Author Archives: John

Brahms, Halle Orchestra. Bridgewater Hall, 20/3/24

Kahchun Wong conductor, Mariam Batsashvili piano: Ifukube Japanese Suite for Orchestra; Liszt Piano Concerto No.1; Brahms Symphony No.1This was another very exciting and impressive concert from Kachun Wong and the Halle. The first three concerts I have heard him conducting this season were Mahler/Bruckner-based and I wondered how he would get on with more traditionalContinue reading “Brahms, Halle Orchestra. Bridgewater Hall, 20/3/24”

R.Strauss, Intermezzo. Deutsche Oper Berlin. 16/3/24

Conductor, Sir Donald Runnicles; Production, Tobias Kratzer; Stage, Costumes, Rainer Sellmaier; Lighting, Stefan Woinke; Court Kapellmeister Robert Storch, Philipp Jekal; Christine, his wife, Maria Bengtsson; Franzl, her little son, Elliott Woodruff; Anna, the chambermaid, Anna Schoeck; Baron Lummer, Thomas Blondelle; Kapellmeister Stroh, Clemens Bieber; Notary, Markus Brück; Notary’s wife, Nadine Secunde I had a majorContinue reading “R.Strauss, Intermezzo. Deutsche Oper Berlin. 16/3/24”

R.Strauss, Arabella. Deutsche Oper Berlin. 15/3/25

Conductor, Sir Donald Runnicles; director, Tobias Kratzer; stage design and costumes, Rainer Sellmaier; lighting designer, Stefan Woinke; Graf Waldner, Albert Pesendorfer; Adelaide, Doris Soffel; Arabella, Jennifer Davis; Zdenka, Heidi Stober; Mandryka, Thomas Johannes Mayer; Matteo, Daniel O’Hearn; Graf Elemer, Thomas Cilluffo; Graf Dominik, Kyle Miller; Graf Lamoral; Gerard Farreras; Fiakermilli, Hye-Young Moon I was surprisedContinue reading “R.Strauss, Arabella. Deutsche Oper Berlin. 15/3/25”

 R.Strauss, Salome. Deutsche Oper Berlin. 14/3/25

Conductor, Keri-Lynn Wilson; director, Claus Guth; stage design and costumes, Muriel Gerstner; lighting designer, Olaf Freese. Herodes, Thomas Blondelle; Herodias, Evelyn Herlitzius; Salome, Olesya Golovneva; Jochanaan, Jordan Shanahan; Narraboth, Kieran Carrel I was thinking before the show – should I have explored what else was on in Berlin in the evening? Did I want toContinue reading ” R.Strauss, Salome. Deutsche Oper Berlin. 14/3/25″

Bartok, Berlin Philharmonic: Berlin Philharmonie,13/3/25

Berliner Philharmoniker: Jakub Hrůša, conductor, Seong-Jin Cho, piano. Janáček: Fate, Suite;  Beethoven: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 5 in E flat major op. 73; Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra Sz 116 This was my first visit to the Philharmoniie in Berlin, and it’s as spectacular and impressive a building as everyone has always told meContinue reading “Bartok, Berlin Philharmonic: Berlin Philharmonie,13/3/25”

Prokofiev, Budapest Festival Orchestra. Royal Festival Hall, 11/3/25

Budapest Festival Orchestra, Iván Fischer conductor; Igor Levit piano. Prokofiev: Overture on Hebrew Themes arr. for orchestra, Op.34a; Piano Concerto No.2; Prokofiev: Selection from Cinderella Suites This was a concert I probably wouldn’t have gone to had I not been in London for the evening, prior to getting an early Eurostar train to, ultimately, BerlinContinue reading “Prokofiev, Budapest Festival Orchestra. Royal Festival Hall, 11/3/25”

Shostakovich: Upper Chapel, Sheffield. 8/3/25

Ensemble 360:  Shostakovich. String Quartet No.10; String Quartet No.12 This was a short concert which was part of a whole set of concerts and symposia on Shostakovich’s chamber music over the weekend in Sheffield – sadly this was the only event I could actually make…..My knowledge of which Shostakovich Quartet is which is sometimes aContinue reading “Shostakovich: Upper Chapel, Sheffield. 8/3/25”

Wagner: Gotterdammerung. Regents Opera, York Hall Bethnal Green: 2/3/25

Norn 1: Ingeborg Børch; Norn 2: Mae Heydorn; Norn 3: Jillian Finnamore; Siegfried: Peter Furlong; Brünnhilde: Catharine Woodward; Hagen: Simon Wilding; Gunther: Andrew Mayor; Gutrune: Justine Viani; Alberich: Oliver Gibbs; Woglinde: Jillian Finnamore; Wellgunde: Elizabeth Findon; Flosshilde: Mae Heydorn; Waltraute: Catherine Backhouse; Ben Woodward: Music Director and Conductor; Caroline Staunton: Director; CJ Heaver: Producer  ThreeContinue reading “Wagner: Gotterdammerung. Regents Opera, York Hall Bethnal Green: 2/3/25”

Wagner: Siegfried. Regents Opera, York Hall Bethnal Green: 27/2/25

Siegfried: Peter Furlong; Mime: Holden Madagame; Wanderer: Ralf Lukas; Fafner: Craig Lemont Walters; Alberich: Oliver Gibbs; Woodbird: Corinne Hart; Brünnhilde: Catharine Woodward; Erda: Mae Heydorn; Ben Woodward: Music Director and Conductor; Caroline Staunton: Director; CJ Heaver: Producer . Siegfried: Peter Furlong; Mime: Holden Madagame; Wanderer: Ralf Lukas; Fafner: Craig Lemont Walters; Alberich: Oliver Gibbs; Woodbird:Continue reading “Wagner: Siegfried. Regents Opera, York Hall Bethnal Green: 27/2/25”

Wagner: Die Walkure. Regents Opera, York Hall Bethnal Green: 25/2/25

Siegmund: Brian Smith Walters; Sieglinde: Justine Viani; Hunding: Gerrit Paul Groen; Wotan: Ralf Lukas; Fricka: Ingeborg Børch; Brünnhilde: Catharine Woodward; Gerhilde: Charlotte Richardson; Helmwige: Shannon Roberts; Ortlinde: Ella de Jongh; Waltraute: Catherine Backhouse; Schwertleite: Gráinne Gillis; Siegrune: Magdalen Ashman; Grimgerde: Grace Maria Wain; Rossweisse: Caroline Carragher; Ben Woodward: Music Director and Conductor; Caroline Staunton: Director;Continue reading “Wagner: Die Walkure. Regents Opera, York Hall Bethnal Green: 25/2/25”