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”
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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”
Reich, BBCPO, Currie – Bridgewater Hall, 29/11/25
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Colin Currie conductor. Steve Reich Variations for Winds, Strings, and Keyboards; John Adams Frenzy (2023); Gabriella Smith f(x)=sin²x-1/x; Steve Reich The Four Sections I had missed two concerts focusing on Steve Reich in Manchester in recent years, one because of a train strike, another because of bad weather cancelling trains. So, IContinue reading “Reich, BBCPO, Currie – Bridgewater Hall, 29/11/25”
Arabella, R.Strauss – Met Opera relay – Sheffield Curzon Cinema, 22/11/25
Conductor, Nicholas Carter; Director, Otto Schenk; Designer, Günther Schneider Siemssen; Costumes, Milena Canonero; Lighting, Gil Wechsler. Arabella, Rachel Willis-Sørensen; Zdenka, Louise Alder; Fiakermilli, Julie Roset; Countess Adelaide Waldner, Karen Cargill; Matteo, Pavol Breslik; Mandryka, Tomasz Konieczny; Count Waldner, Brindley Sherratt This production looks like something from another era (and indeed it is – first seenContinue reading “Arabella, R.Strauss – Met Opera relay – Sheffield Curzon Cinema, 22/11/25”
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”
Bach and American Minimalism: Shani Diluka, Sheffield Crucible 31/10/25
JS BACH (arr. Alexander Siloti) Prelude in E minor BWV855; GLASS Etude 2; JS BACH Prelude in C BWV846; CPE BACH Solfeggietto H220 Wq 117; GLASS Etude 9; JS BACH Prelude in F minor BWV857 ; GLASS Mad Rush; JS BACH (arr. Alfred Cortot) Arioso from Concerto No.5 in F minor BWV1056 ; MOONDOG CanonContinue reading “Bach and American Minimalism: Shani Diluka, Sheffield Crucible 31/10/25 “
John Adams – Bridgewater Hall, Halle, Adams – 30/10/25
John Adams conductor; Mary Bevan soprano; Hallé Choir (Matthew Hamilton, choral director). . John Adams: Slonimsky’s Earbox; Debussy/John Adams Le Livre de Baudelaire; John Adams ‘This is prophetic!’ (Pat’s Aria from Nixon in China); Harmonium I have enjoyed listening to John Adams’ music for many years, and have several recordings of his music, but allContinue reading “John Adams – Bridgewater Hall, Halle, Adams – 30/10/25”
Bach / Ensemble 360: Upper Chapel, Sheffield – 25/10/25 2pm
Bach: Sonata No.3 in C; Partita No.3 in E; Benjamin Nabarro, violin I have been reading a fascinating book by Kate Kennedy called ‘Cello’, about the passion and the closeness of the relationship between instrument and player, as exemplified by four historical/ contemporary figures. Amongst many other topics, she muses on whether, in the sameContinue reading “Bach / Ensemble 360: Upper Chapel, Sheffield – 25/10/25 2pm”
Takacs Quartet, Timothy Ridout, Mozart Quintets – Wigmore Hall – 20/10/25
Mozart, String Quintet in C K515; String Quintet in G minor K516 This was a superb concert. I have listened to these two works a number of times but have never heard them live and therefore haven’t ever, really, given them the full, deep concentration I find I can only give at a live concert.Continue reading “Takacs Quartet, Timothy Ridout, Mozart Quintets – Wigmore Hall – 20/10/25”
Verdi, The Sicilian Vespers, ROHCG, 26/925
Director, Stefan Herheim; Set designer, Philipp Fürhofer; Costume designer, Gesine Völlm; Lighting designer, Anders Poll; Choreographer, André de Jong. Conductor, Speranza Scappucci; Hélène, Joyce El-Khoury; Henri, Vladymyr Dytiuk ; Jean Procida, Ildebrando D’Arcangelo; Guy de Montfort, Quinn Kelsey; Robert, Vartan Gabrielian; Thibault, Neal Cooper; Le Sire de Béthune, Blaise Malaba; Le Comte de Vaudemont, ThomasContinue reading “Verdi, The Sicilian Vespers, ROHCG, 26/925”
John's musical journey 