Author Archives: John

Cast: Rigoletto: Carlos Álvarez; Duke of Mantua: Liparit Avetisyan; Gilda: Lisette Oropesa; Sparafucile: Brindley Sherratt; Maddalena: Ramona Zaharia; Monterone: Eric Greene. Conductor Antonio Pappano; new production directed by Oliver Mears I have been, over the years, rather snooty about Verdi’s early and middle period works. I love Otello and Falstaff and have vivid memories ofContinue reading “Verdi – Rigoletto: Dress Rehearsal, ROHCG 10/9/21”

Louise Alder soprano, Iestyn Davies counter-tenor, Stuart Jackson Evangelist, Hugo Hymas tenor, Roderick Williams baritone, Matthew Rose Christ: Choristers of St Paul’s Cathedral Choir/Arcangelo Chorus & Arcangelo, Jonathan Cohen harpsichord/director It is years and years since I heard the St Matthew Passion live. In fact I am embarrassed to say that I suspect the lastContinue reading “Bach St Matthew Passion: Arcangelo Chorus and Orchestra/Cohen; BBC Proms, RAH 9/9/21”

Shostakovich: Festive Overture, Op 96 Mahler: Symphony No 5 in C sharp minor Proms Festival Orchestra Mark Wigglesworth, conductor This was billed as a special concert and so it was. Movingly, a scratch orchestra formed of freelancers who had not been able to work or paid to be musicians over the pandemic had been broughtContinue reading “Mahler / Proms Festival Orchestra – Wigglesworth: BBC Proms RAH, 8/9/21”

The musicians were Benjamin Nabarro violin, Claudia Ajmone-Marsan violin, Rachel Roberts viola, Gemma Rosefield cello I had seen and enjoyed Ensemble 360 performing op131 late in October last year, before lockdowns 2 and 3. I’m not sure why they were performing it again so soon afterwards but it is a wonderful work and I’m certainlyContinue reading “Ensemble 360 – Beethoven String Quartets – Op.18 No.6, Op 131: Upper Chapel Sheffield, 3/9/21”

Tristan: Simon O’Neill; Isolde: Miina-Liisa Värelä; Brangäne: Karen Cargill; Kurwenal: Shen Yang; King Mark: John Relyea; Melot: Neal Cooper; Shepherd/Young Sailor: Stuart Jackson; London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Robin Ticciati What a work this is…I feel incredibly privileged to have seen in just over a month two Wagner operas in these very difficult times. IContinue reading “Glyndebourne Festival Opera production of Tristan and Isolde: BBC Proms, RAH 31/8/21”

This production received a fairly savage review from ArtsDesk. Words like  ‘chaotic’ and ‘misjudged’ were used. I’ve just made up my own mind based on what I saw and heard, and what I felt, as a result, is that the review was unfair. Also, this whole performance and the organisation behind it is about supportingContinue reading “Hansel and Gretel, Humperdinck: British Youth Opera, Opera Holland Park, 15/8/21”

The programme was: Prokofiev: Symphony No 1 in D major, ‘Classical’; Bach: Keyboard Concerto in F minor, BWV 1056; Mozart: Piano Concerto No 24 in C minor, K 491 and Shostakovich: Symphony No 9 in E flat major Of the Proms I’ve been to this year, this was (a) the fullest, with the choir nearlyContinue reading “Prokofiev, Bach, Mozart, Shostakovitch: Philharmonia, Jarvi/Olafsson: RAH BBC Proms, 14/8/21”

The programme was: – Anthony Payne: Spring’s Shining Wake; Berlioz: Les nuits d’été; and Beethoven’s ‘Pastoral’ symphony. It was originally to be conducted by Sir Andrew David, but sadly he was in mourning for his late wife, and Martyn Brabbins took over instead. To me, this concert seemed to be a tale of two halves.Continue reading “A. Payne/Berlioz/Beethoven: BBCSO, Brabbins/Connolly: RAH BBC Proms, 13/8/21”

The programme was: Stravinsky: Jeu de Cartes; Walton: Cello Concerto; Bach: 14 Canons (Goldberg Variations) arr F.Goldmann (UK premiere); Hindemith: Symphony ‘Mathis der Maler’ This was very clever programming – a cluster of works from the mid-century, and the Bach connecting to the Hindemith in its use of fugue-like methods and was a really interestingContinue reading “Stravinsky, Walton, Bach, Hindemith: LPO Jurowski/Isserlis: RAH BBC Proms, 12/8/21”

Ensemble 360 musicians Ruth Gibson and Tim Horton performed the 1919 Viola Sonata by Rebecca Clarke and Schubert’s Arpeggione Sonata, transcribed for the viola A worthwhile concert. Though I have a recording of the Schubert, I have never really listened to it and it was lovely to hear this work live, when there was timeContinue reading “Rebecca Clarke / Schubert: Music in the Round, Upper Chapel, Sheffield 6/8/21”