The week in classical: La forza del destino; Bayerisches Staatsorchester/ Jurowksi; Chouchane Siranossian – review

Ignore the fanciful plot and submit to the musical glories of the Royal Opera’s bravura revival of unwieldy Verdi. And to the top of the mountain with Vladimir Jurowski and co

The Faggots and Their Friends Between Revolutions review – unforgettable celebration of queer activism

At times chaotic but never less than virtuosic, Philip Venables’ take on Larry Mitchell’s 70s manifesto is gritty but sensual and extravagant

The week in classical: Siemens Hallé international conductors competition; LSO/ Hannigan; Turandot – review

A trio of young conductors vie for a job with the Hallé; Barbara Hannigan takes Mahler at his word; and Antonio Pappano makes a thriller of Puccini’s final opera

The week in classical: The Marriage of Figaro; Mahler Symphony No 8 review – phenomenal

Mozart’s divine comedy is a shimmering feast for Glyndebourne, while Mahler’s epic symphony brings joy and redemption to a packed Royal Albert Hall

The week in classical at the Edinburgh festival, from Salome to Madame Chandelier

The striptease is all Strauss’s in the Bergen Philharmonic’s expertly revealing Salome. Plus, the new-ish Takács Quartet, a theorbo moment and a sock-throwing night at the opera

The Boatswain’s Mate review – Ethel Smyth’s comic opera has atmosphere and sass

Grimeborn festival, Arcola theatre, LondonThis lively revival of Smyth’s one-act opera lets the comedy shine although not all of her witty libretto carries

Alcina review – Handel’s enchanting opera glitters with retro glamour

Jane Archibald rises to the challenge as nightclub proprietor Alcina, as this lavish, campy production – with punchy playing by the OAE – transports the action to a 1960s Italian metropolis

La Bohème review – Death stalks Puccini’s lovers in a riveting Glyndebourne show

Floris Visser’s new production puts a dark spin on this story of doomed lovers – which only heightens the life-affirming vibrancy of the music

Parsifal review – the shimmering beauty of Wagner’s score shines

Richard Farnes and the Opera North orchestra take centre stage in Sam Brown’s staging of Wagner’s final opera, with Brindley Sherratt a compelling Gurnemanz and Toby Spence a thoughtful lead

Don Giovanni review – strong cast ensure WNO’s revival stands the test of time

Andrei Kymach as the dashing don leads an impressive cast in Welsh National Opera’s atmospheric but uneven revival of John Caird’s production

Anaïs Mitchell: Anaïs Mitchell review – walking out of Hades

After her Broadway success with Hadestown, the indie folk artist returns with a set of lowkey but polished melodic gems, boasting sharp lyrics and striking emotional gear-changes

The week in clasical: Macbeth; Brentano String Quartet – review

Anna Pirozzi, Simon Keenlyside and numerous witches jostle for power at Covent Garden. Plus, illuminating accounts of Beethoven and Mendelssohn’s final works

The Gondoliers review – a picture-postcard Gilbert and Sullivan from Scottish Opera

The company celebrated its return to the Theatre Royal with some good old-fashioned – if not downright antiquated – fun and frivolity

Dave Grohl: The Storyteller review – rock’n’roll raconteur riffs with profanity and positivity

Nirvana and Foo Fighters man’s memoir inspires a sparkling monologue on success, suicide and scrambled-egg sarnies

The week in classical: Chineke! Orchestra; Alcina – review

A once-lost work by Florence Price soars in the hands of Jeneba Kanneh-Mason. And minimalist Handel with thrills to spare