Star tenor lives up to reputation and more in operatic night to remember.

SSO will dedicate a week of performances to Peter Sculthorpe’s memory.

Star tenor arrives for Oz concerts with bags of charisma but sans suitcases.

Although Gluck’s Orfeo of 1762 was his big reform statement, by that time the composer had spent a fair few decades committing the very sins that he so clearly wanted to stamp out. La Clemenza di Tito, a setting of the same Metastasio libretto that Mozart would prune for his own version, was in fact Gluck’s 16th opera out of around 30 that preceded Orfeo! The plot is familiar from the Mozart, as are many of the arias (it’s fascinating to hear another master try his hand at Parto, parto). Many features of the mature Gluck are in evidence, immaculate orchestration; musical invention; a sure sense of dramatic progression. Where Gluck falls down is a tendency to long-windedness – this is close on four hours of opera. L’Arte del Mondo play modern instruments in period style and Werner Ehrhardt is adept at keeping everything moving, while bringing out Gluck’s colours and ensuring recitatives are engaging. His cast is mostly excellent. Rainer Trost makes a firm-voiced, if occasionally stretched Tito while Laura Aikin is thrilling as the scheming Vitellia. As befits the central role of the conflicted Sesto, Raffaella Milanesi is the finest here, singing with ardent tone. Arantza Ezenarro makes…

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Saxophonist Timothy McAllister on how he won the heart of John Adams.

The baritone might not have an Elixir, but he’s learned a thing or two.

Fat lady is given 72 hours grace before opera house’s threatened closure.

Finsterer, Dean, Hindson and Ford head the 2014 APRA AMCOS nominations.

The renowned Scottish pianist discusses Messiaen’s monumental Vingt Regards.

New Australian opera celebrates revolutionary Russian poet in style.