I'll be looking forward to this. Some good classical discussion has long been lacking on this forum.
Noticing your mention of your distaste for opera in the OP, I thought I might partly remedy that through, paradoxically enough, an album rec.
With the assumption that the vocal style and general lenghtiness of operas is what turns you off the genre, I think you may enjoy the album
Stokowski's Wagner (performed by Matthias Bamert with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra). The album should be on Spotify. It consists of Leopold Stokowski's condensed symphonic arrangements of excerpts from three of Wagner's greatest operas. It should at least help you get an appreciation for the musical material, without having to endure vocals that are obviously off-putting to you.
I've been listening to it quite a bit as of recent, and I heartily recommend it. Hope you'll like it if you do take up the recommendation.