Classical Explorer

  It’s been a while: well, over 40 years, since I heard Lehár’s Die lustige Witwe, in an amdram production just outside of Manchester in which I was playing French horn. Has absence made the […]

#MOZART250: Rachel Podger plays Mozart. Rachel Podger (violin); The Mozartists / Ian Page (conductor). Wigmore Hall, Londo, 18.06.2024 (CC)    Haydn  Symphony No. 66 in B flat  (1775/6)  Mozart Violin Concertos: No. 2 in D, K 211 […]

Opera Rara’s Donizetti Song Project is the latest in their alchemical mix of musicology and performance. But why say with Volume Four first? Because recently we heard Bellini’s La straniella (see this post), and Donizetti […]

Britten, Shostakovich Augustin Hadelich (violin); Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra / Michael Sanderling (conductor). Kulturpalast, Dresden, 13.06.2025 Britten Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 15 (1939)  Shostakovich Symphony No. 8 in C minor, Op. 65 (1943)  Great […]

Heinrich Heine. Paris. Musik Benjamin Appl (baritone); James Baillieu (piano); Barbara Auer (narrator); Jens Harzer (narrator); Helmut Butzmann (concept). Palais im Großen Garten, Dresden, Germany, 12.06.2025   Palais im Großen Garten Lieder with readings might […]

Enchantresses Sandrine Piau (soprano); Les Paladins / Jérome Correas (director, harpsichord). Wigmore Hall, 10.06.2025   Handel Ariodante: Overture; March. Lotario: Scherza in mar. Giulio Cesare in Egitto: E pur cosi in un giorno … Piangerò […]

Schubert, Byrd Mishka Rushdie Momen (piano). Wigmore Hall, London, 1130 am, 8.6.2025 Schubert  Piano Sonatas: A minor, D 784 (1823); C minor, D 958 (1828)  Byrd  Prelude in A minor. Fantasia in A minor.   I was […]

Bellini La strraniera (concert performance) Cast; Chorus and Orchestra of Chelsea Opera Group /. Stephen Barlow (conductor) Cadogan Hall, London, 01.06.2025 Cast:   Alaide (La straniera) – Heena Dix  Valdeburgo – Dan D’Souza  Isoletta – […]

Mozart, Tchaikovsky Dudok Quartet Amsterdam. Wigmore Hall, 1pm, 01.06.2025 Mozart String Quartet No. 14 in G, K 387 (1782)  Tchaikovsky String Quartet No. 2 in F, Op. 22 (1874)  The Dudok Quartet Amsterdam comprises Judith […]

Aziz Shokhakimov’s continuing success with the Strasbourg orchestra is exemplified in this recording. Good timing, too, given the Ravel celebrations this year. Recently, we covered a live performance in Strasbourg of Stravinsky’s Rite could with […]