Gioacchino Rossini

Gioacchino Rossini (29 February 1792 - 13 November 1868), the most influential Italian composer of the time, spent much of his long life writing operas for performance in Venice, Milan, Naples, Rome and Paris, and raised opera buffa to new heights. He mastered rhythm and comedy in music, and described himself as 'the last of the classicists'.

A selection of articles about Gioacchino Rossini

Ensemble. An Exciting New Performance Space - Ron Bierman visits the newly restored Jacobs Music Center in San Diego

Classical music news. Punkt Kontrapunkt - A selection of forthcoming performances

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.'

Richly-designed and original - Roderic Dunnett looks forward to the Three Choirs Festival, 27 July - 4 August 2024 in Worcester, UK

A Crack in Time? - A rare Leap Day editorial from Keith Bramich

Ensemble. Something Remarkable - Mike Wheeler listens to mostly avian music from Edouardo Strausser and the CBSO

Classical music news - Rossini Opera Festival - The programme for next year's Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro is announced during this year's festival

Ensemble. A Treat - Roderic Dunnett is dazzled by Rossini's 'La Cenerentola' at Neville Holt Opera

CD Spotlight. Exceptional Poise and Musicality - Operatic arias played on trumpet, highly recommended by Gerald Fenech. 'Matilda Lloyd performs these phenomenal pieces with a captivating enthusiasm and irresistible grace ...'

CD Spotlight. Insightful and Compelling - Geoff Pearce is impressed by this Chandos recording of Shostakovich's Symphonies Nos 12 and 15. 'The BBC Philharmonic Orchestra is totally committed to these works and the playing, both solo and in ensemble work, is of the highest order.'

Ensemble. Unstoppable Panache - Mike Wheeler listens to Amy Dickson and Martin Cousin

Classical music news - English Touring Opera - New productions of Donizetti's 'Lucrezia Borgia' and Rossini's 'Il viaggio a Reims' will tour in Spring 2023

Ensemble. Charm, Skill and Versatility - Ron Bierman listens to Isabel Leonard and Pablo Sáinz-Villegas in festive mood

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. A Family Portrait in Hell - Giuseppe Pennisi experiences an excellent 'Otello' at the Rossini Opera Festival

Ensemble. An Opera in Need of a Haircut - Giuseppe Pennisi reports on the Rossini Opera Festival's second production of 'La gazzetta'

Ensemble. Unabashedly Erotic - The Rossini Opera Festival begins with a new production of 'Le Comte Ory', reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

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

Ensemble. Taut and Focused - Mike Wheeler reports from the Buxton Festival on Rossini's 'La Donna del Lago'

CD Spotlight. Champagne Stuff - Gerald Fenech listens to Rossini's 'La Scala di Seta'. 'José-Miguel Pérez-Sierra's vivid conducting draws from both singers and Kraków Philharmonic Orchestra players performances full of delectable charm and infectious pleasure ...'

Ensemble. Commemorating Malcolm Goldring - The Sitwell Singers pay tribute to their former conductor, with help from various friends and colleagues, including a new work written for the occasion by Bob Chilcott, heard by Mike Wheeler

CD Spotlight. Delicately Sensitive Performances - Operatic fantasies by Sigismond Thalberg, strongly recommended by Gerald Fenech. '... characteristically intense and warm ...'

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

Ensemble. Winningly Interpreted - In his first report for Classical Music Daily, Fareed Curmally describes a magical afternoon of orchestral music in Mumbai

CD Spotlight. Balancing Intimacy with Incisiveness - A new recording of Rossini's 'Petite messe solennelle', recommended by Gerald Fenech. 'Soloists and chorus deliver some flawless singing, and their great attention to the text creates a sense of reverential homage to the sacred.'

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

Ensemble. Regietheater at the Rossini Opera Festival - Giuseppe Pennisi discusses recent performances of 'Il Signor Bruschino' and 'Elisabetta, Regina d'Inghilterra'

Ensemble. A Great Rossini Opera Festival Opening - Giuseppe Pennisi reviews 'Moïse et Pharaon'

Ensemble. When I'm Sixty-Four - Giuseppe Pennisi visits the Spoleto Festival

Ensemble. Three Divas - Maria Nockin reviews a streamed recital from Versailles, given by Ailyn Pérez, Nadine Sierra, Isabel Leonard, Vlad Iftinca and Pablo Sáinz-Villegas

Ensemble. Figaro via Laugh-in - Ron Bierman reviews San Diego Opera's parking-lot production of Rossini's 'The Barber of Seville'

Ensemble. Rollicking Comedy - Maria Nockin reports from San Diego Opera's drive-in performances of Rossini's 'The Barber of Seville'

Ensemble. Half and Half - Giuseppe Pennisi is not entirely convinced by Teatro San Carlo di Napoli's new production of Gioacchino Rossini's 'Il Turco in Italia'

Ensemble. Fit for Streaming? - Giuseppe Pennisi investigates various current and recent opera productions

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. ROF is Back and in Good Spirits - Giuseppe Pennisi reports on 'Il barbiere di Siviglia' and the Rossini Opera Festival's current performances

Ensemble. A Delightful Morning - Diana Damrau and Joseph Calleja sing live from Caserta in Italy as part of Met Stars Live in Concert, experienced by Maria Nockin

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. The Belcanto Concerts - Giuseppe Pennisi sends his last report from this year's Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro

Ensemble. Rossini's Last Sin - Giuseppe Pennisi attends a very special performance at the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro

Ensemble. Promised in Marriage - Giuseppe Pennisi reports from the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro

Ensemble. Where to now for the Arts in the UK? - Annie Lydford, Julian Glover and Emily Gottlieb in conversation with Michael Williams as part of the Buxton International Festival Digital 2020 Season, reported by Mike Wheeler

With Great Caution - Giuseppe Pennisi reports on the gradual reopening of Italian Summer Festivals

Ensemble. Memorable and Entertaining - Australia's first production of 'Il viaggio a Reims', reviewed by David Mitchell

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

CD Spotlight. Vintage Rossini - A Munich recording of the early opera 'Sigismondo', heard by Gerald Fenech. 'Keri Lynn Wilson paces the work with an uncanny tempo that strikes an ideal balance between the psychological and musical aspects of the opera, and her conducting is consistently sensitive to the nuanced phrasing and textures of the score.'

CD Spotlight. Imaginative Touches - Rossini's 'Eduardo e Cristina', recommended by Gerald Fenech. '... sensitively dramatic singing, invigorating playing and some glowing conducting from Gianluigi Gelmetti ...'

Ensemble. Young Rossini's 'Comedy for Adults' - Giuseppe Pennisi sends his final report from Pesaro

Ensemble. Rossini's Adolescent Opera - Giuseppe Pennisi reports from Pesaro on 'Demetrio e Polibio'

Ensemble. Sex and Power in Pesaro - Giuseppe Pennisi reports on a new production of 'Semiramide' at the Rossini Opera Festival

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

Classical music news. ROF at Forty - Giuseppe Pennisi looks forward to the Rossini Opera Festival, 11-23 August 2019, and explains why investing in Rossini can be profitable

Sacred and Secular - Rossini's 'Petite Messe Solennelle' from Derby Bach Choir, Richard Roddis and friends, appreciated by Mike Wheeler

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

CD Spotlight. A Quintessentially French Bestiary - French songs by various composers, heard by Gerald Fenech. 'Ducks, peacocks, pigs, butterflies, dromedaries, carp, cicadas and owls are just some of the creatures in the menagerie assembled for this recording.'

CD Spotlight. Improvisatory Freedom - Gerald Fenech listens to pianist Myron Romanul. 'Romanul's playing brims with an expressive power that generates its own excitement and self-belief ...'

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

Ensemble. An Endurance Test - Rossini, Monti, J S Bach, Mozart, Handel, Vaughan Williams and Dave Maslanka from the Syzygy Quartet, heard by Mike Wheeler

Profile. No Vulgar Commercialiser - George Colerick tells the story of Louis Jullien, a French impressario, composer and conductor famous in London in the nineteenth century

CD Spotlight. Beautifully Played - Castelnuovo-Tedesco's Cello Concerto, heard by Alice McVeigh. 'Brinton maintains a clear, sonorous and resonant sound even in the highest register, though he could perhaps have been willing to take a few more risks.'

Ensemble. An Overwhelming Success - Pier Luigi Pizzi's new 'Barber of Seville' enthralls the Rossini Opera Festival, by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Sparkling Wine and Wedding Cake - Rossini's 'Adina' in Pesaro, enjoyed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. A Lukewarm Reception - 'Ricciardo e Zoriade' at the Rossini Opera Festival, heard by Giuseppe Pennisi

CD Spotlight. Mood Enhancing - 360 Degree Guitar Duo, heard by the late Howard Smith. '... ideal for relaxation with a chianti ...'

Ensemble. Rossini in The Quarry - 'The Barber of Seville' at an unusual venue in Hungary, praised by Anett Fodor

Ensemble. Highly Promising Talent - Katie Gilbert, Esther Beard and Edward Leung at Derby Cathedral, heard by Mike Wheeler

Ensemble. Stravinskian Credentials - Rossini, Poulenc and Saint-Saëns from Nottingham Harmonic Choir and the Hallé Orchestra, heard by Mike Wheeler

Ensemble. Rarely more than Loosely Acted - Maria Nockin reviews John Copley's production of Rossini's 'Semiramide' in HD from New York Metropolitan Opera, without Copley

Ensemble. A Gradual Maturing - Giuseppe Pennisi describes the recent performance history of Rossini's 'William Tell' and reviews Palermo's 2018 production

CD Spotlight. Utmost Care - Gioacchino Rossini's 'Bianca e Falliero', heard by Gerald Fenech. 'Antonino Fogliani and his forces respond with zealous enthusiasm, and the ensemble pieces in particular are dispatched with marvelous excitement, soliciting in the listener a strong sense of involvement.'

CD Spotlight. Dramatically Nuanced - Rossini's 'Sigismondo', heard by Gerald Fenech. '... an excellent live recording of a rare bel canto gem that deserves serious scrutiny by all those interested in Italian melodrama.'

Ensemble. Opera Philology - Rossini's 'Torvaldo e Dorliska', reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. High Society Two Centuries Ago - Giuseppe Pennisi comments on Rossini's 'La Pietra di Paragone' in Pesaro

Ensemble. Third Time Lucky - Giuseppe Pennisi reports on the first performance of the original version of Rossini's 'Siege of Corinth'

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

Ensemble. Fun and Games - Mike Wheeler enjoys Opera North's take on Rossini's 'La Cenerentola'

Ensemble. Reviving Rossini's Tancredi - Margaret Darby reports from Opera Philadelphia

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

Ensemble. Lots of Tinsel - Derby Concert Orchestra's Christmas concert, reviewed by Mike Wheeler

Ensemble. Little to do with Shakespeare - A strong production of Rossini's 'Otello' opens Teatro San Carlo's new season in Naples, reported by Giuseppe Pennisi

CD Spotlight. Engagingly Delivered - Robert Meyer's 'Discovering the Double Bass', heard by the late Howard Smith. '... a rare and welcome initiative ...'

Somewhat Congested - Jonathan Scott plays the organ of Derby Cathedral, reviewed by Mike Wheeler

Ensemble. Rossini on a Movie Set - 'Il Turco in Italia' and 'Ciro in Babilonia' at the Rossini Opera Festival, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. An Engrossing Idea - Giuseppe Pennisi visits the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro for an original and moving 'La Donna del Lago'

Ensemble. An Attractive Programme - Baroque music and English string classics from the Northern Chamber Orchestra, reviewed by Mike Wheeler

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

CD Spotlight. Consistently Vibrant - Music inspired by St Francis of Assisi, heard by Gerald Fenech. 'A heart-melting issue ...'

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. Very Special - Christmas music in Rome impresses Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Exuberant Delight - Opera North's 'The Barber of Seville', enjoyed by Mike Wheeler

Musical Prowess - Robert Anderson's 'Opera Nights and Nightmares', read by Gerald Fenech

Ensemble. Semi-serious Rossini - Giuseppe Pennisi visits the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro

Ask Alice - 'William Tell' at Covent Garden, with Classical Music Agony Aunt Alice McVeigh

DVD Spotlight. An Ancient Character - Rossini's 'Semiramide', reviewed by Howard Smith. '... traditional elements alongside innovative ones.'

Ensemble. Undoubtedly Authentic - Rossini's 'La Donna del lago' delights Maria Nockin

Ensemble. A Great Deal of Fun - Maria Nockin enjoys Rossini's 'Barber of Seville' in HD from New York

Ensemble. Sorrows of Young Rossini - Giuseppe Pennisi sends a second report from the 2014 Rossini Opera Festival

Ensemble. Avant-garde and Fun - 'The Barber of Seville' at the Rossini Opera Festival, enjoyed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Fatally Compromised - Rossini's 'Otello', reviewed by Mike Wheeler

Ensemble. Near Perfect - Rossini's 'La Cenerentola', reviewed by Maria Nockin

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

Ensemble. Absolutely Luminous - Thomas Bowes plays the Barber Violin Concerto, and impresses Alice McVeigh

Ensemble. Exhilarating Music - Verdi, Rossini, Offenbach, Mozart and Theodore Morrison at Santa Fe Opera, enjoyed by Maria Nockin

Ensemble. Good Music makes Good Money - Giuseppe Pennisi was at the 2013 Rossini Opera Festival

CD Spotlight. Nostalgic and Enthralling - A Joan Sutherland portrait, heard by Gerald Fenech. '... a fitting tribute to the singing legend from Australia ...'

Ensemble. Theatrical Genius - Rossini's 'La Cenerentola' delights Maria Nockin

DVD Spotlight. A Real Achievement - Gioacchino Rossini's 'Adelaide di Borgogna', recommended by Robert Anderson. '... the Bologna singers and players ... respond finely to every nuance ...'

DVD Spotlight. Heartfelt Agitation - Rossini's 'Mosè in Egitto', reviewed by Robert Anderson. 'Musically all is well ...'

DVD Spotlight. Charming and Fascinating - Rossini's 'Le Comte Ory', recommended by Gerald Fenech. 'Joyce DiDonato, as Ory's promiscuous young page Isolier, is absolutely irrepressible ...'

Ensemble. An Annual Delight - Maria Nockin visits Santa Fe for the summer opera season

Ensemble. Sex and Bigotry - Giuseppe Pennisi reports on his week at the Rossini Opera Festival

Ensemble. The Finest of Them All - The 2012 Hereford Three Choirs Festival, reviewed by Roderic Dunnett

Ensemble. Two Celebrations - Giuseppe Pennisi reports on a three-day musical party near Lucca in Tuscany

Ensemble. Incandescent Performance - Nigel Kennedy with the Royal Philharmonic and Andrew Litton, heard by Mike Wheeler

Ensemble. Simply Exquisite - Rossini's 'The Barber of Seville' at San Diego Opera, enjoyed by Maria Nockin

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

Ensemble. New Respect - Rossini's 'The Barber of Seville' at New York Metropolitan Opera, reviewed by Gregory Moomjy

CD Spotlight. A Fine Collection - Operatic bass arias sung by William Powers, heard by Paul Sarcich. '... a formidable mixture of operatic styles ...'

Ensemble. Tormented Souls - Sex and power in the aftermath of a Middle Eastern war, when 'Semiramide' opens the opera season in Naples, reported by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. The Lady without the Lake - Rossini at La Scala, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Patriot and Terrorist? - New aspects of Rossini brought to light at the 2011 Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro, discussed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. The Legacy of Bel Canto - Rossini's 'William Tell' at the Caramoor Festival, discussed by Gregory Moomjy

DVD Spotlight. Wonderfully Resourceful - Rossini's 'Il Turco in Italia', reviewed by Robert Anderson. 'The orchestra under Antonello Allemandi seem to have relished the evening as much as I did.'

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

Ensemble. Intense Confrontation - Verdi's 'Ernani' - more revolutionary than patriotic, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Total Concentration - Juan Diego Flórez sings Rossini's 'Le Comte Ory', reviewed by Maria Nockin

Ensemble. Orchestral Nuances - Thanks to a sparkling 'Barber of Seville', Giuseppe Pennisi rediscovers the beauty of Rossini's orchestration

Ensemble. To Suit the Voice - Gregory Moomjy takes a sneak peek at the divas and divos of tomorrow, as heard at New York Metropolitan Opera's National Council auditions

Ensemble. A Wonderful Rendition - Donizetti's 'Lucia di Lammermoor', enjoyed by Maria Nockin

Ensemble. Happy Melodies - Rossini's 'Il Turco in Italia' delights Maria Nockin

Ensemble. A Splendid Performance - Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, heard by Gregory Moomjy

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

Ensemble. Beautifully Sung - An evening with Juan-Diego Flórez, by Robert Hugill

Ensemble. A Spirited Performance - Mike Wheeler listens to Voices and the Derby Concert Orchestra

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

Ensemble. Soirées musicales - Mariella Devia and the Twilight of Bel Canto, 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. Better Late than Never - The BPSE Late Summer Festival, attended by Malcolm Troup

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

Profile. Two Americans in Paris - Maria Nockin talks to Vivica Genaux and Lawrence Brownlee

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

Ensemble. First Class - The new Palermo production of Rossini's 'The Barber of Seville', a casual worker in Almodóvar's Seville, recommended by Giuseppe Pennisi

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

CD Spotlight. Striking Originality - Piano music by Moscheles, Mendelssohn and Schumann, heard by Robert Anderson. '...Todd Crow deserves unstinted gratitude.'

CD Spotlight. An Impressive Performance - Michael Ludwig plays music by John Corigliano, heard by Patric Standford. '... should not fail to entertain ...'

Ensemble. Limpid Clarity - 'The Barber of Baghdad' by Peter Cornelius, experienced by Mike Wheeler

Ensemble. Sovereign Quality - Aidan Lang's 'The Marriage of Figaro', recommended by Howard Smith

Ensemble. Vivid Contrasts - Mike Wheeler listens to Pinchas Zukerman and the Royal Philharmonic

Ensemble. Under the Tuscan Sun - Giuseppe Pennisi attends the beginning of the Tiroler Festspiele 2010

Ensemble. A Cross Section - Bill Newman comments on some recent concerts at London's Wigmore Hall

Ensemble. Hilariously Funny - Arizona Opera's 'The Barber of Seville', appreciated by Maria Nockin

Ensemble. A Sensitive Account - Choral music by Rossini, Elgar and Handel, reviewed by Mike Wheeler

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

Ensemble. White Hot Intensity - Renée Fleming and the Russian National Orchestra at the Festival of the Arts Boca 2010, reviewed by Lawrence Budmen

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

Ensemble. Excellent Singing - Handel and Rossini from Los Angeles Opera impress Maria Nockin

CD Spotlight. Highly Challenging - Music for unaccompanied violin, heard by Howard Smith. '... searching performance ...'

DVD Spotlight. Intensity and Concentration - Kurt Masur conducts Richard Strauss, reviewed by Kelly Ferjutz. '... beautifully and confidently performed ...'

Ensemble. Brilliant Opportunities - A Rossini double bill, reviewed by Robert Hugill

Bizarre Perception - Alistair Hinton discusses a recent article on English music by David Hamilton

Ensemble. Wholly Captivating - Rossini's 'Italian Girl in Algiers' impresses Howard Smith

Ensemble. Sometimes Impressive - Bellini's 'Norma' from English Touring Opera, heard by Robert Hugill

Ensemble. Something Different - Rossini's opera 'Ermione', reviewed by Robert Hugill

Record Box. Many Pleasures - Music for guitar quartet, recommended by Ron Bierman

Ensemble. A Superb Cast - Rossini's 'Mathilde de Shabran' at Covent Garden, reviewed by Robert Hugill

Record Box. Virtuosic Turns - Solo sonatas by Benedetto Marcello, reviewed by Gerald Fenech

DVD Spotlight. Sheer Champagne - Rossini's 'La pietra del paragone', enjoyed by Robert Anderson. 'The Madrid cast has proved itself exemplary ...'

CD Spotlight. Musical Enjoyment - Works by Respighi, recommended by Howard Smith. '... impressively alive to each facet of Respighi's aural colourations ...'

CD Spotlight. Truly Invigorating - Opera fantasies for violin, reviewed by Howard Smith. '... engaging musical finesse.'

Ensemble. Highly Promising - Rossini, Schubert and Beethoven from the Derby Concert Orchestra, reviewed by Mike Wheeler

DVD Spotlight. Above Praise - Rossini's 'La Cambiale di matrimonio', reviewed by Robert Anderson. '... seductively lyrical where the young Rossini demands.'

Ensemble. Beautifully Judged - Mike Wheeler draws attention to the Lithuanian National Philharmonic Orchestra

DVD Spotlight. Rags to Riches - Rossini's 'La Cenerentola', reviewed by Robert Anderson. '... irresistible throughout ...'

DVD Spotlight. Major Delights - Rossini's 'Il Viaggio a Reims' entertains Robert Anderson. '... an evening of pure champagne.'

Ensemble. A Modern Style - Pimlico Opera's 'The Barber of Seville', reviewed by Robert Hugill

DVD Spotlight. Teeming Stage Business - Rossini's 'La Gazzetta', reviewed by Robert Anderson. '... a mismatch of music and action ...'

DVD Spotlight. Quicksilver Music - Rossini's 'L'occasione fa il ladro', enjoyed by Robert Anderson. '... a performance of bubbling vitality ...'

Ensemble. A Rousing Send-off - Nicholas Kok's last concert as Principal Conductor of Sinfonia Viva, enjoyed by Mike Wheeler

Ensemble. Exhilarating Comedy - 'L'Italiana in Algeri' in Arizona, reviewed by Maria Nockin

Ensemble. Vivid form - 'Il Barbiere di Siviglia' at Covent Garden, reviewed by Robert Hugill

Ensemble. Operatic delights - Canadian Opera Company's Altamira Summer Arts Concerts, reviewed by Malcolm Miller

Ensemble. The extra layer? - Robert Hugill was at Covent Garden's 'Il Turco in Italia'

CD Spotlight. Flexibility and beauty - Ramón Vargas sings Rossini and Donizetti arias, recommended by Ron Bierman. '... his singing is wonderfully musical.'

Ensemble. Ravel chestnut - A dazzling arrangement of 'Bolero' for two pianos, reviewed by Lawrence Budmen

CD Spotlight. On top form - The Italian Girl in Algiers, reviewed by Robert Anderson. 'Its enchantments are as fresh as ever ...'

Ensemble. An eclectic program - Lawrence Budmen is impressed by Canadian/Armenian soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian

CD Spotlight. Tricky work - A recording of Rossini's Petite Messe solennelle, reviewed by Robert Hugill. '... a stunning choral sound ...'

Ensemble. A special treat - Maria Nockin enthuses over Ewa Podles' recent recital for San Diego Opera

Ensemble. Choral centenary - Malcolm Miller enjoys two seldom-performed works by Berthold Goldschmidt

Ensemble. Youthful comedies - David Wilkins visits the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro, Italy

Record box - Blowing to good purpose - Brass in consort, with Basil Ramsey