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In this live edition of Music Matters Tom Service and the musicologist and broadcaster Gavin Plumley review Kasper Holten's new production of Szymanowski's masterpiece, King Roger conducted by Antonio Pappano, following its opening performance last night at the Royal Opera House.

As a prelude to this, last week’s edition of Music Matters was dedicated to the life and music of Karol Szymanowski - click on the link below to listen.

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Soprano Barbara Hannigan is one of the foremost performers of contemporary music working today, creating new roles on the opera stage and having many pieces commissioned for her formidable technique. Now establishing herself as a conductor as well she talks to Tom about her dual life and musical passions.

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The musical passions of conductor Charles Mackerras are brought to light in a new book about the conductor who died in 2010, whether this was his championing of the operas of Leos Janacek, his love of Mozart or reinvigorating Gilbert and Sullivan. Tom talks to Nigel Simeone, one of the book's editors, while Nicholas Kenyon casts his critical eye across it.

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Internationally acclaimed for her performances of roles in Handel's operas originally written for castrati, mezzo soprano Alice Coote discusses the experience and perception of gender in opera together with director Susannah Waters ahead of their Brighton Festival show 'Being Both'.

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