MTT conducts one last time
This weekend, Michael Tilson Thomas conducted the New World Symphony in what he has announced as the last concerts of his life. Michael, who is dealing with the recurrence of brain cancer, founded the orchestra […]
classical music
Imagination & sense of drama in John Weldon’s 1701 prize-winning The Judgement of Paris in its first recording from Academy of Ancient Music & Cambridge Handel Opera Co.
John Weldon: The Judgement of Paris; Helen Charlston, Kitty Whately, Anna Dennis, Thomas Walker, Jonathan Brown, Academy of Ancient Music, Cambridge Handel Opera Company, Julian Perkins; AAMReviewed 1 April 2025 Stylishly engaging performances highlight the […]
Tales of Apollo & Hercules at the London Handel Festival
Quotations about – not from – myth festoon both stage (pre-perfromance) and accompanying freesheet. ‘The lover of myth is in.a sense a philosopher; for myth is composed of wonders’ (Aristotle, from Metapphysics: follow this […]
Martha Argerich has nothing to say
A long time ago I was advised that anyone who wants to get an interview with Margerich needs to hang around with her a few times at three in the morning and she might, eventually, […]
Turin jump-in for Luisi
The Belgian/American conductor Giulio Cilona, 29, is stepping in for Maestro Fabio Luisi who has withdrawn for family reasons at the Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI in Torino. He will conduct Rachmaninov’s 3rd Piano Concerto […]
Munich loses Mirga
Message from the Munich Philharmonic: This week we are going on tour to Musikverein Wien & Müpa Budapest but Mirga Grazinyte-Tyla unfortunately had to cancel our upcoming concert tour due to an urgent family situation. […]
Covent Garden wants my money again
In 1999, I named a seat at the Royal Opera House after my eldest sister. She had been a devoted operagoer in the 1950s and my kid brother’s nod to her past happiness was much […]
Wigmore Hall has sacked the Arts Council. You can, too
There has been a hugely positive response to the Wigmore Hall’s decision to sack the interfering body that dispenses funds to the arts. Just search the slippedisc.com site for the sheer variety of opposition. But […]
Concertgebouw to host Iranian music
Message received: On 27 and 28 June, musicians from the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and Iranian musicians perform a special programme together at Amsterdam’s Muziekgebouw in collaboration with the Holland Festival. Under the direction of André […]
The Merry Widow, a New York mafia saga
From Scottish Opera’s co-production with Holland Park Opera: ‘The Merry Widow is all about displaced people – originally, the fictitious Pontevedrians are displaced in France – so the world of Italian-American Mafia families finding their […]
