Welcome to the November 2026 issue of BBC Music Magazine!
Our cover star this month is the Trinidadian Baroque soprano Jeanine De Bique. With her dazzling coloratura and bold stage presence, De Bique is set to conquer the classical world. Her bright, agile soprano captures the spirit of queens and sorceresses: but, as she tells Amanda Holloway, De Bique is also on a mission to highlight the Caribbean community's contribution to classical music.
Elsewhere this issue, we get under the skin of Vivaldi's much-loved masterpiece The Four Seasons. Did an abandoned wedding and a mysterious set of Mantuan frescoes provide the original inspiration for this evergreen gem? Hannah French follows the clues…
'Like many great classical operas, Phantom is filled with complex characters. The Phantom is a monster, and yet you cry for him.' Yes, Andrew Lloyd Webber's West End and Broadway staple The Phantom of the Opera turns 40 this autumn. Our resident musicals superfan Michael Beek explores the enduring appeal of Phantom – and asks what it takes to bring the show to life eight times a week.
There's another icon to celebrate this month, as we mark Joan Sutherland's 100th anniversary. As we celebrate the Australian bel canto soprano's centenary, Andrew Green traces her early path to stardom.
'Two hundred violin makers operate in the city centre, tucked away in workshops'. Have you guessed where we're off to for this month's travel feature? Molto bene! Michael White visits the birthplace of legendary Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari – and the world’s centre for violin making.
Lastly, a bit of fun (or not). Concert bugbears! Grrr. What are the audience habits that can turn an evening of live music from enjoyment into ordeal? Wearing our sternest scowls, we name some of the worst, from late arrivals to noisy sweet wrappers and, we're sorry to say, worse.
Happy reading (and, dare we hope, concertgoing!)
On this month's cover CD
This month's cover CD features a couple of Central European masterpieces: Antonín Dvořák's Symphony No. 4 in D minor and Béla Bartók's Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta, in fine performances from the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and, respectively, conductors Matthias Pintscher and Ilan Volkov.
Click here or on the image below to see the track details for this month's cover CD.
