Germany Rebecca Saunders, Lash: Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin / Enno Poppe (conductor). Deutsche Oper Berlin, 20.6.2025. (MB)
Premiere of Rebecca Saunders’s first opera at the Deutsche Oper Berlin only partially fulfils expectations
Mark Berry
Another excellent instalment in Tim Horton’s fascinating Chopin series at Wigmore Hall
United Kingdom R. Schumann, Stockhausen, Chopin: Tim Horton (piano), Wigmore Hall, London, 17.6.2025. (MB)
The Belcea Quartet’s interesting and satisfying Wigmore Hall Schoenberg and Beethoven pairing
United Kingdom Schoenberg and Beethoven: Belcea Quartet (Corina Belcea, Suyeon Kang [violins], Krysztof Chorzelski [viola], Antoine Lederlin [cello]). Wigmore Hall, London, 11.6.2025. (MB)
Guildhall’s oddly compelling, well-performed vision of Dido and Aeneas
United Kingdom Purcell, Dido and Aeneas: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama / James Henshaw (conductor). Milton Court Theatre, London, 9.6.2025. (MB)
Excellent Wigmore Hall concert for Boulez’s centenary year by Sean Shibe and friends
United Kingdom Dillon, Miller, and Boulez: Sean Shibe (guitar), Ema Nikolovska (mezzo-soprano), Adam Walker (flute), George Barton, Iris van den Bos, Sam Wilson (percussion), Emma Wernig (viola), Matthew Hunt (clarinet), Mira Benjamin (violin), Colin Alexander (cello) / Alphonse Cemin (conductor). Wigmore Hall, 29.5.2025. (MB)
Unsuk Chin’s new Hamburg opera is a puzzling and, in many ways, frustrating experience
Germany Unsuk Chin, Die dunkle Seite des Mondes: Soloists, Chorus of the Hamburg State Opera, Hamburg State Philharmonic Orchestra / Kent Nagano (conductor). Hamburg State Opera, 18.5.2025. (MB)
Many pleasing surprises in Francesco Piemontesi’s Wigmore Hall recital
United Kingdom Schubert and Liszt: Francesco Piemontesi (piano). Wigmore Hall, London, 9.5.2025. (MB)
A Vienna Lohengrin that demanded to be heard and was also worth seeing
Austria Wagner, Lohengrin: Soloists, Vienna State Opera Chorus, Extra Chorus, and Choir Academy, Stage Orchestra, Vienna State Opera Orchestra / Christian Thielemann (conductor). Vienna State Opera, Vienna, 1.5.2025 (MB)
