A selection of 'Rome' articles

Classical music news - April 2025 Obituaries - Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this month

Classical music news. Jorge Mario Bergoglio - Pope Francis died on Monday 21 April 2025

Classical music news. Obituary - Mario Trabucco (1951-2025)

Classical music news. Rossini Opera Festival 2025 - Details of next summer's festival, based at Pesaro in Italy, were announced in December, including two new productions and three cantatas

Syrinx - A classical music word search puzzle by Allan Rae

Spotlight. A Stupendous Box Set - Gerald Fenech strongly recommends Antonio Pappano's complete symphonic, concertante and sacred music recordings with the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. '... music-making of exceptional passion and indescribable beauty that exalts the listener to heights of immense joy and feverish excitement.'

Classical music news. Obituary - Luciano Iorio (1937-2024)

Classical music news. Obituary - Andrew Davis (1944-2024)

Spotlight. Dramatic and Passionate - Gerald Fenech ardently recommends extracts from operas in the Italian verismo tradition. 'Hindoyan gets superb playing from his Liverpudlians, and the white-hot streak of the music is delivered with unabashed virtuosity.'

Classical music news - October 2023 Obituaries - Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this month

CD Spotlight. A Fine Interpreter - Geoff Pearce is impressed by Carlo Alberto Bacchi's recording of sonatas by Muzio Clementi. '... pianist Carlo Alberto Bacchi performs with assurance, grace and mastery.'

CD Spotlight. Masterly Intuition - Gerald Fenech gives the thumbs up to Danacord's Thomas Jensen Legacy Volume 15. '... unfettered enthusiasm and emotional gusto.'

Echoes of Oblivion by Robert McCarney - Per Giuseppe

Classical music news - April 2023 Obituaries - Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this month

Profile. Big Roles - Ron Bierman talks to American soprano Michelle Bradley

Ensemble. Celestial Spheres - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to two British composers - Thomas Adès and Gustav Holst - in Rome

Echoes of Oblivion by Robert McCarney - Randomness Run Riot

Ensemble. A Bloody Story of Jealousy - Giuseppe Pennisi witnesses great success for Franco Zeffirelli's return to Rome

Ensemble. Do You like Chung? - Myung-whun Chung conducts Brahms symphonies, heard by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. A Meditation on Human Fragility - Giuseppe Pennisi reports on a special performance in Rome of Verdi's Requiem

Ensemble. Rediscovering Scriabin - Italian pianist Mariangela Vacatello plays Scriabin from memory, heard by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Almost as Verdi would have Wanted - Giuseppe Pennisi was in the audience for 'Aida'

Ensemble. Absolute Brahms - Nineteenth century chamber music in Rome, heard by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Precious Testimony - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to the complete string quartets of Dmitri Shostakovich

Ensemble. Twentieth Century Colours - Giuseppe Pennisi is impressed by a concert given by the orchestra of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia

Ensemble. Osborn Triumphs in 'Elisir' - Giuseppe Pennisi is back in his usual seat at Teatro dell'Opera di Roma for Donizetti's melodramma giocoso

Ensemble. A Christmas Gift - Giuseppe Pennisi experiences some rare music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Ensemble. A Christmas 'Don Quixote' - Giuseppe Pennisi recommends a visit to the ballet

Ensemble. Chopin Forever - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to Gloria Campaner

Ensemble. Absolutely Chopin - Giuseppe Pennisi is treated to a Chopin recital in Rome by Leonora Armellini

Ensemble. Spirituality and Revolution - Giuseppe Pennisi reports from Rome on Francis Poulenc's 'Dialogues des Carmélites'

CD Spotlight. A Dark Nordic Kingdom - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to Verdi's 'Gustavo III' ('Un ballo in maschera'). '... a good recording to remember a much expected but somewhat disappointing performance.'

Ensemble. In Honour of Carla Fracci - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to Adolphe Adam's 'Giselle' at Teatro dell'Opera di Roma

Ensemble. Full of Panache - Giuseppe Pennisi writes about a recent performance of 'Don Giovanni' in Rome

CD Spotlight. A Touch of Immortality - Gerald Fenech listens to Rossini's 'Messa di Gloria'. '... heartwarming performances full of glowing fervour and devotional ardour.'

Ensemble. Gluckian Reform - Giuseppe Pennisi reports on a very special 'Alceste' which effectively closes the opera season of the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma

Ensemble. Schubert's Octet and the Spirit of Vienna - Giuseppe Pennisi reports from the final concert of a Schubert festival in Rome

Ensemble. Preljocaj is Back in Rome - Giuseppe Pennisi reports on two contemporary ballets at Teatro dell'Opera di Roma

CD Spotlight. Double Affection - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to Malipiero. '... played impassionately ...'

Ensemble. Figaro in Hollywood - Giuseppe Pennisi was at the opening night of a new production of Rossini's 'Il barbiere di Siviglia'

Ensemble. Changing Tastes - Giuseppe Pennisi was in the audience for Leonard Bernstein's 'Mass'

Ensemble. Passionate Conducting - Daniel Harding concludes the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia's 2021-22 symphonic season in Rome, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Polish Style in the Gardens of Rome - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to sixteenth and seventeenth century Polish Baroque music

Ensemble. A Revolutionary Score - Giuseppe Pennisi was in the audience for Verdi's 'Ernani', back in Rome

Ensemble. Van Zweden and the Double Fifth - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to two symphonies in Rome

Ensemble. Major Success for a Young Orchestra - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to Mozart, played by the Canova Chamber Orchestra

Ensemble. Merging Scores with Care - Giuseppe Pennisi enjoys the ballet 'Il Corsaro'

Ensemble. Absolute Ravel - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to music by Maurice Ravel played by Neapolitan pianist Roberto Cominati

Ensemble. The Complete Shostakovich String Quartets - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to Quartetto Prometeo in Rome

Ensemble. Winter and Spring - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to orchestral music in Rome

CD Spotlight. Passion, Intensity and Verve - Gerald Fenech listens to Giordano's 'Siberia'. '... full of emotional warmth and heartfelt fidelity.'

Ensemble. Welcome Back, Puritani - Giuseppe Pennisi was in the audience, in Rome, for Bellini's last great masterpiece

Ensemble. An Interesting Contamination of Genres - Giuseppe Pennisi reports from the first Italian performance of 'The Passion according to St Mark' by contemporary Polish composer Paweł Mykietyn

Ensemble. Conceived for TV - Giuseppe Pennisi experiences Teatro dell'Opera di Roma's 'La bohème'

Classical music news. April 2022 Newsletter - Watch and listen to our April 2022 newsletter

Ensemble. Two Performances of 'Turandot' in Rome - Giuseppe Pennisi attended one and saw the other on TV

Ensemble. Three Contemporary Ballets in Rome - Giuseppe Pennisi was in the audience for 'Herman Schmerman', 'Walking Mad' and 'From Afar', to music by Thom Willems, Maurice Ravel, Arvo Pärt and Ezio Bosso

Ensemble. The Magical Countertenor Voice - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to Raffaele Pé

Ensemble. Modern Madrigals in the Seventeenth Century - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to vocal music by Gesualdo and some of his contemporaries

Ensemble. A Rare Bird - Verdi's 'Luisa Miller', heard by Giuseppe Pennisi

CD Spotlight. A Young Saxon's Occasional Opera - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to 'Enea in Caonia' by Hasse. 'Stefano Montanari conducts ... skilfully, mostly in support of the voices.'

Ensemble. Pierrot in Rome - Music by Arnold Schoenberg, Sylvano Bussotti and Giacomo Puccini, heard by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Káťa Enthralls Rome - Giuseppe Pennisi experiences a Janáček first performance in Italy's capital

Ensemble. An Italian Creation - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to Giuseppe Carpani's Italian language version of Haydn's oratorio

Ensemble. Musical Fairy Tales - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to ballet music in Rome

Ensemble. A Different 'Nutcracker' - Giuliano Peparini's staging of Tchaikovsky ballet, experienced by Giuseppe Pennisi and his grandson

Ensemble. Two Young Stars in the Musical Firmament - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to cellist Zlatomir Fung and pianist Richard Fu

Ensemble. Josquin 500 - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to the Tallis Scholars in Rome

Ensemble. An Unconventional and Complex Score - The first performance of 'Julius Caesar' by Giorgio Battistelli, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Earth and the Future of Mankind - Giuseppe Pennisi experiences 'Koyaanisqatsi', by Philip Glass, in Rome

Ensemble. Experimental to Classical - Giuseppe Pennisi reports from Rome's Istituzione Universitaria dei Concerti

Ensemble. Vienna in Rome (with a Surprise) - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to Giuseppe Gipponi, Lorenzo Viotti and the Santa Cecilia Symphony Orchestra

Ensemble. Still Young After Two Hundred Years - Giuseppe Pennisi reports on a special anniversary season of the Accademia Filarmonica Romana

Ensemble. Love and Religion - Giuseppe Pennisi reviews Rome's first performance of Verdi's 'Giovanna D'Arco' since 1972

Ensemble. Not Just a Recital - Giuseppe Pennisi reviews a concert in Rome dealing with contrasted passions of love

Ensemble. A Triumph of Mahler and Hrůša - Giuseppe Pennisi was at one of the opening concerts of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia's new season

Ensemble. A Modern Thriller - Giuseppe Pennisi was at a performance in Rome of the Italian version of Gian Carlo Menotti's 'The Medium'

Ensemble. A Star is Born - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to Enrico Saverio Pagano and Orchestra Canova

Classical music news. The Ideal Bridge - Michele Mariotti is to make his debut at Vienna State Opera with The Barber of Seville

Ensemble. Elegance and Drama - Giuseppe Pennisi is impressed by Roland Petit's two act ballet 'Notre Dame de Paris'

Classical music news - August 2021 Obituaries - Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this month

Ensemble. The Orchestra is the Winner - Giuseppe Pennisi reviews 'La bohème' in Rome

Ensemble. The Scent of Rome - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to two concerts on the same evening in Italy's capital city

Ensemble. A Transgressive Butterfly - Giuseppe Pennisi was in the audience in Rome

Ensemble. A Long Love Affair - Giuseppe Pennisi attends the Stravinsky anniversary celebrations in Rome

Ensemble. Everything you know is wrong! - Mike Wheeler listens to The Sixteen in Derby

Ensemble. Catching Up - Giuseppe Pennisi attends the final two concerts of the Musica d'Amare Festival in Rome

Ensemble. Black and White - Verdi's 'Il trovatore' from Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Chaos Instead of Music? - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to Wagner and Shostakovich in a triumphant concert by Alejo Pérez and the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma Orchestra

Classical music news. Defining Our Field - Classical Music Daily's June 2021 Newsletter is a panel discussion led by John Dante Prevedini, and has just been published as a video podcast

Ensemble. A Ukrainian Star in Rome - Oksana Lyniv makes her Rome debut, experienced by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Robert, Clara and the Others - Giuseppe Pennisi reports on an Accademia Filarmonica Romana concert in Rome

Ensemble. Teatro dell'Opera di Roma Re-opens - Giuseppe Pennisi was in a box for the opening night

A Thriller about a Score - Giuseppe Pennisi explores a new critical edition of Palestrina's 'Missa Papae Marcelli'

Ensemble. In the Easter Egg - Giuseppe Pennisi takes a critical look at two April 2021 performances of Verdi's 'La Traviata'

Ensemble. Easter Concerts - Giuseppe Pennisi experiences two recent performances broadcast on Italian TV

Classical music news. Creativity, Innovation and Re-invention - Classical Music Daily's April 2021 Newsletter has just been published as a video podcast

Ensemble. Elegant and Innovative - Giuseppe Pennisi experiences Teatro dell'Opera di Roma's Homage to Stravinsky

Classical music news. Hang in there together - Classical Music Daily's March 2021 Newsletter has just been published as a video podcast

Ensemble. Arduous and Contrasting Passion - Bellini's 'I Puritani' at Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, recommended by Giuseppe Pennisi

Profile. A Philological Discovery - Giuseppe Pennisi writes about the seventeenth century Italian architect and global musician Carlo Rainaldi

Salzburg 2021 - Giuseppe Pennisi looks forward to the Salzburg Summer Festival which has Peace as its theme

Ensemble. Hundreds of Thousands in Line for a Barber - A new Rome production of Rossini's 'Barber of Seville' especially for TV, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Modern Italian Music in Rome - Works by Francesco Pennisi, Goffredo Petrassi and Marcello Panni, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Classical music news - November 2020 Obituaries - Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this month

Ensemble. Great Emphasis on Detail - Giuseppe Pennisi enjoys streamed performances of a Carmen double bill in Rome

CD Spotlight. Don Giovanni's Ancestor - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to the seventeenth century 'L'Empio Punito' by Alessandro Melani. '... a real discovery for opera lovers who have not experienced a live performance.'

Ensemble. A Survival Strategy - Giuseppe Pennisi writes about the current music scene in Italy, touching on recent notable performances

Ensemble. A Touch of Verdi in Rossini's Last Work - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to Opera Roma's grand performance of Petite Messe Solennelle in Rome

Ensemble. Experimental Music in Rome - Giuseppe Pennisi drops in to the ArtScience Festival and the Roman Philharmonic Academy's Garden Festival

CD Spotlight. An Unusual Debut - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to music by Ravel, James Francis Brown and Liana Alexandra, performed by Andrea Oliva and the Hemisphaeria Trio. '... an innovative program by a very promising ensemble.'

Ensemble. Respecting the Spirit of The Merry Widow - Giuseppe Pennisi relates how 'Die lustige Witwe' is enthralling Rome

Ensemble. Pappano's 'Ninth' - Giuseppe Pennisi reports on Beethoven from Rome's Parco della Musica

Ensemble. Dancing Vivaldi during Social Distancing - Giuseppe Pennisi reports from Teatro dell'Opera di Roma's Circus Maximus

Ensemble. Once Upon a Time in Mantua - Giuseppe Pennisi was at the re-opening of Teatro dell'Opera di Roma for Verdi's 'Rigoletto'

Ensemble. 'New Music' in Rome - Giuseppe Pennisi reports from the last of the Accademia Filarmonica Romana's summer concerts

Classical music news. Obituary - Ennio Morricone (1928-2020)

After the Pandemic - Giuseppe Pennisi describes what looks like being a busy musical summer in Rome

CD Spotlight. Out of the Ordinary - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to a new recording of Verdi's 'Otello'. '... a new and beautiful reading ...'

Music and the Pandemic - Giuseppe Pennisi puts the case for Italy

A Double Career - Giuseppe Pennisi describes his life as an economist in the world of music

Ensemble. Compositional Fury - More Beethoven string quartets in Rome, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Traditional and Modern - Tchaikovsky's 'Eugene Onegin' returns to Rome, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Gesualdo and Friends - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to Les Arts Florissants

Ensemble. Beethoven String Quartets - Giuseppe Pennisi attends two concerts marking this year's Beethoven anniversary

Ensemble. Darmstadt is Dead - A performance of 'Hyperion' in Rome celebrates Bruno Maderna's centenary, and Giuseppe Pennisi is in the audience

Ensemble. Bel Canto Marvels - Giuseppe Pennisi experiences Bellini's rare opera 'I Capuleti e i Montecchi'

Ensemble. From Chaos to Ecstasy - Haydn's 'The Creation' in Rome, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Intimate Suffering - Tchaikovsky's 'Swan Lake' at Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. A Portrait in Courage - Giuseppe Pennisi celebrates Christmas with Ezio Bosso and the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia

Ensemble. Bold and Engrossing - Giuseppe Pennisi reviews Verdi's 'Les Vêpres Siciliennes' at Teatro dell'Opera di Roma

Ensemble. A Dramatic Requiem - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to Verdi in Rome

Ensemble. Contemporary Premieres - Giuseppe Pennisi experiences three new operas in Rome

Ensemble. Affectionate Complicity and Tensions - Giuseppe Pennisi reviews Mozart's 'Idomeneo' in Rome

Ensemble. A Winning Team - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to a pre-tour concert by Martha Argerich and Antonio Pappano, with the Symphony Orchestra of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia

CD Spotlight. Handel and the Roman Baroque School - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to Lorenzo Tozzi's Romabarocca Ensemble. '... a precious CD from which to learn little known aspects of baroque music ...'

Ensemble. Promised in Marriage - Giuseppe Pennisi reports from Rome on Rossini's first staged opera, asking who pays 'The Promissory Change'?

Ensemble. 'Don Quixote' Returns - Giuseppe Pennisi reports from Rome's Opera House on the Ludwig Minkus ballet

Ensemble. Tremendous and Sublime - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to Berlioz's 'Grande Messe des morts'

Ensemble. Don Giovanni's Forefather - Giuseppe Pennisi writes about a performance of 'L'empio punito' by Alessandro Melani

Ensemble. Take A Sabbatical - Giuseppe Pennisi has some advice for Graham Vick, based on the latter's latest production of 'Don Giovanni'

Ensemble. Hausmusik in the Palatine Hall - by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. In the Vatican Basilicas - Giuseppe Pennisi reviews a special concert

Ensemble. Back to the Future - Giuseppe Pennisi attends a gala evening in Rome dedicated to two experimental works

Ensemble. A Double Bridge - Giuseppe Pennisi attends 'Sarang è Amore' at the Korean Cultural Institute in Rome

Ensemble. Mastery and Versatility - Giuseppe Pennisi attends three Tokyo Ballet performances in Rome

Ensemble. Airborne Twice - Giuseppe Pennisi attends a cello and piano recital unexpectedly

Ensemble. Baroque Oratorios in Rome - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to selections of music by Alessandro Scarlatti, Bernado Pasquini and George Frideric Handel

Ensemble. In a Pleasure Garden - Music by Michele Dall'Ongaro and Verdi in a chamber music format, heard by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. A Different 'Aida' - Denis Krief's new production in Rome, experienced by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. A Repertory 'Tosca' - Giuseppe Pennisi considers Puccini's opera as a real orchestral masterpiece

Ensemble. Passion and Enthusiasm - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to an all-Beethoven programme from Gustavo Dudamel and the Orchestra of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia

Ensemble. A Mechanical Toy Box - Giuseppe Pennisi experiences the revival in Rome of Rossini's 'La Cenerentola'

Ensemble. Mahler's 'Resurrection' - Giuseppe Pennisi reports on an Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia performance in Rome

Ensemble. A Supernatural Glow - Giuseppe Pennisi describes the Fiery Angel that hangs over Rome

Ensemble. The Best Buy - Giuseppe Pennisi reports on the last 2018-19 subscription concert of Rome's Istituzione Universitaria dei Concerti, given by Giuliano Carmagnola and Concerto Köln

Ensemble. Heavenly Sex - Giuseppe Pennisi is impressed by Handel's 'Semele' from John Eliot Gardiner and the Monteverdi ensembles

Ensemble. A Superb Mix of Music and Visuals - 'Snow White' danced to music by Gustav Mahler, experienced by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Easter Mozart - Ton Koopman conducts the Mass in C and the Jupiter Symphony, heard by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. A Not so Merry Widow - Damiano Michieletto's joint venture with La Fenice is not a success in Rome, as described by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Three Premieres in Rome - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to music by Ivan Fidele, Taneyev, Scriabin and Stravinsky

Ensemble. A Timeless Composition - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to interweaved movements from Beethoven and Ligeti, played by Herbert Schuch

Ensemble. Petrenko's Highly Dramatic 'Ninth' - Giuseppe Pennisi reports on a special concert in Rome

Ensemble. A Contemporary 'Stabat Mater' - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to a new work by Nicola Piovani

Ensemble. Sir John and Romantic Music - Giuseppe Pennisi describes an English conductor's visit to Rome

Ensemble. A Noble Simplicity - Giuseppe Pennisi was at the Roman debut of Gluck's 'Orfeo'

Ensemble. A Clear Success - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to contemporary music in a baroque setting

Elective Affinities - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to German pianist Alexander Lonquich

Ensemble. A Roman Pietas - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to Petrassi and Shostakovich in Rome

Ensemble. A Coloratura Contest - Giuseppe Pennisi witnesses a true triumph with Donizetti's 'Anna Bolena' in Rome

Ensemble. A Children's Game - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to special Rossini in a special place

Ensemble. An Anthem to Innocence - Giuseppe Pennisi experiences the Italian version of Benjamin Britten's 'The Little Sweep'

Ensemble. A Brand New 'Carmen' Ballet - Giuseppe Pennisi reports from the opening night at Teatro dell'Opera di Roma

Ensemble. An Odd Couple? - Kurtág and Brahms in concert, heard by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. For Students to Complete? - Accademia Bizantina's 'The Art of Fugue' enthralls Rome and Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. The Touch of Gatti - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to Wagner and Mahler from the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome

Ensemble. Skills and Elegance - Teatro dell'Opera di Roma's new production of 'Swan Lake' impresses Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Vienna at Santa Cecilia - Manfred Honeck conducts, and Giuseppe Pennisi was in the audience

Ensemble. Rigoletto and the Fascists - Giuseppe Pennisi was at the opening night of Teatro dell'Opera di Roma's new season

Ensemble. A 'Happy' Tragedy - Leonard Bernstein's 'Trouble in Tahiti' at Rome's Nuova Consonanza Festival, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. A Different 'Gospel' - Giuseppe Pennisi explores the mesmerising aural world of John Adams

Ensemble. Music in the Pontifical Basilicas - Giuseppe Pennisi attends the inaugural concert of The Rome International Festival of Sacred Music and Art

Ensemble. A Poor Staging - Graham Vick's 'The Marriage of Figaro' in Rome, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Enthralling Seasons - Haydn's oratorio begins one of Rome's major concert seasons, heard by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Turning Point - Leonard Bernstein's 'West Side Story' begins Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia's season, by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. A Magical Zauberflöte - Giuseppe Pennisi was at the opening of Teatro dell'Opera di Roma's autumn season

Ensemble. Ulysses' Homecoming - Giuseppe Pennisi was expecting a graduate performance of Monteverdi, but experienced a masterpiece

Ensemble. No Sex Please, We're Romeo and Juliet - Giuseppe Pennisi was at Rome's Terme di Caracalla for a new production of Prokofiev's ballet

Ensemble. An Odd Couple? - Music from Japan and Portugal at Rome's 'Opus' Festival, heard by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. References to Fellini - 'La Traviata' in 'La Dolce Vita', by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. A Pleasure Garden - Two summer concerts on an evening in Rome, heard by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Richness of the Score - Puccini's 'La bohème' in Rome, heard by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. A Different 'Manon' - Kenneth McMillan's ballet on Massenet's music arrives in Rome, enthralling Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Long Overdue - Giuseppe Pennisi was in the audience for the first performance in Rome of Benjamin Britten's 'Billy Budd'

Ensemble. Is 'Carmen' for Children? - Giuseppe Pennisi attends a special Opera Domani performance

Ensemble. Choral Interventions - Wagner's 'Der fliegende Holländer' at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome, heard by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. An Exciting Whirlwind - Constantinos Carydis conducts Russian and Greek music in Rome, impressing Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Sex and Modernism - A triptych of modern ballets, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. A Short Bittersweet Opera - Stravinsky's 'A Soldier's Tale', heard by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Late Romanticism - Giuseppe Pennisi is moved by Richard Strauss and Schoenberg played by the Stradivari Sextet

Ensemble. A Doll's House - A new production of Bellini's 'La Sonnambula', experienced by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Angel of the Apocalypse - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to Messiaen in Rome

Ensemble. Tender and Charming - Lisa Batiashvili plays Prokofiev, enjoyed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Debussy Perspective - Giuseppe Pennisi samples a concert series marking the one hundredth anniversary of the French composer's death

Ensemble. Romanticism and Rock - Lalo and Pink Floyd ballets in Rome, experienced by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. A Dramatic Passion - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to Bernardo Pasquini's 'La Sete di Cristo'

Ensemble. Bandits in Rome - Giuseppe Pennisi describes the stormy reaction to Verdi's 'I Masnadieri'

Ensemble. Sublime Romanticism - Valery Gergiev conducts Tchaikovsky's 'Iolanta', impressing Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. The Romantic Connection - Kodály, Glass and Bruckner, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Sophisticated Elegance - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to music by Giacinto Scelsi

Ensemble. Rendered in Masterly Fashion - An anthology of twentieth century music impresses Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. An Exceptional Violinist - Lisa Batiashvili plays Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto, and Giuseppe Pennisi is impressed

Ensemble. The Egyptian - Early twentieth century French music by Ibert, Saint Saëns, Debussy and Ravel, heard by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Autumn Trilogy - Giuseppe Pennisi writes about three operas on the brink of the twentieth century, performed as a cycle in Ravenna

Ensemble. A New Don Quixote - Giuseppe Pennisi describes the opening of Teatro dell'Opera di Roma's new ballet season, with a new version of Ludwig Minkus' work, creating a stylised and colorful fairytale world

Ensemble. Modernizing Monteverdi and Mozart - Giuseppe Pennisi experiences two very different performances

Ensemble. A Surreal Atmosphere - Daniel Auber's 'Fra Diavolo' is back in Rome, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Weak Videos - Szymanowski's 'Król Roger', reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Very Moving - A Roland Petit soirée at Opera di Roma, experienced by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Updating Tosca - Giuseppe Pennisi reports from Teatro dell'Opera di Roma

Ensemble. Sensual and Immoral - A new production of 'Carmen' stirs a mini-International Controversy, by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Heavy Stage Direction and Sets - Rossini's 'Il viaggio a Reims' in Rome, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. A Mirror of Time - Giuseppe Pennisi reports on a trendy concert series in Rome

Ensemble. Well-deserved Ovations - 'Lulu' lands in Rome after fifty years, by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Civil Engagement - Giuseppe Pennisi discusses operas representing intrigues which couldn't be discussed in public

Ensemble. A Lovely Evening - William Walton's 'Façade' in Rome, alongside a symphony by Alfredo Casella, appreciated by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Back in Rome - Giordano's 'Andrea Chénier' returns to the Teatro dell'Opera after more than forty years, impressing Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. A Great Success - Antonio Pappano's St John Passion impresses Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. A Duel of Voices - Donizetti's 'Maria Stuarda' in Rome, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Dynamic Performances - Vladimir Jurowski conducts Zemlinsky and Mahler, appreciated by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. 1917 - A Different Revolutionary Music - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to Yuri Bashmet and his Moscow Soloists ensemble

Ensemble. The Mercy of God - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to Robert Schumann's oratorio 'Das Paradies und die Peri'

Ensemble. Inner Struggle - Giuseppe Pennisi watches and listens to Tchaikovsky's 'Sleeping Beauty'

Ensemble. A Controversial Così - Giuseppe Pennisi was in the audience at Teatro dell'Opera di Roma

Ensemble. Two Bats - 'Die Fledermaus' on Twelfth Night, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. A New Year's Eve with 'Die Fledermaus' - Giuseppe Pennisi reports from Rome

Peace through Music - Giuseppe Pennisi reports on Christmas concerts in the Holy Land

Ensemble. Death and the Maiden - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to Patricia Kopatchcinskaja and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra

Ensemble. Rich Baroque - 'La Liberazione di Ruggiero dall'Isola di Alcina' by the almost forgotten Francesca Caccini, heard by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Love and Freedom - Beethoven's 'Fidelio', reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. 'Un Ballo' Returns Home - Giuseppe Pennisi reviews Verdi in Rome

Ensemble. The Right Touch - Giuseppe Pennisi enjoys the baroque show 'Aria' in Rome

Ensemble. A Different 'Swan Lake' - Tchaikovsky in Rome impresses Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Dido Reconstructed - Henry Purcell, arranged by Atilio Cremonesi, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

CD Spotlight. Breathtaking Depth - Sacred music in seventeenth century Rome, heard by Gerald Fenech. '... performances of celestial beauty ...'

Ensemble. Not Entirely New - Giuseppe Pennisi experiences a double 'Barber of Seville' in Rome

Ensemble. Nabucco goes to War - Giuseppe Pennisi was in the audience in Rome

Ensemble. Mixed Feelings - Mozart's 'Così fan tutte', reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Divine Providence - Giuseppe Pennisi is impressed by Donizetti's religious opera 'Linda di Chamounix'

Ensemble. Fast Forward - Giuseppe Pennisi assesses three works at a contemporary music festival in Rome

Ensemble. High Fashion - A new production of 'La traviata' in Rome, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Turandot for Children - Giuseppe Pennisi investigates a Puccini production with one hundred and fifty performances in twelve months

Ensemble. Sinopoli's Loneliness - A concert in memory of the Italian conductor, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. In Two Parts - Puccini's 'Il Trittico' as seen by Michieletto and Rustioni, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Genius and Intemperance - Berlioz's 'Benvenuto Cellini', reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Sincere Conversion - Mahler's 'Creation', heard by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Monumental and Hieratic - Stravinsky's 'Oedipus Rex', recommended by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. A Great Success - Eleonora Abbagnato's 'Four Great Choreographers' at Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, appreciated by Giuseppe Pennisi

Rossini's Revenge - The first of three new 'Barber of Seville' productions marking the opera's bicentenary, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Surrealist Pop - Rossini's 'La Cenerentola' in Rome, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Mirrors of Time - Special concerts in Rome, enjoyed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. 'Fantasia' Around The World - Giuseppe Pennisi visits the big screen in Rome

For the New Year - Unusual ballet productions in Italy, seen by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Very Special - Christmas music in Rome impresses Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Enthralling Music - Hans Werner Henze's 'The Bassarids', reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. To the glory of St John Paul II - Giuseppe Pennisi samples The Vatican's recent festival of sacred music and art

Ensemble. Accolades and Ovations - Antonio Pappano's 'Beethoven and the Contemporaries', reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Two Ballets - Giuseppe Pennisi experiences a new dance in Rome

Ensemble. Sacred and Profane - Symphonies, cantatas and concertos by J S Bach, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. The End of Utopia - 'The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny' by Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. A Turning Point - The first in a series of orchestral concerts in Rome, heard by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Intricately Tuneful - Giuseppe Pennisi reviews John Adams' opera 'I Was looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky'

Ensemble. With You, Armenia - Giuseppe Pennisi was present when La Scala Philharmonic Orchestra visited Rome

Ensemble. Far from Traditional - Puccini operas in Rome, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Americans in Rome - Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia's Gershwin Gala, attended by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. A Dark Lady - Tchaikovsky's 'Queen of Spades' appeals to Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. A Posthumous Debut - Giorgio Strehler's 'Marriage of Figaro' finally reaches Rome, enjoyed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. A Musical Homecoming - Myung-Whun Chung returns to Rome to conduct Beethoven and Mahler, heard by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Two Stages - Manfred Honeck conducts Mozart and Mahler, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. A Long Nocturne - Giuseppe Pennisi describes an intimate 'Aida' in Rome

Ensemble. Dramatic Temperament - 'Euridice' according to Salvatore Sciarrino, heard by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. 'Lucia' in the Madhouse - Giuseppe Pennisi attends a memorial to Luca Ronconi

Ensemble. Not to be Missed - The French ensemble Les Paladins, heard by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. A Philological 'Tosca' - Giuseppe Pennisi reports from Rome

Ensemble. Werther's Dream World - Willy Decker's production of Massenet's opera finally reaches Rome, by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Engrossing Performance - Dvorák's 'Rusalka' in Rome impresses Giuseppe Pennisi

LP Spotlight. Unusual Transparency - Orchestral music by Ottorino Respighi, heard by Stephen Francis Vasta. '... first-class performances ... in excellent sound.'

Ensemble. Troubles in Rome - Verdi's Rigoletto, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. On the Mountain Top - Giuseppe Pennisi was at the opening concert of the National Academy of Santa Cecilia's season

Ensemble. Open-air Performance - A triptych of ballet on tour, with dancing in the monumental Roman ruins, experienced by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. More Powerful - 'Carmen' in Bizet's original version, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. From chains to the Almighty - Twentieth century operas in Rome, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Carefully Mixed - Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore in Rome, enjoyed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Fourteen People and a Dog - Brits in Rome, heard by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Clash of Civilizations - Rossini's 'Maometto II', reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. A Double Melodrama - Giuseppe Pennisi was at Puccini's 'Manon Lescaut', performed under difficult conditions in Rome

Ensemble. A Tremendous Success - Rome's 'Controtempo' contemporary music festival, experienced by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Chung vs Pappano - Giuseppe Pennisi compares versions of Mahler's Resurrection Symphony

Ensemble. Vivid and Entertaining - Giuseppe Pennisi attends a Ravel double bill in Rome

Ensemble. Perfect Settings - New Year in Italy, by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Intergenerational Conflict - Giuseppe Pennisi attended a successful performance of Verdi's 'Ernani' in Rome

Ensemble. A Grand Sea Symphony? - Giuseppe Pennisi was at a concert performance in Rome of Britten's 'Peter Grimes'

Ensemble. Good Sense - Turandot in Rome as written by Puccini, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Youthful Compoaers - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to contemporary music at two Italian festivals

Ensemble. A Rich Musical Season - Summer opera in Rome, heard by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Deeply Moving - Britten's 'Curlew River' in Rome, experienced by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Bitter Reflection - A half-baked 'Don Pasquale', reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Dramatic Effect - Purcell's 'Dido and Aeneas' in the Roman Gym impresses Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Real Power - Three one act operas exploring the condition of women, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Different Styles - Antonio Pappano's 'Un Ballo in Maschera' impresses Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Political Tragedy - Giuseppe Pennisi attended a performance of Wagner's 'Rienzi' in Rome

Ensemble. Rhythm and Irony - Eighteenth century Neapolitan cello concertos fascinate Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Black and White - Saint-Saëns' 'Samson' as envisaged by La Fura dels Baus, enjoyed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Cosmic Pessimism - Verdi's rarely performed 'I Due Foscari', experienced by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Much Awaited - Bayreuth's 'Das Rheingold' previewed in Rome, as experienced by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Sweet and Sour - Adolphe Adam's 'Giselle', reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Especially Brilliant - An evening of piano music from Giuseppe Andaloro, heard by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Swift and Corrosive - Giuseppe Pennisi takes a sniff at Shostakovich's 'The Nose'

Ensemble. Luscious Vocal Colors - 'Tosca' at AZ Opera, reviewed by Maria Nockin

Ensemble. Sophisticated Musical Evenings - The legacy of Giacinto Scelsi twenty-five years on, by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Still Radical - Stravinsky's 'The Rite of Spring', heard by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Highly Appreciated - Music by Vivaldi in the churches of Rome, enjoyed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Very Elegant - Minkus' 'Don Quixote' in Rome, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Very Emotional - Concerts in Rome for Peace, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

DVD Spotlight. Chamber Opera - Works by Sciarrino and Messiaen, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi. '... quite eclectic ...'

Ensemble. An Elegant Staging - Chinese National Opera's 'Turandot' on tour, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. An Erotic Flavour - Rome's new production of Prokofiev's 'Romeo and Juliet', reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Very Juicy - Summer Opera in Rome, enjoyed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Quite Different - Britten's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. A Major Revival - Giuseppe Pennisi reports on bel canto in Europe

Ensemble. All the Ingredients - Giuseppe Pennisi describes a rather half-baked 'Barber of Seville'

Ensemble. Fairytale Atmosphere - Giuseppe Pennisi reports on the opening night of 'Die Zauberflöte' in Rome

Ensemble. After the Earthquake - Operas for reconstruction at L'Aquila, reported by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. A Japanese Tragedy - A new 'Butterfly' production in Rome, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Apocalypse Now - Franz Schmidt's 'The Book with Seven Seals', reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Pretty Good - A Neapolitan 'Threepenny Opera', reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Joy and Sadness - A shock to the normally conservative audience at Rome's Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, reported by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Useful Spice - Giuseppe Pennisi discovers, via Bernstein's 'Candide', why we don't live in 'the best of all possible worlds'

Ensemble. A Variety of Events - Giuseppe Pennisi reports on music for the Christmas and New Year period in Italy, for children and for those who love children

Successful and Fulfilling - On the rediscovery of the Italian symphonic tradition, by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. A Triumphant Macbeth - Under Riccardo Muti's baton, Verdi's first Shakespearean opera inaugurates Rome's opera season, by Giuseppe Pennisi

CD Spotlight. Previously Unknown - Music by Silvius Leopold Weiss, heard by Ron Bierman. '... difficult to improve upon ...'

Ensemble. A Memorable Evening - Giuseppe Pennisi reports on the Richard Strauss masterpiece co-produced by Rome's Teatro dell'Opera and the Salzburg Festival

Ensemble. A Delicate Balance - Giuseppe Pennisi has mixed feelings about 'Aida' at the Baths of Caracalla

DVD Spotlight. A Mixed Bag - Ballets choreographed by Angelin Preljocaj, reviewed by Howard Smith. 'Apart from the galvanised buckets it's all effectively eye-catching ...'

Ensemble. Sheer Brilliance - Rossini's 'William Tell', reviewed by Robert Hugill

Ensemble. Achingly Beautiful - Vivaldi's 'La verità in cimento' at Garsington Opera, reviewed by Roderic Dunnett

Ensemble. A Conductor's Opera - A new production of Puccini's 'La bohème' at Rome's Teatro dell'Opera, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Artistic Freedom - Giuseppe Pennisi visits the sophisticated music festival in a Tuscan mountain convent and stays for the full three days

Ensemble. Towards a Better World - Daniel Barenboim and the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra are currently on a world tour. Giuseppe Pennisi listens to their concert in Rome

Ensemble. When Verdi Slept - 'La Battaglia di Legnano', reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Dramatic Beauty - Works by Eötvös and Bartók, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Christ Re-Crucified - Giuseppe Pennisi was at the Italian première of Bohuslav Martinu's Greek Passion

CD Spotlight. Inestimable Worth - Joan Sutherland's debut recital, assessed by Howard Smith. 'No other single disc has these historic performances.'

Ensemble. Too Clever by Half - A very British version of Mozart's 'Die Entführung aus dem Serail' returns to Rome, experienced by Giuseppe Pennisi

Mahler versus Mahler - Two symphony orchestras are playing Mahler in Rome, by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Simple and Effective - A new production of Verdi's 'Nabucco' celebrates the 150th anniversary of Italy's Unification, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Drama and Comedy - British humour under the Neapolitan sun, in 'L'Elisir d'Amore' in Rome and San Francisco, by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. The Quality of Mercy - Verdi's 'La Forza del Destino', heard by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Unmistakably French - 'Les Nuits d'Eté', heard by Giuseppe Pennisi from Rome's Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia

Ensemble. Unmistakably American - William Bolcom's 'A View from the Bridge', heard by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. A Wonderful Rendition - Puccini's 'La Fanciulla del West' at the movies impresses Maria Nockin

Ensemble. Mediterranean Splendour - Dancing to Bizet's 'L'Arlésienne' and 'Carmen', by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Music and Art - Karen Haid experiences Roma Opera Omnia

Ensemble. A Difficult Cocktail - Rossini's 'Moïse et Pharaon', assessed by Giuseppe Pennisi

An Interdisciplinary Field - Two contemporary music festivals in Rome, described by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Unique and Moving - Mahler's Fifth Symphony - a self-metamorphosis from grief to ecstatic energy, by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Soirées musicales - Mariella Devia and the Twilight of Bel Canto, heard by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. What does this symphony mean? - Shostakovich's 'Leningrad', heard by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. A Real Surprise - Celso Albelo hits Venice as Nemorino in Donizetti's 'L'Elisir d'Amore', by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. A Memorable Night - The Israel Camerata Orchestra Jerusalem, heard by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. An Epic Opera - Rossini's 'William Tell', from Rome to the BBC Proms, by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Superb from the word 'go' - Donizetti's last Tudor Queen returns to Rome, and Carmela Remigio enchants Giuseppe Pennisi

CD Spotlight. Praise and Attention - Romabarocca Ensemble plays Carlo Rainaldi, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi. '... they will go far in the rediscovery of Baroque music.'

Ensemble. Rough and Shining Jewels - Giuseppe Pennisi visits the 2010 Rossini Opera Festival

Ensemble. Young Eroticism in the Third French Republic - Massenet's 'Manon' returns to Rome, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Awakening of Nature - Mahler's Third Symphony, appreciated by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Intelligent and Satisfying - English National Opera's new production of 'Tosca', reviewed by Robert Hugill

Ensemble. An Excellent Staging - 'Madama Butterfly' at Rome's Teatro dell'Opera, appreciated by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Mahler versus Mahler - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to Antonio Pappano and the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia

DVD Spotlight. A Little Wizardry - Purcell's 'Dido and Aeneas', recommended by Robert Anderson. '... the playing is stylish and alert throughout.'

Ensemble. A Masterly Performance - Massenet's 'Werther' on the psychotherapist's couch, by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. A Top-notch Formation - Operas by Zemlinsky and Puccini, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Seething with Evil - Franz Schreker's 'Die Gezeichneten', reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. A Successful Production - Sixty Leitmotives for 'Tosca', by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. The Devil and the Bourgeoisie - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to Arrigo Boito's 'Mefistofele'

Ensemble. Unusual and Different - Tan Dun's 'The Banquet', reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ninety Stars are Born - Giuseppe Pennisi tours Austria with a young Italian symphony orchestra

Ensemble. A Perfect Falstaff - Giuseppe Pennisi visits the Vienna State Opera

Dual Personality? - In the 20th anniversary year of Bernstein's death, Giuseppe Pennisi writes about Italy's homage to Lenny

CD Spotlight. Nearly Unknown - Bologna's Renaissance music, heard by Giuseppe Pennisi. '... an efficient and effective local ensemble ...'

Ensemble. The Quality of the Cooks - Verdi comic operas on stage, tasted by Giuseppe Pennisi

CD Spotlight. A Flowing Delivery - Bach Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin, heard by Howard Smith. '... vital technical flair ...'

Ensemble. A Double Farewell - Henze and Mahler in Rome, reported by Giuseppe Pennisi

Low cost, but effective - 'Tosca' and 'Butterfly' with live electronics, by Giuseppe Pennisi

DVD Spotlight. Malignant Fate - Donizetti's 'Maria Stuarda', recommended by Robert Anderson. '... wonderfully alert ...'

Ensemble. Alive and Well - Giuseppe Pennisi experiences Zeffirelli's latest 'La traviata'

Ensemble. A New Dimension - Giuseppe Pennisi reports that chamber opera is alive and well

Ensemble. A Different Rendition - Puccini's 'Tosca' on the big screen, reviewed by Maria Nockin

CD Spotlight. Forever Challenging - Symphonies by Leif Kayser, heard by Patric Standford. '... his ingenious inventiveness continues to impress.'

Marvelously Gifted - Bill Newman listens to pianist Alexander Romanovsky

Ensemble. Terrifying Vitality - Khachaturian's 'Spartacus' at the Cairo Opera House impresses Robert Anderson

Ensemble. Amazing Clarity - Greer Grimsley sings Scarpia in 'Tosca' from San Diego, experienced by Maria Nockin

DVD Spotlight. Perfectly Cast - The Sleeping Beauty, recommended by Howard Smith. '... utterly enchanting ...'

CD Spotlight. Engagingly Heartening - Choral and orchestral music by Arthur Honegger, enjoyed by Howard Smith. '... strikingly performed by Welsh forces ...'

Ensemble. Mesmerizing Propulsion - 'Cav' and 'Pag' in St Louis, reviewed by Susan Hampton

CD Spotlight. Stylistic Eloquence - Italian arias and madrigals, recommended by Maria Nockin. '... performed with accuracy and grace.'

Pleasant Meanderings - Easy-listening in Rome's Quirinale Palace, with Karen Haid

Ensemble. An Imaginative Production - 'Il Trovatore' in San Diego, reviewed by Maria Nockin

DVD Spotlight. Leaves of Regeneration - Wagner's 'Tannhäuser', reviewed by Robert Anderson. '... a subtlety no other house can match.'

Record box. Impressive Refinement - Handel Italian cantatas performed by Arcadia, and reviewed by Patric Standford

CD Spotlight. Orchestral panoply - Respighi's Pines and Fountains, appreciated by Robert Anderson. 'Fritz Reiner has the right qualities for this music.'

Ensemble. Miracle for Bohemia! - 'La clemenza di Tito' at Covent Garden, with Robert Anderson