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Classical Music

Best Classical Music and Opera 2019

By Claudia Pritchard on 1/7/2019

Women conductors make waves, the classics are refreshed by our leading orchestras, and opera goes from strength to strength

Mozart's Travels, The Mozartists

At the age of eight Mozart was in London, composing a horn concerto, a symphony, and concert arias. Constantly on the road, he absorbed and advanced music across Europe. Retrace his steps with soloists including Cardiff Singer of the World audience prize winner, soprano Louise Alder (pictured), conductor Ian Page and The Mozartists.

WHEN

Mon 8 July, 7:30PM

WHERE

Wigmore Hall, 36 Wigmore Street, Marylebone W1U 2BP

The BBC Proms is the biggest music festival in the world. Photo: Chris Christodoulou

10 Best BBC Proms 2019: the top artists and works

The biggest music festival in the world opens on Fri 19 July. Catch Sheku Kanneh-Mason, witness a world-class orchestral debut, hear the EU anthem in Beethoven's Choral Symphony – and see Queen Victoria's piano...

WHEN

Fri 19 July to Sat 14 Sept

WHERE

Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, South Kensington SW7 2AP

Mozart in the Garden magically weaves music, nature and storytelling

Far, Far Away: Mozart in the Garden, Aurora Orchestra, Kings Place

Let Aurora Orchestra lead you down the garden path in a series of magical musical adventures for babies, toddlers and pre-school children, in the company of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

WHEN

06 Jul 2019 – 07 Jul 2019, Eight performances: 10AM, 11AM, 12PM & 1:30PM daily. Running time 45 mins

WHERE

Kings Place
90 York Way, London, N1 9AG

Sinister forces engulf Bly house in The Turn of the Screw at Garsington Opera. Photo: Johan Persson

The Turn of the Screw, Garsington Opera

At Garsington Opera natural light streams into the auditorium from both sides of this light box in a garden. In Benjamin Britten's opera, as night falls, dark forces set to work in a household of defenceless women and children...

WHEN

01 Jul 2019 – 19 Jul 2019, six performances; with long dinner interval

WHERE

Garsington Opera
Wormsley Estate , Stokenchurch, HP14 3YG

Opera Holland Park reinvigorates the classics and brings forgotten works to light

Opera Holland Park 2019: classics and a discovery

As Opera Holland Park 2018 shapes up to be a vintage year, the programme for 2019 is already whetting musical appetites. The 2019 season will open with a new production of Puccini's powerful Manon Lescaut; Verdi, Tchaikovsky and others to follow.

WHEN

4 June to 3 Aug 2019

WHERE

Opera Holland Park, Ilchester Place W8 6LU

Rossini's playful Il Barbiere di Siviglia returns to Glyndebourne in 2019

Glyndebourne Festival Opera 2019

New productions of Mozart's The Magic Flute, Berlioz's Damnation of Faust and Massenet's enchanting Cendrillon join three pleasing revivals.

WHEN

18 May 2019 – 25 Aug 2019, six productions, times vary

WHERE

Glyndebourne
Lewes, East Sussex, BN8 5UU

Marina Costa-Jackson as Elisabeth and Leonardo Capalbo in the title role of Don Carlo at Grange Park Opera. Photo: Robert Workman

Don Carlo, Grange Park Opera

Is there is a more terrifying phrase in all music than the alarming bars that herald the Grand Inquisitor in Verdi's opera Don Carlo? Hear them at Grange Park's Theatre in the Woods, where this tale of duty and revenge unfolds spectacularly.

WHEN

06 Jun 2019 – 09 Jul 2019, eight performances, with long dinner interval

WHERE

Grange Park Opera
West Horsley Place, West Horsley,, Leatherhead, KT24 6AW

Venus Unwrapped, Kings Place

A year-long celebration of music written and, often, performed by women, from the Italian renaissance to the present day, with scores of events ahead.

WHEN

10 Jan 2019 – 31 Dec 2019, events all year; times vary

WHERE

Kings Place
90 York Way, London, N1 9AG

Sir Simon Rattle conducts many of the LSO's concerts. Photo: Tristram Kenton

Barbican Classical Music 2018/19

Sir Simon Rattle and the London Symphony Orchestra are at the core of the year's concerts in this indefatigable concert hall, with guests orchestras and soloists in bravura symphonies and graceful meditations.

WHEN

Until 20 July

WHERE

Barbican Hall, Silk St, London EC2Y 8DS

Charismatic conductor Gustavo Dudamel conducts the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra's Barbican residency in November. Photo: Mark Allen

Barbican Classical Music 2019/20

A wave of visiting world-class orchestras, celebrations for a big Beethoven year, and many exciting new commissions are highlights of the packed classical music season 2019/20 at the Barbican. Big draws include the Los Angeles Philharmonic under Gustavo Dudamel (pictured).

WHEN

14 Sep 2019 – 31 May 2020, nine-month season of concerts, talks and cross-genre events

WHERE

Barbican Centre
Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS

Best Classical Music and Opera 2019

Women conductors make waves, the classics are refreshed by our leading orchestras, and opera goes from strength to strength

Mozart's Travels, The Mozartists

10 Best BBC Proms 2019: the top artists and works

Far, Far Away: Mozart in the Garden, Aurora Orchestra, Kings Place

The Turn of the Screw, Garsington Opera

Opera Holland Park 2019: classics and a discovery

Glyndebourne Festival Opera 2019

Don Carlo, Grange Park Opera

Venus Unwrapped, Kings Place

Barbican Classical Music 2018/19

Barbican Classical Music 2019/20

London Philharmonic Orchestra

Vladimir Jurowski

London Symphony Orchestra

Royal Opera House

English National Opera

Verdi

Puccini

Tchaikovsky

Handel

Rossini

Britten

BBC Proms on Television: weekend screen musical highlights

La Fille du Régiment, Royal Opera House review ★★★★★

L'Arlesiana, Opera Holland Park review ★★★★★

Il Segreto di Susanna & Iolanta, Opera Holland Park

Soprano Natalya Romaniw interview: 'My mum liked the chorus best!'

Bryn Terfel interview: 'I have broken my own rule'

Best Classical Music and Opera 2019

Women conductors make waves, the classics are refreshed by our leading orchestras, and opera goes from strength to strength

Mozart's Travels, The Mozartists

10 Best BBC Proms 2019: the top artists and works

Far, Far Away: Mozart in the Garden, Aurora Orchestra, Kings Place

The Turn of the Screw, Garsington Opera

Opera Holland Park 2019: classics and a discovery

Glyndebourne Festival Opera 2019

Don Carlo, Grange Park Opera

Venus Unwrapped, Kings Place

Barbican Classical Music 2018/19

Barbican Classical Music 2019/20

London Philharmonic Orchestra

Vladimir Jurowski

London Symphony Orchestra

Royal Opera House

English National Opera

Verdi

Puccini

Tchaikovsky

Handel

Rossini

Britten

BBC Proms on Television: weekend screen musical highlights

La Fille du Régiment, Royal Opera House review ★★★★★

L'Arlesiana, Opera Holland Park review ★★★★★

Il Segreto di Susanna & Iolanta, Opera Holland Park

Soprano Natalya Romaniw interview: 'My mum liked the chorus best!'

Bryn Terfel interview: 'I have broken my own rule'

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