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TUESDAY JULY22ND   -  NEW OPERA AND CONCERT REVIEWS FROM:



NEXT UPDATE FRIDAY JULY 25TH

BBC PROMENADE CONCERT REVIEWS

First Night of the 2008 BBC Proms Season : Christine Brewer (soprano), Pierre-Laurent Aimard (piano), Nicholas Daniel (oboe), Wayne Marshall (organ), Royal College of Music Brass, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Cond: Jiří Bĕlohlávek. The Royal Albert Hall, London, 18.7.2008 (ME)

Prom 2: Bax, Finzi and Elgar: Andrew Kennedy (tenor), Nigel Kennedy (violin), BBC Concert Orchestra; Paul Daniel (conductor). Royal Albert Hall, London 19.7.2008 (JPr)

INTERNATIONAL OPERA REVIEWS

Mozart, Idomeneo: Soloists, Orchestra and Chorus Teatro Real. Conductor. Jesús López Cobos., Teatro Real de Madrid. 17 & 18.7.2008. (JMI)

Henry Purcell, King Arthur:  New production by Corinne and Gilles Benizio (Shirley and Dino), Soloists, chorus and orchestra of Concert Spirituel, Hervé Niquet conductor at the Festival de Radio France Montpellier Languedoc-Rousillon, L'Opéra Comédie, Montpellier, France.  17.7.2008 (MM)

Buxton Festival 2008 (2): Handel, ‘Samson’ (1743) – a dramatic oratorio in three acts. Best/Bottone/Pont Davies/Randle/Smythe/Thomas. Buxton Festival Chorus The Orchestra of The Sixteen/ Harry Christophers 16.7.2008 (RJW)

Mozart, Così fan tutti :  New production by Abbas Kzarostami, Soloists, chorus and orchestra of Festival d'Aix-en-Provence, Christophe Rousset conductor, Théâtre de l'Archevêché, Aix-en-Provence, France. 16.7.2008 (MM)

John Metcalf, A Chair in Love: Soloists, Pentaèdre Wind Quintet, Taliesin Theatre, Swansea 13.7.2008 (MS)

OTHER UK AND INTERNATIONAL CONCERT REVIEWS

Aspen Music Festival (5): Salerno-Sonnenburg in Piazzola, Bronfman in Prokofiev, Joyce Yang, Ying Quartet. 20.7.2008 (HS)

Mendelssohn, Elijah : Rebecca Evans (soprano), Leah-Marian Jones (mezzo), Rhys Meirion (tenor), Bryn Terfel (bass), William Dutton (boy soprano), Philharmonia Chorus, Cardiff Ardwyn Singers, Cardiff Polyphonic Choir, Orchestra of Welsh National Opera / Owain Arwel Hughes OBE (conductor), St. David’s Hall, Cardiff, 19.7.2008 (GPu)

Cheltenham Festival 2008 (10):  Music by Schubert. Mark Padmore (tenor); Paul Lewis (piano) Pittville Pump Room 19.7.2008 (JQ)

Cheltenham Festival 2008 (9): Music by Messiaen. Festival Academy: Alexandra Wood (violin); Catriona Scott (clarinet); Robin Michael (cello); Huw Watkins (piano) Pittville Pump Room 18.7.2008 (JQ)

Cheltenham Festival 2008 (8): Music by Schubert. Florian Boesch (bass-baritone); Roger Vignoles (piano) Pittville Pump Room 18.7.2008 (JQ)

Tchaikovsky: Tasmin Little (violin) / Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra / Owain Arwel Hughes (conductor), St. David’s Hall, Cardiff, 17.7.2008 (GPu)

Cheltenham Festival 2008 (7): Music by Schubert. Paul Lewis (piano); Allan Clayton (tenor) Pittville Pump Room 17. 7.2008 (JQ)

Whangarei Music Society - Piano Recital : Oleg Marshev (pf.), Capitaine Bougainville Theatre, Whangarei, New Zealand, 17.7.2008 (PSe)

OTHER RECENT  REVIEWS: 18th JULY- 19th JUNE 2008

Aspen Music Festival (4): Bronfman-Shaham-Harrell Trio powers through Shostakovich; pianist Ann Schein plays Chopin, Schubert. 18. 7.2008 (HS)

Weill, Street Scene:  Dir. John Fulljames, Musical Director Patrick Bailey. Young Vic Theatre, London, 17. 7.2008 (ME)

Puccini, La Bohème : Soloists, chorus and orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Conductor: Christian Badea. Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, 13.7.2008. (JPr)

Beethoven: Krassimira Stoyanova (soprano), Lioba Brauns (mezzo), Steve Davislim (tenor), Guido Jentjens (bass), Munich Philharmonic, Christian Thielemann (conductor), Philharmonie at the Gasteig, Munich – Special concert for the 850th anniversary of the city of Munich. 12. 7.2008 (JFL)

Bellini, Rossini and Donizetti: Juan Diego Flórez (tenor). Orchestra of Welsh National Opera, Carlo Rizzi (conductor), Barbican Hall London 12. 7.2008 (MMB)

Aspen Music Festival (3): Kim plays Beethoven Concerto No. 5 with Shui, Ax plays Mozart and Strauss with Zinman, Chang assays Sibelius with Conlon. 11 - 13.7. 2008 (HS)

Aspen Music Festival (2): Cavani Quartet, four-hand piano with Joseph Kalichstein, Yefim Bronfman, Emmanuel Ax and Misha Dichter; Rossini's  "La Cenerentola." 11.7.2008 (HS)

Mozart, Così fan tutte: Garsington Opera Production, Concert staging based on John Cox’s production, Dir: Frederic Wake-Walker, Soloists, Garsington Opera Orchestra, Cond: Steuart Bedford. Barbican Hall, London 11.7.2008 (ME)

Welsh National Youth Opera 2008 :  Brian Irvine,  ‘The Calling of Maisy Day’ (Premiere)  Soloists, chorus and orchestra of Welsh National Youth Opera / Tim Rhys Evans (conductor) The Weston Studio, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff 11.7.2008 (BK)

Cheltenham Festival 2008 (6)  : Music by Maurice Ravel, Max Bruch and Ralph Vaughan Williams. Alina Ibragimova (violin); Rachel Nicholls (soprano); Robert Hardy (speaker); Ladies of the London Symphony Chorus;Philharmonia Orchestra; Richard Hickox, Tewkesbury Abbey 11. 7.2008 (JQ)

Sibelius, Szymanowski, Tchaikovsky: Soloists,  Grant Park Chorus (Christopher Bell Chorus Director) Grant Park Orchestra, Hannu Lintu, conductor,  Chicago, 11.7. 2008 (JLZ)

Cheltenham Festival 2008 (5):   Music by Leonin, Arvo Pärt, Veljo Tormis and St. Godric Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir/Paul Hillier Tewkesbury Abbey 10. 7.2008 (JQ)

Rachmaninov, Lalo, Turina: Vadim Repin (violin), Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Kirill Petrenko (conductor), Philharmonie at the Gasteig, Munich  10.7.2008 (JFL)

City of London Festival 2008 (2)  Mahler: Symphony No. 8, “Symphony of a Thousand”. Soloists; Choir of Eltham College; Choral Arts Society of Washington; London Symphony Chorus and Orchestra/Valery Gergiev. St Paul’s Cathedral, 10.7.2008 (CC)

City of London Festival 2008: Maxwell Davies, Goehr and Haas, Pavel Haas Quartet (Veronika Jaruskova (violin) – Marie Fuxová (violin) - Pavel Nikl (viola) – Peter Jarusek (cello)). St Andrew Holborn, London, 10.7.2008 (BBr)

London Concord Singers /  Malcolm Cottle: St Michael’s Church,  Chester Square,  London, 10.7.2008 (BBr)

Buxton Festival 2008:  Albert Lortzing ‘The Poacher’ or ‘Der Wildschütz’ – a comic opera with dialogue Drumm/Holland/Hulett/Howarth/Parfitt/Rutherford  Northern Chamber Orchestra/Greenwood, Buxton Opera House 10.7.2008 (RJW)

Cheltenham Festival 2008 (4): James Gilchrist (tenor); The Schubert Ensemble, Pittville Pump Room 8. 7.2008 (JQ)

Cy Coleman: City of Angels: Students of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama/John Beswick. Guildhall School Theatre, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London, 8.7.2008 (BBr)

Cheltenham Festival 2008 (3) : From Spem to Et Exspecto - Music by Thomas Tallis, Olivier Messiaen and Maurice Duruflé.Royal Northern College of Music Wind Orchestra/Timothy Reynish; The Oriel Singers/Tim Morris; St Cecilia Singers/Russell Burton; Carleton Etherington (Organ) Tewkesbury Abbey 7. 7.2008 (JQ)

Festival d’Aix en Provence (4): Wagner, Siegfried: Soloists, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle. Grand Théâtre de Provence, Aix en Provence. 7.7.2008 (MB)

Stravinsky,  The Rake’s Progress: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of The Royal Opera, Thomas Adès : Conductor , Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London 7. 7.2008 (AO)

Aspen Music Festival (1): Golijov's "Azul," Julia Fischer, Gil Shaham, and others. 7. 7.2008 (HS)

R.Strauss, Tchaikovsky, Brahms: Adrianne Pieczonka, Munich Philharmonic, Christian Thielemann (conductor), Philharmonie at the Gasteig, Munich  6.7.2008 (JFL)

Festival d’Aix en Provence (3) :  Haydn Toru Yasunaga (violin), Ludwig Quandt (’cello), Albrecht Meyer (oboe), Daniele Damiano (bassoon). Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle (conductor). Grand Théâtre de Provence, Aix en Provence. 6.7.2008 (MB)

Cheltenham Music Festival 2008 (2) : Songs by Ralph Vaughan Williams, Percy Grainger, Benjamin Britten and George Butterworth. Matthew Rose (bass) & Gareth Hancock (piano). Pittville Pump Room, Cheltenham. 6.7.2008 (JQ)

Cheltenham Music Festival 2008 (1) : Trio Mediæval and  the Rolf Lislevand Ensemble, All Saints Church (12 Noon) and the Pittville Pump Room (3pm) Cheltenham. 5.7.2008 (BK)

Festival d’Aix en Provence (2): Mozart, Zaide: Soloists, Camerata Salzburg. Conductor: Louis Langrée. Théâtre de l’Archevêché, Aix en Provence, 5.7.2008 (MB)

Festival d’Aix en Provence 2008 (1): Pascal Dusapin, Passion:  Soloists, Ensemble Modern Frankfurt. Franck Ollu (conductor). Théâtre du Jeu de paume, Aix en Provence, 4.7.2008 (MB)

Chichester Festivities 2008 : Mozart, Schumann Weber, Ireland Messiaen, Chopin  and Goodman,   Emma Johnson (clarinet), John Lenehan (piano). Chichester Festivities, Champs Hill, Coldwaltham 3.7.2008 (RC)

Beethoven and Rachmaninov: Tamsin Waley-Cohen (violin), Royal College of Music Sinfonietta, Robin O’Neill. Cadogan Hall, London, 3.7.2008 (BBr)

Poulenc From First to Last: Sarah Fox (soprano), Robert Murray (tenor), Stéphane Degout (baritone), Malcolm Martineau (piano). Wigmore Hall, London, 2.7.2008 (BBr)

Chabrier, L’Étoile: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Sherman Theatre, Cardiff, 2.7.2008 (GPu)

Second Opinion: Strauss, Ariadne auf Naxos Soloists, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House. Conductor: Mark Elder. Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, 1.7.2008 (RRR)

Concerto Celebration - Ibert, Rachmaninov and Sibelius: Andrew Somerville (alto saxophone), Alexander Ullman (piano), Anna-Liisa Bezrodny (violin), Southbank Sinfonia, Simon Over. Cadogan Hall, London, 1.7.2008 (BBr)

Wagner, Tristan und Isolde:  Bavarian State Opera Festival 2008:   Soloists, Bavarian State Opera Orchestra, Kent Nagano (conductor) Nationaltheater, Munich  30.6.2008 (JFL)

Sibelius,  a second opinion : Nikolaj Znaider (violin), London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Colin Davis (conductor), Barbican, London 29. 6.2008 (RRR)

Sibelius: Nikolaj Znaider (violin), London Symphony Orchestra, Colin Davis. Barbican Hall, London, 29.6.2008 (BBr)

Wagner and Mahler: Gerard Schwarz, cond., Jane Eaglen, soprano, Seattle Symphony, Benaroya Hall, Seattle, 28.6.2007 (BJ)

Grant Park Music Festival 2008 (2) : Vaughan Williams, Britten, and Bartok Karina Gauvinl, soprano, Grant Park Orchestra, Carlos Kalmar (conductor) Chicago 28.6.2008 (JLZ)

Brahms: Philharmonia Orchestra, Lorin Maazel (conductor). Royal Festival Hall, London, 28.6.2008 (MB)

Brahms: Heidi Grant Murphy (soprano), Simon Keenlyside (baritone), Philharmonia Chorus, Philharmonia Voices, Philharmonia Orchestra, Lorin Maazel (conductor). Royal Festival Hall, 28.6.2008 (MB)

Busoni, Doktor Faust: Bavarian State Opera, Opera Festival 2008:   Soloists, Bavarian State Opera Orchestra, Kent Nagano (conductor) Nationaltheater, Munich  28.6.2008 (JFL)

Port Townsend Music Festival 2008: Schubert, Auerbach, and Brahms Tokyo String Quartet; Attacca String Quartet; Helen Callus, viola; Joseph F. Wheeler Theater, Port Townsend, WA, 27.6.2008 (BJ)

Beethoven, Ravel, Bartok, Say:  Fazil Say (Piano), Patricia Kopatchinskaja (Violin), ENKA Auditorium, Istanbul, 27.6.2008 (AM)

Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert: Alfred Brendel (piano). Royal Festival Hall, London, 27.6.2008 (MB)

Aldeburgh Festival 2008  (9):  Stockhausen ,  Stimmung, London Voices, Ben Parry (director), The Maltings, Snape, Suffolk, England 27. 6.2008 (AO)

Aldeburgh Festival 2008 (7 and 8) :  Bach, Cage, Birtwistle, Stravinsky, The Arditti Quartet, The Maltings, Snape, Suffolk 27.6.2008 (AO) and Hallaig : the poetry and landscape of Sorley McLean, a film by Timothy Neat Aldeburgh Cinema, Suffolk, England 27.6.2008 (AO)

Dvorak and Mahler: Michael Schade (tenor) Christian Gerhaher (baritone), Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Daniel Harding (conductor), Herkulessaal, Munich  26.6.2008 (JFL)

Janáček, The Cunning Little Vixen:  Benjamin Britten International Opera School, Royal College of Music, London, cond Michael Rosewell. 26.6.2008 (ME)

Garsington Opera (2): Vivaldi, L’incoronazione di Dario.  Soloists, Garsington Opera Orchestra, Laurence Cummings (conductor) Garsington Manor, Garsington, Oxfordshire, England. 25. 6.2008 (AO)

Schubert: Alban Berg Quartet (Günther Pichler (violin), Gerhard Schultz (violin), Isabel Charisius (viola), Valentin Erban (cello)) with Elisabeth Leonskaja (piano), Alois Posch (double bass) and Heinrich Schiff (cello). Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, 25.6.2008 (BBr)

Weber, Schumann and Mussorgsky (arr. Ravel) : Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Neeme Järvi (conductor) Barbican Hall London, 25.6.2008 (GD)


Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert : Alfred Brendel (piano). Symphony Hall, Birmingham 24.6.2008 (JQ)

Mozart, Le nozze di Figaro: Soloists, chorus and orchestra of the Royal Opera House. Conductor: Sir Charles Mackerras. Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, 24.6.2008. (JPr)

Razumovsky Trust Gala:  featuring Ida Haendel (violin) and other artists. Wigmore Hall, London. 24. 6.2008. (ED)

Dvořák, Tchaikovsky: Julia Fischer (violin), Munich Philharmonic, Yakov Kreizberg (conductor), Philharmonic Hall - Gasteig, Munich 23.6.2008 (JFL)

Hans-Werner Henze, Die Bassariden:   Bavarian State Opera June 23, 2008, Conductor: Marc Albrecht, Munich  23. 6 2008 (BM)

Handel, Orlando : Soloists, Independent Opera at Sadler’s Wells Orchestra, Gary Cooper (conductor), Wigmore Hall, London, 21.6.2008 (AO)

Bach,  B Minor Mass:  St George’s Singers and soloists, Manchester Camerata orchestra, Neil Taylor (conductor)  The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester. 22.6. 2008 (RJF)

Mozart, Brahms: Anne-Sophie Mutter (violin); London Symphony Orchestra/André Previn. Barbican Hall, 22.6. 2008 (CC)

Garsington Opera 2008 : Stravinksy, The Rake's Progress. Soloists, Harpsichord Continuo, Nicholas Bosworth, Garsington Opera Orchestra and Chorus, Martin André (conductor) Garsington Manor, Oxfordshire  21. 6.2008. (BK)

Hellenic Festival  2008: Puccini, Turandot  Greek National Opera conductor: Lukas Karytinos Herod Atticus Theater, Athens 21.6.2008 (BM)

Handel, Ariodante: Soloists, San Francisco Opera Orchestra. Conductor: Patrick Summers. War Memorial Opera Houses, San Francisco, 21.6.2008 (HS)

Aldeburgh Festival 2008  (6) : Rihm, Byrd, Xenakis,  Rohan de Saram cello) Exaudi, James Week (director), Aldeburgh Church, Suffolk, England. 20.6.2008 (AO)

Sondheim,  Company: The Royal Academy of Music's Musical Theatre Department, David White. Sir Jack Lyons Theatre, Royal Academy of Music, London, 20.6.2008 (BBr)

Aldeburgh Festival 2008 (4 and 5): Bach, Kurtág György Kurtág, Márta Kurtág, (piano), Hiromi Kikuchi (violin), Pierre-Laurent Aimard (piano), The Maltings, Snape, Aldeburgh. 19 and 20.06.2008 (AO)

Hindemith, Bloch, and Franck: Gerard Schwarz, cond., Joshua Roman, cello, Seattle Symphony, Benaroya Hall, Seattle, 20.6.2008 (BJ)

Forrest, Wright and Yeston: Grand Hotel: Royal Academy of Music’s Musical Theatre Department, Torquil Munro. Sir Jack Lyons Theatre, Royal Academy of Music, London, 19.6.2008 (BBr)

Wagner, Das Rheingold: New production, Francesca Zambello. Soloists, San Francisco Opera Orchestra. Conductor: Donald Runnicles. War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco, 19.6.2008 (HS)

Holland Festival 2008, Andriessen and Messiaen:  De Nederlandse Opera visits Heaven, Purgatory and Hell, Het Muziektheater and Koninklijk Theater Carré, Amsterdam, 18 /19.6.2008 (BK)

Handel:  Giulio Cesare in Egitto: Soloists, Freiburger Barockorchester, Conductor: René Jacobs , Auditorio Miguel Delibes de Valladolid. 18. 6.2008  (JMI)

Verdi,  Luisa Miller: Soloists, Orquestra Simfònica y Coro del Gran Teatro del Liceu Conductor: Maurizio Benini, Gran Teatre del Liceu de Barcelona 19.6.2008 (JMI)

EARLIER REVIEWS AND ARTICLES ARE IN THE SUBJECT INDEX PAGES
 

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