Category Archives: Uncategorized

Sibelius The Oceanides & Tapiola; Bruckner Symphony No 7: London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle The link in the programming here – quite a tenuous one, really – is ‘landscapes in sound’. This is fairly obvious in the two Sibelius pieces, much less so for the Bruckner, where the association is meant, I suppose, toContinue reading “Sibelius / Bruckner – LSO/Rattle: Barbican, 1/12/22”

Louise Drewett The Daymark (world premiere); Ravel Piano Concerto in G major; Shostakovich Symphony No 11, The Year 1905:  London Symphony Orchestra, Gianandrea Noseda conductor, Alice Sara Ott piano Not a great deal in common between these three pieces, one might have thought in advance. Perhaps in retrospect there are connections between the new DrewettContinue reading “Noseda/LSO – Shostakovich: Barbican – 24/11/22”

Antony Hermus, conductor; Orchestra of Opera North; Alice Coote, Orfeo; Fflur Wyn, Euridice; Daisy Brown, Amor. Manchester was in a state of some chaos when I arrived at Piccadilly station. – the tram service wasn’t working in the central zone, and there were huge traffic jams. It took a while to work out what toContinue reading “Gluck: Orfeo ed Euridice. Opera North, Lowry Theatre, Salford – 19/11/22”

Director, Richard Jones; Designer, Antony Mcdonald; Lighting Designer, Lucy Carter; Conductor, Christian Curnyn; Alcina, Lisette Oropesa; Ruggiero, Emily D’Angelo; Morgana, Mary Bevan; Bradamante, Varduhi Abrahamyan; Oronte, Rupert Charlesworth; Atlante, José Coca Loza This will definitely be in my top ten list for 2022. It was for the most part extremely well sung and very cleverlyContinue reading “Handel, Alcina: ROHCG, 10/11/22“

Shostakovich: String Quartet No.13 in B flat minor, Op.138; String Quartet No.14 in F sharp, Op.142; Shostakovich: String Quartet No.15 in E flat minor, Op.144. Emerson Quartet This was the fifth and last of the Emerson’s cycle of Shostakovich string quartets in London this year – 3 quartets per concert. It was also apparently theirContinue reading “Emerson Quartet, Shostakovich. Queen Elizabeth Hall, 9/11/22“

Beethoven ‘Cello sonatas Op 5 no 1 and Op 102 no2 I saw this concert, presumably given by two students or recent graduates from a music college, being advertised on my phone just as my train drew into London from Birmingham. It was a quick dash on the Piccadilly line and a worthwhile 50 minutesContinue reading “Gerard Flotas ‘cello, Ellis Thomas, piano, St James Piccadilly lunchtime concert“

Ángeles Blancas Gulin, Emilia Marty; Nicky Spence, Albert Gregor; Gustáv Beláček, Dr Kolenaty; Mark Le Brocq, Vitek; Harriet Eyley, Krista; David Stout, Baron Jaroslav Prus; Alexander Sprague, Janek; Alan Oke, Count Hauk-Šendorf. Tomáš Hanus, Conductor; Olivia Fuchs, Director; Nicola Turner, Designer; Robbie Butler, Lighting Director As I was walking to the Birmingham Hippodrome for thisContinue reading “Janáček: The Makropoulos Case: Welsh National Opera, Birmingham Hippodrome, 8/11/22“

Bajazet, Jorge Navarro Colorado; Asteria, Ellie Laugharne; Tamerlano, Rodrigo Sosa Dal Pozzo; Andronico, James Hall; Irene, April Koyejo-Audiger. Conductor, Jonathan Peter Kenny with the Old Street Band; Director, James Conway; Set & Costume Designer, Rebecca van Beeck; Lighting Designer, Tim van ’t Hof This performance was enlivened by the occasional off-stage bang from particularly vociferousContinue reading “Handel: Tamerlano. English Touring Opera, Buxton Opera House 5/11/22“

The basic messages from the recent announcement of funding from Arts Council England for 2023 to 2026 seem to be bleak – London orchestras’ grants down 10% (plus of course dealing with inflation during those years) except for the RPO and an increase for OAE; regional orchestras given the same funding as in 2022 i.e.Continue reading “Arts Council England’s cuts to classical music and opera”

Gismonda, Elizabeth Karani; Adelberto, Kieron-Connor Valentine; Ottone, James Hall; Matilda, Lauren Young; Teofane, Nazan Fikret; Emireno, Edward Jowle. Conductor, Gerry Cornelius, with the Old Street Band. Director, James Conway; Designer, takis; Lighting Designer, Tim van ’t Hof This was the first of three Handel operas I am intending to go to in just over aContinue reading “Handel: Ottone. English Touring Opera, Buxton Opera House 3/11/22“