Vaughan Williams “Pilgrim’s Progress”, English National Opera, London Coliseum
Not for nothing did Vaughan Williams frame his “Morality” The Pilgim’s Progress with scenes of John Bunyan imprisoned. Bunyan would not conform to Church of England doctrines and neither, in his way, would Vaughan Williams. The Pilgrim’s…
London Philharmonic Orchestra, Tetzlaff, Vänskä, Royal Festival Hall (Review)
Some symphonies are natural curtain-raisers: Sibelius’ Third is one. Music began with rhythm and in this piece the cellos are the distant drummers who bring us back to basics with their curt opening measures. Osmo Vänskä clipped…
Donizetti’s ‘Belisario’ marches in…
Among Donizetti’s 75 or so operas Belisario has all the credentials to be much more than just a curio. It was written in the wake of Lucia di Lammermoor‘s triumph and represents the composer in full maturity…
Will Young at the Kit Kat
It should not be underestimated what Will Young achieves as Emcee in the current West End revival of Kander and Ebb’s Cabaret. In a sense the director of the show, Rufus Norris, has greedily capitalised on Young’s…
Three Sisters, the Young Vic, and the extraordinary Benedict Andrews
Three of the best things I have seen in the theatre over the last couple of years have been directed by the same man – Benedict Andrews. The ENO/Young Vic’s extraordinary The Return of Ulysses, the Sydney…
Calendar Girls (and Boys)
In the ever unpredictable world of opera there are those, it has to be said, who wear rather less onstage than they do off but the image below – Dame Felicity Lott enjoying a little fantasy poolside…
London Symphony Orchestra, Petrenko, Barbican Hall (Review)
It should have been Sir Colin Davis, of course (and the news filtering through on Sir Colin is sadly not encouraging), but the very first chord of Beethoven’s “Emperor” Concerto was a startling demonstration of what makes…
Mozart “Don Giovanni”, English National Opera, London Coliseum (Review)
“Coming Soon”, declares the contentious poster, though even the notion that Don Giovanni would have the time or the inclination to open the packet leave alone use the condom hardly squares with the reckless dash of Mozart…
Mercury Musical Developments at 20
Presenting the Sydney Brown Memorial Award 2012 to Denise Wright and Chris Burgess for a show called Emerald (which I hope is a better whole than the two numbers representing it here) Michael Ball recalled the original…
The Promotional EPK (Electronic Press Kit) Interview
I’m often asked to drive video interviews for promotional purposes – and tomorrow I’ll be doing just that for the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with a young Russian born but now naturalised American pianist, Natasha Peremski, whose parents…