| Date and venue | Title |
|---|---|
| 2-Mar-2013 Royal Opera House, Covent Garden | All round excellence in the Royal Opera's Tosca |
 Few operas are as specific in time and place as Puccini's Tosca: the date is 17th June, 1800, shortly after the battle of Marengo (in which Napoleon Bonaparte wrested control of Northern Italy from Austria), while each of the three acts is located in a specific landmark in Rome: the church of Sant'Andrea della Valle, the Palazzo Farnese and the Castel Sant'Angelo. But few are as universal in theme: the brutal abuse of power in a police state, where a single weakness can cost your life and those of your loved ones.
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| 28-Apr-2012 The London Coliseum | An imaginary Flying Dutchman at ENO |
 Of the various possible ways of conducting Wagner's Flying Dutchman, ENO's Edward Gardner took the direct approach. From the first tremolo string notes, the orchestra launched into the main leitmotif at full tilt, followed by the sound of stormy seas swirling more furiously than you've ever heard them, leaving the audience breathless. It may not be the most refined and precise rendering of Wagner's music you'll ever hear, but it will certainly be one of the most exciting and muscular.
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| 2-Sep-2011 Edinburgh Festival Theatre | The Mariinsky at Edinburgh serve up near-perfect Strauss |
 Once upon a time, an Emperor was hunting when his red falcon caught a white gazelle. As he grasped the animal, it transformed into a beautiful princess in his arms and they fell in love. She was the daughter of Keikobad, the King of the spirit world, a woman of such translucent beauty that she cast no shadow, but she lived under a curse...
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| 17-Jul-2011 Royal Opera House, Covent Garden | An all-star cast create opera history in the Royal Opera House's Tosca |
 Ever since the Royal Opera House announced that two performances of its summer revival of Jonathan Kent's production of Tosca would feature an all-star cast, opera lovers all over the world have been desperately trying to get their hands on a golden ticket.
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