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: opera
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”
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”
Turnage: Festen, ROHCG, 24/2/25
Director, Richard Jones; Set designer, Miriam Buether; Costume designer, Nicky Gillibrand; Lighting designer, Lucy Carter; Edward Gardner, conductor. Cast – Christian, Allan Clayton; Michael, Stéphane Degout; Helge, Gerald Finley; Else, Rosie Aldridge; Helena, Natalya Romaniw; Helmut. Thomas Oliemans; Grandma, Susan Bickley; Mette, Philippa Boyle; Gbatokai, Peter Brathwaite; Linda, Marta Fontanals-Simmons; Chef, Aled Hall; Lars, JulianContinue reading “Turnage: Festen, ROHCG, 24/2/25”
Wagner: Das Rheingold. Regents Opera, York Hall Bethnal Green: 23/2/25
Woglinde: Jillian Finnamore; Wellgunde: Justine Viani; Flosshilde: Mae Heydorn; Alberich: Oliver Gibbs;Wotan: Ralf Lukas; Fricka: Ingeborg Børch; Loge: James Schouten; Donner: Andrew Mayor; Freia: Charlotte Richardson; Froh: Calvin Lee; Mime: Holden Madagame; Fasolt: Henry Grant Kerswell; Fafner: Craig Lemont Walters; Erda: Mae Heydorn; Ben Woodward: Music Director and Conductor; Caroline Staunton: Director; CJ Heaver: ProducerContinue reading “Wagner: Das Rheingold. Regents Opera, York Hall Bethnal Green: 23/2/25”
Mozart, The Marriage of Figaro, ENO, 17/2/25
Ainārs Rubiķis, Conductor; Joe Hill-Gibbins, Director; Johannes Schütz, Set Designer; Astrid Klein,Costume Designer; Matthew Richardson, Lighting Designer.Cast: Mary Bevan,Susanna; David Ireland, Figaro; Neal Davies, Dr Bartolo; Rebecca Evans, Marcellina; Hanna Hipp, Cherubino; Hubert Francis, Don Basilio / Don Curzio; Nardus Williams, Countess Almaviva; Cody Quattlebaum, Count Almaviva; Trevor Eliot Bowes, Antonio; Ava Dodd, Barbarina ThisContinue reading “Mozart, The Marriage of Figaro, ENO, 17/2/25”
Puccini, La Rondine, LSO, Pappano, Barbican: 10/12/24
Concert performance – London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Antonio Pappano conductor; Carolina López Moreno, Magda; Serena Gamberoni, Lisette; Michael Fabiano, Ruggero; Paul Appleby, Prunier; Ashley Riches, Rambaldo; Sarah Dufresne, Yvette/Giorgette; Angela Schisano, Bianca/Gabriele; Marvic Monreal, Suzy/Lolette; London Symphony Chorus Unusually for me, I had made a wrong judgement about seating in booking for this . IContinue reading ” Puccini, La Rondine, LSO, Pappano, Barbican: 10/12/24″
Advent Concert, Wiener Symphoniker. St Stephen’s Cathedral 6/12/24
Stéphane Denève, Conductor; Rosa Feola, soprano; Singverein der Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde; Kate Lindsey, mezzo; Wiener Symphoniker. Programme included – Mass for Choir and Orchestra C major KV 167 “Trinity”, 2. Gloria, Mozart; Laudate Dominum, Mozart; German Dances KV 605, No. 3 C major “Sleigh Ride”, Mozart; ‘Ave Maria” for solo voice and organ, Saint-Saëns; ‘Carillon”, 3rd andContinue reading “Advent Concert, Wiener Symphoniker. St Stephen’s Cathedral 6/12/24”
John's musical journey 