The London Handel festival opened with Arcangelo’s agile and elegant performance of the operatic oratorio. Christopher Purves dominated as the king, as David, Hugh Cutting’s voice was liquid honey
Doubling as vocalist and conductor, Angiolini is joined by fine singers in this rarely recorded late work. Giacomo Nanni’s sonorous ‘Fra l’ombre e gl’orrori’ is a particular highlight
Ruth Knight’s production captures the menace and high stakes in this deliciously devilish power struggle with Lucy Crowe whirling her sword like Uma Thurman in Kill Bill
The pared down City of London Sinfonia are exquisite and the main singers splendid – although the overworked ensemble hop around, draining the work of sincerity
There is much fun and an excellent cast in David McVicar’s sparkling Handel revival; Mozart’s partner-swap opera soars with exuberant solos; and Wagner’s Ring marathon reaches a roaring climax
Oliver Mears’s powerful but flawed staging of Handel’s biblical oratorio boasts very fine singing and performances, with Jennifer France’s Iphis and Allan Clayton’s Jephtha standouts
Jonathan Dove transforms Simon Mayo’s ripping yarn into an exhilarating instant classic; it’s Thebes by way of Port Talbot in Adele Thomas’s Glyndebourne debut; and all hail the Hallé
Joélle Harvey and Jennifer Johnston are ravishing, and the chorus sensational, but Adele Thomas’s staging feels neither funny nor erotic enough for what is essentially a barbed Restoration comedy