1 Khovanshchina
The return of David Pountney’s 2007 production of Mussorgsky’s historical epic not only opens Welsh National Opera’s new season but also inaugurates R17, the Cardiff-based multi-disciplinary event marking the 100th anniversary of the Russian revolution.
Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff, 23 September to 7 October
2 Oedipe
Just over a year after it was staged for the first time in Britain, a concert performance of George Enescu’s only opera, Oedipe, opens the London Philharmonic’s season. Paul Gay takes the title role, with Vladimir Jurowski conducting.
Royal Festival Hall, SE1, 23 September
3 The Judas Passion
Sally Beamish’s oratorio, commissioned by the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment with a libretto by David Harsent, tells the story of Christ’s crucifixion from the viewpoint of Judas. Nicholas McGegan conducts, Mary Bevan is Mary Magdalene, Roderick Williams is Christ and Brenden Gunnell is Judas.
Saffron Hall, Saffron Walden, 24 September, St John’s Smith Square, SW1, 25 September
4 Trans
The novelty in Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla’s CBSO concert is the UK premiere of Kaija Saariaho’s Trans – but the performance of Mahler’s fourth symphony that follows it promises to be special, too.
Symphony Hall, Birmingham, 27-28 September
5 Sibelius
Esa-Pekka Salonen opens the Philharmonia’s Southbank season with Sibelius’s last two symphonies. He interleaves them with a pair of new Nordic works – Anna Thorvaldsdottir’s Aeriality and Daníel Bjarnason’s violin concerto for Pekka Kuusisto.
Royal Festival Hall, SE1, 28 September
