Lully Suite from Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme; Bach Selections from The Art of Fugue; Vivaldi Concerto for Two Trumpets; Bach Concerto for Oboe and Violin; Rameau Selections from Les Indes Galantes, Naïs, Hippolyte et Aricie, and Dardanus. BBC Philharmonic Orchestra: Jonathan Cohen director; Tom Fountain, Gwyn Owen trumpets; Jennifer Galloway oboe; Zoë Beyers violin I don’tContinue reading “From Versailles to Leipzig via Venice: BBC Philharmonic, RNCM, 30/1/26”
Tag Archives: classical-music
The Makropoulos Case, Janacek – concert performance, LSO/Rattle, Barbican 15/1/26,
London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle conductor; Marlis Petersen Emilia Marty; Aleš Briscein Albert Gregor; Jan Martiník Dr Kolenatý; Peter Hoare Vitek; Svatopluk Sem Baron Jaroslav Prus It’s a strange piece of programming to have this concert performance (the 2nd of two) happening only two months after the ROHCG production of the same work. However……thisContinue reading “The Makropoulos Case, Janacek – concert performance, LSO/Rattle, Barbican 15/1/26,”
Handel, Messiah (extracts). Palau de la Música, Barcelona. 11/1/26
Irene Mas, soprano; Daniel Folqué, alto; Roger Padullés, tenor; Josep-Ramon Olivé, baritone; Cor de Cambra de Granollers; Vespres d’Arnadí; Xavier Puig, conductor The principal purpose of my visit to Barcelona was to hear Lise Davidsen singing the role of Isolde for the first time, but I am also taking in this concert of Messiah extracts andContinue reading “Handel, Messiah (extracts). Palau de la Música, Barcelona. 11/1/26”
Thalassa Piano Trio, Regent Hall, 9/1/26
Thalassa Piano Trio. Beethoven, Piano Trio Op 70, no 2; Babajamian, Piano Trio in F# minor As often has been the case over the past few years, I have found myself planning to be at a Wigmore Hall recital – because there’s always something interesting happening there – the night before setting off on theContinue reading “Thalassa Piano Trio, Regent Hall, 9/1/26”
Live concert and opera highlights I have been to in 2025
It’s been another extraordinary year for high quality classical music performances I’ve attended. These are my top ten performance highlights, in no particular order: 1. Mahler Symphony No 2: Wong, Halle, Bridgewater Hall 2. R.Strauss, Arabella: Runnicles, Deutsche Oper Berlin 3. Wagner, Die Walkure: Pappano,. ROHCG 4. R.Strauss, Die Liebe der Danae: Bayern Staatsoper, Schager/Bystrom/MaltmanContinue reading “Live concert and opera highlights I have been to in 2025”
Ariodante, Handel – ROHCG – 17/12/25
Director, Jetske Mijnssen; Set designer, Etienne Pluss; Costume designer, Uta Meenen; Lighting designer, Fabrice Kebour; Conductor, Stefano Montanari. Cast: Ariodante, (Grace Durham replaced Emily D’Angelo); Ginevra, Jacquelyn Stucker; Dalinda, Elena Villalón; Polinesso, Christophe Dumaux; Lurcanio, Ed Lyon; King of Scotland, Peter Kellner; Odoardo, Emyr Lloyd Jones Yet another Handel opera I’ve (I think) not seenContinue reading “Ariodante, Handel – ROHCG – 17/12/25”
The Makropoulos Case, Janacek – ROHCG, 21/11/25
Director, Katie Mitchell; Costume Designer, Sussie Juhlin-Wallén; Lighting Designer, James Farncombe; Set Designer, Vicki Mortimer; Video Designer, Sasha Balmazi-Owen. Emilia Marty, Ausrine Stundyte; Albert Gregor, Sean Panikkar; Baron Jaroslav Prus, Johan Reuter; Dr Kolenatý, Henry Waddington; Vítek, Peter Hoare; Janek, Daniel Matoušek; Count Hauk-Šendorf, Alan Oke; Krista, Heather Engebretson; Stage door woman; Susan Bickley OfContinue reading “The Makropoulos Case, Janacek – ROHCG, 21/11/25”
Susanna, Handel – Opera North with Phoenix Dance Company, Lowry, Salford – 14/11/25
Anna Dennis, Susanna; Matthew Brook, Chelsias; Claire Lees, Daniel; James Hall, Joacim; Dorna Ashory, Teige Bisnought, Aaron Chaplin. Pikolwethu Luke, Graciela Mariqueo-Smith, Hannah McGlashon, Yasmina Patel, Tony Polo and other Phoenix Company Dancers. Johanna Soller, Conductor; Olivia Fuchs, Director; Marcus Jarrell Willis, Choreographer; Zahra Mansouri, Set & Costume Designer; Jake Wiltshire, Lighting Designer Another HandelContinue reading “Susanna, Handel – Opera North with Phoenix Dance Company, Lowry, Salford – 14/11/25”
Dead Man Walking, Heggie – ENO – 4/11/25
Christine Rice, Sister Helen Prejean; Michael Mayes, Joseph De Rocher; Sarah Connolly, Mrs Patrick De Rocher; Madeline Boreham, Sister Rose; Andrew Manea, Warden George Benton; Ronald Samm, Father Grenville; Gweneth Ann Rand, Kitty Hart; Jacques Imbrailo, Owen Hart. Kerem Hasan, Conductor; Annilese Miskimmon, Director, Alex Eales, Set Designer, Evie Gurney, Costume Designer; D.M. Wood, LightingContinue reading “Dead Man Walking, Heggie – ENO – 4/11/25”
Messiaen, Ensemble 360 – Sheffield Crucible – 1/11/25
Klein, String Trio; Smit, Trio for Clarinet, Viola and Piano; Messiaen, Quartet for the End of Time This concert was preceded by an hour or so with a lecturer from the Birmingham Conservatoire talking about Messiaen, with the aid of two of the evening’s players to provide musical illustrations. One of the fascinating things weContinue reading “Messiaen, Ensemble 360 – Sheffield Crucible – 1/11/25”
John's musical journey 