Nicholas Kenyon

Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) is one of the very greatest composers of opera. Not for him the symphonies, concertos or tone poems of the mainstream orchestral repertory – even his tremendous choral Requiem sounds like a music-drama. Verdi was a lifelong man of the theatre, on a mission to tell stories in song, with a power that reached beyond the stage to all classes of audiences, making opera a truly popular phenomenon.

John Tavener's last major work has finally been premiered, 13 years after his death. Krishna is not so much an opera , more a holy ritual that tells the story of the Hindu god of love, through chant, song and dance.

Grange Park Opera provides a compelling first attempt at Krishna – the culmination of the composer’s continual quest for a world beyond ours

Verdi's magnificent, turbulent drama Don Carlo , his opera based on Schiller's play about the rivalry of Philip II of Spain and his son Carlos for

Stripped of lavish sets and crowds of extras, Verdi’s turbulent drama sounds more compelling than ever

This whimsical and witty take on the historic love story is an apt tribute to the Grange Festival’s departing artistic director

The Aldeburgh Festival’s production of Pelléas et Mélisande is simple yet eloquent

A rich array of stimulating and thought-provoking imagery in this L’Orfeo production ultimately becomes suffocating

A vast array of villains have taken to the stage, but these evil-doers represent the very best of the very worst

Opera Holland Park’s production will keep the kids absorbed (though in the end there’s little totally memorable in the score)