Saariaho Lumière et pesanteur; Mahler Rückert-Lieder; Mahler Symphony No. 4 in G major. Joyce DiDonato mezzo-soprano; The Met Orchestra, Yannick Nézet-Séguin conductor The main attractions here for me were the Saariaho piece and hearing Joyce di Donato sing the Rückert-Lieder. I have tried to ration my experiences live of Mahler symphonies since the Leipzig MahlerContinue reading “Mahler, The Met Orchestra. RAH BBC Proms 27/8/26”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Lunchtime Piano recital, St Pancras Church, Euston Rd., London 27/8/26
Callum McLachlan, piano: Orlando Gibbons: Lord Salisbury’s Pavanne; Beethoven: Piano Sonata in A op 101; Ravel: Miroirs; Rachmaninov: Etude Tableau op 39/9 Callum McLachlan is 25 and a veteran of various music competitions – a finalist of the 18th International Robert Schumann Competition Zwickau among others. He was at Chetham’s School of Music, then TrinityContinue reading “Lunchtime Piano recital, St Pancras Church, Euston Rd., London 27/8/26”
R.Strauss, The Met Orchestra. RAH BBC Proms 26/8/26
R. Strauss, arr. Attrib. A. Rodziński Der Rosenkavalier – suite; R. Strauss Salome – final scene’.R. Strauss Ein Heldenleben. Elza van den Heever soprano, The Met Orchestra, Yannick Nézet-Séguin conductor I did ask myself why I was going to this concert? – I’ve heard the same Rosenkavalier Suite conducted by Nezet-Seguin before, with the BRSOContinue reading “R.Strauss, The Met Orchestra. RAH BBC Proms 26/8/26”
Wagner, Rienzi: Bayreuth Festival, 17/8/26
Conductor: Nathalie Stutzmann; Director, Stage design and Costumes: Alexandra Szemerédy, Magdolna Parditka: Rienzi, Andreas Schager; Irene, Gabriela Scherer; Colonna: Andreas Bauer Kanabas; Adriano, Jennifer Holloway; Orsini: Michael Nagy; Cardinal Raimondo, Vitalij Kowaljow; Baroncelli: Matthias Stier; Cecco del Vecchio: Michael Kupfer-Radecky And so to Bayreuth, to Rienzi, the only performance I could get a ticket forContinue reading “Wagner, Rienzi: Bayreuth Festival, 17/8/26”
Messiaen, Saint Francois d’ Assise. Felsenreitschule, Salzburg Festival, 15/8/26
Maxime Pascal Conductor; Romeo Castellucci Director / Sets / Costumes / Lighting. Lauranne Oliva L’Ange; Philippe Sly Saint François; Sean Panikkar Le Lépreux ; Russell Braun Frère Léon; Léo Vermot-Desroches Frère Massée; Aaron-Casey Gould, Frère Élie ; Willard White, Frère Bernard This was the main reason for my wanting to spend a few days inContinue reading “Messiaen, Saint Francois d’ Assise. Felsenreitschule, Salzburg Festival, 15/8/26”
R.Strauss, Ariadne auf Naxos. Haus fur Mozart, Salzburg Festival, 14/8/26
Manfred Honeck Conductor, Ersan Mondtag Director / Sets / Costumes; Henning Streck Lighting; Luis August Krawen Video. Kate Lindsey The Composer ;Christina Nilsson (originally Elīna Garanča) The Prima Donna / Ariadne; Eric Cutler The Tenor / Bacchus; Ziyi Dai Zerbinetta; Johannes Silberschneider The Major-Domo; Christoph Pohl The Music Master ; Jonas Hacker The Dancing MasterContinue reading “R.Strauss, Ariadne auf Naxos. Haus fur Mozart, Salzburg Festival, 14/8/26”
Andras Schiff, piano: Stiftung Mozarteum – Grosser Saal. Salzburg Festival. 13/8/26
Works by Bach and Mozart to be announced from the stage I am staying slightly out of Salzburg city centre, towards the north east of the town and near the river. It’s about a 35 minute pleasant walk along the river (not too low, despite the drought), and I took this route before the concertContinue reading “Andras Schiff, piano: Stiftung Mozarteum – Grosser Saal. Salzburg Festival. 13/8/26”
Bizet, Carmen: Grosses Festspielhaus, Salzburg Festival: 12/8/26
Teodor Currentzis Conductor; Gabriela Carrizo Director / Choreography; Christof Hetzer Sets / Costumes; Tom Visser Lighting. Asmik Grigorian Carmen; Jonathan Tetelman Don José; Kristina Mkhitaryan Micaëla; Davide Luciano Escamillo; Iveta Simonyan Frasquita; Anita Monserrat Mercédès; Matthias Winckhler Zuniga; Liviu Holender Moralès. Utopia Choir, Salzburg Bach Choir; Salzburger Festspiele und Theater Kinderchor , Utopia Orchestra I hadContinue reading “Bizet, Carmen: Grosses Festspielhaus, Salzburg Festival: 12/8/26”
Bartok, Stravinsky, Berg. RAH BBC Proms 10/8/26
Stravinsky Symphony in Three Movements; Berg Violin Concerto; Bartók Concerto for Orchestra. Vilde Frang violin; Juilliard Orchestra, Royal Academy of Music Symphony Orchestra, Esa-Pekka Salonen conductor I caught this Prom concert en route from my home to Salzburg, with an evening to spare in London before an early Eurostar train. I remember Salonen conducting theContinue reading “Bartok, Stravinsky, Berg. RAH BBC Proms 10/8/26”
Weber, Oberon (semi-staged). RAH BBC Proms 6/8/26
Nicky Spence, Oberon; Jennifer Davis, Reiza; John Findon, Sir Huon of Bordeaux; Yannick Debus, Sherasmin; Rachael Wilson, Fatima; J’Nai Bridges, Puck; Charlotte Bowden, Mermaid; Jessica Cale, Mermaid. Monteverdi Choir, Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique; Sir Mark Elder, conductor This was a great Prom in prospect – two strong tenors, a major soprano, Elder, and a brilliantContinue reading “Weber, Oberon (semi-staged). RAH BBC Proms 6/8/26”
John's musical journey 