Kahchun Wong conductor, Truls Mørk cello. Shostakovich, Festive Overture; Elgar, Cello Concerto; Rachmaninov Symphony No.2 This was the Halle’s opening concert of the 25/26 season. The Halle, much more obviously than the BBC Phil in Manchester, has to balance innovation in concerts against the need to balance the books, and this was unashamedly a popularContinue reading “Halle/Wong. Bridgewater Hall, 25/9/25”
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Elisabeth Leonskaja, Wigmore Hall, 19/9/25
Elisabeth Leonskaja, piano: Programme – Mozart, Fantasia in C minor K475; Shostakovich, Piano Sonata No. 2 in B minor Op. 61; Schubert, 3 Klavierstücke D946; Fantasy in C D760 ‘Wanderer’ After my three Proms in the Arena, my final Prom of the 25/26 season was going to be Bruckner 9 with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra,Continue reading “Elisabeth Leonskaja, Wigmore Hall, 19/9/25”
Bliss/Oramo/BBCSO – RAH, BBC Proms 7/9/25
Gipps Death on the Pale Horse; Grieg Piano Concerto in A minor; Bliss The Beatitudes. Elizabeth Watts soprano, Laurence Kilsby tenor, Lukas Sternath piano, BBC Singers, BBC Symphony Chorus, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Sakari Oramo conductor The programming intent with this concert was fairly obvious. Put down an evergreen favourite to draw the crowds with anContinue reading “Bliss/Oramo/BBCSO – RAH, BBC Proms 7/9/25”
Golda Schultz sings Gershwin and Bernstein: RAH , BBC Proms 6/9/25
Schreker Chamber Symphony; Stravinsky The Firebird – suite; and songs/arias from: Bernstein West Side Story, Gershwin Porgy and Bess, Korngold Die tote Stadt, Stravinsky The Rake’s Progress, Weill Lost in the Stars. Golda Schultz soprano, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Robin Ticciati conductor The next three Proms I’m going to are all ones where I’m standingContinue reading “Golda Schultz sings Gershwin and Bernstein: RAH , BBC Proms 6/9/25”
Mendelssohn on Mull Festival 2025
I recently spent several days visiting the Mendelssohn on Mull Festival, which is an annual residency where the Artistic Directors – this year the Maxwell Quartet – ‘invite eight young artists on the brink of a professional career for an immersive week of rehearsals and performances on the island of Mull’, to quote the publicityContinue reading “Mendelssohn on Mull Festival 2025”
Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra/Nelsons. RAH, BBC Proms 26/8/25
Arvo Pärt Cantus in memoriam Benjamin Britten; Dvořák Violin Concerto in A minor; Sibelius Symphony No. 2 in D major. Isabelle Faust violin, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Andris Nelsons conductor Again, not a totally obvious bit of programming, but I guess the common theme is new nations asserting themselves against dominant powers (Finland/Russia – Czechia/Austro-Hungarian EmpireContinue reading “Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra/Nelsons. RAH, BBC Proms 26/8/25”
BBC NOW, Bancroft. RAH, BBC Proms 15/8/25
Sofia Gubaidulina Revue Music for Symphony Orchestra and Jazz Band; Ravel Piano Concerto in G major ; Shostakovich Symphony No. 13 in B flat minor, ‘Babi Yar’. Benjamin Grosvenor piano, Kostas Smoriginas, bass; Synergy Vocals, BBC National Chorus of Wales (lower voices), BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Ryan Bancroft conductor Yet another Prom completely packed out…..this just wouldn’t have seemed possibleContinue reading “BBC NOW, Bancroft. RAH, BBC Proms 15/8/25”
Budapest Festival Orchestra, Ivan Fischer. RAH, BBC Proms, 6/8/25
Beethoven Symphony No. 7 in A major; Bartók – Duke Bluebeard’s Castle. Dorottya Láng, Judith; Krisztián Cser, Duke Bluebeard. Budapest Festival Orchestra, Iván Fischer conductor This was a late choice of Prom – it was one I flagged up when booking, decided against, dithered, and finally bought a ticket for…..The BFO and Fischer are alwaysContinue reading “Budapest Festival Orchestra, Ivan Fischer. RAH, BBC Proms, 6/8/25”
Boulez / Mahler – BBCSO, Lintu. RAH, BBC Proms 4/8/25
Boulez, Rituel in memoriam Bruno Maderna; Mahler Das klagende Lied (original version, 1880). Natalya Romaniw soprano; Jennifer Johnston mezzo-soprano; Russell Thomas tenor; James Newby baritone. Constanza Chorus, BBC Symphony Chorus, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Hannu Lintu conductor It is now 57 years since I went to my first Prom. I missed out on them for manyContinue reading “Boulez / Mahler – BBCSO, Lintu. RAH, BBC Proms 4/8/25”
R.Strauss, Die Liebe der Danae, Bayern Staatsoper, Munich 22/7/25
Conductor, Sebastian Weigle; Director, Claus Guth; Designer, Michael Levine; Costumes, Ursula Kudrna; Lighting, Alessandro Carletti; Jupiter, Christopher Maltman; Mercury, Ya-Chung Huang; Pollux, Vincent Wolfsteiner; Danae, Malin Byström; Xanthe, Erika Baikoff; Midas, Andreas Schager; Four Kings, Martin Snell, Bálint Szabó, Paul Kaufmann, Kevin Conners; Semele, Sarah Dufresne; Europe, Evgeniya Sotnikova; Alkmene, Emily Sierra; Leda, Avery Amereau IContinue reading “R.Strauss, Die Liebe der Danae, Bayern Staatsoper, Munich 22/7/25”
John's musical journey 