Gramophone today unveils its exciting new look. Since our launch in 1923 Gramophone magazine has continually evolved to provide the best coverage of classical music through the most attractive and elegant features, criticism and photography.

Introducing the new-look Gramophone, editor James Inverne says: "You’ll enjoy some new features, such as The Trial (where critics advocate the cases for and against an iconic recording; in this issue Mike Ashman and Peter Quantrill argue the relative merits of Karajan’s Parsifal – and you can cast your juror’s vote in our forum) and the fascinating Biography of an Instrument. You will find more pages of reviews (this issue, for instance, covers a bumper crop of DVD and Blu‑ray releases). Inevitably, some well-loved features are rested (That Strain Again, The Gramophone Debate), but they’ll be back at some point. Others have earned a happy retirement.

"You have only to glance at the panel of reviewers, however, to see that the most important thing remains the same. We still offer an unrivalled ensemble of the world’s great writers on music, with some impressive new names to join us in coming issues; and, of course, you will still find master musicians giving us their fascinating insights in these pages." Other changes include being able to listen to the covermount CD, containing excerpts of Editor's Choice releases, in the Gramophone Listening Room.

As for the May issue's content, the cover star, feisty mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato, talks about her transformation from a Catholic Midwest small-town girl into an international operatic superstar. There's also an indispensable guide to the best summer music festivals this year, Arnold Whittall’s survey of the finest recordings of Berg’s Violin Concerto, a series of probing interviews with artists ranging from countertenor Andreas Scholl to rocker-turned-classical musician Jon Lord, and of course our usual selection of reviews by the world’s greatest classical music experts.

Do take a look at the sampler issue below (click the mini-magazine to open it full-screen in a new window) - or visit our subscriptions site, or your local newsagent, to buy a copy.