The Observer’s classical music critic looks back on a year of notable firsts from Judith Weir, Tara Erraught, Nicola Beneditti and more

1 JUDITH WEIR

First female master of the Queen’s music

Judith Weir (b1954) was appointed to succeed Peter Maxwell Davies to the honorary post of master of the Queen’s music, for the fixed term of 10 years. Rumoured to have refused the invitation at first, on acceptance she said: “Listening is [also] a skill, and I intend to uphold our rights to quietness and even silence, where appropriate. Above all, our children deserve the best we can give them, and that includes access to live music, whether as learners, performers or listeners.”



2 L’ORMINDO



Royal Opera’s first collaboration with Shakespeare’s Globe

Performed by candlelight in the new Sam Wanamaker Playhouse at Shakespeare’s Globe, Kasper Holten’s magical production of Cavalli’s comic L’Ormindo prompted rave reviews – an imaginative way to perform baroque opera at a venue suited in size, style and acoustic. The Royal Opera will revive it in February, with other collaborations planned.



Facebook Twitter Pinterest Susanna Hurrell and Rachel Kelly in L’Ormindo at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. Photograph: Tristram Kenton

3 SAFFRON HALL



Inaugural season

This new concert hall, part of a school in Saffron Walden, opened its doors late in 2013 but this year saw its first full season in action, inaugurated by the London Philharmonic Orchestra and with a line-up of world-class stars including Ian Bostridge, Thomas Adès and Maxim Vengerov. Given the excellent acoustic and the impressive simplicity of the scheme, the only way is Essex.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest The LPO take a bow at Saffron Hall. Photograph: Sonja Horsman

4 THEBANS



Julian Anderson’s debut opera

There is no ideal time to write a first opera, but the British composer Julian Anderson (b1967) waited until his mid-40s. Thebans, a skilful retelling of Sophocles to a libretto by Frank McGuinness, was commissioned by English National Opera and received its world premiere in May.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Christopher Ainslie (Theseus) and Roland Wood (Oedipus) in Thebans by Julian Anderson. Photograph: Tristram Kenton

5 NICOLA BENEDETTI



First Scottish classical artist to reach pop charts

In July, in the run-up to the Scottish referendum, the violinist Nicola Benedetti’s album Homecoming: A Scottish Fantasy entered the official top 20 UK albums chart. Benedetti was the first solo violinist for nearly two decades to hit the pop charts, following Vanessa Mae in 1995 and Nigel Kennedy in 1989.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Nicola Benedetti’s The Homecoming Photograph: PR

6 TARA ERRAUGHT



First Glyndebourne debut to go viral

The young Irish mezzo Tara Erraught found herself the centre of attention after her opening-night performance – her UK stage debut – as Octavian in Glyndebourne’s Der Rosenkavalier. Some objected to her visible shapeliness in a “trouser role”, but Erraught made the best of it, winning viral support on social media and modelling in Vogue. She said: “I’m a 36DD but, that said, 60% of the year I play men and boys… For those, I’m nearly always in a bust-flattener. It’s three or four sheets of really strong elastic with big straps…”

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tara Erraught, left, as Octavian with Teodora Gheorghiu (Sophie) in Der Rosenkavalier at Glyndebourne. Photograph: Tristram Kenton

7 CIRCA & DEBUSSY STRING QUARTET



A dizzying first

A string quartet in a helicopter to play Stockhausen in 2012 was child’s play compared to this year’s miracle from the Debussy String Quartet, performing three Shostakovich works from memory, walking as they played, sometimes blindfolded, while the acrobats of Australian group Circa flew, jumped, climbed, trapezed all around them. Staged at the Barbican by Yaron Lifschitz, Opus was unique and unforgettable.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Opus by Circa and Debussy String Quartet at the Barbican. Photograph: Tristram Kenton

8 TY CERDD RECORDS



First Welsh classical music label

Just when you thought the industry was dead, there’s sign of recovery: this year vinyl is making a comeback with sales soaring; pianist James Rhodes and others have launched their own record labels. And based at the Millennium Centre, Cardiff, Ty Cerdd aims to promote music by Welsh composers, starting with the piano bagatelles of Daniel Jones performed by Llyr Williams.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Llyr Williams. Photograph: PR

9 LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST



Triple helping of Puccini’s opera

If anyone else can remember a year when three different productions of Puccini’s goldrush opera La fanciulla del West – usually a rarity – have been on in the UK, then tell us. Alwyn Mellor sang in Opera North’s staging in January, Susannah Glanville in Opera Holland Park’s in June and Susan Bullock in English National Opera’s in October. All went for gold and triumphed.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Alwyn Mellor as Minnie with Rafael Rojas as Dick Johnson in Opera North’s La Fanciulla del West. Photograph: Clive Barda/ArenaPAL

10 SCHUBERT



Makes a debut in sand

To mark the 10th anniversary of Scotland’s East Neuk festival, an anamorphic sand portrait of Schubert was made on Elie beach, attracting huge attention until it was washed away.