René Benedetti’s miraculous Paganini
French virtuoso violinist René Benedetti was born in Toulon in 1901; the family moved to Paris when René’ father opened a music shop in Montmartre. Benedetti was something of a prodigy: he had lessons at […]
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Handel’s Serse at Barbican
Most recently seen in March in a stunning Tamerlano at Shorreditch Town Hall as part of the 2026 London Handel Festival, Douglas Cummings and the Academy of Ancient Music gave us Serse of 1738 (premiered […]
As Ryan Wigglesworth steps down as chief conductor of BBC SSO, his replacement is announced as Antony Hermus, principal guest conductor of Opera North
Antony Hermus (Photo: Marco Borggreve) Next year, Ryan Wigglesworth completes a remarkable five seasons as chief conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra [see my recent interview with Ryan focusing on his being Featured Artist […]
Concertos for friends: Colin Currie in Tansy Davies, Tamsin Waley-Cohen in Freya Waley-Cohen with BBC National Orchestra of Wales & Kevin John Edusei at Aldeburgh Festival
Tansy Davies: Earthworks – Colin Currie, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Kevin John Edusei (Photo: Britten Pears Arts) John Adams: Short Ride in a Fast Machine, Tansy Davies: Earthworks, Shostakovich: Symphony No.10; Colin Currie percussion, […]
Allow yourself to be seduced: Tsinandali Festival features the Pan-Caucasian Youth Orchestra at historic estate in Georgia
Tsinandali Festival amphitheatre The current Foreign Office travel advice for Georgia is somewhat inconclusive, yet the country has long seduced European travellers. Friends of mine travelled to Tblisi last year and not only had a […]
ECHO Rising Stars announced for 2027-28 including Laura van der Heijden, Junyan Chen, Fibonacci Quartet, Aaron Azunda Akugbo
The European Concert Hall Organisation (ECHO) has announced the artists selected for its 2027-28 ECHO Rising Stars season. As part of the ECHO Rising Stars programme, these artists will perform on the stages of leading […]
Powerful moments: Paul Wingfield directs Chelsea Opera Group in an impressive account of Mozart’s Idomeneo with Andrew Henley & Eleanor Dennis
Mozart: Idomeneo; Andrew Henley, Eleanor Dennis, Lorena Paz Nieto, Frances Gregory, Sean Tester, Chelsea Opera Group, Paul Wingfield; Cadogan HallReviewed 21 June 2026 Some powerful individual performances contribute to an account of the opera under conductor […]
%20BPA-9.jpg?w=510&resize=510,510&ssl=1 "From Young Apollo to the Cello Symphony to the Poet's Echo to Phaedra: the range of Britten's composing career explored by Britten Sinfonia at Aldeburgh Festival alongside new works")
From Young Apollo to the Cello Symphony to the Poet’s Echo to Phaedra: the range of Britten’s composing career explored by Britten Sinfonia at Aldeburgh Festival alongside new works
Genevieve Lacey, Gemma New, Britten Sinfonia, Aldeburgh Festival (Photo: Britten Pears Arts) Steve (Stelios) Adam: et døgn (one day), Lisa Illean/Binchois: Chansons, Lisa Illean: New works for recorder, strings and pre-recorded sounds, Brett Dean: Carlo, […]
de Wert: Ninth Book of Madrigals
Netherlandish madrigalist Giaches de Wert (1535-96) spent much of his life in Italy, initially as choirboy to the Marchesa of Padulla (Salerno);he and was later court musician to counts of Nobellara, and the maestro di […]
Das Rheingold at Grange Park Opera
With Barrie Kosky’s ongoing Covent Garden production dominating metropolitan perceptions of Wagner’s tetralogy and Longborough Festival Opera having set a high bar for country house Wagner, it was brave of Grange Park Opera to embark […]
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.jpg?w=160&resize=160,160&ssl=1 "BBC Proms: Bach's Mass writ large as Arcangelo give us choral bravura at Royal Albert Hall")
