Rory Macdonald, conductor; Orpha Phelan director I am going to two operas I’ve never seen live before this week- indeed I’ve heard none of their music before, either… Owen Wingrave of course was conceived as a TV opera, broadcast in 1971, Indifferently received and not very much staged since the 70s, though there have beenContinue reading “Britten, Owen Wingrave. RNCM, Manchester 1/4/25”
Tag Archives: music
Ades/Stravinsky, Halle Orchestra. Bridgewater Hall, 27/3/25
Thomas Adès conductor, Ann Dennis mezzo-soprano, Hallé Choir: Thomas Adès, Dawn: a chacony for orchestra at any distance; Thomas Adès, America: A Prophecy UK premiere; Saariaho, Oltra Mar; Stravinsky The Rite of Spring This was a fascinating concert, with a near sell-out audience, an Adès piece new to me (and indeed part of it newContinue reading “Ades/Stravinsky, Halle Orchestra. Bridgewater Hall, 27/3/25”
Tippett, Beethoven: Pappano, LSO. Barbican 23/3/25
Tippett A Child of Our Time; Beethoven Symphony No 9, Choral. London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Antonio Pappano conductor; Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha soprano; J’Nai Bridges mezzo-soprano; Sean Pannikar tenor, Soloman Howard, bass With the Barbican Hall completely sold out. this was an extremely generous programme, in terms of content and the demands on soloists, choir andContinue reading “Tippett, Beethoven: Pappano, LSO. Barbican 23/3/25”
Brahms, Halle Orchestra. Bridgewater Hall, 20/3/24
Kahchun Wong conductor, Mariam Batsashvili piano: Ifukube Japanese Suite for Orchestra; Liszt Piano Concerto No.1; Brahms Symphony No.1This was another very exciting and impressive concert from Kachun Wong and the Halle. The first three concerts I have heard him conducting this season were Mahler/Bruckner-based and I wondered how he would get on with more traditionalContinue reading “Brahms, Halle Orchestra. Bridgewater Hall, 20/3/24”
Bartok, Berlin Philharmonic: Berlin Philharmonie,13/3/25
Berliner Philharmoniker: Jakub Hrůša, conductor, Seong-Jin Cho, piano. Janáček: Fate, Suite; Beethoven: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 5 in E flat major op. 73; Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra Sz 116 This was my first visit to the Philharmoniie in Berlin, and it’s as spectacular and impressive a building as everyone has always told meContinue reading “Bartok, Berlin Philharmonic: Berlin Philharmonie,13/3/25”
Prokofiev, Budapest Festival Orchestra. Royal Festival Hall, 11/3/25
Budapest Festival Orchestra, Iván Fischer conductor; Igor Levit piano. Prokofiev: Overture on Hebrew Themes arr. for orchestra, Op.34a; Piano Concerto No.2; Prokofiev: Selection from Cinderella Suites This was a concert I probably wouldn’t have gone to had I not been in London for the evening, prior to getting an early Eurostar train to, ultimately, BerlinContinue reading “Prokofiev, Budapest Festival Orchestra. Royal Festival Hall, 11/3/25”
Shostakovich: Upper Chapel, Sheffield. 8/3/25
Ensemble 360: Shostakovich. String Quartet No.10; String Quartet No.12 This was a short concert which was part of a whole set of concerts and symposia on Shostakovich’s chamber music over the weekend in Sheffield – sadly this was the only event I could actually make…..My knowledge of which Shostakovich Quartet is which is sometimes aContinue reading “Shostakovich: Upper Chapel, Sheffield. 8/3/25”
Wagner: Gotterdammerung. Regents Opera, York Hall Bethnal Green: 2/3/25
Norn 1: Ingeborg Børch; Norn 2: Mae Heydorn; Norn 3: Jillian Finnamore; Siegfried: Peter Furlong; Brünnhilde: Catharine Woodward; Hagen: Simon Wilding; Gunther: Andrew Mayor; Gutrune: Justine Viani; Alberich: Oliver Gibbs; Woglinde: Jillian Finnamore; Wellgunde: Elizabeth Findon; Flosshilde: Mae Heydorn; Waltraute: Catherine Backhouse; Ben Woodward: Music Director and Conductor; Caroline Staunton: Director; CJ Heaver: Producer ThreeContinue reading “Wagner: Gotterdammerung. Regents Opera, York Hall Bethnal Green: 2/3/25”
Wagner: Siegfried. Regents Opera, York Hall Bethnal Green: 27/2/25
Siegfried: Peter Furlong; Mime: Holden Madagame; Wanderer: Ralf Lukas; Fafner: Craig Lemont Walters; Alberich: Oliver Gibbs; Woodbird: Corinne Hart; Brünnhilde: Catharine Woodward; Erda: Mae Heydorn; Ben Woodward: Music Director and Conductor; Caroline Staunton: Director; CJ Heaver: Producer . Siegfried: Peter Furlong; Mime: Holden Madagame; Wanderer: Ralf Lukas; Fafner: Craig Lemont Walters; Alberich: Oliver Gibbs; Woodbird:Continue reading “Wagner: Siegfried. Regents Opera, York Hall Bethnal Green: 27/2/25”
Wagner: Die Walkure. Regents Opera, York Hall Bethnal Green: 25/2/25
Siegmund: Brian Smith Walters; Sieglinde: Justine Viani; Hunding: Gerrit Paul Groen; Wotan: Ralf Lukas; Fricka: Ingeborg Børch; Brünnhilde: Catharine Woodward; Gerhilde: Charlotte Richardson; Helmwige: Shannon Roberts; Ortlinde: Ella de Jongh; Waltraute: Catherine Backhouse; Schwertleite: Gráinne Gillis; Siegrune: Magdalen Ashman; Grimgerde: Grace Maria Wain; Rossweisse: Caroline Carragher; Ben Woodward: Music Director and Conductor; Caroline Staunton: Director;Continue reading “Wagner: Die Walkure. Regents Opera, York Hall Bethnal Green: 25/2/25”
John's musical journey 