The year 2025 proved to be a remarkable one for classical music in the United Kingdom, delivering a series of extraordinary performances that showcased immense talent and artistic resilience. Critics have sifted through the year's offerings, highlighting events that ranged from groundbreaking opera premieres to invigorating orchestral concerts, all demonstrating the vibrant health of the live music scene despite broader challenges.
A Landmark Operatic Premiere: Festen at Covent Garden
Among the most lauded events was the premiere of Mark-Anthony Turnage's opera Festen at the Royal Opera House in London. Commissioned by the company and based on Thomas Vinterberg's film and play, this work was hailed as one of the most remarkable operatic premieres in decades. The production, with a libretto by Lee Hall, unflinchingly exposes dark family secrets during a 60th birthday celebration. Turnage's score was praised for its power and flexibility, perfectly matched by Richard Jones's sharply focused production.
The cast delivered performances of such conviction that every role was described as horribly believable, with Stéphane Degout noted in the central role of Michael. The consensus among critics suggests this may stand as the best British opera in half a century, a triumph of modern composition and theatrical force.
Exhilarating Orchestral and Chamber Discoveries
Beyond the opera house, the year was rich with instrumental brilliance. In March, the Australian Chamber Orchestra under Richard Tognetti brought raw vitality to the Barbican with a programme featuring Bach, Shostakovich, and Gubaidulina. Their blend of technical mastery and creative freedom captivated from the first note.
The Aldeburgh Festival yielded another highlight with the Gildas Quartet's performance of Beethoven's 'Razumovsky' Quartet No. 3, which was delivered with such fresh colour and intensity it felt like a premiere. The same concert featured the world premiere of Colin Matthews's String Quartet No. 6, showcasing the festival's commitment to new music.
Elsewhere, conductor Vasily Petrenko led a blistering account of Shostakovich's Leningrad Symphony at the Southbank Centre's Multitudes festival, complemented by provocative visual art. Meanwhile, Iván Fischer and the Budapest Festival Orchestra demonstrated their world-class status with stunning performances of Beethoven and Bartók at the BBC Proms.
Operatic Innovation and Vocal Excellence
The Royal Opera House hosted further successes, including Katie Mitchell's invigorating production of Janáček's The Makropulos Case, starring Ausrine Stundyte, and conducted by the company's new music director, Jakub Hrůša. In May, Antonio Pappano returned to conduct a magical Die Walküre, the second part of Wagner's Ring cycle in Barrie Kosky's staging, noted for the spellbinding presence of the earth goddess Erda.
English National Opera presented the UK's first full professional staging of Jake Heggie's Dead Man Walking, a searingly honest production with Christine Rice delivering an emotionally powerful performance as Sister Helen Prejean.
Triumphs of Commitment Against the Odds
The year also underscored the resilience of the sector. Despite funding pressures, companies achieved remarkable feats. Regents Opera staged a compelling Wagner Ring cycle in an East London boxing hall in February with a reduced orchestra of just 22 players under Ben Woodward. In November, Gothic Opera resurrected Offenbach's rare Die Rheinnixen. Both were celebrated as triumphs of talent, commitment, and resourcefulness achieved without Arts Council England funding.
From the Tallis Scholars' elegant celebration of Palestrina and Arvo Pärt in Bristol to violinist Carolin Widmann's exhilarating performance of her brother's concerto, 2025 proved that the genius for live musical performance continues to thrive across the UK, offering awe-inspiring moments that define the cultural year.
