In bringing the action of Verdi’s Un ballo in Maschera (1859) forwards to the Hollywood’s Golden Era on either side of the Second World War, Rodula Gaitanou’s production (revived from 2019) suggests a conspiratorial world […]
The London Festival of Baroque Music at Smith Square Hall, 2025 The London Festival of Baroque Music returns to Smith Square Hall from 24 to 31 October 2026, again with countertenor Iestyn Davies as artistic […]
Suzi Digby & ORA Singers at Kings Place ORA Singers’ Young Composers’ Programme was set up in 2019 to tackle the decline in music provision in state schools. Now in its seventh iteration, each year […]
Verdi: Un ballo in maschera; Elin Pritchard, Matteo Desole, Dario Solari, Rosalind Plowright, dir: Rodula Gaitanou, City of London Sinfonia, cond: Michael Papadopoulos; Opera Holland ParkReviewed 25 July 2026 Superbly sung with a real sense of the […]
Gustavo III was written for the Teatro San Carlo in Naples. Gustavo III by Eugene Scribe was the chosen subject (1833), a play about the assassination of the King of Sweden in 1792 by noblemen […]
.jpg?w=510&resize=510,510&ssl=1 "Virtuosity & discipline: John Wilson & the Sinfonia of London in Respighi's Roman trilogy & Walton's Cello Concerto")
Walton: Cello Concerto – Jonathan Aasgaard, John Wilson, Sinfonia of London – BBC Proms at Royal Albert Hall (Photo: BBC / Chris Christodoulou) Verdi: Overture to La forza del destino, Walton: Cello Concerto, Respighi: Roman […]
Beethoven wrote a lot; and a lot sits under the radar today. Yes there are the nine symphonies, but there’s also a “Battle Symphony”; there’s all those sets of variations that aren’t on Diabelli; and […]
Ariadne auf Lewes: Strauss’ opera returns to Glyndebourne, transformed. Soloists; London Philharmonic Orchestra / Robin Ticciati (conductor). Glyndebourne Opera House, 19.07.2026 Production: Director, Costume Designer – Laurent Pelly Set Designer – Massimo Tronacanetti Lighting Designer […]
Here we have another invaluable release from the indefatigable Naxos label, presenting a heretofore unknown orchestra (the Minas Gerais Philharmonic Orchestra in Brazil) and their principal conductor (Fabio Mechetti) playing the music of unknown composer […]
,%20Camilla%20Seale%20(Alcina)%20plus%20chorus%20Credit_%20Genevieve%20Girling%20(1).jpg?w=510&resize=510,510&ssl=1 "It was Francesca Caccini's score, & Vache Baroque's performance, that surprised & captivated: La liberazione di Ruggiero at Buxton International Festival")
Francesca Caccini: La liberazione di Ruggiero – Jon Stainsby, Camilla Seale – Vache Baroque at Buxton International Festival (Photo: Genevieve Girling) Francesca Caccini: La liberazione di Ruggiero dall’isola d’Alcina; Camilla Seale, Jon Stainsby, Phoebe Rayner, […]
.jpg?w=160&resize=160,160&ssl=1 "Intriguing connections in Anja Bihlmaier & BBC Philharmonic's Prom including Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde with Jamie Barton & Clay Hilley, yet perhaps better heard on BBC Sounds")
.jpg?w=160&resize=160,160&ssl=1 "Stripped back drama & strong musical values: Richard Strauss's Ariadne auf Naxos from Glyndebourne Opera at the BBC Proms")
