Author Archives: John

Halle Orchestra – conductor Sir Mark Elder; Sophie Bevan, soprano – The Angel Gabriel/The Blessed Virgin Mary;  Alice Coote mezzo-soprano – Mary Magdalene; Ed Lyon tenor  – John; Roderick Williams baritone – Jesus; David Stout bass baritone, Peter; Clive Bayley bass,  Judas; 9 Apostles from the Royal Northern College of Music; Hallé Choir choral directorContinue reading “Elgar, The Apostles: Halle, Bridgewater Hall, 10/6/23”

Director, Deborah Warner; Set Designer, Hyemi Shin; Costume Designer, Nicky Gillibrand; Lighting Designer, Adam Silverman; Choreographer, Kim Brandstrup. Cast: Wozzeck, Christian Gerhaher; Marie, Anja Kampe; Captain, Peter Hoare; Doctor, Brindley Sherratt; Margret, Rosie Aldridge; Drum Major, Clay Hilley; Andres, Sam Furness;  First Apprentice, Barnaby Rea; Second Apprentice, Alex Otterburn; The Fool, John Findon. Conductor, SirContinue reading “Berg, Wozzeck: ROHCG, 07/06/23”

Halle Orchestra – conductor Sir Mark Elder; Alice Coote mezzo-soprano; Michael Spyres tenor; Neal Davies bass; Hallé Choir choral director Matthew Hamilton; Hallé Youth Choir and Alumni director Stuart Overington Surprisingly the number of ‘Gerontius’ performances I have been to over the years has been very small. I don’t think I’ve heard the Halle andContinue reading “Elgar, Dream of Gerontius, Halle,  Bridgewater Hall, 04/06/23”

Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor Semyon Bychkov: Mahler Symphony No 6 And so to the final concert, after 12 previous live musical events (plus two one-hour sessions of Bach), 11 talks, and one film over 11 days……. This was (here I go with those superlatives again) a magnificent performance. I doubt if I have ever heardContinue reading “Mahler 6 , Czech Philharmonic Orchestra Leipzig Mahler Festival 28/5/23”

MDR Symphony Orchestra, MDR Radio Choir, Dennis Russell Davies conductor, Chen Reiss soprano, Sophie Harmsen alto, Attilio Glaser tenor: Gustav Mahler — Totenfeier; Gustav Mahler — Wunderhorn and Rückert-Lieder in arrangements for voice and orchestra (selection); Gustav Mahler — Das klagende Lied ((revised version in two movements from 1898)) Leipzig this afternoon was particularly bonkers,Continue reading “Mahler Das Klagende Lied , MDR Symphony Orchestra, Leipzig Mahler Festival 27/5/23”

Gewandhaus Orchestra, MDR Radio Choir, Leipzig Opera Chorus, St. Thomas Choir Leipzig, Gewandhaus Choir, Gewandhaus Children’s Choir, Andris Nelsons conductor, Emily Magee soprano (Magna Peccatrix), Jacquelyn Wagner soprano (Una poenitentium), Ying Fang soprano (Mater gloriosa), Lioba Braun mezzo-soprano (Mulier Samaritana), Gerhild Romberger mezzo-soprano (Maria Aegyptiaca), Benjamin Bruns tenor (Doctor Marianus), Adrian Eröd baritone (Pater ecstaticus),Continue reading “Mahler 8, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Leipzig Mahler Festival 26/5/23”

Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden, Ladies of the Saxon State Opera Choir Dresden, Children’s Choir of the Semperoper Dresden, Christian Thielemann conductor, Christa Mayer alto: Gustav Mahler — Symphony No. 3 I went to an interesting talk in the afternoon, in the auditorium of the Mendelssohn house, near the Gewandhaus, about Mahler 3, and a Leipzig philosopherContinue reading “Mahler 3, Dresden Staatskapelle, Leipzig Mahler Festival 25/5/23”

Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra,  Daniele Gatti, Conductor.  Gustav Mahler: Adagio from Symphony No 10; Symphony No 1 I spent the earlier part of the day at Wittenberg – or rather Lutherstadt Wittenberg. I went to the Lutherhaus, and the Schloss church, where Luther is buried. The museum at the Lutherhaus is very fine and thoroughlyContinue reading “Mahler 1, Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra, Leipzig Mahler Festival 24/5/23”

Budapest Festival Orchestra, Iván Fischer conductor: Gustav Mahler — Symphony No. 9 I spent an agreeable 3 hours going to some Leipzig museums – first of all the contemporary history forum, which is about the history of the DDR (and very informative, with all signs in condensed form in English) and then, at the Town Museum,Continue reading “Mahler 9, BFO, Leipzig Mahler Festival 23/5/23”

Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Daniel Harding: Gustav Mahler – Symphony No 7 I spent the earlier part of the day in Eisenach, about an hour’s train ride from Leipzig, the birthplace of Bach with a fine Bach Museum, rather better than its cramped Leipzig equivalent, and including an hourly concert for 20 minutes of extractsContinue reading “Mahler 7, BRSO, Leipzig Mahler Festival 22/5/23”