

Essential holiday listening includes a Britten rarity, stunning recordings of Elgar and Tippett, a pair of oddball operas, and three outstanding discs of orchestral music by women.