Author Archives: John

London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle conductor; Agneta Eichenholz, Jenůfa; Katarina Karnéus, Kostelnička; Aleš Briscein, Laca; Nicky Spence, Steva; Jan Martiník, Starek, the Foreman/Mayor; Carole Wilson, Grandmother Buryjovka; Claire Barnett-Jones, Barena/Herdswoman; Hanna Hipp, Rychtarka; Erika Baikoff, Jano; Evelin Novak, Karolka This was a very fine performance which might perhaps have been a great one hadContinue reading “LSO, Rattle: Janacek, Jenufa. Barbican, 11/1/24”

Conductor, Daniele Callegari; Abigaille, Liudmyla Monastyrska; Fenena, Maria Barakova; Ismaele, Seokjong Baek; Nabucco, George Gagnidze; Zaccaria, Dmitry Belosselskiy. Direction, Elijah Moshinsky. Nabucco is one of those works I would probably never stir myself to see live (certainly haven’t done so hitherto…), and I needed a bit of internal debate and persuasion to go to aContinue reading “(Live Screening) Cineworld, Didsbury, Manchester: Verdi, Nabucco: Metropolitan Opera: 6/1/24”

Wagner, Tannhauser Overture and Venusberg Music; Die Walkure, Act1. Jonas Kaufmann, Siegmund; Vida Miknevičiūtė, Sieglinde; Hunding, Tobias Kehrer. Conductor, Kyrill Petrenko, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra For some time, Jonas Kaufmann’s voice has made me nervous. It seemed unsteady sometimes at the top and I have often heard a sense of struggle when I’ve listened to himContinue reading “(Live screening, Showroom Sheffield) Berlin Philharmonic New Year’s Eve concert”

In no particular order: 1.            Die Tote Stadt, Korngold: ENO 2.            The Rhinegold, Wagner: ENO 3.            Rachmaninov’s Paganini Rhapsody plus Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast: BBCSO, Makela, Wang, Proms 4.            Dialogues des Carmelites: Poulenc. Glyndebourne Festival Opera at the Proms, RAH 5.            Mahler 5: Concertgebouw Orchestra, Chung, Leipzig 6.            Midsummer Night’s Dream, Britten: Glyndebourne 7.            Bruckner 5,Continue reading “Top ten live performances I went to in 2023”

 Conductor, Mark Wigglesworth; Hansel, Anna Stéphany; Gretel, Anna Devin; Peter, Darren Jeffery; Gertrud, Susan Bickley; Witch, Rosie Aldridge; Sandman, Isabela Díaz; Dew Fairy, Sarah Dufresne.  Director and Designer, Antony Mcdonald, Lighting Designer, Lucy Carter I’ve never seen Hansel and Gretel live before. I first got to know the overture when i was 13 or so,Continue reading “Hansel and Gretel, Humperdinck: ROHCG, 15/12/23 (Friends’ dress rehearsal)”

Matthew Kofi Waldren conductor; Jack Furness director; Georgia de Grey designer; Ben Ormerod lighting designer. Olivia Swain Mother Spring; Adam Jarman Father Frost; Jessica Hopkins Snow Maiden (Snyegùrochka); Yihui Wang Bobìl-Bakula; Leah McCabe Bobylìkha; Henry Strutt Tsar Byenrendèyi; Alexander Gibb Byermyàta; Sophie Clarke Lyel; Charlotte Baker Kupàva; Matthew Secombe Mizgìr; Nicholas Collins Boggart; William JowettContinue reading “Rimsky-Korsakov – The Snow Maiden: RNCM, Manchester, 13/12/23”

Daphne, Hye-Youn Lee; Leukippos, Shengzhi Ren; Apollo, Brad Cooper; Peneios, Dingle Yandell; Gaea, Claire Barnett-Jones. Conductor, Stuart Stratford; Concert Staging, Emma Jenkins Daphne is a work I’ve never heard live before and almost certainly I’ll not hear it again in my lifetime. The first performance of the opera took place at the Semperoper in DresdenContinue reading “R.Strauss, Daphne (staged concert performance) Scottish Opera, Usher Hall, Edinburgh, 10/12/23”

Bruckner. Symphony No. 5 In B Flat Major: Conductor, Christian Thieleman, Staatskapelle Berlin I heard the Berlin Staatskapelle play Bruckner at the Proms under Barenboim in 2016 (they played Nos 4 and 6 symphonies) and in the same year I heard Thielemann conduct No 3 at  the Proms with his (then) Dresden orchestra. The StaatskapelleContinue reading “Bruckner, Staatskapelle Berlin, Staatsoper Unter den Linden: 20/11/23”

Conductor, James Conlon; Director, Kasper Holten; Stage design, Costume design – Steffen Aarfing; Light design, Jesper Kongshaug. Cast – Heinrich, Ryan Speedo Green; Lohengrin, David Butt Philip; Elsa, Jennifer Davis; Telramund, Jordan Shanahan; Ortrud, Yulia Matochkina; Herald, Dean Murphy After a morning at the Anglican Church in Berlin, where the familiarity of the liturgy wasContinue reading “Lohengrin, Wagner: Deutsche Oper Berlin: 19/11/23”

Conductor, Ulf Schirmer. Director, Jossi Wieler; Stage designer. Torsten Köpf;  Costume designer, Charlotte Pistorius; Light design, Olaf Freee. Cast – Hans Sachs, Johan Reuter; Veit Pogner, Albert Pesendorfer; Sixtus Beckmesser, Philipp Jekal; Fritz Kothner, Thomas Lehman, Walther von Stolzing, Magnus Vigilius; David, Ya-Chung Huang; Eva, Elena Tsallagova; Magdalena, Annika Schlicht; Nightwatchman, (recorded), Günther Groissböck HowContinue reading “Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg, Wagner: Deutsche Oper Berlin: 18/11/23”