Famous for presenting rare operatic repertoire, it might come as a surprise to find Il trovatore programmed to open this year’s Wexford Festival. Presented in its French version, however, this…
Manchester Camerata at Wigmore Hall
It’s amazing what can change in three-quarters of an hour. This short lunchtime concert at Wigmore Hall presented some remarkable music in superb performances: the known, the lesser-known and the…
Vibrant and Comic Portrayals from ENO’s Albert Herring
“This isn‘t our sort of thing, you know”, was the remarkable response by Glyndebourne’s founder John Christie to Benjamin Britten’s second chamber opera at its premiere in 1947. No less…
The Trees are Alive with the Sound of Music in Glyndebourne’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Glyndebourne’s programming of Britten’s adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream for its autumn season might seem somewhat eccentric. But with summer now a fading memory and as October wears on,…
Arvo Pärt at 90 with the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir & Tallin Chamber Orchestra at the Barbican
Since the first recording of his music in 1984 on the German label ECM, Arvo Pärt has attracted a huge following and an international reputation. With a significant birthday for…
Britten and Mahler From the Concertgebouw’s Crack Chamber Ensemble
Death is the great leveller, affecting all individuals irrespective of nationality, ethnicity or creed. It comes to us all, each and every one of us, and the most prescient of…
Forthright musical ebullience makes up for an uninspiring production of Handel’s Giustino
The Royal Opera House continues its series of Handel’s operas and oratorios premiered at the theatre which once stood on the same site with Giustino (1737). Coming from the end…
It’s all in the telling: Jennifer France, Edward Gardner and the LPO
Music encompasses many different kinds of storytelling, with and without overt narration. In the world of fictional narratives, there are often heroes or victors, villains or antagonists, stereotypical characters, and…
Welsh National Opera’s Frothy Candide Showcases Its Pythonesque Humour
Welsh National Opera’s Candide has returned as part of its autumn season and, due to stringent Arts Council cuts, it’s one of only two productions, neither of which are new.…
Opera Singers Bring A Beautiful Addition to Cherrydale UMC’s Concert Series
Started by pianist Mark Irchai last year, Cherrydale United Methodist Church’s concert series has twice so far featured a group of up-and-coming opera singers under the banner of “The Passion…