A Conversation With RICHARD SUART & MARY BEVAN: Backstage at ENO’s ‘The Mikado’
It’s an amazing statistic in itself that Jonathan Miller’s now iconic production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Mikado is one-fifth as old as the piece itself – that is 26 years. For 25 of those Richard Suart has groveled…
A Conversation With MAXIM VENGEROV
Sunday 18th November 2012, London Jewish Cultural Centre at Ivy House It was a real a real privilege being invited by the London Jewish Cultural Centre to interview Maxim Vengerov at Anna Pavlova’s old London home –…
A Conversation With MARIN ALSOP: Chief Conductor of the São Paulo Symphony Orchestra
There’s more than just Football and Formula One and the Rio Olympics to divert global attention to Brazil – indeed the whole of South America – at the present time. Classical music has never been hotter than…
A Conversation With CALIXTO BIEITO
The image of the toilet cubicles lingers on but no one can deny the fierce theatricality that shakes up English National Opera whenever Calixto Bieito’s in town. His anarchic Don Giovanni made us reassess the motivations of both sexes…
A Conversation With KRISTJAN JÄRVI: Baltic Youth Philharmonic
The Baltic Youth Philharmonic (founded in 2008) is part of a much larger and bolder enterprise embracing the 10 nation states bordering the Baltic Sea. At a time of financial duress when governments are downgrading culture as…
A Conversation With STEPHEN TRIFFITT
Stephen Triffitt leaves his alter ego, Francis Albert Sinatra, under wraps for a few hours and shares the amazing story of how the two of them became one. From The Rat Pack to his own solo tribute shows this is…
A Conversation With MARTYN BRABBINS & TOM SCHENK: Vaughan Williams’ ‘A Pilgrim’s Progress’ at ENO
Vaughan Williams’ rapturous “Morality” (his chosen description) of John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress comes to English National Opera for its first fully professional staging since its premiere at the Festival of Britain in 1951. It’s a bold…
A Conversation With The ELIAS STRING QUARTET
The vibrant ELIAS STRING QUARTET are 14 years young, well established, and well respected on the international scene. Former BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists and recipients of a Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award in 2010, they are at…
A Conversation With JULIAN OVENDEN
Two days after the world premiere of Finding Neverland at Leicester’s Curve Theatre I am backstage with its star Julian Ovenden for the story so far on this musical adaptation – Allan Knee (Book), Scott Frankel (Music),…
A Conversation With LEIF OVE ANDSNES
Over the next four seasons the Norwegian pianist Leif Ove Andsnes will be embarking upon a “Beethoven Journey” that will clock up 150 performances in 55 cities all over the world. At the heart of this expedition…
