Holding Lightning by Emily Lordi review – an intimate portrait of Whitney Houston
An empathetic biography of the the singer recasts her tumultuous later career as a triumph of self-expression
Barkouf review – Offenbach’s lost operetta is a quirky shaggy dog story
Opera Rara revive the 1860 work in which a dog is appointed Sultan. A fine cast, the Hallé and ENO chorus, and impeccable rhyming narration from Alistair McGowan, ensure things fizz
Scottish Ensemble review – singular sounds from an ever-adventurous string orchestra
A contemporary piece by David Fennessy is framed by JS Bach and Arvo Pärt in a show characterised by uncanny sounds and ghostly chorales
Parsifal review – bunkers, CCTV and fembots in elusive vision of Wagner’s mystical masterpiece
Evgeny Titov’s brutal and powerful new staging of Wagner’s final opera explains as little as possible. Christian Gerhaher is a compelling and wild-eyed Amfortas and Jakub Hrůša and the Royal Opera’s orchestra are superb
Geneva Lewis: Barber, Zorn, Glass album review – virtuosity and warmth
The young New Zealand violinist has chosen an all-American programme for her label debut, and impresses with works by Barber, Zorn and Glass
Beth Taylor: The Deeps Have Music album review – seamless legato and a gift for storytelling
The Scottish mezzo-soprano makes this programme of sea-themed songs gleam and shimmer. Her account of Elgar’s Sea Pictures holds its own against classic accounts by Janet Baker and Sarah Connolly.
Paraorchestra; Sinfonietta/Jonny Greenwood review – Reich’s kaleidoscopic music bursts into life
Paraorchestra’s immersive performance of Music for 18 Musicians was immaculate and exhilarating; London Sinfonietta and the Radiohead guitarist’s vibrant tribute to the almost 90-year-old composer followed
LPO/Edward Gardner review – Britten’s pacifist War Requiem lands with a bitterness and snarling irony
Three fine soloists were joined by the excellent Tiffin Boys’ and Girls’ Choirs alongside the London Philharmonic Choir and the London Symphony Chorus whose pianissimo singing left us with a much-needed glimpse of hope
Hallé/Wong review – MacMillan’s new symphony centres a great concert hall’s birthday celebrations
James MacMillan’s sixth symphony proved an intricate, intriguing and forward-looking work. It was well paired with Stephen Hough’s exuberant ‘Emperor’ piano concerto and a Liszt rarity
Honegger: Jeanne d’Arc au Bûcher album review – faultless recording of an eclectic masterpiece
Honegger’s multifaceted 1935 composition about the French saint is brought to life in spine-tingling detail by Lukáš Vasilek, actors and musicians
Himari: Debut album review – teenage prodigy’s playing has depth and feeling
The programme feels a little safe but the 15-year-old Japanese violinist impresses in her debut recording of works by Wieniawski, Chopin, Godowsky and Sibelius
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at 80 review – birthday celebration champions bold creativity
Julia Fischer, Pablo Ferrández and Jan Lisiecki brought poetry and virtuosity to Beethoven’s Triple Concerto tour de force and there was vision and cohesion in Strauss’s Ein Heldenleben; Errollyn Wallen’s energetic Flare opened a special evening
Roomful of Teeth/Kahane review – twisty and tuneful songs with a darkly comic edge
Gabriel Kahane’s whimsical song cycle about grief, divorce and death brings irresistible melodies and moments of comic brilliance to the virtuoso US vocal ensemble
Fire in My Mouth review – Wolfe’s multimedia oratorio tells its tragic story with focus and power
Marin Alsop, the Philharmonia and three outstanding choirs gave the London premiere of Wolfe’s work about the deaths of 146 workers in a New York garment factory fire in 1911
Bluebeard’s Castle/Oedipus Rex review – gory, gruesome and gripping double bill
Joe Hill-Gibbins’ claustrophobic staging of Bartók’s opera of dark symbolism is paired with his brand new production of Stravinsky’s psychological drama