Transcendent & ambitious: Billy Budd at ROH

Review

This production co-produced with Teatro Real, Madrid and Rome Opera is the first return of the opera to the Royal Opera stage in nearly 20 years and welcomes back the incomparable Deborah Warner, who has made a career staging Britten.

Watch with headphones: Rumspringawakening

Humour

This time, it's Rumspringawakening: L'opera ragazzo Amish, and it's definitely a must-see. No spoilers, but you should know that it's by no means safe for work.

Upcoming gems: Small but mighty & not to be missed

Editorial

You'll also hear soprano/composer Danika Lorèn's curiously titled The Secret Lives of Vegetables, and in a guarantee for laughs, the song cycle by Toronto favourite Peter Tiefenbach, Chansons de mon placard.

Mahler's Resurrection Symphony: so hopeful it'll make you cry

Review

So confident was I that I almost took it for granted; so, when Mahler's music began, it was as though it dragged me by the nape of my neck through an emotional rollercoaster I didn't know I needed.

A prodigy grows into his art

Interview

"It's like when you meet a love for the first time and for the first two months it's ecstatic love. That's what I need to do with my music and with roles; to have that spark at all times because it's what refreshes me."

The rapture and troubles of Egyptian Helena

Review

The plot is rather fantastical even compared to some of Strauss' prior works, to the point that I would almost be tempted to call it hallucinogenic: Helen and Menelaus find themselves washed up on an island where a sorceress enchants Menelaus to fall in love with Helen all over again.

Talking with composers: Mark Grey

Interview

"Getting my hands dirty planting the earth, tending to the land with a chainsaw, baking and brewing, reading, and maybe driving up the Highway 1 coastline will ultimately blow out any cobwebs. Also, long walks and hikes really get my ideas flowing."

Classic & lavish: Faust at ROH

Review

He subjects Faust to a writhing, grotesque circus; tormenting him with visions of a pregnant Marguerite, and a dead Valentin. Schrott is maniacal and callous, delighting in the pain of others and becoming more despicable every moment he is on stage.

Very light indeed: The Mikado in the Midwest

Review

The comedy of this silly, convoluted plot is no longer dependent on racist stereotypes, imagery and impersonations; instead it forces the players step up to the plate and be imaginative.

A timeless treat: Manitoba Opera's Barber of Seville

Review

The highly engaged audience was obviously enthralled with all elements of this production, laughing uproariously at onstage antics and giving hearty applause where appropriate (including at one especially effective lighting gag).