Angela Gheorghiu, Royal Festival Hall

She may have shone on the Royal Opera House stage, but Romanian soprano Angela Gheorghiu (Tosca) has never given a recital with piano in the UK. All this is about to change. In April 2016, she will take to the Royal Festival Hall stage as part of the Southbank Centre 2015/16 season for what promises to be an evening of the most sublime singing. Alexandru Petrovici, pianist extraordinaire, will accompany Gheorghiu. The line-up is a a wide-ranging survey of great vocal music, with arias and songs from Bellini, Purcell, Verdi, Respighi, De Falla, Tosti and Paisiello.

Gheorghui trained in Bucharest, but soon broke out onto the international scene. In 1994, her Violetta at Covent Garden reduced legendary conductor Sir Georg Solti to tears during rehearsal. Since, she has performed major roles across Europe and America, with acclaimed returns to London – including the starring role in the January 2016 revival of Tosca, which she also played in Benoit Jacquot’s 2001 film of the opera. Do not miss this chance to see one of the world’s greatest singers showcase her extraordinary voice without the trappings of operatic performance.