Tristan und Isolde, Wagner – Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona – 12/1/26

Clay Hilley, Tristan; Brindley Sherratt, King Marke; Isolde, Lise Davidsen;Tomasz Konieczny, Kurwenal; Melot, Roger Padullés; Brangäne, Ekaterina Gubanova; A shepherd / A sailor, Albert Casals; Milan Perišić, A helmsman. Director, Bárbara Lluch; Scenery and lighting, Urs Schönebaum; Costumes, Clara Peluffo; Conductor Susanna Mälkki I spent a pleasant morning and early afternoon wandering around the centreContinue reading “Tristan und Isolde, Wagner – Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona – 12/1/26”

Handel, Messiah (extracts). Palau de la Música, Barcelona. 11/1/26

Irene Mas, soprano; Daniel Folqué, alto; Roger Padullés, tenor; Josep-Ramon Olivé, baritone; Cor de Cambra de Granollers; Vespres d’Arnadí; Xavier Puig, conductor The principal purpose of my visit to Barcelona was to hear Lise Davidsen singing the role of Isolde for the first time, but I am also taking in this concert of Messiah extracts andContinue reading “Handel, Messiah (extracts). Palau de la Música, Barcelona. 11/1/26”

An English Song Winterreise  Wigmore Hall, 9/1/26

Roderick Williams baritone; Christopher Glynn piano. Songs by Vaughan Williams, Quilter, Dring, Finzi, Bridge, Parry, Gurney, Boyle,  Britten, Williams, Weir, Tippett, Maconchy, Carwithen, Procter-Gregg, Wallen.   I hadn’t appreciated that the reference in the programme to Winterreise wasn’t just a slightly fluffed up way of describing a gloomy set of English songs with a wintery theme,Continue reading “An English Song Winterreise  Wigmore Hall, 9/1/26”

Thalassa Piano Trio, Regent Hall, 9/1/26

Thalassa Piano Trio. Beethoven, Piano Trio Op 70, no 2; Babajamian, Piano Trio  in F# minor As often has been the case over the past few years, I have found myself planning to be at a Wigmore Hall recital – because there’s always something interesting happening there – the night before setting off on theContinue reading “Thalassa Piano Trio, Regent Hall, 9/1/26”

Live concert and opera highlights I have been to in 2025

It’s been another extraordinary year for high quality classical music performances I’ve attended. These are my top ten performance highlights, in no particular order: 1.           Mahler Symphony No 2: Wong, Halle, Bridgewater Hall 2.           R.Strauss, Arabella:  Runnicles, Deutsche Oper Berlin 3.           Wagner, Die Walkure: Pappano,. ROHCG 4.           R.Strauss, Die Liebe der Danae: Bayern Staatsoper, Schager/Bystrom/MaltmanContinue reading “Live concert and opera highlights I have been to in 2025”

Turandot, Puccini – ROHCG – 18/12/25

Director, Andrei Șerban; Designer, Sally Jacobs; Lighting designer, F. Mitchell Dana; Conductor, Daniel Oren. Cast: Princess Turandot, Anna Netrebko; Calaf, Yusif Eyvazov; Liù, Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha; Timur, Rafał Siwek; Ping, Simone Del Savio; Pang, Emmanuel Fonoti-Fuimaono; Pong, James Kryshak; Emperor Altoum, Raúl Giménez; Mandarin, Ossian Huskinson I spent my day in London partly at myContinue reading “Turandot, Puccini – ROHCG – 18/12/25”

Ariodante, Handel – ROHCG – 17/12/25

Director, Jetske Mijnssen; Set designer, Etienne Pluss; Costume designer, Uta Meenen; Lighting designer, Fabrice Kebour; Conductor,  Stefano Montanari. Cast: Ariodante, (Grace Durham replaced Emily D’Angelo); Ginevra, Jacquelyn Stucker; Dalinda, Elena Villalón; Polinesso, Christophe Dumaux; Lurcanio, Ed Lyon; King of Scotland, Peter Kellner; Odoardo, Emyr Lloyd Jones Yet another Handel opera I’ve (I think) not seenContinue reading “Ariodante, Handel – ROHCG – 17/12/25”

Partenope, Handel – ENO, 3/12/25

William Cole, Conductor; Christopher Alden, Director; Andrew Lieberman, Set Designer; Jon Morrell, Costume Designer; Adam Silverman, Lighting Designer. Nardus Williams, Partenope; Hugh Cutting, Arsace; Ru Charlesworth, Emilio; Jake Ingbar, Armindo; Katie Bray, Rosmira; William Thomas, Ormonte This Christopher Alden ENO production dates back to 2008 in a co-production with Opera Australia.. The production, set inContinue reading “Partenope, Handel – ENO, 3/12/25”

Reich, BBCPO, Currie – Bridgewater Hall, 29/11/25

BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Colin Currie conductor. Steve Reich Variations for Winds, Strings, and Keyboards; John Adams Frenzy (2023); Gabriella Smith f(x)=sin²x-1/x; Steve Reich The Four Sections I had missed two concerts focusing on Steve Reich in Manchester in recent years, one because of a train strike, another because of bad weather cancelling trains. So, IContinue reading “Reich, BBCPO, Currie – Bridgewater Hall, 29/11/25”

Arabella, R.Strauss – Met Opera relay – Sheffield Curzon Cinema, 22/11/25

Conductor,  Nicholas Carter; Director, Otto Schenk; Designer, Günther Schneider Siemssen; Costumes,  Milena Canonero; Lighting, Gil Wechsler. Arabella, Rachel Willis-Sørensen;  Zdenka, Louise Alder;  Fiakermilli,  Julie Roset;  Countess Adelaide Waldner,  Karen Cargill;  Matteo,  Pavol Breslik;  Mandryka,  Tomasz Konieczny;  Count Waldner,  Brindley Sherratt This production looks like something from another era (and indeed it is – first seenContinue reading “Arabella, R.Strauss – Met Opera relay – Sheffield Curzon Cinema, 22/11/25”