United Kingdom Concerto Italiano’s Bach: Laura Pontecorvo (flute), Andrea Rognoni, Antonio De Secondi (violins), Marco Ceccato (cello) / Rinaldo Alessandrini (director/harpsichord). Wigmore Hall, London, 29.12.2017. (CC)
Colin Clarke
Messiah Through New Eyes is a Thought-provoking Experience
United Kingdom Hannah Conway and Handel: Schoolchildren from La Retraite RC School, Clapham Park; St Paul’s Way Trust School; and Westminster City School; Mary Bevan (soprano); Reginald Mobley (counter-tenor); Thomas Hobbs (tenor); Christopher Purves (baritone); Academy of Ancient Music Chorus & Orchestra / Richard Egarr (director/harpsichord). Barbican Hall, London, 20.12.2017. (CC)
Alexander Joel Conducts a Well-Balanced Revival of the Royal Opera’s Rigoletto
United Kingdom Verdi, Rigoletto: Soloists, Chorus & Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Alexander Joel (conductor). Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, 14.12.2017. (CC)
An Absorbing Winter Journey with Mark Padmore and Mitsuko Uchida
United Kingdom Schubert: Mark Padmore (tenor), Mitsuko Uchida (piano), Wigmore Hall, London, 13.12.2017. (CC)
The BBCSO Present a Fascinating and Rewarding Portrait of Esa-Pekka Salonen as Composer
United Kingdom Total Immersion: Esa-Pekka Salonen: Various artists. Barbican Centre, and Milton Court Concert Hall, London, 10.12.2017. (CC)
This was an unmissable opportunity to experience the ‘other’ side of Esa-Pekka Salonen, so beloved of London audiences via his conducting activities with the Philharmonia Orchestra (most recently a wonderful Mahler Ninth). He did not raise a baton on this particular day, however: it was all about Salonen’s own music.
A Most Stimulating Evening of Bach and Telemann
United Kingdom Reversed Fortunes, music by Bach and Telemann: Academy of Ancient Music / Bojan Čičić (violin/director). Milton Court Concert Hall, London, 7.12.2017. (CC)
The London Sinfonietta Celebrates Karlheinz Stockhausen
United Kingdom Stockhausen: London Sinfonietta and Royal Academy of Music Manson Ensemble / Pascal Rophé (conductor). Sound Intermedia; Sophie Motley (stage director); Tony Simpson (lighting designer); Jonathan Berman (assistant conductor). Royal Festival Hall, London, 6.12.2017. (CC)
Hearing this English Concert Live was Well Worth the Opportunity
United Kingdom Blow, Purcell, Handel, Bach – Welcome to all the pleasures: The Choir of New College, Oxford; The English Concert/Robert Quinney (director/harpsichord/organ) Wigmore Hall, London, 29.11.2017. (CC)