Ravel (arr. Farrington) Mother Goose Suite ; Farrenc Sextet; DURUFLÉ Prélude, récitatif et variations; Schumann Piano Quintet in E flat Op.44 This was a varied and interesting programme, with the best definitely last…..The Ravel piece I know from its full chamber orchestra version – here it had one each of strings, woodwind, horn and percussion,Continue reading “Ravel / Farrenc/ Durufle/ Schumann.: Ensemble 360, Crucible, Sheffield,19/5/25”
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R.Strauss, Salome – Met Opera HD screening, Sheffield Curzon Cinema, 17/5/25
Conductor, Yannick Nézet-Séguin; Director, Claus Guth; Set Designer, Etienne Pluss; Ursula Kudrna; Costume Designer; Peter Mattei, Jokanaan; Gerhard Siegel, Herod; Michelle DeYoung, Herodias; Piotr Buszewski, Narraboth; Elza van den Heever, Salome I had planned to go to an Ensemble 360 chamber music concert (Schubert and Janacek) on 17 May but discovered a week before thatContinue reading “R.Strauss, Salome – Met Opera HD screening, Sheffield Curzon Cinema, 17/5/25”
R. Strauss, An Alpine Symphony. Halle / Elder – Bridgewater Hall, 10/5/25
Halle Orchestra, Sir Mark Elder conductor. Huw Watkins, Concerto for Orchestra (world premiere); R. Strauss An Alpine Symphony This was Mark Elder’s one concert with the Halle in this, the first year after he retired from being music director. It was billed as a big deal on Halle’s Facebook page – it also had aContinue reading “R. Strauss, An Alpine Symphony. Halle / Elder – Bridgewater Hall, 10/5/25”
Wagner, Die Walkure. ROHCG 7/5/25,
Antonio Pappano, conductor; Wotan, Christopher Maltman; Brünnhilde, Elisabet Strid; Sieglinde, Natalya Romaniw; Siegmund, Stanislas de Barbeyrac; Hunding, Soloman Howard; Fricka, Marina Prudenskaya; Helmwige, Maida Hundeling; Ortlinde, Katie Lowe; Gerhilde, Lee Bisset; Waltraute, Claire Barnett-Jones; Siegrune, Catherine Carby; Rossweisse, Alison Kettlewell; Grimgerde, Monika-Evelin Liiv; Schwertleite, Rhonda Browne. Director, Barrie Kosky; set designer, Rufus Didwiszus; costume designer,Continue reading “Wagner, Die Walkure. ROHCG 7/5/25,”
Irena Radić, piano – St James Piccadilly lunchtime recital 7/5/25
Madeleine Dring: Prelude; Kenneth V Jones: Piano Sonata; Chopin: Piano Sonata no.3 in B minor Madeleine Dring and Kenneth V Jones were both mid 20th century figures, the latter a film composer, a professor of composition at the RCM and, as it happens the pianist’s (herself a student at the RCM) great uncle. I likedContinue reading ” Irena Radić, piano – St James Piccadilly lunchtime recital 7/5/25″
Janáček The Excursions of Mr Brouček. LSO, Rattle. Barbican, 6/5/25
London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle conductor. Peter Hoare, Brouček; Aleš Briscein Mazal/Blankytný/Petřík; Lucy Crowe, Málinka/Etherea/Kunka; Gyula Orendt , akristán/Lunobor/Domšík; Lukáš Zeman, Svatopluk/Würfl/Čaroskvoucí/Ratsherr Doubravka Novotná, Číšníček/Wunderkind/Student; Arttu Kataja, Artist/Dohuslav/Vojta; Linard Vrielink, Skladatel/Harfoboj/Miroslav; Hanna Hipp, Kedruta. Tenebrae This is a work I have never seen live before and I’ve never indeed had a recording of/ heardContinue reading “Janáček The Excursions of Mr Brouček. LSO, Rattle. Barbican, 6/5/25”
Shostakovich: Symphony no 7 “Leningrad”: RPO, Petrenko. RFH 27/4/25
Sibelius Finlandia; Weill Four Walt Whitman Songs; Shostakovich Symphony No.7, ‘Leningrad’ (with film). Vasily Petrenko Conductor. Roderick Williams Baritone; Kirill Serebrennikov Art Director; Ilya Shaglov Video Artist. Royal Philharmonic Orchestra I didn’t spot this concert as an upcoming event until a week before it happened. Vasily Petrenko is a conductor I always enjoy hearing but, somehow, I don’t always get newsContinue reading “Shostakovich: Symphony no 7 “Leningrad”: RPO, Petrenko. RFH 27/4/25”
Mahler: Symphony No 8: LPO, Gardner. RFH, 26/4/25
London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner conductor. Sarah Wegener soprano, Magna Peccatrix; Emma Bell soprano, Una Poenitentium, Gretchen; Jennifer France soprano, Mater Gloriosa; Christine Rice mezzo-soprano, Mulier Samaritana; Jennifer Johnston mezzo-soprano, Maria Aegyptiaca; Andrew Staples tenor, Doctor Marianus, Tomasz Konieczny bass-baritone, Pater Ecstaticus; Derek Welton bass-baritone, Pater Profundus; London Philharmonic Choir; London Symphony Chorus; Tiffin Boys’ Choir.Continue reading “Mahler: Symphony No 8: LPO, Gardner. RFH, 26/4/25”
Bellini, The Capulets and the Montagues: English Touring Opera. Sheffield Lyceum, 4/4/25
Jessica Cale, Giulietta; Samantha Price, Romeo; Brenton Spiteri, Tebaldo; Timothy Nelson Capellio; Eloise Lally, director; Peeter Harrison, lighting designer; Alphonse Cemin, conductor My experience and knowledge of bel canto operas is slight – as I am sure I have said elsewhere in this blog the only Donizetti/Bellini opera I’ve heard is the former’s Maria Stuarda,Continue reading “Bellini, The Capulets and the Montagues: English Touring Opera. Sheffield Lyceum, 4/4/25”
Britten, Owen Wingrave. RNCM, Manchester 1/4/25
Rory Macdonald, conductor; Orpha Phelan director I am going to two operas I’ve never seen live before this week- indeed I’ve heard none of their music before, either… Owen Wingrave of course was conceived as a TV opera, broadcast in 1971, Indifferently received and not very much staged since the 70s, though there have beenContinue reading “Britten, Owen Wingrave. RNCM, Manchester 1/4/25”
John's musical journey 