Author Archives: John

Conductor Marc Albrecht, Director Christof Loy, Sets Johannes Leiacker, Costumes Barbara Drosihn, Light Olaf Winter. Cast: Heliane Sara Jakubiak, The ruler, her husband Josef Wagner, The stranger Brian Jagde, The messenger Okka von der Damerau, The doorman Derek Welton, The blind judge Burkhard Ulrich, The young man Gideon Poppe,  Chorus and Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin I haven’t been to any musical events with a live audience since the Berlin Phil concert onContinue reading “Das Wunder der Heliane, Korngold. Marquee TV streaming, Deutsche Oper, Berlin 2018”

Alfred Schnittke, Viola Concerto; Anton Bruckner, Symphony No 4 in E flat major ‘Romantic’: Tabea Zimmermann, viola, Berliner Philharmoniker, Daniel Harding, conductor While it is true that a broken toe can hurt like hell, and needs time to heal, it’s unclear why Petrenko’s toe permitted him to conduct Mahler 7 but not the originally scheduledContinue reading “Schnittke, Bruckner – Berliner Philharmoniker, Zimmermann, Harding – RAH Proms, 4/9/22”

Beethoven Piano Sonatas Op 109, 100, and 111; Andras Schiff, piano A lovely morning offering from Andras Schiff. The RAH was packed – there must have been 10 times a standard Wigmore Hall audience in there! Schiff began with 2 unannounced Bach pieces; I remember in his very readable and recommendable autobiographical notes that he saidContinue reading “Beethoven / Schiff – RAH Proms, a.m. 4/9/22”

Gustav Mahler, Symphony No 7 in E Minor; Berliner Philharmoniker, Kirill Petrenko, conductor As I walked past the front of the Albert Hall towards the Arena standing queue area for this sold-out Prom, I was amazed to see a gaunt, tall, balding and now stooping figure who has been a constant presence at the RAHContinue reading “Mahler, Berliner Philharmoniker, Petrenko – RAH Proms, 3/922”

Siegfried, Stephen Gould; Gunther, Michael Kupfer-Radecky; Alberich, Olafur Sigurdarson; Hagen, Albert Dohmen; Brünnhilde, Iréne Theorin; Gutrune, Elisabeth Teige; Waltraute, Christa Mayer; 1. Norn, Okka von der Damerau; 2. Norn, Stéphanie Müther; 3. Norn, Kelly God; Woglinde, Lea-ann Dunbar; Wellgunde, Stephanie Houtzeel; Flosshilde, Katie Stevenson. Valentin Schwarz (director), Andrea Cozzi (designs), Andy Besuch (costumes), Konrad KuhnContinue reading “Götterdämmerung, Bayreuth Festival: 30/8/22“

Siegfried, Andreas Schager; Mime, Arnold Bezuyen; Der Wanderer, Tomasz Konieczny; Alberich,  Olafur Sigurdarson; Fafner, Wilhelm Schwinghammer; Erda, Okka von der Damerau; Brünnhilde, Daniela Köhler; Waldvogel, Alexandra Steiner. Valentin Schwarz (director), Andrea Cozzi (designs), Andy Besuch (costumes), Konrad Kuhn (dramaturgy). Reinhard Traub (lighting), Luis August Krawen (video), Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Cornelius Meister (conductor) The weather has gotContinue reading “Siegfried, Bayreuth Festival: 28/8/22“

Conductor, Oksana Lyniv; Director, Dmitri Tcherniakov; Stage design, Dmitri Tcherniakov; Costumes, Elena Zaytseva; Lighting, Gleb Filshtinsk; Dramaturgy; Tatiana Werestchagina: Daland, Georg Zeppenfeld; Senta, Elisabeth Teige; Erik, Eric Cutler; Mary, Nadine Weissmann; Der Steuermann, Attilio Glaser; Der Holländer, Thomas J. Mayer, Bayreuth Festival Chorus and Orchestra I reviewed this earlier in the year, in late MarchContinue reading “Der Fliegende Hollander, Bayreuth Festival: 27/8/22“

Fricka – Christa Mayer; Siegmund – Klaus Florian Vogt; Hunding – Georg Zeppenfeld; Wotan – Tomasz Konieczny; Sieglinde – Lise Davidsen; Brünnhilde – Iréne Theorin; Valentin Schwarz (director), Andrea Cozzi (designs), Andy Besuch (costumes), Konrad Kuhn (dramaturgy). Reinhard Traub (lighting), Luis August Krawen (video), Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Cornelius Meister (conductor There was a good exampleContinue reading “Die Walküre, Bayreuth Festival: 26/8/22“

Wotan – Egils Silins; Donner – Raimund Nolte; Froh – Attilio Glaser; Loge – Daniel Kirch; Fricka – Christa Mayer; Freia – Elisabeth Teige; Erda – Okka von der Damerau; Alberich – Olafur Sigurdarson; Mime – Arnold Bezuyen; Fasolt – Jens-Erik Aasbø; Fafner – Wilhelm Schwinghammer; Woglinde – Lea-ann Dunbar; Wellgunde – Stephanie Houtzeel; FlosshildeContinue reading “Das Rheingold, Bayreuth Festival: 25/8/22“

Anton Webern, Passacaglia, Op. 1; Six Pieces for Orchestra, Op. 6 (revised version, 1928); Claude Debussy, Ariettes oubliées arr. Brett Dean; Johannes Brahms, Symphony No. 2 in D major: Siobhan Stagg, soprano; Australian World Orchestra, Zubin Mehta, conductor This was a very enjoyable concert. I only went to it because I had an evening toContinue reading “Webern, Debussy, Brahms: Australian World Orchestra, Zubin Mehta, Proms – RAH 23/8/22”