How extraordinary, when you think about it, is Guillaume Tell in the career of Gioacchino Rossini? At the age of 37, at the very height of his powers, he writes his longest, grandest, and probably his greatest French opera, only to then fall silent for decades except for a few naughty piano works and the odd bon mot. He must have known (or feared) that he could do no better and, listening to it all over again, his final opera is a very fine thing indeed. This outing comes from the admirable and ambitious annual Rossini Festival in Pesaro, and if there’s one thing they invariably do well it’s pick a cast. I really can’t imagine a better sung bit of bel canto than this. Add to that a magnificently detailed reading of the score, plus a thoughtful production, and this is nigh on four hours of operatic heaven. Graham Vick’s neatly politicised staging shifts the action from late medieval times to the Swiss ‘Downton Abbey’ era, focusing on the class oppression that was running its course round about then rather than on the stark nationalism of the original. Against a bleak, white set, the drama is played out effectively…

Editor’s Choice, Opera – August 2015 A few years ago I welcomed unreservedly the revelatory recording of Leonardo Vinci’s late opera Artaserse (Virgin 6028692) as an undiscovered masterpiece. Featuring a stellar line-up of no less than five countertenors (thanks to prudish Roman fashions, the women’s parts too were written for men), the opera, composed in the high-Neapolitan gallant style is a glorious succession of imaginatively scored virtuosic arias with no duds and plenty of hummable tunes. With the same cast bar one, this DVD is in some ways even better as the confusion between who is singing what, when so many roles are sung in falsetto, is no longer an issue. Artaserse was one of the hit libretti of the period, set by everyone who was anyone, but Vinci’s is rather special. The villainous vizier (Artabano) has killed his king letting suspicion fall upon his own son (Arbace), best friend to the new king (Artaserse). When Arbace won’t dob on dad, a tangled web of blame and deceit ensues before all comes good in a magnanimous finale involving a poisoned chalice. Silviu Purca˘rete’s production is the campest thing you’ll see this side of Eurovision, with costumes that would make Cinderella’s…

★★★★½ Brit and Aussie impress, but Robertson’s take on the Finn outflanks them all. Continue reading Get unlimited digital access from $4 per month Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log in

★★★★☆ Romanian Diva shows Sydney exactly why she’s where she is today.

The Song Company’s ex-pat director is planning Bach, birdsong and Billie Holiday for 2016. Continue reading Get unlimited digital access from $4 per month Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log in

Pianist’s win is one of the few awards to make any sense in a hopeless muddle of misjudged categorisations.

The song of a dying maid inspired Peter Sellars and Toni Morrison’s moving theatre piece.

As Warners release his new studio recording of Aida, we go behind the scenes with the British maestro. Continue reading Get unlimited digital access from $4 per month Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log in

★★★★½ A welcome return, with a new addition, for a mighty marriage of movement and music.

★★★★½ Pulitzer Prize winning satire comes up smart and savvy. Continue reading Get unlimited digital access from $4 per month Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log in

Mutter and Hruša make up a perfect threesome for a dalliance with a Czech romantic.

MTC Associate and former Griffin head will take over as AD from November. Continue reading Get unlimited digital access from $4 per month Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log in