26, 28, 30 Oct. Antonio Pappano conducts Peter Grimes in concert form with the orchestra and choir of the Accademia Nazionale di S. Cecilia to mark the centenary of the birth of Benjamin Britten. Tenor Gregory Kunde makes his debut as Grimes, with Sally Matthews, Alan Opie and Susan Bickley. Peter Grimes, which was performed for the first time by the Salder Wells Opera company in 1945, was an immediate success and as a result Britten became the central figure of post-war English classical music. He wrote 14 more operas before his death in 1976.

2, 4-5 Nov. Canadian soprano Barbara Hannigan sings music by Rossini, Mozart, Fauré and Ligeti. She is best known for her performances of contemporary music. She has had nearly 100 works written for her and says that if she had to choose one century she would choose the 20th century. Recently she has started conducting while singing the vocal part, which is what she will be doing in Rome. 

Accademia S. Cecilia, Auditorium Parco Della Musica, Viale Pietro De Coubertin 30, tel. 06802411, www.auditorium.com.