Classical music's summer highlights 2013

1. Glyndebourne

From 18 May until 25 August, opera singers from across the globe took to the stage at Glyndebourne Festival in a series of world-class performances. Opera lovers had the chance to see Billy Budd, Hippolyte et Aricie, Don Pasquale, The Marriage of Figaro, Ariadne auf Naxos, and Falstaff - all in the stunning grounds in Lewes.

London Symphony Orchestra on Trafalgar Square

2. LSO Open Air

Kicking off one of the warmer weekends of the year back on 27 May, the London Symphony Orchestra took to London's Trafalgar Square for a spectacular evening of free music in the open air.

3. The Perfect American

The first of June, and the first UK performance of Philip Glass' new Walt Disney-inspired opera, The Perfect American at English National Opera in London. (c) ENO/Richard Hubert Smith

Maggi Hambling The Scallop Aldeburgh beach.

4. Britten 100

In Britten's centenary year, the Britten-centric Aldeburgh Festival was bound to be bursting with incredible performances. This year saw a staging of Peter Grimes set on the beach itself, and there are performances of Britten's Grimes on the Beach in UK cinemas on 5 September.

5. Opera Holland Park

A colourful example Opera Holland Park, which opened with a Cavalleria rusticana/Pagliacci double bill on June 4, and included a wide range of music from Madama Butterfly to Alice and Wonderland.

6. The Stradivarius exhibition

Revealing the magic and intrigue of the Stradivarius violins, the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford displayed some of the most famous instruments from collections across the world from 13 June until 11 August.

7. Music for Youth National Festival

As the kids prepared to break up for the summer holidays, they flocked in their thousands to Birmingham for the incredible Music for Youth National Festival, for full days of music from bands, quartets, choirs and orchestras. Picture: Gobinder Jhitta

8. Edinburgh Festival

From Beethoven in outer space to Berg in a jazz club, some of the quirkiest classical music descended on Edinburgh for this year's festival, as a huge range of artists from across the world made the most of what the capital has to offer.

9. Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir 4 premiere

The classical music YouTube highlight of the summer months: the great unveil of Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir 4 on 11 July and the live premiere which followed. Picture: @EricWhitacre/Chessy Alden

10. The Coronation Gala Concert

Katherine Jenkins, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and Russell Watson took to the stage at Buckingham Palace to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Queen's coronation through the medium of classical music.

11. Royal Opera House, La Rondine

What happens if you can't make it to an opera house? How about seeing the performance on a big screen? The Royal Opera House set up a series of cinema showings to bring their performances around the country on 11 July.

12. Alison Balsom's Gabriel at the Globe

Giving us a taste of what life was like in the 1690s, Alison Balsom spent the summer performing in her specially created theatrical event showcasing the power of the natural trumpet, starting on 13 July.

13. The Royal Ballet

An example of the talented stars of the future from the Royal Ballet School, performing in their end of year show in July. Picture: Johan Persson

14. André Rieu's Maastricht Concert in cinemas

Whether you're a waltz fan or waltzphobe, there's no denying it: André Rieu knows how to put on an impressive concert. He took to the stage in Maastricht at the beginning of July, with a series of cinema performances to bring his unique brand of violin music to everyone in the world.

15. Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra SuperConcert

The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic gave amateur musicians the chance to perform with them on stage at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall - and John Suchet couldn't resist joining them on stage. Picture: Mark McNulty © Liverpool Philharmonic

16. Universe of Sound

Winner of the Royal Philharmonic Society Award for Audiences and Engagement, the Universe of Sound toured London, Birmingham and Canterbury over the summer months, bringing Holst's The Planets to life with the Philharmonia Orchestra.

17. Opera in the Park

Opera. In a park. Two fantastic ingredients for a wonderful afternoon of classical music, featuring Laura Wright, Amore, Aled Jones, the Orchestra of Opera North, and the Leeds festival chorus on 27 July. Picture: Sarah Zagni

18. The Bristol Proms

What a way to start August: a week of innovative concerts with a digital twist. Starring Nicola Benedetti, Daniel Hope and Jan Lisiecki among others, the Bristol Old Vic Theatre came to life with an explosive range of classical music. Picture: Gobinder Jhitta

19. The Sixteen choral pilgrimage

Not just a summer highlight, but one of 2013's most exciting series of concerts. The Sixteen embarked on their The Queen of Heaven tour back in March, bringing music by MacMillan, Allegri and Palestrina to important venues around the UK and Ireland.