Category Archives: Uncategorized

Verdi – Messa da Requiem; Sir Mark Elder conductor; Natalyia Romaniw, soprano; Alice Coote, mezzo-soprano; Thomas Atkins, tenor; James Platt, bass; Hallé Choir and Orchestra Yet another work I’ve known since I was a teenager but haven’t heard live since the 1970s. I can’t remember who performed it or exactly when I last went toContinue reading “Verdi Requiem: Halle, Elder, Bridgewater Hall, 27/10/22“

Production, David Mcvicar; Set Designer, David Mcvicar; Costume Designer, Doey Lüthi; Lighting Designer, Paule Constable. Conductor, Carlo Rizzi. Cast: Medea, Sondra Radvanovsky; Glauce, Janai Brugger; Neris, Ekaterina Gubanova; Giasone, Matthew Polenzani; Creonte, Michele Pertusi As far as I am aware I have never heard a note of Cherubini’s music. I even had to look hisContinue reading “Cherubini, Medea: live screening from the Metropolitan Opera, New York, seen in Sheffield 22/10/22”

James Macmillan, Larghetto for orchestra (2017);  Gerald Finzi, Clarinet Concerto, Vaughan Williams, Symphony No 3 (Pastoral); Brigantes Orchestra – conductor Quentin Clare; clarinet, Emma Johnson; soprano, Laurie Ashworth I was at this event as a Welcomer at Sheffield Cathedral, one of the various voluntary things I do. My attention had to be a little lessContinue reading “Macmillan, Finzi, Vaughan Williams – Brigantes Orchestra, Clare: Sheffield Cathedral 15/10/22”

Leo Hussain, Conductor; Christof Loy, Director; Christian Schmidt, Designer; Olaf Winter, Lighting Designer. CAST: Sinéad Campbell-Wallace, Floria Tosca; Adam Smith,Mario Cavaradossi;  Roland Wood, Baron Scarpia; Msimelelo Mbali, Cesare Angelotti; Lucia Lucas, A Sacristan; John Findon, Spoletta This was an extremely enjoyable and impressive performance, with singers who in the main I’d never heard of before…….It’sContinue reading “Puccini, Tosca, ENO, London Coliseum, 13/10/22“

Director, Robert Carsen; Set Designer, Miriam Buether; Costume Designer Annemarie Woods; Lighting Designer, Robert Carsen And Peter Van Praet. Conductor, Antonio Pappano; Aida, Elena Stikhina; Radames, Francesco Meli; Amneris, Agnieszka Rehlis; Amonasro, Ludovic Tézier; Ramfis, Soloman Howard. Orchestra of the Royal Opera House and Royal Opera Chorus In my snobbish and silly way, I’ve neverContinue reading “Aida, Verdi: ROHCG live screening in Sheffield cinema   12/10/22“

Conductor Marc Albrecht, Director Christof Loy, Sets Johannes Leiacker, Costumes Barbara Drosihn, Light Olaf Winter. Cast: Heliane Sara Jakubiak, The ruler, her husband Josef Wagner, The stranger Brian Jagde, The messenger Okka von der Damerau, The doorman Derek Welton, The blind judge Burkhard Ulrich, The young man Gideon Poppe,  Chorus and Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin I haven’t been to any musical events with a live audience since the Berlin Phil concert onContinue reading “Das Wunder der Heliane, Korngold. Marquee TV streaming, Deutsche Oper, Berlin 2018”

Alfred Schnittke, Viola Concerto; Anton Bruckner, Symphony No 4 in E flat major ‘Romantic’: Tabea Zimmermann, viola, Berliner Philharmoniker, Daniel Harding, conductor While it is true that a broken toe can hurt like hell, and needs time to heal, it’s unclear why Petrenko’s toe permitted him to conduct Mahler 7 but not the originally scheduledContinue reading “Schnittke, Bruckner – Berliner Philharmoniker, Zimmermann, Harding – RAH Proms, 4/9/22”

Beethoven Piano Sonatas Op 109, 100, and 111; Andras Schiff, piano A lovely morning offering from Andras Schiff. The RAH was packed – there must have been 10 times a standard Wigmore Hall audience in there! Schiff began with 2 unannounced Bach pieces; I remember in his very readable and recommendable autobiographical notes that he saidContinue reading “Beethoven / Schiff – RAH Proms, a.m. 4/9/22”

Gustav Mahler, Symphony No 7 in E Minor; Berliner Philharmoniker, Kirill Petrenko, conductor As I walked past the front of the Albert Hall towards the Arena standing queue area for this sold-out Prom, I was amazed to see a gaunt, tall, balding and now stooping figure who has been a constant presence at the RAHContinue reading “Mahler, Berliner Philharmoniker, Petrenko – RAH Proms, 3/922”

Siegfried, Stephen Gould; Gunther, Michael Kupfer-Radecky; Alberich, Olafur Sigurdarson; Hagen, Albert Dohmen; Brünnhilde, Iréne Theorin; Gutrune, Elisabeth Teige; Waltraute, Christa Mayer; 1. Norn, Okka von der Damerau; 2. Norn, Stéphanie Müther; 3. Norn, Kelly God; Woglinde, Lea-ann Dunbar; Wellgunde, Stephanie Houtzeel; Flosshilde, Katie Stevenson. Valentin Schwarz (director), Andrea Cozzi (designs), Andy Besuch (costumes), Konrad KuhnContinue reading “Götterdämmerung, Bayreuth Festival: 30/8/22“