CRITICS' CHOICE

The best classical concerts and opera: our reviews

updated

Plus further performances or on-demand streams

The NYO’s brass players waved their instruments from side to side in this entertaining start to their tour
The NYO’s brass players waved their instruments from side to side in this entertaining start to their tour
BENJAMIN EALOVEGA
The Times

Here are some of the best concerts and opera performances our critics have seen in the past few weeks. We’ll also point out when you can catch up with further performances or on-demand streams of these events. Feel free to join in the conversation in the comment section at the end with your own recommendations.

What orchestra needs 17 horns and 21 assorted trumpets, trombones and tubas? The answer is any orchestra planning to play Dani Howard’s short but action-packed Ascent. Those unusual requirements may mean that the piece has limited future performances. But its world premiere undeniably got the National Youth Orchestra’s latest tour off to an entertaining start.
Richard Morrison
Read the full review of NYO/Elder

Yearning hearts, weeping eyes, endless longing: