It is truly astonishing to think that this is Glyndebourne’s first Monteverdi L’Orfeo. It is not the first Monteverdi there, though: both Poppea (first seen1962), and Il Ritorno d’Ulisse in patria (1972) have previously featured. […]
Christina Rossetti’s 1862 poem Goblin Market tells the story of sisters Laura and Lizzie, who are tempted with fruit by goblin merchants. The poem is interpreted frequently as having features of remarkably sexual imagery, and has been viewed […]
The Latvian Music Information Centre (LMIC) has launched an online sheet music store on its website offering a growing selection of previously unpublished works by Latvian composers. The LMIC sheet music store currently offers nearly one hundred […]
This July, York Early Music Festival celebrates its 50th edition, running from 3 to 11 July 2026 under the title Beyond Borders, and featuring some of the UK’s most extraordinary medieval churches, historic buildings and […]
Viljandi is an historic town in southern Estonia, founded in 1283, situated on the north-western shore of Lake Viljandi and surrounded by forest. The town is notable for its ruined castle and collection of historic […]
“An American Dream?” Why the question mark? There’s a lot to get to on this one, not least of which is why the title of the album is a question. Barbara Hannigan explains that in the […]
Imogen Whitehead with flugelhorn The flugelhorn has its origins in a German type of hunting horn. In early 18th century Germany, a ducal hunt leader known as a Flügelmeister used a Flügelhorn to direct his […]
Mary, Queen of Scots remains a character who continues to fascinate and inspire composers. Composers as diverse as Schumann and Richard Wagner set her poetry. Donizetti’s opera though historically inaccurate continues to hold the operatic […]
Solomon’s Knot and Jonathan Sells join forces with Les Passions de l’Âme (The Passions of the Soul)) for this celebration of late Telmann sacred music, Ton Koopman waxed lyrical to me once about Telemann’s Donnerode, […]
St Paul’s Opera in Clapham is back with their summer opera next month. Having delighted us last year with Doniz L’elisir d’amore [see my review], the company will be performing Verdi’s La traviata from 2 […]
